America is rapidly emulating the Ottoman Empire

[forsmant]

http://www.amconmag.com/article/2010/aug/01/00041/

Here's an economic history test:

1. Which Great Power pioneered the secular trend towards freer international trade?

2. Which Great Power first resorted to spiraling foreign indebtedness to pay for its wars?

3. Which Great Power first permitted large-scale foreign direct investment in its domestic industries and infrastructure?

If you guessed such latter-day globalizers as the United States or Britain, you flunked. The correct answer in each case is the Ottoman Empire.

During much of its existence of more than six centuries, the empire arguably ranked as the world's top power, but this did not stop its eventual collapse in 1922-23. For anyone concerned about America's future, the implications are thought provoking. Indeed in many ways America’s current trajectory seems like a speeded up version of the Ottoman movie.

.............. rest at link

[Vessol]

What's wrong with freer international trade?

Isn't a protectionist planned economy what we are trying to avoid?

And considering the Head of State of the Ottoman Empire was also always the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, I doubt the claims that the nation was secular.

I think that Rome and any other empire is enough of an example of why the American Empire will fall. The Persian Empire, Athenian, Roman, Macadonian, Holy Roman, British, USSR. All have fairly similar collapses.

[forsmant]

I don't think you understand that the other countries do not play by the same rules. They are protecting their industries, namely china, while we allow there cheaper products to come in. Ideally all trade would be free.

[Vessol]

There are many things that have caused the deindustrialization of the United States. The two main reasons are labor unions given political power, and minimum wage laws.

Just saying that international trade is evil doesn't address the problem.

If it wasn't for Chinese and other manufacturers, prices of many consumer goods would be much more expensive if the producers were not allowed to import but rather had to produce the goods here in the United States by law. That's if they were put under the current regulations and laws in place here.

Protectionist trade policies only stifle the free market, raise prices for the consumer and ultimately are worse than just removing said policies and letting the market determine its own course. If there is demand for more manufacturing jobs in the United States, then the market would accommodate that.

[forsmant]

There is no free market in this world.

[Vessol]

I agree. But we can't respond to that fact by trying to support protectionist trade policies. You don't fight fire with fire.

[JustinTime]

And considering the Head of State of the Ottoman Empire was also always the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, I doubt the claims that the nation was secular.

Im no expert on the Ottomans, but I'd be very surprised if any Greek Orthodox Patriarch was ever Ottoman Sultan or Caliph. I could be wrong, Im too lazy to look it up, but Id be shocked they let a Christian head their empire.

[Vessol]

Im no expert on the Ottomans, but I'd be very surprised if any Greek Orthodox Patriarch was ever Ottoman Sultan or Caliph. I could be wrong, Im too lazy to look it up, but Id be shocked they let a Christian head their empire.

Gah, there I am mixing the Byzantine Empire with the Ottoman Empire again. Blah!

[forsmant]

I think a little gardening of the economy is necessary to rid the weeds. aka the fraudsters and crooks. And a protectionist china can only be gardened by protectionism at home.

Although I'm not making any sort of policy direction by posting this article, just curious of the parallels.

[Vessol]

The ends never justify the means, remember that.