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America is country that has great world wide influence, but not a empire. A empire is a area of land controlled by a centralized government over that area. The Romans had a empire, as did the Germans during WW2. America is not expansionary into lands already controlled by other governments, and call those areas part America. Just because we have business ties with many countries throughout the world does not mean we own or control those countries. Yes we may try to manipulate those countries through all kinds of infuences does not mean we own those countries. If we were a empire Canada and Mexico would of become Americans a long time ago.
Well said. I was going to mention that, too. America does not conquer other countries which is what actual empires do.
Asking if America is an "empire" is just plain ridiculous.
The entire Middle East.
Latin America.
Most of Europe.
Asia.
And most Canadians.
No they don't.
Again, an empire has to be ruled by either a monarch or an oligarchy. The definition is still the definition. This is the basic definition. Then there are other definitions that the US might meet, but then, many countries meet certain definitions.
Sweden is a monarchy - does that mean that Sweden is an empire? No.
The US is big and a so-called superpower at the moment - does that mean that the US is an empire? No. The US is a republic.
End of story.
Otherwise, why not call the US an ocean? Who cares an ocean has to be made out of water and of a certain size - let's call it an ocean if we want to!
For those who continue to define "empire" as something akin to ancient civilizations empire building tactics, you would only have to read John Pilgers, "New Rulers Of the World", in it, he writes of the absolute control exerted by the American corporate chiefs vis-a-vis our military might, yes , we do have rule in foreign countries.
Yes America does, "conquer," other nations, it does so through the newest tactic of empire, and that is through that nations debt to the various entities that are nothing more than an alliance of US government and corporate power. Business is not separate from the goals of government, it would be difficult to separate the two on a basis of policy making and self interest.
We also have the spectacle of the mid east to consider, a war for resources, empires always have had to fight for anything they can't make, or anything they have depleted. Just because the empire is not constructed in the manner of those that ruled in the past is no reason to believe our leaders when they say we are not seeking an expansion of the economy or our self interest, what did you think the term "globalism" really meant?
Ownership is not the question, it is one of control, we have the worlds key currency, this is a mark of empire, it always was, and always will be.
Again, an empire has to be ruled by either a monarch or an oligarchy. The definition is still the definition. This is the basic definition. Then there are other definitions that the US might meet, but then, many countries meet certain definitions.
Sweden is a monarchy - does that mean that Sweden is an empire? No.
The US is big and a so-called superpower at the moment - does that mean that the US is an empire? No. The US is a republic.
End of story.
Otherwise, why not call the US an ocean? Who cares an ocean has to be made out of water and of a certain size - let's call it an ocean if we want to!
Well someone asked what countries think of America as an empire. I listed the regions where I think people think of America as an empire.
I am well aware that America used to be a republic. We don't act like anymore. You ever listen to these politicians. They think we live in a democracy. And that is how they act. So even though the constitution promises the the states a republican form of govt they don't deliver. And we keep voting the same people to represent themselves in D.C. Apparently, people in the U.S. want to live in a democracy not a republic.
Even though we say we are a republic we have become a democracy. Too bad. As the founding fathers said democracies were the worst type of tyranny. And democracies tend to die violent deaths. Hopefully, we start behaving as a republic again.
I'll split up my response to make it easier to see what I respond to
Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthPoleMarathoner
Well someone asked what countries think of America as an empire. I listed the regions where I think people think of America as an empire.
Well, I can tell you, that no people in those regions (which happens to make up the whole world) think of the US as an empire.
Great Britan, Spain etc. yes, they used to be thought of as empires - because they were. The US is not an empire, thus is not considered that in any part of the world besides from a few in the US it seems.
Quote:
I am well aware that America used to be a republic. We don't act like anymore. You ever listen to these politicians. They think we live in a democracy. And that is how they act. So even though the constitution promises the the states a republican form of govt they don't deliver. And we keep voting the same people to represent themselves in D.C. Apparently, people in the U.S. want to live in a democracy not a republic.
Even though we say we are a republic we have become a democracy. Too bad. As the founding fathers said democracies were the worst type of tyranny. And democracies tend to die violent deaths. Hopefully, we start behaving as a republic again.
I think we have a bit of a problem with defnitions here.
A democracy is a form of rule where the people has the power (through elected officials, callled politicians in everyday life).
A democracy can thus be e.g. a socialistic govern, a capitalistic govern, a communistic govern, etc. (They are political ideologies.)
The basic definitions of a democracy is that free elections are held in a certain timeframe (normal cycle in Western countries is every 4 years), that the elected people follow the main ideas of the majority of the people, but also that minorities have a right to decide. Everyone decides, is the idea. (Whether this is followed or not is another thing.)
The opposite of democracy is dictaturship. A dictaturship is usually a one-man-rule, and the rest follows his wishes. No free elections etc. So I do hope we're not heading that way in the US... Founding fathers or not, I do not wish to live in a dictatorship.
A democracy (independent of the political ideology that the government is made out of at any certain time) can then be e.g. a monarchy or a republic.
In a monarchy, the "head of the country" is a royalty (usually in todays world the crown is handed down from generation to generation) such as a king and a queen, or a queen and a prince.
Then there's usually a prime minister that is the political leader of the country (elected by the people).
A republic is a non-monarchy, i.e. is run by a president that is elected by the people.
So, the US is, sometimes hard to believe it maybe, still a republic, since its political leader, who is chosen through free elections every 4 year, is a president.
Thus, the US is no empire.
And thus, the US is still a democratic repulic.
On a sidenote, Sweden is a democratic constitutional monarchy (constitutional, since the King has no political power what so ever).
But non of us are empires, nor are any of us considered one. There are currently no empires in the world. Lots of others things, though.
"American Empire may refer to historical territorial expansion, contemporary foreign policies, projected military or economic power. See:
American Empire, as referring to the political, economic, military and cultural influence of the United States
The American Empire Project, a book series about U.S. imperialism and exceptionalism
Territorial acquisitions of the United States
Overseas expansion of the United States
Foreign relations of the United States
American exceptionalism, as referring to the belief that the United States differs from other nations because of its historical evolution, or distinctive political and religious institutions
Manifest Destiny of America
US Militarism
US Military Interventions" (this, from wiki)
It is an empire, your choice of definitions aside, it remains an empire on a magnitude greater than all the preceeding empires. Historian's will refer to The US as the last empire based upon the direct lineage of the Roman and various European empires. it might be entertaining to disect the terms used herein, but it is truly educational to impart some knowledge regarding the massive reach of American influence, if we look at the defining benchmarks of past empires, we can easily see for ourselves what would define them today, and our nation would be at the top of a list against all others.
IMHO - We are not only an Empire of financial and military might we are a dying Empire because our finances and military conquests are costing us more than they are returning. The key to our failure is not only shifting our industrial base to China but to borrow money from them to buy the goods we are no longer making. The last 40 years have been a bonanza for a few but an increasingly obvious failure to the majority. It is past time to drop our costly empire and concentrate on developing an efficient post industrial economy for mos of our own citizens’ even it decreases the returns to the few.
Arguing over the semantics of what the definition of Empire is has no value added to the conversation. To be fair, I've looked up the definition of Empire in the dictionary to quell any further discussion on that from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
1 a (1): a major political unit having a territory of great extent or a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority ; especially: one having an emperor as chief of state (2): the territory of such a political unit b: something resembling a political empire ; especially: an extensive territory or enterprise under single domination or control
Focusing on 2, and 2b, one could indeed classify the USA as an empire due to the hegemony and sole superpower status we enjoy for the time being. Economically our nation is so interwoven into other countries' industries even a ripple in our economy leads to catastrophic results. It is in the world's vested interests to keep the USA a consumer nation lest their own economies fall since they neither have the culture nor the will to bolster domestic spending (Japan is in equilibrium, China does not have the social programs and safety to promote more spending, Europe is, on the average, a continent of people who utlilize government or private means to save ~10-12% of their income, and nobody wants to spend more, the Middle East isn't there yet, and neither is Africa). Therefore, the USA is an economic empire and we export our culture.
Militarily, we do indeed subjugate foreign powers for our purposes (Iraq II, anyone?). We just do not have the traditional conquer and hold mentality since it is politically and pragmatically impossible to do so anymore except against the smallest of nations. On that note, I highly doubt we will ever again see a traditional empire anymore.
And that leads to my conclusion that the traditional empire model is dead, and the superpower state is the new empire. Ergo, the USA is an empire.
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