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0 pointsrayiner1y ago0 comments

Why would we benefit from more trade when we don’t make anything?

I don’t have evidence that american empire is bad for the economy. But the cost of maintaining it are indisputably high and result in a lot of immortality. So I would like evidence that maintaining an empire actually results in benefits that offset the cost.

Economic theory certainly doesn’t predict that empires would make you richer than free markets. And if empire makes you richer, why is Europe so content to be under our yoke?

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lostdog1y ago

Well, the US has been the most prosperous country for a long time, so clearly something is working. Maybe the "empire" has nothing to do with it, sure, but I'd like to see you support your position instead of nitpicking other people's.

nradov1y ago

We make a lot of stuff. The manufacturing industry contributes >$2T to US GDP.

The US doesn't have an empire, but we do have a degree of worldwide hegemony. As a practical matter if the US turns isolationist then China will fill that gap. Will that make US citizens richer?

rayinerOP1y ago

> As a practical matter if the US turns isolationist then China will fill that gap.

That sounds like a very neocon view of how the world works. We have to maintain an empire because if we don’t, someone else will?

nradov1y ago

One nice thing about being a superpower is that we don't have to do anything. We can choose to be isolationist. That seems like a seductive option in the short term because it costs us nothing. But historically that approach hasn't worked out well for us in the past. Will the average US citizen be better off if China takes over as the primary global power?

And stop being disingenuous by labelling the current US-led global security system as an "empire". Words mean things and I'm sure you're smart enough to know what a real empire looks like, so I can't imagine what you think you're accomplishing by trying to frame the debate that way.

rayinerOP1y ago

Why do you assume China will take over as a superpower? It’s certainly not the case historically that there’s a single global hegemon.

Also, I use “empire” because people are justifying our having military bases all over the world on that somehow benefitting america economically. I am not sure I understand why—forcing the world to use dollars as the reserve currency seems to be part of the theory. But if that’s the case then empire is an appropriate label.

wqaatwt1y ago

US doesn’t have to make “anytime” why export products when you can just export cash?

US economy, trade and budget deficit are subsidized by the rest of the world which buys their bonds.

palata1y ago

> why is Europe so content to be under our yoke?

Sorry to disappoint, but Europe is not particularly content to be under the US yoke.

Actually, the US has been actively pressuring Europe to keep it under their yoke. For decades.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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lostdog1y ago

nradov1y ago

We make a lot of stuff. The manufacturing industry contributes >$2T to US GDP.

The US doesn't have an empire, but we do have a degree of worldwide hegemony. As a practical matter if the US turns isolationist then China will fill that gap. Will that make US citizens richer?

rayinerOP1y ago

> As a practical matter if the US turns isolationist then China will fill that gap.

That sounds like a very neocon view of how the world works. We have to maintain an empire because if we don’t, someone else will?

nradov1y ago

rayinerOP1y ago

Why do you assume China will take over as a superpower? It’s certainly not the case historically that there’s a single global hegemon.

wqaatwt1y ago

US doesn’t have to make “anytime” why export products when you can just export cash?

US economy, trade and budget deficit are subsidized by the rest of the world which buys their bonds.

palata1y ago

> why is Europe so content to be under our yoke?

Sorry to disappoint, but Europe is not particularly content to be under the US yoke.

Actually, the US has been actively pressuring Europe to keep it under their yoke. For decades.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse