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ЦитатаOK, чтобы не быть голословным, я сделаю адаптацию (близко к исходному тексту) 'U.S. imperial model'. Это займёт у меня несколько дней.

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Author: Advanturist

U.S. Imperial Model

Well, well, dear Americans… So, trouble is looming ahead, and you are concerned about your economic future, aren’t you? OK, let’s take a fresh look at this country in its global context so that we’d better understand what is going on here and how we can fight back. Our approach may seem a bit unusual, though we strongly believe that it is better to break a few old-fashioned stereotypes rather than to keep wandering in the dark. Here we are considering the true contributing sources of American wealth, and provide food for thought about how to preserve them.

Introduction.

Generally speaking, the United States as an entity has two sources of income, internal and external. Internal income is a result of the creation of physical and mental products inside the country. External income is the wealth created outside the country and brought in the USA. Internal income used to be the core of American wealth creation. Not any more. So, what is the primary source of American wealth today?

Some people refer to the USA as 'an empire'. Are they right? In some obvious respects they are, for the USA possesses absolute military and ideological hegemony on the globe. But the term 'empire' implies something different. Military power and ideological domination are simply tools employed by an empire to achieve its imperial goal, though by no means could those be considered the true imperial goal. The true goal pursued by any empire regardless of its geographical location or the epoch of its existence is always one and only – to impose tax on other countries and peoples. We are talking here about the requirement to pay a percentage of a subjugated country's income and a host of numerous tributes and levies, fixed or variable, to the empire. First, let's review various models of colonial taxation that existed in the past to better understand America's role in all that, and why the future may be different from the present. The past often helps better understand a possible future.

1. Ancient empires: Military Conquest – Plundering, Triubute, and Slave Trade.

Since ancient times empires used military conquest as the easiest way to impose tax on other countries. Every military victory was immediately followed by pillage in which the conqueror appropriated a significant portion of the treasure previously accumulated by the conquered nation. Simply put, the conquered country was robbed of everything valuable. Then, a direct triubute was placed on the subjugated people. At the same time, a portion of the population was turned into slaves. Later, these slaves were used by the conqueror as free labor, or sold as commodity. All the empires of the past adhered to this simple pattern including the following well-known examples: Sumerian, Babylonian, Syrian, Egyptian, Persian, Macedonian, Roman, several Chinese empires, Manchurian, Hun, Mongolian, Maya, Karl the Great's and others. Some empires ended up by assimilating the conquered nations, some others – by exterminating the conquered nations. Some tried to civilize 'the barbarians', others established an administrative system in their 'new provinces', the remainder stayed away from the internal affairs of their possessions to just receive tribute – they did not even bother to keep permanent garrisons there. The major point remaind the same in all cases though: the loser paid for everything, even for the keep of the conqueror's occupying forces. The method of military conquest was universally accepted by the empires as long as agriculture remained the staple of world's economy and the productivity of labor was low and more or less the same all over the world.

2. Empires of the Enlightenment: Colonial Taxation.

The end of the Middle Ages brought forth many changes in Europe. Factories manufactured various goods, shipyards built vessels for mercantile fleets and powerful navies, large trading companies established business relationships with faraway lands. This all allowed to replace the model of risky and costly military conquest with less conflictive and more profitable colonial taxation. The essence of colonial taxation is the free exchange of inexpensive mass-manufactured 'products of civilazation' for much more valuable natural products. This way trinkets (such as glass beads and mirrors) were exchanged for gold, precious spices, rare furs, etc, at an incredible profit for European merchants. In North America, India or Africa a steel knife worth 10 pence could buy an armful of fur worth 10 guineas. A brilliant scheme!

Aboriginal population quickly realized the humanitarian benefits of colonial taxation over military conquest. First, aborigines were not killed too often by Europeans any more, and second, now they were even given something valuable in exchenge for their traditional goods. Those were wonderful glittery little things of 'equal value'. As a result, the population of the previously conquered countries began fighting for their 'freedom' to join the new trade-based empires. Within practically a few decades the old conquest-based empires of Spain and Portugal were squeezed out of their many possessions, and more 'progressive' and 'humane' empires were established, among those were Britain, France, Holland, and Russia.

However, the number of those wishing to acquire new colonies far surpassed the number of colonies available. The lust of the existing empires for expansion was continuously growing, but the number of the colonies in the world remained the same. Moreover, some colonies began claiming independence – and they could substantiate their claim with adequate military might. Some of the former colonies even claimed imperial status for themselves, the USA being a prime example. Along with the status, the USA claimed a colonial realm of their own. Thus the USA first appeared in the global empire league in the 19th century by successfully taking over the former Spanish and Portugues colonies in Latin America and South Pacific. Naturally, at that time the USA followed the most popular imperial model of the day – colonial taxation.

The lack of taxable colonial territories in the world caused continuous tensions between the empires. In the beginning of the 20th century, these tensions culminated in WWI. The war reduced the intensity of the problem for some while because the winners (Britain, France, USA) split the colonies of the losers (Germany, Austo-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Russia) among themselves. However, this could not resolve the problem completely. Moreoved, due to the high rate of industrial production and development, shortly after WWI the world experienced a devastating crisis of overproduction known as the Great Depression of 1929-1940. As soon as in the end of 1930s, the countries that had lost in WWI (Germany, Japan, Italy, Russia) recovered from their defeat and made a new claim for the previously lost status and colonies. A new clash among the old, new, and revived colonial powers led to WWII.

3. American Empire: Financial Taxation.

The end of the WWII created a unique situation in the world. All the countries including the former empires were now under control or at least domination of the only two superpowers, USA and USSR. Furthermore, since the beginning of the WWII industrial production in the USA was growing exponentially. The European technologies and professionals received by the USA after WWII fueled American growth even further. The USA possessed unsurpassed capabilities to manufacture both commodities and means of their transportation (such as boats, airplanes, trucks and railroad equipment). The U.S. global market comprised more than half of the world. This outstanding combination of American manufacturing and distribution capabilities coupled with America's overwhelming political control ensured the collection of unprecedented colonial taxes by the USA for several decades.

At that moment, shrewd Americans made an important intellectual breakthrough. (Americans used to be smart, didn't they?) In its efficiency the American economic discovery far exceeds all the methods previously used by the British colonialists, Dutch merchants, and Jewish bankers. The Americans asked themselves a simple question: Why do we need to compete for colonial taxes with our newly acquired dominions (Britain, Germany, Japan, etc) when we can impose taxation on the entire global trade? The entire trade! It was an ingenious idea. So, soon after WWII colonial taxation in the world was replaced by financial taxation.

Originally, the essence of financial taxation was in the use of the U.S. dollar as a legal tender in the trade between the USA and all other countries, as well as among other countries. Therefore, all U.S. colonies and dominions were supposed to have a reserve of dollars sufficient to cover their trade needs. As more and more countries got into dollar-based trade, the USA emitted a necessary amount of dollars to match new demands. Similarly, the higher the volume of trade was getting, the more dollars the USA was printing. The dollars issued for this trade comprised financial tax collected by the USA. (Sounds incredible? To make a piece of paper money on a printing press is almost free!) Understandably, in exchange for paper money the USA received physical goods (such as oil, metals, machines, etc) from abroad. In order to maintain international demand for dollars permanent, the USA skillfully manipulated its currency. The primary tool was to inflate the dollar so that previously emitted dollars would lose a part of their value in the hands of their current foreign holders.

All in all, the use of a single currency in international trade was convenient for all participants. Event the constand devaluation of the dollar due to inflation was chiefly disregarded because dollar mass was primarily in continuous circulation among merchants servicing their trading needs. Therefore losses due to dollar inflation were generally carried by foreign end-users. Well, if some foreign government did not like this system, the USA has always had a choice to replace such government with a better one…

4. American Empire: Debt Taxation.

However, in 1970s the global trade capacity for the use of the dollar was exhausted even in spite of the dollar's significant devaluation. The global crises of 1970s and 1980s occurred. The USA did not cut its budgetary expenses though, nor did it reduce its internal consumption. The USA chose another path. Direct taxation in the manner of ancient empires was imposed on American colonies. Though this time the military tax was in the form of non-returnable govenrnment borrowings primarily as payment for protection against 'the Evil Empire' (USSR). Most U.S. colonies agreed to pay in order to avoid even worse alternatives (such as a U.S. military intervention, or a coup d'etat, or a U.S. economic blocade). Besides, they indeed were afraid of meeting with the Russian Bear one on one. Therefore, during only 7 years between 1981 and 1988, the USA increased its national debt by 75% from $12T to $21T (even though not all of this amount belonged to foreign states or financial institutions). If nothing had changed, then in the next 10 to12 years USA would have exhausted the resources of all the countries controlled by them.

Fate treated the USA favorably (as it has always done before!), and spontaneous collapse of the Soviet empire began. Commencing the end of 1980s, the dollar zone received a whole bunch of new members (Eastern European countries, Latin America, Africa, China, ex-USSR, and Russia itself). For a short while the USA slowed down the program of debt taxation. (Within a 9-year period between 1988 and 1997, the USA increased its debt by 'only' 30% from $21T to $27.5T). Now the USA could safely return to financial taxation. 'Auld good' financial taxation was imposed on the entire 'American Commonwealth' which now included practically all humanity. However, the capacity of the former Soviet bloc for the dollar was very limited, and the financial crisis of 1997 hit the markets.

Well, the USA got lucky once again (it used to be a lucky country, didn't it?). Almost all developing nations (including China, Russia, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, etc) got extremely troubled by the recent financial catastrophy, so they hastily began to send their money to the USA in various forms. In order to avert the risk of a new financial disaster, a good half of humanity reduced its consumption down to a bare minimum, and began to meticulously pile up U.S. bank notes and Treasury Bonds. Thanks to that, the USA escaped a risk of collapse of its global taxation system. Moreover, within a 7-year period between 1998 and 2005, the USA managed to increase its debt by 55% from $27.5T to $43T. It was the mechanism of American global debt taxation that did the job. Soon afterwards, a recovery of the developing economies from the ctisis of 1997 followed. The needed of international cash by the recovering nations gave a new boost to the mechanism of American global financial taxation. As a result, the USA almost doubled global dollar mass from $5T to $9.5T. In the beginning of 2007, the U.S. national debt equaled $50T, while U.S. dollar mass exceeded $11T. It was a success. Such a huge amount of external tax has not been collected by any other empire in history, ever.

5. American Empire: Contemporary External Taxation.

Now, let's consider the current situation.

Apart from the aforementioned financial taxation and debt taxation, the USA employs 'traditional' mechanisms of external taxation. Above all, colonial taxation is widely used. Of course, merchandise supplied by the USA to contemporary 'aborigines' is very different from glass beads. The USA specializes in selling knowledge-based products and services, high-tech, intellectual property, technologies, etc. However, here problems begin. U.S. colonial taxation is on sharp decline because numerous U.S. dominions (Europe, Japan, South Korea, etc) are quickly taking over colonial trade which used to be America's prerogative.

The next important external tax is resource tax, i.e. concessions granted by colonial governments to U.S. corporations at a symbolic price. U.S. corporations mine minerals, metals, oil, and various other resources all over the world. In the 20th century many wars were fought and coups organized by the USA in response to refusal by local governments to pay this tax. And here we see another problem for the USA. The collection of this tax is gradually falling.

Military tax was very important during the Cold War era. U.S. colonies used to pay for the maintenance of U.S. military infrastructure in their territory, and sometimes they even paid for construction. Besides, colonies used to purchase American surplus armaments for protection from the Soviet threat. Currently, only Taiwan, and to some extent Japan and South Korea along with the new U.S. colonies in Eastern Europe keep paying this tax.

Intellectual tax is another very important tax imposed by the USA. The USA has adopted a policy of importing valuable scientists and engineers from the colonies. Also, U.S. corporations purchase and utilize innovations and technologies developed in the colonies at a reduced cost. This all helps maintain and advance U.S. knowledge-based industry which is the primary source of colonial taxation. Futhermore, 'brain drain' weakens the intellectual potential of the colonies. As long as the USA remains a country attractive for living, the collection of intellectual tax is safe. There is danger of losing this important American advantage and therefore this tax.

Labor tax is of somewhat similar nature. The source of labor tax is extremly cheap labor employed in various poor countries. The actual products are manufactured in these poor countries at a very low cost, and then they are sold in the USA so that most profits are made and appropriated in the USA. Labor regulations by foreign governments (especially in China and India) may damage the collection of this tax.

Credit tax is of financial nature like debt tax. Various U.S. organizations credit colonies with dollars and earn interest. The interest collected by the USA exceeds the interest paid by the USA thus creating a positive cash flow. Some international investment schemes may be classified as this tax, too. The problem for the USA is in global financial competition and current lack of creditworthy recipients.

Conclusion.

Now we understand how America managed to make it so far. It is clear that if America wants to stay strong and wealthy, America's external sources of income should be preserved. Like in olden times, U.S. imperial system needs protection and improvement by all means possible.
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Данная версия написана по мотивам Авантюриста и предстваляет собой его близкую адаптацию. В целях апробации данный текст выдан на прочтение нескольким независимым настоящим американцам среднего возраста и уровня образования. Для предотвращения немедленного отторжения было приделано введение и заключение и смягчён общий тон подачи в пользу Америки (какой Америка молодец). Первое замечание от американцев, которое последовало сразу, таково: (цитирую по смыслу) "В самой подаче есть очевидная терминологическая ошибка. 'Тах' (налог) - это то, что платится в обязательном порядке, не добровольно. Если иностранцы так или иначе посылают деньги или материальные ценности в США добровольно, то это называется иными словами ("финансовое вложение, инвестиция, добрая воля, пожертвование, этнузиазм, тихая гавань, поставки материалов..."). Поэтому утверждать, что США облагает налогом иные страны как минимум некорректно. И вообще, "иностранный налог" само по себе не верное словосочетание. Китаец может платить налог только китайскому правительству. В севроамериканских колониях британская корона пыталась ввести налог, и это вызвало революцию..." Данное замечание делается без тени иронии и с полной уверенностью в терминологической правоте. Понятно, что суть его противоречит моменту, доказываемому Авантюристом ("обязательность уплаты налога Америке"). Поэтому сейчас им можно пренебречь, но, возможно, учесть в будущем.
  Более подробные замечания по тексту последуют.