CC 302

Lecture 25 (mini)

Are We Rome?

      Lessons for the U.S.? Some general analogies and differences between pax Romana and pax Americana
                   (cf. http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,794163,00.html)

           a. sole superpower; military dominance
           changes ahead? - http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/112616/imf-bombshell-age-america-end-marketwatch

          b. how to create a sense of unity or shared values/experience; e pluribus unum

      1. Rome: law, cult/ritual (civil religion vs. fundamentalism), creation of opportunities, mythologizing of role models; pluralism

      2. America: democracy (but are others ready?), individual liberty, creation of opportunities, mythologizing of role models, pluralism

           c. "soft" vs. "hard" power: inspiration, values, culture - the issue of Romanization and Americanization
            (both are hybrids, hence have global appeal);
            pluralism and toleration as basic to superpowers (Amy Chua, Day of Empire, 2007)
           d. Obvious differences: technology, health and hygiene, educational system, representative democracy

Final perspective on our class: "What we did this semester will echo in eternity!"

Thank you all for a great semester.

5/2/2011
galinsky@mail.utexas.edu