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Dismantling the Empire
Ending militarism and finding the funding for peace
The United States became the 68th empire in the history of the human species, replacing the British Empire which boasted that it was “The empire on which the sun never sets.” But, as history teaches us, all empires eventually fall, no matter how powerful.
By 1945, the US had surpassed other nations, both in military and economic power. While there may be an argument about whether or not the US fits the definition of empire, it certainly behaves like an imperialist nation.
Imperialism can be defined as a doctrine, political strategy, practice, state policy, or advocacy that consists in extending power by territorial acquisition or by extending political and economic control outward over other areas. Imperialism oftentimes involves the use of military and economic power, and always aims for more expansion and collective or individual domination.
Empires do not exist to serve the people, but rather to enrich the ruling class. Empires serve to weaken the working class, something that Chris Hedges explained in his article The Real Enemy is Within:
W.E.B. Du Bois warns that empire was the primary tool used to break the working class in Europe and later in the United States. As workers organized and fought for rights and…
