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talkpoliticsThe American empire and the German empire both came to the conclusion that they must either expand or perish. American expansionism can be seen as early as the vain attempt to capture Quebec during the revolutionary war or in the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. These were not do-or-die expansions, but they set the stage for the crisis of 1893 when westward expansion reached a temporary limit.
The expand-or-perish theme is not limited to modern industrial economies such as those of America in 1893 or Germany in 1938. There are examples of prior empires that collapsed shortly after reaching their limit of expansion. The longest lived empires went through cycles of expansion and contraction just as the business cycle in commercial empires has its ups and downs. For those longer lived empires, perishing was part of the process of imperial renewal. The fabled phoenix bird that dies a fiery death to be reborn from its own ashes represents this cycle of contraction followed by re-expansion. The phoenix is the icon of San Francisco and of capitalism.
The lesson in all of this is that the choice between expanding or perishing is a false one. Expansion has a limit. When it is reached, demise begins. The choice is actually one of accepting the current limit or pushing the envelope to defer the inevitable. Both America in 1893 and Germany in 1938 decided to push the envelope rather than experience the inevitable. In the case of America, pushing the envelope led to a multicultural society which negated the original plan of an Anglo-Saxon empire. Both expanded and perished sooner than expected.
Have you ever been in an economic scenario at the micro level where you perceived a need to expand in order to survive? For some women, the need to make babies could be considered such a do-or-die urgency.
The expand-or-perish theme is not limited to modern industrial economies such as those of America in 1893 or Germany in 1938. There are examples of prior empires that collapsed shortly after reaching their limit of expansion. The longest lived empires went through cycles of expansion and contraction just as the business cycle in commercial empires has its ups and downs. For those longer lived empires, perishing was part of the process of imperial renewal. The fabled phoenix bird that dies a fiery death to be reborn from its own ashes represents this cycle of contraction followed by re-expansion. The phoenix is the icon of San Francisco and of capitalism.
The lesson in all of this is that the choice between expanding or perishing is a false one. Expansion has a limit. When it is reached, demise begins. The choice is actually one of accepting the current limit or pushing the envelope to defer the inevitable. Both America in 1893 and Germany in 1938 decided to push the envelope rather than experience the inevitable. In the case of America, pushing the envelope led to a multicultural society which negated the original plan of an Anglo-Saxon empire. Both expanded and perished sooner than expected.
Have you ever been in an economic scenario at the micro level where you perceived a need to expand in order to survive? For some women, the need to make babies could be considered such a do-or-die urgency.
(no subject)
Date: 14/9/11 16:20 (UTC)The United States' expansionism didn't stop with 1893 in the timeframe you're talking about, US corporations overthrew the Kingdom of Hawaii and in five years the US Army went to war with Spain still using the tactics of the 1860s and fought the longest war in US history against Filipino nationalists. US expansion didn't perish, it shifted forms in the wake of the Nazi Empire's self-destructive invasion of the Stalinist USSR and the triumph of the Bolsheviks. The USA was smart enough to shift to indirect, as opposed to direct, imperialism and that variant is by far the more enduring.
You may want...
Date: 14/9/11 16:24 (UTC)Re: You may want...
Date: 14/9/11 16:34 (UTC)Re: You may want...
Date: 14/9/11 16:44 (UTC)"Empire" by OSC
Date: 14/9/11 16:54 (UTC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_%282006_novel%29
The plot revolves around a presidential assassination and civil war, which results in the election of a new president with expansionist ambitions. Much of his rhetoric mirrors your observations in this post.
It also has a sequel, "Hidden Empire", where American conquest begins on the African continent.
Re: "Empire" by OSC
Date: 14/9/11 18:08 (UTC)Re: "Empire" by OSC
Date: 14/9/11 20:39 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 14/9/11 19:40 (UTC)Excuse me?
Oh. That's you...
Go on then. :)
I have met them.
Date: 14/9/11 20:28 (UTC)Re: I have met them.
Date: 14/9/11 20:30 (UTC)