European empire, including the time it was vitally connected to globalization, was an important model in the shaping of the present day system of the worlds organization and order. However the present idea of empire, especially when considered by Americans, poses some difficult problems. One of the greatest demands of empire is that of money and military, something, especially elected officials, are unwilling to pay. That is why empires run by authoritarian governments have been more successful; without having to ask electorates for the proper supplies, the empires of the USSR and Portugal were able to last longer being adequately maintained. Along with being unable to secure the supplies for creating an empire, the US appears to value isolationism more than imperialism. In addition, the imperialistic view of rule without consent sharply contradicts the ideas of democracy and popular sovereignty. However, already the United States intervenes into the affairs of countless sovereign nations without the consent of the peoples involved.
However, if perhaps the United States is not succeeding in this present empire building, the European Union is. The EU is creating a continental market and mobilizing a power of continental scale in order to combat and balance the power of the United States.
The Empires in history that have been successful have been so for various reasons. Empire provided for public goods, preserved peace, spread ideas and trade, and was able to be more pluralist than many modern nations in its tolerance of other ethnicities and cultures. However these reasons are not able to justify empire building for many people. The idea so clearly stated in Lieven’s article, “empire is not based on this consent of those it governs” is of utmost importance when considering this type of control.