From Manifest Destiny to Mega-Corps: How US Global Control Went From Bayonet Charges to Bank Accounts
The US historically acquired territory through direct military action, citing seizure of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines from Spain after the Spanish-American War, and earlier conquests from Mexico and Spain.
The debate splits on methods. Some insist U.S. power is boundless due to geography, citing historical precedents. Others, like bizarroland, argue geopolitical limits—nuclear deterrence or global backlash—prevent direct invasion. A core disagreement exists between the old model of outright conquest and the modern preference for indirect leverage, such as military bases or funding local coups, as noted by lettruthout and southsamurai. There's an outlier take pointing out that true exploitation now flows from 'colossal megacorps,' not visible government policy.
The consensus lands on a shift in tactics: overt conquest is fading. Modern US influence operates through maintaining strategic military bases and leveraging economic power, representing a transition away from direct governance toward subtler, corporate-backed control.
Key Points
Modern US power projection prefers indirect control over outright territorial acquisition.
Commenters noted that basing strategy and coups are less resource-intensive than owning territory.
US history is defined by large-scale, explicit land seizures.
AbouBenAdhem cited the seizure of key territories during the Spanish-American War.
Geopolitical constraints limit the viability of direct invasion.
bizarroland argued that nuclear deterrence and global opposition make outright invasion nearly impossible.
Global influence now relies more on trade and corporate mechanisms than stated government policy.
The outlier insight highlighted the privatization of imperialist exploitation by 'colossal megacorps'.
Post-WWII stability shifted global politics toward proxy interventions.
southsamurai argued that nuclear weapons made subtle influence and coups more effective than invasion.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.