this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2025
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Still a pale imitation of the British, they had a real empire. America had Puerto Rico and Guam .
I think you're neglecting the Manifest Destiny period of westward expansion, and you're limiting your consideration to the paradigm of colonial empire. The American empire is different, it's a neo-colonial empire.
I'm a rank amateur but in my limited understanding of history it seems similar to the ancient Persian empire: basically a system of client states each with a permitted level of autonomy within a framework of tribute/favorable trade relations. Enforced with a network of garrisons.
When the CIA backs a coup and installs a friendly government that signs a defense pact, and makes it easy for American capital to thrive, what would you call that state other than a client state?
That's just my understanding as a lay person though, how do you understand it?
I'm also an amateur and don't have much more frame of reference then college history and quick internet searches that validated with what I remember professors lecturing.
The westward expansion should count as imperialism. The territories were meant to be integrated parts of the nation and not independent vassal states.
The US was Neo-colonial without being an empire. Which is a pretty jerk move when you realize that meant a groups of people had to agree in unison to use soft-power to oppress countries over decades.
America historically avoided the empire classification because of the division of power prevented there being a single supreme power. The erosion of the separate powers providing the checks and balances is what is sliding the US into empire by definition.