Discussion about this post

User's avatar
H. W. Brands's avatar

I confess I can't document my assertion about the U.S.being at war more than other countries since 1776. And I don't really need to say it was the MOST often at war to make my larger point. Yet I think it is quite plausible. You mention Britain and France. But between 1815 and 1914 they were largely quiescent in Europe. Expanding their empires in Africa and Asia entailed sporadic violence. After 1945, they struggled briefly to hold their empires but soon gave up the cause. As for Russia, yes it expanded across Eurasia, but reached its greatest extent by the end of the 19th century. It fought against Japan, and had a civil war, and the two world wars, and the war in Afghanistan. And then Georgia and now Ukraine. It's a close call with the U.S., but Russia never sent troops so far from home as the U.S. did. As for the McDonald's theory, it's a good one as far as it goes. It underlines the importance of global trade in calming world affairs. I favor it as an explanation more than the democratic peace idea. But McDonald's first non-American store came in 1967, so it's a short run of history for a broad theory.

Expand full comment
Charles Wukasch's avatar

Another terrific essay by Prof. Brands. However, I wonder if the U.S. is truly a democracy. I'm a third-party voter and feel that we're really a plutocracy. In a true democracy, like in many Western European countries, one would have federally financed elections with limits on campaign expenses. I recently read that in the U.S., the average winner in a senatorial race shucks out $20 million (or at least his/her supporters do). Congressional races are cheaper; the winner spends an average of $2 million on campaigning.

Expand full comment
3 more comments...

No posts