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The Strongest Super power in History

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mgargan1

mgargan1

macrumors 65816
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Feb 22, 2003
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Reston, VA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_power

Which empire/government do you think was/is the strongest throughout history...

The Roman Empire? The Bristish Empire covering 1/4 of the globe?

The United States from 1991-present during a time of total globalization? Or something else? Ming Dynasty?

What do you think?
 
I would have to say the Greeks under Alexander the Great.

If that doesn't work, then me. I'm the greatest civilization ever.

Steve
 
Strongest....Russia or US during the cold war. Either one could have destroyed the world countless times over

Largest...Roman Empire

Most impact...Christianity
 
Black&Tan said:
Strongest....Russia or US during the cold war. Either one could have destroyed the world countless times over
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But neither completely dominated, therefore individually they aren't comparable to the sole superpowers of history. For instance, during the late 19th Century, the British Royal Navy had more firepower than every other country combined. So Britain could theoretically have waged a war against every other country on the planet at the same time and won. Russia and the US counterbalanced each other, but neither could have wiped the other out whilst surviving.
 
Ancient - About even between the Han and Roman empires
Modern - About even between the Ottomans and Britain

Overall greatest superpower of all time, in terms of sheer influence in Western culture - the Romans
 
dynamicv said:
My vote goes for China
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That's my name! The Chinese character for it... Ooh. Haha, thanks for posting that, I never knew who people compared my family name to. :eek: :D
 
ham_man said:
Ancient - About even between the Han and Roman empires
Modern - About even between the Ottomans and Britain

Overall greatest superpower of all time, in terms of sheer influence in Western culture - the Romans
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The british emipre had a big effect too, I would say similar to the romans if not more.
 
BakedBeans said:
The british emipre had a big effect too, I would say similar to the romans if not more.
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Meh...the Romans gave us our language, our architecture, our urban planning, our democracy (first time on a large scale)...that's pretty big...
 
ham_man said:
Meh...the Romans gave us our language, our architecture, our urban planning, our democracy (first time on a large scale)...that's pretty big...
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I wonder if the point could be made that the British Empire was also responsible for language in todays world. Case in point, this forum is international and yet what language is used?
 
It has to be the US today.

From The Age, and NYT:

"The American military is the strongest the world has known, both in absolute terms and relative to other nations; stronger than the Wehrmacht in 1940, stronger than the legions at the height of Roman power.

For years to come, no other nation is likely to rival American might. Which means the global arms race is over, with the US the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Paradoxically, the runaway American victory in the conventional arms race might inspire a new round of proliferation of atomic weapons, because now only a nuclear state - such as, perhaps, North Korea - has any military leverage against the winner."
 
Well, I'd say that militarily, it's the US today. If we were talking about influence on modern life, I'd give that one to the Romans, but I gotta say that Superman's heat vision is probably the coolest super power.
 
Tanglewood said:
I wonder if the point could be made that the British Empire was also responsible for language in todays world. Case in point, this forum is international and yet what language is used?
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That is do to America's status as a super power during and after the Cold War, when much of globalization as we know it occurred...
 
BakedBeans said:
It isnt just about the gun power you have. If i was picking sides it would be whatever side the SAS and SBS were on oh, and the gurkhas
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I'd pick the sides with the Delta Force, the Green Berets, the Rangers, the SEALs, the side with the most nukes, the side with the laser guided bombs, the side with the Airborne, the side with the GPS guided bombs, the side with the marines, the side with the F-117, the side with the B-2, the side with the F-22... :rolleyes:
 
The problem with comparing the Roman armies to the US's is the vast gap in technology. If you were to compare the leigons to a caveman army, the Romans would win because of THEIR superior technology.

I think, overall, one of the Chinese empires, or the Roman would be the biggest. In terms of cultural influence (in the west), Rome for sure. Military might for the time? Rome. However, in terms of ability to destroy the earth, the US wins. Also, the US economy is massive, and without it world markets would colapse (granted, they would rebuild, but a ton depends on the US market at the monet and has for quite a while now), to a far greater extent than Rome's economy would have ever had. When Rome fell China couldn't care less. If the US falls this very instant, China is screwed out of millions of jobs. Economically, the US wins. Everything else, probably Rome.
 
ham_man said:
That is do to America's status as a super power during and after the Cold War, when much of globalization as we know it occurred...
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It's a combination of both. English has been the language of the main cultural and economic superpower for nearly two hundred years. It was easy for American media companies to sell their product oversees when much of the world already spoke English thanks to the British, but the dominance of those media companies has reinforced the trend and led to even more people learning the language.

devilot said:
That's my name! The Chinese character for it... Ooh. Haha, thanks for posting that, I never knew who people compared my family name to.
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Zheng He was a complete legend (in the British sense, meaning he was incredible). You come from excellent stock :)

Felldownthewell said:
TAlso, the US economy is massive, and without it world markets would colapse (granted, they would rebuild, but a ton depends on the US market at the monet and has for quite a while now), to a far greater extent than Rome's economy would have ever had. When Rome fell China couldn't care less. If the US falls this very instant, China is screwed out of millions of jobs. Economically, the US wins. Everything else, probably Rome.
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Ironically, I'd say Rome has the USA on this one. Rome was economically self-sufficient. What would happen now to the US economy without Chinese manufacturing, Venezuelan oil or Japanese money? Rome never had those problems. It produced everything it needed itself.
 
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