I love PFC!

[formerly known as hf]

As much as I dislike the US and it's history - I don't see being British as having much more to be proud of...

[Cookie]

No it's because if you ever set out to rule the world, there wouldn't be one left once you'd finished!

[Nixit]

Then the Britons never ruled the world. They had a bunch of colonies maybe, and a big navy, and a big army... but they didn't rule the world.

[Cookie]

A bunch of collonies? Right, your obviously the historian then. Jelous

[Cookie]

The biggest empire in the history of the world, EVER. Here ya go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire

[formerly known as hf]

that's not the world - and the forceful control of other people and enforced slavery aren't things to be proud of...

And the Americans have their own empire - not in the way empires used to be - but US government is definately imperialistic, and control is exercised privately through corporations rather than military or overt politics...

US companies have more global influence than the british empire ever did...

[Nixit]

Yes, I know... but Briton was like that when it wasn't morally wrong to have colonies, the U.S. came a little later.

[Cookie]

that's not the world - and the forceful control of other people and enforced slavery aren't things to be proud of...

Its the biggest empire the world has ever seen. Near a bloody nough.

And the Americans have their own empire - not in the way empires used to be - but US government is definately imperialistic, and control is exercised privately through corporations rather than military or overt politics...

Youre boasting about a metaphore. Well done!

[Nixit]

How is that a metaphor?

[formerly known as hf]

I'm not boasting - I'm not american, and that wouldn't be anything to boast about anyway...

It's not a metaphor - global corporate empires are a reality, and the comparison is certainly valid, and generally academically accepted

[Cookie]

Umm, we rule the world beacuase our companies are really big. A bit like an imaginary empire now isn't it.

NSo you don't keep diging a bigger hole, realise the private sector has nothing to do with your government, like you suggest!

[Nixit]

Well, they are very influential.

And besides, you can't compare, because the British Empire was earlier than the American one. Times and morals have changed.

[Nixit]

NSo you don't keep diging a bigger hole, realise the private sector has nothing to do with your government, like you suggest!

And I wouldn't say that.

[AoM]

Actually, yes. American influence is felt around the world through its corporations. That is where a lot of modern power comes from. It's the battleground of sociological influence my friend...

[formerly known as hf]

do I need to ram these words down your ears?

I AM NOT AMERICAN...

So I am not comparing my companies etc...

And US companies are certainly very closely related to their government... The US government has the interests of its companies closest to its heart. The kind of influence that US multinationals have, especially the ones that own large swathes of land in developing countries, upon which they grow only one crop, who employ thousands to make your football shirts and nike shoes - the power they have is enormous, often to the extent that local and even national governments in developing countries can't stop them doing what they like...

This is compounded by the fact that they are so heavily supported by the US, especially through using their power in the WTO to enforce trade and industry laws on the developing world so that US companies find it even easier to do what they want

This power, a collection of US political, economic and corporate power, far outstrips the power of the British empire... Both culturally, economically and politically.