Hegemonic history(ZT)

Hegemonic history	rasputin	NEW 10/21/2007 10:13:53 AM
It's a simple, and often-repeated. theme throughout human history: 1. A nation rises to hegemonic power, via a strong military. 2. It then imposes its economic system (and its currency on the world) 3.However, it also bears the expensive burden of being the “policeman ofthe world”, of which all the other nations enjoy the “fruits” (easytrade), but don't have to pay the “price” (massive costs in blood,treasure and diverting of resources to the effort). 4. Eventually, the hegemonic power collapses of its own weight, and a new hegemonic power rises. 5. Begin at step one above. Thiscycle used to last for as long as several hundred years in the past.However, technology, communications and increased competitiveness inthe world has shortened the cycle to about sixty years or so.