Synopses & Reviews
The United States presides over the most far-flung imperial system ever established. This thoughtful study compares the American Empire to those of the past, finding much can be learned from the fates of the British, Roman, Chinese, Incan, and Aztec empires. Laxer draws ominous parallels with the British who discovered too late that empire building ultimately threatens the health of democracy at home.
Documenting how the American Empire works and what it means to the rest of the world, Empire asks: Does the American Empire bring stability to a troubled world? Or, like its imperial predecessors, does it impose inequality and oppression on humanity? And what happens when an empire stumbles?
Review
"Empire provides an accessible overview of the imperial concept and is particularly useful in its description of American hegemony." CM Magazine
Review
"..a quick, clear look at past empires [and] an examination of the history and rise of the American empire." Globe and Mail
Synopsis
The Groundwork Guides provide an overview of key contemporary political and social issues. Tackling pressing and sometimes controversial topics, these guides offer both a lively introduction and a strong point of view.
About the Author
James Laxer, an award-winning author, has written sixteen books, including Stalking the Elephant: My Discovery of America (published by the New Press in New York as Discovering America), and The Border: Canada, the U.S. and Dispatches from the Forty-ninth Parallel. In his review of Stalking the Elephant, David Shribman, Pulitzer prizewinning columnist for the Boston Globe, said: "This is a book by a Canadian that can change the United States." James Laxer is a professor of political science at York University in Toronto, Ontario.