Dilemmas of Domination: The Unmaking of the American Empire

by Walden F. Bello, Steve Fraser (Editor), Tom Engelhardt (Editor)

From "the world's leading no-nonsense revolutionary," a bold and effective analysis of American military, economic, and political vulnerability (Naomi Klein)

The empire seems unassailable, but the empire is weak—and precisely because of its quest for global domination. So argues Walden Bello in this provocative portrait of imperial self-destruction, which systematically dissects the dilemmas confronting America as a result of its drive for supremacy.

Puncturing the myth of American invincibility, Bello exposes its carefully concealed contradictions: despite the enormity of the U.S. military apparatus, American forces are critically overextended and ever threatened by the simmering resistance each new "victory" breeds. Though America is still the land of unprecedented prosperity, economic breakdown looms, the consequence of gargantuan military costs, exploitative trade and investment relations with developing countries, and record-breaking deficits.

A clear and prophetic examination, Dilemmas of Domination reveals a not-too-distant future in which the empire's hidden weaknesses will yield fatal challenges to American omnipotence.

"With unsentimental clarity, Walden Bello speaks the truth about American empire and why it is doomed by its own contradictions." —William Greider, author of The Soul of Capitalism

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, American, American History, Philosophy

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2005

Reviews

[Gary McGugan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very interesting to read this book for the first time 20 years after it was first published. Walden Bello brings a unique perspective from the Philippines. Some of his forecasts proved wrong, but his basic premise about democracy in the USA seems quite accurate. Given the turmoil underway this week, it will be interesting to see if he was even more prescient!

[Newfazlo]

Good so far.