Rome and America's Impearlism

Rome and America's Imperialism

Imperialism is the creation and maintenance of unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships. It is usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination. An imperial authority may be a city-state such as Rome which once controlled a vast empire (Bishop 72). Imperial authorities bring good things such as unity of language and government. The precise nature of Roman imperialism remains a central, controversial issue. Some the Romans did not actively seek imperial expansion, but were drawn reluctantly into conflicts overseas. Others see the Roman elite as more consciously expansionist whom are fully aware of the economic rewards of successful expansion and the opportunities provided by military victory for emphasizing their glory and hence their family's status. The elite even developed rhetorical techniques for rehabilitating the political careers of some of those who had suffered military defeats by shifting the blame onto the common soldiers or the gods. This debate has concentrated attention almost exclusively on the center rather than on the periphery. Roman motives for expansion have been analyzed at length and are usually as expressed in the literary sources for a more balanced view of Roman imperialism. It is necessary also to assess the impact of Rome on the areas that became part of the Roman Empire. The ancient Romans built their empire with an aggressive, well-trained army, and a talent for efficient administration (Bishop 72). Rome was the first great example of imperialism that the world has learned a lot from today. Today, we may do some things different concerning political aspects and military. Rather, a lot of the basis of imperialism is still the same. The countries Rome dominated over, in a way, looked up to them and learned from them. I think Rome was like a "big brother" to other countries.

In the post war environment of the fifties through the early eighties, America was a brand unto itself, in contrast to the other superpower competitors, USSR