Are We Rome?: The Fall of an Empire and the Fate of America - Cullen Murphy

America and Rome - a flawed analogy

I have never bought the argument that the United States' eventual decline is an historical inevitability and perhaps even now underway. Those who use this argument love to hold up Ancient Rome as their analogy - a great and seemingly indestructible empire eventually destroyed through internal decadence and a failure to adapt to external changes.

Well, the United States is not the Roman Empire and as author Cullen Murphy points out early on, the real lesson of history is that it rarely repeats itself, at least not in such a way that what has happened in the past can act as a blueprint for what is happening now, or may happen in the future.

Imperial greatness does tend to blaze and fade and it is possible to find parallels in the disappearance of Rome to that of Spain in the Americas, the Ottomans and even the British Empire - parallels but not exactitudes. The American Empire is like none of the above in that it one of projection rather than occupation. This empire's expansion, in progress since World War II, is founded on ideas and influence. It may stall or even be rolled back, but there will be no effect on the territorial integrity of the US itself. There will be no sack of Washington or Fort Knox's gold being carried off by triumphant foreign invaders.

It is the parallels and the differences that Murphy addresses in this book, taking a concept that has been so glibly asserted in public debate and subjecting it to some rigorous academic analysis. In doing so he has linked a challenging outline of where the US may be heading with some fascinating thumbnail sketches of the politics, economics and social condition of the Roman Empire which will delight history buffs and those interested in the laws of cause and effect.

He notes that in the past Americans themselves have seen links between their republic and that of Ancient Rome in its more idealised forms, one only has to look at the architecture of many of Washington's great public buildings to see that, and today Washington is just as much the centre of the universe, the place to be to see history in the making, as Rome was 1800 years ago.

The US dominates its world as Rome did at its height; Rome assimilated the people it conquered into the empire and many of them became proud Roman citizens; the US has its `melting pot', Hollywood and McDonalds, but above all there is America's military might, as impressive as in the days when the Legions turned the Mediterranean Sea into an imperial lake.

Yet in the end Rome could not keep this up, and in one very definite parallel Murphy notes the reason as a persistent threat on the borders coupled with the vast expenditure required to keep deterrent forces permanently in the field - increasingly onerous taxes on the one hand and deficit spending on the other.

Other links Murphy suggests stimulate the imagination: the Romans' use of barbarian mercenaries to defend the later empire is compared to the civilian contractors that perform an increasing number of services in Iraq and Afghanistan once reserved for the military; the movement of political authority away from the Roman centre to outlying provinces or military commanders linked to privatisation; the failure of both to see the warning signs in initial reversals (Rome - Teutoburg Forest; US - Vietnam).

Did Rome in fact fall or did it just fade away? Rome was sacked in 410AD, but the empire limped along in the West for at least another 50 to 80 years and in the East for another 1000. Might it not be possible for the US, preoccupied with its internal difficulties, to imperceptibly surrender its superpower status to China, India, or even, as Mark Leonard has provocatively argued in his 2005 book, the European Union?

Murphy concedes this is a possibility but in the end rejects the Rome-and-America analogy as flawed:

"Rome accepted and bestrode its destiny. Americans don't yet agree that an empire is what we've become, much less agree that we ought to be one. The political gulf between Rome and America is wide, morally and procedurally. America's democratic form of government looks to us like a flawed and tarnished thing and we lament its grave deficiencies. But it's more adaptable, just, and robust than anything Rome came up with in a thousand years. Elections remain a check on power, a crude and clumsy but as yet sacred way to reorientate the compass."

Murphy loses his way on occasions. His suggestion that the US could rekindle the militia ethic of the past with a program of national service for all young people is political suicide and a logistical nightmare. Yet his fundamental proposition that America has the tools to reinvent itself and adapt to changing conditions in a way Rome never had, is sound.

This is a concise, tightly argued book that deserves the attention of everyone interested in international current affairs and the world their children and grandchildren will live in.

provacative and enjoyable

Cullen Murphy's book "Are We Rome?" is an engagingly erudite, yet very accessible read. Wisely sidestepping the generalizing tendencies of the historians, Murphy poses many questions for the readers' consideration. He has intimate knowledge of the Roman ruins and is steeped in much of the history and archeological studies regarding the Romans. The writing is lean, tight, and for the most part enjoyable - he does a fine job of bringing the reader into his thinking processes.

If there is any structural aspect of this book, it would have to be the six parallels between the Roman and American empires. He discusses each in broad terms, with convincing regard for the current American stance (such as the privatization of government functions and the ongoing political gridlocks). Murphy makes a case for the ongoing reinvention of ourselves as Americans as one quality that the Romans in their smug self-satisfactions never possessed. He points out that America has been through more social transformations in two centuries than Rome did in a thousand years.

One very interesting topic Murphy discusses has to do with the current issue of immigration into the United States. For the Romans, it was the inexorable assimilation of the "barbarians"; the incorporation of other cultures into the Roman orbit became indispensible as the centuries rolled on. But it was also the primary reason why Rome did not "fall" either; it just kind of faded away. Murphy at this point quotes the Roman historian Livy: "An empire remains powerful only as long as its subjects rejoice in it".

Towards the end, the "Are We Rome?" question is posed - and Murphy vaguely replies: In a thousand ways no; in a handful of ways, yes. His final point is: We are Rome in that we are making many of the same mistakes (military over-expansion, etc), but the antidote is that we are American, and as such, we will make the necessary changes (like taking more interest in other cultures).

This read is entertaining and highly recommended for the thoughtfully inclined.

The Cloud Reckoner

Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

Lessons from our shared past ..

Since this is a commonly shared comparision it will not due to comment . However the book is well written and thoughtfully compiled. History and insight are hallmarks to a interesting subject. Enjoyable read.

Good book but not surprising..

Cullen Murphy's book allows us to compare us and the Romans, in our thoughts, ideals and, sometimes, our actions. With him we compare the same merits and flaws we hold dear along with the Romans. We look at on how we treat ourselves, other nations, our military, our borders, and our brand new citizens. While interesting it isn't really very surprising and, for those who know their history, somewhat boring. A good first read but not really a re-read. Kind of a light read also, so OK for bus or air travel. You should know some Roman history to enjoy it, so it is not really for beginners but too simple for those who already have a small library on Roman history.

Does the US resemble Rome?

I first read this book last summer and have been thinking about the similarities between the two empires ever since. Next February I plan to lead a study group using this book as a text. There are so many different issues that are similar like bribery, privatization to all the border issues. During most of the book I was saddened and scared about where we are heading but became more optimistic at the end. Murphy is a beautiful writer and he explains his ideas are explained clearly.