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The Destruction of an Empire and the Salvation of a Nation
Manage episode 476028329 series 3352669
What if America is following Rome's exact path to collapse? In this riveting discussion, we unravel the disturbing parallels between the Roman Empire's downfall and America's current trajectory as a global superpower.
The mechanism is startlingly simple—empires function as giant money pumps, extracting wealth from provinces until the system becomes unsustainable. Rome expanded dramatically after the Punic Wars, transforming from a small Italian state into a Mediterranean power. Similarly, America's post-WWII expansion created an imperial system that now shows dangerous signs of exhaustion.
We explore how vassal states and foreign interests infiltrate imperial politics, from ancient Judea's manipulation of Rome to modern lobbying groups shaping Washington policy. This provincial extraction game leaves imperial citizens—ordinary Americans—gradually impoverished while elites fight over diminishing resources.
Most troubling is the bargain citizens unknowingly accept: trading political sovereignty for cheap consumer goods. The Walmart economy provides affordable products while manufacturing capacity disappears and wages stagnate. Meanwhile, the definition of national identity becomes increasingly diluted, much as "Romanitas" lost meaning as Rome expanded.
The pressing question becomes whether saving the American nation requires sacrificing the American empire. A transition would mean dramatically reduced consumption and profound economic upheaval—but could potentially restore republican government and economic sovereignty. Either way, history suggests that once an imperial system begins extracting more from its core than it returns, decline becomes virtually inevitable.
Join us for this thought-provoking journey through history that may just reveal where we're headed next. How do we navigate what seems increasingly like the end of an era?
Sponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/
********************************************************
Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1
https://www.avoidingbabylon.com
Locals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.com
RSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rss
Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon
Chapters
1. The Destruction of an Empire and the Salvation of a Nation (00:00:00)
2. Introduction and Late Start Banter (00:01:37)
3. Rome's Fall and America's Parallel Path (00:04:17)
4. Empire's Extraction Game (00:17:13)
5. The Israel Factor and Imperial Politics (00:31:21)
6. Tariffs and Economic Reality Check (00:47:49)
7. Catholic Identity and Church Pressures (01:13:45)
8. End Times and Generational Struggles (01:38:31)
9. Personal Stories and Family Struggles (01:50:23)
10. The Crisis Within Modern Catholicism (02:03:01)
473 episodes
Manage episode 476028329 series 3352669
What if America is following Rome's exact path to collapse? In this riveting discussion, we unravel the disturbing parallels between the Roman Empire's downfall and America's current trajectory as a global superpower.
The mechanism is startlingly simple—empires function as giant money pumps, extracting wealth from provinces until the system becomes unsustainable. Rome expanded dramatically after the Punic Wars, transforming from a small Italian state into a Mediterranean power. Similarly, America's post-WWII expansion created an imperial system that now shows dangerous signs of exhaustion.
We explore how vassal states and foreign interests infiltrate imperial politics, from ancient Judea's manipulation of Rome to modern lobbying groups shaping Washington policy. This provincial extraction game leaves imperial citizens—ordinary Americans—gradually impoverished while elites fight over diminishing resources.
Most troubling is the bargain citizens unknowingly accept: trading political sovereignty for cheap consumer goods. The Walmart economy provides affordable products while manufacturing capacity disappears and wages stagnate. Meanwhile, the definition of national identity becomes increasingly diluted, much as "Romanitas" lost meaning as Rome expanded.
The pressing question becomes whether saving the American nation requires sacrificing the American empire. A transition would mean dramatically reduced consumption and profound economic upheaval—but could potentially restore republican government and economic sovereignty. Either way, history suggests that once an imperial system begins extracting more from its core than it returns, decline becomes virtually inevitable.
Join us for this thought-provoking journey through history that may just reveal where we're headed next. How do we navigate what seems increasingly like the end of an era?
Sponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/
********************************************************
Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1
https://www.avoidingbabylon.com
Locals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.com
RSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rss
Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon
Chapters
1. The Destruction of an Empire and the Salvation of a Nation (00:00:00)
2. Introduction and Late Start Banter (00:01:37)
3. Rome's Fall and America's Parallel Path (00:04:17)
4. Empire's Extraction Game (00:17:13)
5. The Israel Factor and Imperial Politics (00:31:21)
6. Tariffs and Economic Reality Check (00:47:49)
7. Catholic Identity and Church Pressures (01:13:45)
8. End Times and Generational Struggles (01:38:31)
9. Personal Stories and Family Struggles (01:50:23)
10. The Crisis Within Modern Catholicism (02:03:01)
473 episodes
All episodes
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