A Republic or An Empire

The “Week in Review” section of the March 31 issue of the New York Times published an article containing a startling observation—that “today, America is no mere superpower or hegemon but a full-blown empire in the Roman and British sense.” The article, “All Roads Lead to D.C.,” by Emily Eakin, which included a picture of ancient Rome from a scene in the movie Gladiator, pointed out that many Americans, most notably conservatives, are now openly stating that the achievement of empire status is not something that Americans should bemoan but rather something we should be celebrating.

But is it?

First consider how differently our American ancestors viewed the concept of liberty and the legitimate functions of government. In 1890, for example, there was little or no income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public schooling, welfare, economic regulations, gun control, or immigration controls. People were free to enter into mutually beneficial transactions with people all over the world, accumulate unlimited amounts of wealth, and decide what to do with it. That’s what it once meant to be an American. That’s what it once meant to be free.

Not anymore. Today, Americans define freedom by the power of government to take care of them with the taxes imposed on them. That’s why there are today thousands of government departments and agencies whose mission is to provide care and sustenance to the citizenry. It’s also why Washington, D.C., with all its magnificent buildings, reminds some people of Imperial Rome.