The Phases of an Empire

Part A: Key Points

* An Empire is a nation that; 1. Owns colonies, and/or 2. Controls, or has great influence over, other nations. Empires require economic and military strength to start and maintain, and this is expensive.

* All Empires fail, and for the same reasons: 1. Expense of military abroad, and subsidies at home, 2. Decline in domestic productivity (spoiled, parasitic citizens), and 3. Corruption (illegal conduct) and decadence (unethical and immoral conduct) by leaders and citizens.

* Empire-USA, Our Deal to other nations is: ’We will be the world’s policeman and protect you, but you must accept our fake money and ‘influence’. The USA is far into Phase 3-Failure. Look around you for the symptoms shown in Part B-3 and Part C below.

Chart Height Shows Combined Military and Economic Strength (Power and Wealth)

                                  o   o    [ - ]    o   o

                             o                                 o     1. (Disband Empire: Reduced

                        o                                         o      o       Homeland Survives)

                   o                                                  o           o       o       o       o

              o                                                          o     

         o                                                                   o      or 2. (Total Failure:

    o                                                                           o   Homeland is Gone)

     x               x         x                     x          x         x            x

 USA 1776    1845   1898           USA 1960     2007   2020 ?     2090 ?

[  Phase 1 - Growth ] [Phase 2 - Maturation] [ Phase 3 - Decline or Failure >>>

Part B: Events/Symptoms in each Phase

Phase 1- Growth

* Land: Gain territory by ‘discovery’ (too bad for the natives), or conquest.

* Strength: Start growth of economic and military strength. Sound currency (precious metal, or convertible paper).

* Government: New land is governed as a colony or part of homeland nation (becoming a sovereign republic may require a revolution). The army consists of volunteers protecting their homes and families, with no 'professional' or standing army.

* Ethics: Most government people and citizens are hard working and honest. Government is a ‘servant’.

Phase 2- Maturation

* Land: Add contiguous land, or remote colonies, by conquest or negotiation.

* Strength: Become a world leader in both economic and military strength. Homeland receives cheap imports from colonies. Currency is debased to allow more government spending, without raising taxes.                   

* Government: Grows stronger and acts as boss, manager, nanny, owner, etc. Power is used to ‘manage’ other nations to impose/protect the Empire's ‘interests’. The army consists of mostly conscripts, and 'professional' careerists. Wars become more oriented to building and defending the Empire.

* Ethics: Corruption and decadence grow due to decline in personal responsibility caused by nanny state.

Phase 3- Decline and/or Failure

* Land: Lose colonies (or control of other nations) by revolution or voluntary release (due to expense and unrest).

* Strength: No longer a world leader. Power declines by 50% or more. Value of fake currency crashes in purchasing power by 50% or more. Default on debt (or pay off with low value paper money).

* Government: Gets weak and desperate. Leaders try to gain power to survive citizen discontent. ‘Bread and Circuses’ grow, now called grants, subsidies, stimulus, and entitlements. The army consists of mostly 'professional' careerists, and volunteers, many of whom join because they can't find work elsewhere. Standards are lowered (criminal records, non-citizens, health issues) to aid recruiting for wars of empire (non-defense). Use of mercenaries and contractors grows toward 50% or more of total staff, and their loyaty is to their Generals (or Corporate officials), and original homeland, not the country that pays them.

* Ethics: Corruption and decadence are rampant in both social and government conduct. Failure occurs as either; A. Nation survives, but at a reduced level of strength and standard of living (England, France, Italy, Spain, and Russia are examples; see list in Part D), or B. Ceases to exist due to takeover by other nations or groups.

Part C: Empire-USA is in Phase 3: Decline and/or Failure

Problems:

* High Expenses: The expense to maintain bases, and fight wars, worldwide exceeds the monetary and political benefits. As of 2008, the US has over 700 military bases, with troops (not counting embassies), in over 130 countries, and the US acts as the world’s policeman to protect its ‘interests’, and impose ‘influence’. Resistance by our ‘subjects’ is building. Military expenses are a drag on the economy, and the troops get less than ideal equipment due to cost problems. Host nations are unhappy having our occupying troops.

* High Debt: The US is a bankrupt Empire by any measure. It cannot hope to pay back the about $9 trillion in debt held by other nations, or the about $50 trillion unfunded future obligations of domestic programs (Medicare, Social Security, etc.). Interest payments are huge. In 2009 the US Dollar (USD) is still the world’s 'reserve currency' (held as if gold by other nations; it can be viewed as a share in ‘USA Inc.’), despite the fact that the US is also the world’s biggest debtor, but doubts are rising in other countries who use and own dollars for trade. This combination has never occurred before in history! Thus, since all US government debt is denominated in USD, the government can create new low-value dollars out of thin air to pay its debts! A new form of default! The USD is in a precarious position due to excessive expansion of the money supply (‘inflation’) and the USD could crash in value at any time. The extreme is ‘hyperinflation’, when the money becomes almost worthless. As with heroin, lots of fake money (the Federal Reserve Bank calls it ‘liquidity’) feels good at first, but has withdrawal pain called recession or depression. Since the federal government never runs out of money, it often becomes the funder for state projects (with strings attached, called ‘control’), and ‘states rights’ wither. This gives vote-getting power to Congressmen, and acquiescent State officials suck it up to avoid taxing to raise state funds.

* Enemies: The US claims to be a 'world leader', but this is often a cover to be a bully to control other countries with an occupying force to gain land and resources. This started in 1812 with the failed invasion of Canada, then 1845 with the Mexican-American War, and 1898 with the Spanish-American war (which led to occupation/acquisition of the Philippines and Hawaii). The World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and others followed. The recent Balkans, Afghan, and Iraq wars are primarily about; 1. Control of oil (The US wants it all; no ‘easy-cheap’ MidEast oil for India and China), 2. Defense of Israel, 3. Land for bases to control the mideast, and 4. Continuation of oil sales in US Dollars by Iraq and Iran. The US entered/started all these wars based on lies by leaders. What a disgrace and ripoff of the people! Trust and respect for the US has declined in the eyes of its citizens and other nations. This meddling foreign policy contributed to 9-11 and terror. The federal government grasps for new, unconstitutional power.

* Corruption and Bad Ethics: Ethics and social conduct are on the decline in the US. Corruption is rampant in both the government and business. Shady conduct is considered ‘normal’ (gang theft by vote, ‘earmark’ pork handouts, lying, etc.). Prime time TV is now riddled with sexual content, cursing, glorification of misconduct (‘The Sopranos’, ‘Desperate Housewives’, etc.), and violence (NASCAR, cop shows). Sports are riddled with violence (the fans like it!) and cheating, condoned by coaches and team owners that want to sell more tickets. Little or none of the above occurred in the ‘50s. The article below describes a good example of ethical decline:

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