Some thoughts on once great Empires of
history.
Actually this is some thoughts on one empire, the
American Empire. One definition of Empire (found in Webster’s Revised
Unabridged Dictionary) is “Supreme power; sovereignty; sway; dominion.” The
United States is very much a supreme power and has much sway, it is an Empire.
Not in the classical sense of going out and taking land for it’s self but in a
modern way. The United States is an empire influence. The United States exerts
influence in many ways not only (but not excluding) the classic display of
military might. Something that is clear to me is that all empires fall.
Alexander the Great’s Empire, The Roman Empire, The Ottoman Empire, the British Empire all fell. And I think I might know why. It is because they were all faced with an enemy that they did not understand and could not cope with. Alexander the Great himself held his Empire together with his own might of brain and muscle. When he died, the empire lost unity and understanding, something they had never had happen, the Empire fell. The Romans normally conquering but also offering citizenship (which many took) into their Empire. When faced with “barbarians” that had no wish to join them they were overrun and also fell. The Ottomans are said to have had one of the longest declines of any empire. This I think is because the Ottomans tried very hard to adapt to the new world they were in. A world of guns and alliances and world wars. The did not adapt well enough in the end and fell. My last example is the British Empire. The British were faced by another enemy the did not adapt to, colonies wanting independence; there is no more British Empire.
My point is that like these empires of history the United States will decline as an empire. The parallel doesn’t stop there, each of these empires have something in common with all of these empires of history. First off America has had no truly strong leader for a while. Reagan was probably the last if even him. George H. W. Bush although had high approval ratings never inspired confidence and lead the economy into the ground. Clinton had the chance to do this and is still respected by many, but his sex scandal has tarnished this in many people’s eyes. George W. Bush is certainly not a strong leader and is only leading America father into decline (as I will continue to explain). This is the parallel with Alexander the Great. America has no strong central leader no one to respect and look too, not as a whole anyways. The country is divided and thus weak. We need a leader that will not feed us lies and be able to lead America as a whole.
The connection with the Romans is all too strong. America is faced with a very real threat of Terrorism. The United States has nothing to offer the terrorists. On top of this we continue to try to fight them like a traditional enemy, with troops and armies and invasions. This did not keep the Romans from falling it will not help us. We can however learn from the Byzantines who remained a stable entity long after Rome had fallen. We must not fight terrorism like it’s an enemy that can be crushed with military force. We must work with the world as a whole and then, and only then can the threat of terrorism be minimized.
The Ottomans although not a strong parallel to the United States does also provide guidance the Ottomans adapted to the changing world around them (although not quite enough) and remained a formidable empire for several centuries. By accepting change the Ottomans remained influential in the world long after other empires would have fallen. The United States must accept the change in the world towards larger middle classes in developing economies, without adapting to this economically the United States will (and is beginning) to fall.
My last example is that of the British Empire. The British Empire has done something that no other Empire has done before. The British have remained a very strong entity on the world stage even though their empire is gone. By working with their former colonies in their Commonwealth they still remain of great influence and power. The United States must also do this. The United States has a harder job however. Our dominion, as it were, is the whole world. Our influence stretches everywhere and to even in small ways, to almost everyone on the planet. We must work with the world as the British did if we do not wish to decline to historical oblivion.
By studying the past we can make a better future… but people have to listen.
Alexander the Great’s Empire, The Roman Empire, The Ottoman Empire, the British Empire all fell. And I think I might know why. It is because they were all faced with an enemy that they did not understand and could not cope with. Alexander the Great himself held his Empire together with his own might of brain and muscle. When he died, the empire lost unity and understanding, something they had never had happen, the Empire fell. The Romans normally conquering but also offering citizenship (which many took) into their Empire. When faced with “barbarians” that had no wish to join them they were overrun and also fell. The Ottomans are said to have had one of the longest declines of any empire. This I think is because the Ottomans tried very hard to adapt to the new world they were in. A world of guns and alliances and world wars. The did not adapt well enough in the end and fell. My last example is the British Empire. The British were faced by another enemy the did not adapt to, colonies wanting independence; there is no more British Empire.
My point is that like these empires of history the United States will decline as an empire. The parallel doesn’t stop there, each of these empires have something in common with all of these empires of history. First off America has had no truly strong leader for a while. Reagan was probably the last if even him. George H. W. Bush although had high approval ratings never inspired confidence and lead the economy into the ground. Clinton had the chance to do this and is still respected by many, but his sex scandal has tarnished this in many people’s eyes. George W. Bush is certainly not a strong leader and is only leading America father into decline (as I will continue to explain). This is the parallel with Alexander the Great. America has no strong central leader no one to respect and look too, not as a whole anyways. The country is divided and thus weak. We need a leader that will not feed us lies and be able to lead America as a whole.
The connection with the Romans is all too strong. America is faced with a very real threat of Terrorism. The United States has nothing to offer the terrorists. On top of this we continue to try to fight them like a traditional enemy, with troops and armies and invasions. This did not keep the Romans from falling it will not help us. We can however learn from the Byzantines who remained a stable entity long after Rome had fallen. We must not fight terrorism like it’s an enemy that can be crushed with military force. We must work with the world as a whole and then, and only then can the threat of terrorism be minimized.
The Ottomans although not a strong parallel to the United States does also provide guidance the Ottomans adapted to the changing world around them (although not quite enough) and remained a formidable empire for several centuries. By accepting change the Ottomans remained influential in the world long after other empires would have fallen. The United States must accept the change in the world towards larger middle classes in developing economies, without adapting to this economically the United States will (and is beginning) to fall.
My last example is that of the British Empire. The British Empire has done something that no other Empire has done before. The British have remained a very strong entity on the world stage even though their empire is gone. By working with their former colonies in their Commonwealth they still remain of great influence and power. The United States must also do this. The United States has a harder job however. Our dominion, as it were, is the whole world. Our influence stretches everywhere and to even in small ways, to almost everyone on the planet. We must work with the world as the British did if we do not wish to decline to historical oblivion.
By studying the past we can make a better future… but people have to listen.
I'm Trevin Ward, I'm a Political Science Student at Iowa State University in Ames, IA.