American Empire?American Empire?

Problems of Conceptualization and DefinitionProblems of Conceptualization and Definition

http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/cchampion/American%20Empire.ppthttp://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/cchampion/American%20Empire.ppt

““All Roads Lead to Rome”All Roads Lead to Rome”

““European culture is in the main a new graft upon the old European culture is in the main a new graft upon the old Graeco-Roman stock, and Rome was the principal channel Graeco-Roman stock, and Rome was the principal channel through which the modern world has entered upon the through which the modern world has entered upon the heritage of the ancient. If ‘all roads lead to Rome’ they also heritage of the ancient. If ‘all roads lead to Rome’ they also lead out again from Rome. For those who have learnt to lead out again from Rome. For those who have learnt to think beyond yesterday, Rome is the focusing point of the think beyond yesterday, Rome is the focusing point of the world’s history.”world’s history.” M. Cary and H.H. Scullard, M. Cary and H.H. Scullard, A History of RomeA History of Rome, 3rd ed., 558, 3rd ed., 558

““The Roman parallel is in danger of becoming something The Roman parallel is in danger of becoming something of a clichof a cliché.”é.” N. Ferguson, N. Ferguson, ColossusColossus, 14, 14

Two Lessons from Roman HistoryTwo Lessons from Roman History

Non-Annexationist: Titus Quinctius Flamininus Non-Annexationist: Titus Quinctius Flamininus and the “Isthmian Proclamation” (196 and the “Isthmian Proclamation” (196 BCEBCE))

Retrenchment: Publius Quinctilius Varus, Retrenchment: Publius Quinctilius Varus, Arminius, and the Three Lost Legions (9 Arminius, and the Three Lost Legions (9 CECE))

Ways of Studying EmpireWays of Studying Empire

Reluctant Imperialism and “Invitations to Empire” Reluctant Imperialism and “Invitations to Empire” (Isthmian Proclamation), and ongoing U.S. presence in (Isthmian Proclamation), and ongoing U.S. presence in Iraq? Commitment to Long-Term Imperial Responsibility Iraq? Commitment to Long-Term Imperial Responsibility (Ferguson)(Ferguson)

““Decentralized,” elusive enemy (Germanic tribes), and the Decentralized,” elusive enemy (Germanic tribes), and the U.S. war on terror? Retrenchment and acceptance of U.S. war on terror? Retrenchment and acceptance of ongoing potential threatsongoing potential threats

Shift of analytical focus from center to periphery and Shift of analytical focus from center to periphery and system (metrocentric, pericentric, systemic analyses of system (metrocentric, pericentric, systemic analyses of empire)empire)

Empire and ImperialismEmpire and Imperialism

Search for DefinitionsSearch for Definitions

Empire and ImperialismEmpire and Imperialism

Empire: Territorial or Non-Annexationist?Empire: Territorial or Non-Annexationist? Empire or Hegemony?Empire or Hegemony? Economic? Political? Cultural?Economic? Political? Cultural? ““Imperialism” a newly-coined word for Lord Imperialism” a newly-coined word for Lord

Carnarvon in 1878Carnarvon in 1878 What would a “liberal empire” look like What would a “liberal empire” look like

(Ferguson)?(Ferguson)?

Imperialism According to Imperialism According to J.A. SchumpeterJ.A. Schumpeter

““This…is our definition: imperialism is This…is our definition: imperialism is the objectless disposition on the part of a the objectless disposition on the part of a state to unlimited forcible expansion.”state to unlimited forcible expansion.”

Imperialism According to Imperialism According to J.A. HobsonJ.A. Hobson

““It is the debasement of…genuine nationalism, It is the debasement of…genuine nationalism, by attempts to overflow its natural banks and by attempts to overflow its natural banks and absorb the near or distant territory of reluctant absorb the near or distant territory of reluctant and unassimilable peoples, that marks the and unassimilable peoples, that marks the passage from nationalism to a spurious passage from nationalism to a spurious colonialism on the one hand, and Imperialism on colonialism on the one hand, and Imperialism on the other.”the other.”

Imperialism According to Imperialism According to Karl KautskyKarl Kautsky

““Imperialism is a product of a highly developed Imperialism is a product of a highly developed industrial capitalism. It consists in the striving of industrial capitalism. It consists in the striving of every industrial capitalist nation to bring under every industrial capitalist nation to bring under its control and to annex increasingly big its control and to annex increasingly big agrarianagrarian regions irrespective of what nations inhabit those regions irrespective of what nations inhabit those regions.”regions.”

Lenin’s Essential Features of ImperialismLenin’s Essential Features of Imperialism

Concentration of production and capital leading to Concentration of production and capital leading to economic monopolieseconomic monopolies

Bank capital merges with industrial capital, leading to Bank capital merges with industrial capital, leading to a “financial oligarchy”a “financial oligarchy”

Export of capital, as opposed to commoditiesExport of capital, as opposed to commodities Formation of international capitalist monopolies Formation of international capitalist monopolies

sharing the world amongst themselvessharing the world amongst themselves Territorial division of the world among the greatest Territorial division of the world among the greatest

capitalistic powerscapitalistic powers

Michael W. Doyle, Michael W. Doyle, EmpiresEmpires

Imperialism: “A relationship, formal or informal, Imperialism: “A relationship, formal or informal, in which one state controls the effective in which one state controls the effective sovereignty of another political society. It can be sovereignty of another political society. It can be achieved by force, by political collaboration, by achieved by force, by political collaboration, by economic, social, or cultural dependence. economic, social, or cultural dependence. Imperialism is simply the process or policy of Imperialism is simply the process or policy of establishing or maintaining an empire.” (pg. 45)establishing or maintaining an empire.” (pg. 45)

Twenty-First Century Empire?Twenty-First Century Empire?

What is the relationship between What is the relationship between multinational and transnational industrial multinational and transnational industrial and financial corporations and Empire?and financial corporations and Empire?

Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, Empire Empire (Cambridge, (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2000)Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2000)

““Empire” in the twenty-first century = a Empire” in the twenty-first century = a “globalized biopolitical machine” (pg. 40)“globalized biopolitical machine” (pg. 40)

““Empire establishes no territorial center of power Empire establishes no territorial center of power and does not rely on fixed boundaries or barriers. and does not rely on fixed boundaries or barriers. It is a It is a decentralizeddecentralized and and deterritorializingdeterritorializing apparatus of rule that progressively incorporates apparatus of rule that progressively incorporates the entire global realm within its open, expanding the entire global realm within its open, expanding frontiers….frontiers….The United States does not, and indeed The United States does not, and indeed no nation-state can today, form the center of an no nation-state can today, form the center of an imperialist project.imperialist project. Imperialism is over. No nation Imperialism is over. No nation will be world leader in the way modern European will be world leader in the way modern European nations were.” (pp. xii, xiv)nations were.” (pp. xii, xiv)

ChallengeChallenge

What is Empire?What is Empire? What is Imperialism?What is Imperialism?