Is the US the new Roman Empire?

[Dominus]

Hundreds of military bases all over the world: check.

Economy operating on fiat currency: check.

Government budget operating on bigger and bigger deficit: check.

Creating money out of thin air: check.

Ballooning military budget: check.

Bread and circuses: check.

Old and crumbling infrastructure: check.

There are many more parallels that can be drawn between the two superpowers. Am I the only one that's noticing these parallels? When will our civilization succumb to the barbarians from the north?

 

[opinterph]

Who are the Barbarians from the north?

 

[Dominus]

^Canadians...

 

[cityboy-stl]

^Canadians...

 

[Dominus]

https://www.ancient-origins.net/his...id-celtic-warriors-really-go-war-naked-007857

 

[Zeno Lorea]

201 BC was to the Roman Empire what 1945 was to the US. And in both cases, shit hit the fan exactly 71 years later. Read what happened (will happen) next.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/hist...mocracy-from-ruined-roman-republic-180970711/

 

[NotHardUp1]

Too grandiose and your parallels are repetitive. Multiple points in the OP spoke to military and currency policies, so really not that many points.

Fatalists have repeatedly hearkened to Rome's fall.

The truth is, empires have always had militaries, else the empire isn't really anything more than a trading confederation with undefended borders, like the EU. The stronger nations have defenses, but the lesser ones would be run over in heartbeat if a war was on.

As for currency and economic policy, large nations manipulate currency, period. Britain has been doing it for centuries, and China is constantly being accused by the U.S. and others. Pot calling the kettle black.

Times are unstable, so talk of the end increases. At some point, the prophets will be right. Not this century though. The U.S. is far too powerful to collapse, and has never resembled the Soviet Union politically or geographically. The Soviets were always just Moscow-controlled proxies, too weak to break away and with bonds to Russia never strong enough. It's collapse also served Russia's interest in that she no longer had to share power with the vassal states, or even the pretense of it.

The U.S. is not run by Washington in a top-down manner. Trump constantly speaks as though he has power he does not have, but the Congress and the courts have been quick to set that record straight. When he's gone, his successors will not have that bravado, and any new run at the brass ring will likely result in some Constitutional reform or legislation that removes any doubt of a president with dictatorial notions.

Also, the united states have much more of a common culture than the Soviet Union ever had, despite differences between East Coast, California, Northwest, South, Texas, and Midwest.

The great national growth boom of the 50's was a unique time, but with the right vision, the U.S. could see a similar, if lesser renewal in this century.

All that said, if the Canadians come in, at least they will learn to speak right, just as China's invaders always became assimilated. Think ouf it: we'll nout have tou read all thouse ou's anymoure.

 

[rareboy]

All empires rise and fall...not just the Roman Empire.

 

[Dominus]

All empires rise and fall...not just the Roman Empire.

Is that a threat?

Hey guys, look here. The barbarians are already threatening us. Will be at the gates soon!

 

[cityboy-stl]

^Canadians...

Is that a threat?

Hey guys, look here. The barbarians are already threatening us. Will be at the gates soon!

I have not heard any threats from Canada. What are you talking about? The threats are within from those who want to destroy our democracy.

 

[bedbugy]

wheres the empire

 

[Latimer]

^Very loosely defined to include client states and allies who depend on our military. Guam, Hawaii and Puerto Rico do not an empire make. The Soviet Union was an empire, as is, for that matter, modern-day China.

 

[rareboy]

I have not heard any threats from Canada. What are you talking about? The threats are within from those who want to destroy our democracy.

We burned down the White House once...don't think we wouldn't do it again in our war to liberate America.

 

[cityboy-stl]

We burned down the White House once...don't think we wouldn't do it again in our war to liberate America.

If Der Trumpenfuhrer wins in November, I am fine with it.

 

[belamyi]

Hundreds of military bases all over the world: check.

Economy operating on fiat currency: check.

Government budget operating on bigger and bigger deficit: check.

Creating money out of thin air: check.

Ballooning military budget: check.

Bread and circuses: check.

Old and crumbling infrastructure: check.

There are many more parallels that can be drawn between the two superpowers. Am I the only one that's noticing these parallels? When will our civilization succumb to the barbarians from the north?

You mean the Romans or the Ῥωμαῖοι?

 

[belamyi]

Oh, here: an engraft of an older, great civilization, engraft that will crawl for a thousand years after the old tree has been felled, until its own final demise.

 

[spooger]

We burned down the White House once...don't think we wouldn't do it again in our war to liberate America.

Blustry hyperbole - if Canada were to attempt an invasion of the USA, they wouldn't last an hour.
And why would they?
The canucks are but sucklings at the teat of the US economy.

 

[Latimer]

You mean the Romans or the Ῥωμαῖοι?

This discussion avoids discussion of the Eastern Roman Empire.

It should be also added that after Mehmet the Conqueror took Constantinople he styled himself Kayser-i Rum, Caesar of Rome. The Ottomans saw themselves as inheritors of the empire.

 

[belamyi]

This discussion avoids discussion of the Eastern Roman Empire.

It should be also added that after Mehmet the Conqueror took Constantinople he styled himself Kayser-i Rum, Caesar of Rome. The Ottomans saw themselves as inheritors of the empire.

Which avoids the fact that the so-called "Byzantine" empire was the Roman Empire during the so-called Middle Ages, and so avod the facts of the true nature of the Roman Empire and, therefore, that of the comparative relationship of any modern empire with it.
The Russian Empire also styled itself as the third Roman Empire, while the Germans also styled (retrospectively) their own "Second" and "Third" Roman Empires... but this thread is about what makes a true spawn of the Roman Empire, not a self-styled version of it.

 

[belamyi]

Hundreds of military bases all over the world: check.

Economy operating on fiat currency: check.

Government budget operating on bigger and bigger deficit: check.

Creating money out of thin air: check.

Ballooning military budget: check.

Bread and circuses: check.

Old and crumbling infrastructure: check.

There are many more parallels that can be drawn between the two superpowers. Am I the only one that's noticing these parallels? When will our civilization succumb to the barbarians from the north?

Anyway, did you ever applied that check list to the British Empire?

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Are we talking "Romanity" or mere "imperiality".