The U.S. Divorce from D.C.

“Do not blame Caesar, blame the people of Rome who have so enthusiastically acclaimed and adored him and rejoiced in their loss of freedom and danced in his path and gave him triumphal processions . . . .  Blame the people who hail him when he speaks in the Forum of the ‘new, wonderful good society’ which shall now be Rome’s, interpreted to mean ‘more money, more ease, more security, more living fatly at the expense of the industrious.’ Julius was always an ambitious villain, but he is only one man.” Marcus Tullius Cicero

 

 

The political entity known as the United States of America is due for a breakup. Why? Because that is what history tells us. Basically this breakup is going to be akin to a divorce from Washington, D.C. and the stranglehold that it has on current domestic and foreign affairs. It is in its early stages in Europe and the Middle East.

 

To cite one historical example among many, as Roman agricultural output slowly declined and population increased, this led to food shortages. The Romans “solved” this problem by conquering their neighbours taking in loot in the form of metals, grain, slaves, etc… All the while, the elites kept the masses distracted and dumbed down with “entertainment”, fear mongering about invasions from the North and free bread.

 

However, as the Empire grew, the cost of maintaining administration, communications, garrisons, etc. grew with it. Eventually, this cost grew so great that any new challenges such as invasions and crop failures could not be solved by the acquisition of more territory. Intense, authoritarian efforts to maintain cohesion by Domitian, Hadrian and Diocletian in particular only led to an ever greater strain on the population. The empire was split into two halves, of which the western soon fragmented into smaller units. The eastern half, being wealthier, was able to survive longer, and did not collapse but instead succumbed slowly and piecemeal, because unlike the western empire it had powerful neighbors able to take advantage of its weakness.

 

In theory, human societies exist to solve problems. As these societies solved problems – food production, security, public works – they became increasingly complex. Complexity however carries with it overhead costs, e.g. administration, maintaining an army, tax collection, infrastructure maintenance, etc. As the society confronts new problems additional complexity is required to solve them. Eventually a point is reached where the overhead costs that are generated result in diminishing returns in terms of effectiveness. The society wastefully expends its resources trying to maintain its bloated condition until it finally collapses into smaller, simpler, more efficient units.

 

This has been the cycle going back thousands upon thousands of years. Indeed an eventual breakup of the political entity known as the United States is inevitable.  Cities that defined the nation’s industrial age like Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh may need to redefine themselves. Alaska may form a union with Yukon or something along those lines.  Hawaii was once its own kingdom until the U.S. government overthrew it and installed a puppet government.  Canada is due for a similar breakup.  I could see a mass migration northwards or eastwards from California in a similar yet reversal of the Okie trend in the 1930′s.  Texas should be its own republic again.

 

One thing is for sure: We are living in interesting times.