Decline of the American Empire

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If we ever needed evidence of the Cost of Empire , Floyd Norris's scarry chart of Durable Goods Production From the U.S. Economy is it. ***We have so hollowed out our industrial plant that the only thing we are now producing is weapons of war.*** Arnold Toynbee's theory about the decling of the Roman Empire has lessons for our own age. The economy of the empire was basically a Raubwirtschaftor plund economy based by looting existing resources rather then producing anything new.The empire relied on boody from the conquered teritories , ( this source or revenue ending , of course , with the end of the Roman Empire teritorial expansion )or on pattern of tax collection that drove small-scall farmers into destitution q5and on to dole that required even more exactions upon thos who could not escape taxation )or upon a dependency upon an élite exempt from the taxation .With the cessation of tribute from conquered teritories the full cost of their military machine had to be borne byu the citizens. I will try to attach the chart i mentioned at the top ( start of the discussion )