The empires of the 21st century - Foreign Policy

 Editor of Foreign Policy:

We often think of the age of empire as in the past—the Roman Empire, the Qing Dynasty, British imperialism. But as the essays below argue, empires are alive and well in the 21st century. Some take new forms, such as the corporate titans of the internet age. Others are directly inspired by imperial histories and a revanchist spirit.

This edition of Flash Points considers the mythmaking, ambitions, and follies of today’s empires, and how they are (and aren’t) changing the world order.—Chloe Hadavas

1 The New Empires of the Internet Age Cyberspace has upended the old world order. By Daniel W. Drezner

2 Xi’s Imperial Ambitions Are Rooted in China’s History Myths of peacefulness belie a record as expansionist as any other power.  By Michael Sobolik

3 The Inevitable Fall of Putin’s New Russian Empire  What history tells us about collapsed empires trying to restore their former possessions. By Alexander J. Motyl

4 Getting Rome Right and America Wrong  A new history of empire is far too British.  By Bret Devereaux

5 The Rise and Fall and Rise (and Fall) of the U.S. Financial Empire  The dollar is dead. Long live the dollar. By Adam Tooze