> Rome was destroyed, Greece was destroyed, Persia was destroyed, Spain was destroyed
Now count the centuries those cultures existed and exercised hegemony.
The dark thought is this: we may be at the crossroads for containing an imperial America. Because if America commits to global empire it will take WWIII to contain it.
Right, I mean the Roman Republic declined and gave way to Roman Empire for a long time before Rome finally waned. That doesn't feel like it would be a good time for the rest of the world if the United States gave way to the United Empire for next 500 years.
> the Roman Republic declined and gave way to Roman Empire for a long time before Rome finally waned
The Roman Republic was a rising power for centuries. It became the eminent Mediterranean power in 146 BCE and annexed Gaul under Caesar, right as it was collapsing. The Roman Empire then lasted for centuries more.
> doesn't feel like it would be a good time for the rest of the world if the United States gave way to the United Empire for next 500 years
Nuclear annihilation will go restrain growth outside of obvious geographic spheres in theory.
Industry was not globalized in the previous regimes of pre-World war imperialism. That is the novel difference now. And China requires globalized trade in order to support its overindustrialization and economy.
America also currently requires it because it doesn't have its industrial base anymore. It will probably re-industrialize over the next coming decades but that's something that happens over decades.
However, I feel the new rise of imperialism also marks the end of civilization's historical memory of industrial warfare of the world wars.
First, it's Putin, not Russia. Second, he's not itching to use tactical nukes as that will show his hand and there's a good chance that some of their nukes won't work as advertised due to corruption throughout all their systems.
What Putin enjoys doing is threatening to use tactical nukes in the hope that no-one calls his bluff.
Now count the centuries those cultures existed and exercised hegemony.
The dark thought is this: we may be at the crossroads for containing an imperial America. Because if America commits to global empire it will take WWIII to contain it.