America Faces the Same Fate As All Other Empires

Ilona Frey / Unsplash

After the Allies triumphed over Nazi and Japanese forces in 1945, the United States proclaimed itself a “superpower”.

It was a peculiar term to describe America. Superpower status implies that a nation, by virtue of its relative standing in the world, somehow transcends the realm of the human species.

Then, when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, America became the “indispensable nation”.

With hegemonic power, the U.S. took the mantle of promoting democracy around the world. We underpinned NATO and sought to expand the European Union. We intervened in crises like the Somalian famine and the Kosovo War. Such work was considered “indispensable” to human freedom.

Yet these glowing terms masquerade what post-World War II America truly is: a global empire. As it stands, the U.S. has a more powerful military than any empire in human history. It has over 800 bases stationed around the world. It has toppled governments and imposed regimes across various regions.

While there is no American “emperor” per se, the president wields enormous foreign policy power. Decisions to invade, sanction, or funnel arms are increasingly contained within the executive branch.

History tells us that all empires collapse. If they stretch too far, or incompetent…