[mykalberta]

Sheet, I just assumed people felt the same way about Rome.

I probably should have said empire - but I think society also works.

China - yes, in the arts and mathematics China is great, but they never really did anything - they didnt conquer much of anything.

Russia - same deal as China.

Mongolia, for a time they were a great Empire but doesnt even compare to Rome.

I guess Prussia comes close, as does Naploeonic France, and England durring its hay days - but I guess it depends on what you value in a society.

Every modern soceity of any power dating back to the 1900s has always tried to model themselves after Rome dating back to Hitler, Napoleon, and England.

Which other society has been able to live with so many different religions and cultures and not only survive but some would say prosper not in spite but because of its differences (no modern culture with the exception of the US, but it used a melting pot, where as Rome used inclusion)

Rome controlled most of the civilized world. I guess alot of things Rome is credited for were really done by the Greeks and others but that is just another testiment to Rome. They were able to not melting pot but combine all these societies so that you thought it was Rome.

As to the capitalism. Like everything capitalism needs a few things to function properly. Yes, pure capitalism should be able to work if human emotions are removed from the equation.

Somalia is a terrible example because it doesnt matter what government was their, they still would have killed each other. The problem with capitalism is that the purest form we have seen is from Nazi Germany (which needless to say is not a great example to bring up).

America is often used as the beacon of light for capitalism because we deal with factors of scale. America is the largest country that works in a quasi free-market society which is why its the best one to use as an example. Yes, nothing is perfect when human emotions and imperfections are accounted for and as such I dont believe you can truly judge an economic system.

MYK