Ha-Joon Chang Quotes

Whereas the British were generally quite open about the fact that they were running an empire, few Americans politicians today would use the “e” word as anything other than a term of abuse.

So what if America loses its empire? We never should have had one in the first place.

Like a cyclone, imperialism spins across the globe; militarism crushes peoples and sucks their blood like a vampire.

You know, the Brits had a way of - running an empire. And I don't think America is comfortable with an empire.

The British especially have no excuse for forgetting that empire is a most complex and persistent beast. And it has claws.

We've built the largest empire in the history of the world. It's been done over the last 50 years since World War II with very little military might, actually. It's only in rare instances like Iraq where the military comes in as a last resort.

For when we talk about the spreading power and influence of globalization, aren't we really referring to the spreading economic and military might of the US?

Yes, I would agree that America, just like Spain was in the 17th Century, is the main empire of the world and they are the ones who, on the surface, are the most pushy: pushing their language, pushing their culture - or what there is of it - pushing by force their system on others.

Nothing the European mind ever devised was meant to do anything but to facilitate the European's control over the world.

The truth is, of course, that history is not completed in modern commerce any more than philosophy is perfected in political economy. In other words, there is nothing timeless or God-given about filling stations and penicillin and plastic bags.

For Carolina once ruined and destroyed, the extermination of her [England's] colonial dependencies will follow.

… an imperialist alliance

Commerce is the weapon …., the all powerful arm with which we have entered in earnest, with every prospect of success, upon our conquest of Mexico.

Let it be known that war with a colony is war with England.

Empires can only decline when other nations decline and make way for them.

The real threat to the world is the imperialistic threat posed by the U.S., and Israel is one of its imperialistic instruments in this part of the world.

What the city [Constantinople] contains is its own; beyond the walls it has no dominion—owns nothing. If I want to build a castle at the Sacred Mouth, it can’t forbid me. Tell your emperor this: The sultan who now rules is not like his predecessors. What they couldn’t achieve, he can do easily and at once. The things they did not wish to do, he certainly does. The next man who comes here on a mission like this will be flayed alive.

The underlying reality of imperial power is that it always depends upon the army.

The United States tyrannizes and pillages the globalized world with its political, economic, technological, and military might.

Instead of exporting what they perceived to be rational, modern, humane government to their colonies, the British often found themselves propping up deeply unattractive and corrupt princelings and client rulers because this was the cheapest way of maintaining control.

Empire in the past was always a far harsher and much more accident-prone business than conventional history books imply. And the costs of these overseas invasions were borne not just by those on the receiving end but - frequently - by ordinary, vulnerable people among or associated with the invaders.

It is idle to attack Imperialism or Militarism as political expedients or policies unless the axe is laid at the economic root of the tree, and the classes for whose interest Imperialism works are shorn of the surplus revenues which seek this outlet.

Wealth governs this country, and wealth uses military violence to control the rest of the world as best it can.

The events of 11 September will be remembered as the end of the US empire. This is because all empires collapse when they pursue the arrogance of power.

Our army is really an imperial army…. We used to wonder why British imperialists went to Iraq and Afghanistan.