pandora
17th October 2004, 19:04
Wanted to discuss Roy's new book which is awesome, biting critics of what's been going on with empire building recently by the U.S. and G8,
Also wish to discuss here Parenti (Michael's) work on the United States as Empire in his new book SuperPatriot and his re-examination of the assination of Julius Ceaser which discusses that any time a leader in an empire talks about increasing services to taxpayers he will be done away with as the hegemony must use the tax base to further the empire for imperical purposes it.
Saw him live, and he put it this way, "Empires are not efficient, they are very costly, they cost more to build than they bring in, but this is the rub, THE PEOPLE PAYING FOR IT ARE NOT THE PEOPLE COLLECTING THE PROFITS," ie the public pays the taxes but sees reduction of services as their tax dollars go to ensuring the confiscation of natural resources on the periphery. But the goods brought in are given to the center at great cost, and the profits go to the hegemony. His thesis is that it has been the same since the Roman era.
Also wish to discuss here Parenti (Michael's) work on the United States as Empire in his new book SuperPatriot and his re-examination of the assination of Julius Ceaser which discusses that any time a leader in an empire talks about increasing services to taxpayers he will be done away with as the hegemony must use the tax base to further the empire for imperical purposes it.
Saw him live, and he put it this way, "Empires are not efficient, they are very costly, they cost more to build than they bring in, but this is the rub, THE PEOPLE PAYING FOR IT ARE NOT THE PEOPLE COLLECTING THE PROFITS," ie the public pays the taxes but sees reduction of services as their tax dollars go to ensuring the confiscation of natural resources on the periphery. But the goods brought in are given to the center at great cost, and the profits go to the hegemony. His thesis is that it has been the same since the Roman era.