Empires and nation states fall as a result of a complex interaction of internal and external factors, including excessive debt, an over stretched, very expensive military, unrealistic military commitments, inequality and the disintegration of social cohesion, institutional decay, political corruption, mistrust of the political classes and internal political conflict. We have witnessed various combinations of these factors over millennia affecting the Egyptian, Roman, Mongol, Aztec, Spanish and British empires since 3200 BC. The USA, while not an empire in the historical sense, is regarded as a global hegemon. Current historians and commentators argue that the era of western global domination is nearing its end when they examine very similar developments impacting on the American Republic in 2026.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

SUGGESTED READING

• Ray Dalio, Principles for Dealing With a Changing World Order, Why Nations Succeed and Fail (Simon and Schuster, 2022)
• Peter Heather and John Rapley, Why Empires Fall, Rome, America and the Future of the West (Penguin, 2024)

COURSE OUTLINE

• Why do empires and nation states fail with references to the Roman Empire in the West 23 BC-476 AD, the Russian Empire in 1613-1917 and the British empire post 1945
• Which characteristics of decline and decay apply and what do they mean in terms of the longevity of western global dominance?
• Which characteristics of advantage apply and what do they mean in terms of the longevity of western global dominance?

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Discuss parallels between the disintegration of historical empires with current aspects of the USA as it celebrates its 250th birthday in 2026
2. Debate which of the current and historical forces affecting the USA and its position as a global hegemon are having the most impact on the republic and why