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Are we really seeing the fall of empire, or just the end of our illusions? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
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[–] 8 points 1 year ago* (6 children)

Oh yeah, your democracy is fucked. But you asked about the "American Empire", which has hardly been about having a strong democracy.

In fact, in many ways Empire and Democracy are opposing forces.

Plenty of Empires have been undemocratic (you won't be the first). So is your question about Empire, or Democracy now?

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    Empire and democracy often clash. The U.S. has long sold itself as both. If the democratic side collapses the whole narrative falls apart.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    America is barely a democracy, you either choose Democrats or Republicans.

    Both of them are horrible options, one clearly far worse than the other, but both suck.

    In practice you have one more government to choose from than a dictatorship

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (3 children)

    The narrative of being a corrupt "democracy" (that's really a plutocracy), which lives mostly by having the largest military industrial complex in the world and invading smaller resource rich nations?

    You think THAT narrative is about to fall apart? How so?

    As far as empires go, it's not even an original narrative. It's how most Empires have acted.

    I mean you guys have always been manifest destiny, America's the best place on earth, gerrymandering, money is votes, corporations are people, donations are political free speech, loud, assholes. What are you saying is going to change?

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Cracks are widening. Empires don’t fall for being corrupt, they fall when the cost of holding it all together stops being worth it.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Oh you think it's costing Trump and his cohorts too much money to be worth it anymore?

    I don't think so - I think they've all massively increased their wealth whilst in office. So what cost are you talking about?

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

    Camzing OP

    Cracks are widening. Empires don’t fall for being corrupt, they fall when the cost of holding it all together stops being worth it.

    DarkCloud

    Oh you think it’s costing Trump and his cohorts too much money to be worth it anymore?

    I don’t think so - I think they’ve all massively increased their wealth whilst in office. So what cost are you talking about?

    I’m talking about the cost of maintaining the illusion of order, legitimacy and global control.

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