[FRIAM] How democracies die

[steve smith]

EricS wrote:
>> So my question to the list is: has any of you read this book:
>> https://www.amazon.com/Super-Imperialism-Origin-Fundamentals-Dominance/dp/0745319890 
>>

so:

glen wrote:
> ...

then Claude wrote:
> In Part III, Hudson argues that the U.S. has used its debtor position 
> as leverage since the 1960s, threatening to disrupt the global 
> monetary system if other countries don't finance its deficits. The 
> lack of a viable alternative to the dollar allows the U.S. to continue 
> running deficits while pressuring trade partners to keep their markets 
> open. Europe and Asia have failed to challenge this "monetary 
> imperialism," which remains the foundation of U.S. global power.

In my superficial layman's way, I feel that much of the history of the 
"modern" (3000BCE to date) has been strangely driven or pulled or forced 
by "debt".  The tension between the Aristocracies and the Merchants?  
Borrowers borrow and Lenders lend what Producers produce, and thus Power 
flows?  I suppose I should (re)read Graeber's /Debt/?

Since everything is about the recent US Presidential election, one might 
look at whether Trump's various types of "bankruptcy" from the most 
literal to the most figurative somehow help to explain his ascendency?

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