Comparing the decline of Rome and America as empires

US Decline

The decline of the United States

The Romans.

On them I impose no limits of time or place.

I have given them an empire that will know no end."

The Roman poet Virgil (70 -- 19 b.c)

It is a poignant historical fact that great empires decline and dissipate into ruins and dust. This was the fate of the Roman Empire, the Greek Empire, the Islamic Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Numerous historians have noted the cyclical nature of the rise and fall of these societies. The question that is central to this paper is whether the new "empire" of the Unites States is also to follow the path of decline and destruction that has been the fate of previous "superpowers" like Rome and Great Britain. The concomitant question that obviously follows is that, if this is the case, what measure scan can be taken to avoid the decline of the United States.

There are many political theorists who are of the opinion that the present trajectory of the United States in terms of economics, politics and social issues makes it a likely candidate for incipient decline.

True of all the ancient empires we know, the cycle of rise and decline appears to be accelerating. The twentieth century saw the collapse of seven great empires -- Mandarin China, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Turkey, Japan, the British empire, and twice over in the case of Tsarist and Soviet Russia. Since the events of September 11th, 2001, the twenty-first century seems likely to threaten the sole remaining superpower, the United States, with nemesis.

Perkin 104)

While this fact might seem obvious and rather simplistic, yet Perkins asserts that "superpowers decline through external causes, specifically 'imperial overstretch' when the military costs of expansion and defence exceed the fiscal capacity of the state. " (ibid)

Besides being a cause of economic and political decline this factor is really a "...byproduct of the internal problem, the failure of surplus extraction to match the rulers' ambitions. It reflects the comparative size of the resource base and the rising cost of military and economic power in an increasingly competitive world." (ibid) The fact that the United States is at present the only power with a sufficient extraction base to be called an "empire" makes it vulnerable to an overextension of this supply base. This raises the issue as to whether the United States can sustain the cost of projecting its power to exceed the balance of its extraction base,

Despite the lightning success in Afghanistan, the inability of the United States to impose its will on such insignificant powers as Somalia, Iran, Iraq, Serbia, North Korea or East Timor -- or to guarantee its citizens at home or abroad immunity from suicidal Al-Qaida terrorists -- suggests that the empire is not invincible.

If one takes into account the fact that the United States maintains more than 800 foreign military installations, 60 of which are considered as major, then the problem assume a growing urgency. (Al-Saeed A.)

The above factors lead as well to another issue which also shows the flaws in the structure of the empire; namely the loss of central control and influence. Commentators are of the opinion that the Untied States is already at a stage where its extractions base is no longer able to cope with the demands of being an empire.. For example, the question is raised as to whether the United Sates can control the multi-national corporations which manipulate the global economy for their own profit.. (Perkin 104)

In terms of this view there seems to be an insidious but gradual collapse of control, similar to that which occurred in the final stages of the Roman Empire.

Another example is the inability of the United States to deal with the very urgent problem of environmental pollution. - a problem that the United States is at least partially responsible for. The issue of global warming is a case in point and the recent flooding and extensive damage to the Southern States also raises the question of the competence of the empire.

All of the above views lead to another aspect that is a classic indication of empire decline. One do the major factors in the decline of earlier empires was the disparity between the elite, who acquired a disproportionate of the resources and these who felt disenfranchised. This is a common factor that can be seen in all aging emperies before their collapse. Internal ands more significant external dissent and even rebellion is the result, which further degrades the cohesion and integrity of the empire. This can be seen in the dissatisfaction of many Third World countries with what they perceive the dominating and unfair advantage that America has, especially in terms of international trade.

One of the central issues in the decline of empires, which some claim to be the main concerns in contemporary American culture, is the reduction in moral and ethical standards. "The primary reason for Rome's fall was moral decline. Every Roman writer who chronicled the fall of the republic -- Appian, Tacitus, Cassius Dio, Sallust, Cicero, and others -- marveled at the evaporation of ancient virtue that preceded the loss of liberty." (Bonta. 2005. p. 36)

Bonta's view reiterates a common perception of the underlying and fundamental cause of the destruction of all empires which lies in the breakdown in the ethical and mural fabric of the society - with a subsequent loss of the initial vision and qualities that made the empire successful in the first place. Bonta states of Rome that, by the first century B.C., sexual mores had been abandoned, and the former sanctity of marriage forgotten. Crime, once almost unknown in Rome, became rampant. In such an environment, Rome became an easy target for political conspiracies like that of Catiline, which exploited the criminal elements in Rome to carry out bribery, blackmail, and assassination. (Bonta 2005. p36)

One would not be too hard put to find a similar trend in modern America.

From one point-of-view the invasion of the "barbarians" was not the central factor which led to the decline of the Roman Empire. In The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon. (1776) the principle reason for the decline of the empire was given as moral degradation. Gibbon states that the actual reason why the barbarian invasion was successful was due to the "....loss of civic virtue among its citizens." Furthermore,

They had become lazy and soft, outsourcing their duties to defend their Empire to barbarian mercenaries, who then became so numerous and ingrained that they were then able to easily take over the Empire. Romans, he believed, had become effeminate, unwilling to live the military lifestyle.

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire)

This view of the fall of Rome has numerous echoes in a variety of critiques of contemporary American society.

This brief overview and comparison is indicative of the general perception that the United States is facing a decline. This raises the obvious question as to how this decline can be avoided.

An Awareness of the issues that initiate the decline of powerful societies is in itself part of the solution to the problem. In other words, the trends which lead to decline discussed above can be reversed in order to prevent the slide into social collapse. For instance, the issue of surplus extraction and its deterioration into exploitation can be remedied through more equitable balance.

The first requisite is to end the excess and seek a balance between reasonable extraction and reckless exploitation. This has the advantage of also producing a more egalitarian and socially just society, not only for the sake of the many but for the salvation of the few, the elites themselves who have most to lose from decline.

Perkin 104)

However, while the obvious conclusion to the comparison of The United States with previous empires is that decline is inevitable, yet there are otter views of the future situation. One such view ids that American people in general are not overly interested in pressing the ideal of empire and control over the rest of the world.

Compared with the citizens of Britain in the age of Victoria or of Rome during the time of the Caesars, Americans wear their imperial mantle lightly. They go about the business of empire with a singular lack of pretense We are unlikely to deplete our treasury erecting pyramids or other monuments to our own ostensible greatness.

Bacevich 50)

This view suggests that Americans are too pragmatic and to push the ideals and pretensions of empire to the level where they become self-destructive. However, while this may be the case with regard to many American citizens, this self-depreciating tone does not seem to be the tenor of the present American Administration.

In the final analysis if America is to avoid the fate of older empires it will have to look not only to the economic and political factors which are threatening its future existence, but more importantly to the moral and spiritual flaws in its social makeup. It is only though such a rigorous and critical self-examination that the United States can avoid becoming just another member of the list of fallen super powers.