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Well, define "advanced" We see history from a certain point of view, we remember the dates of battles and the size and duration of empires. But that is a coarse pattern, and actually we are admiring, or at least remembering, those with the strongest military, the greatest propaganda, or the strongest stimulus to down their neighbours, or simply the most brutal. Those do not necessarily represent the most advanced. I do not think so, because he never said anything like this. Now think who destroyed Persian democracy: State power, some western tribes. A great Empire, the military-industrial complex of the US, with all attributes so utterly admired - as long as it is an ancient, "advanced" empire. I have visited Teheran, Isfahan and Shiraz (Persepolis, wow!). My impression ist that people are genuinly friendly, very interested in foreigners, many speak english, french or german - and are suppressed by their religious government. Religion, the best stimulus to build empires and down neighbours. regards Andi

Yes. And Empires are just bigger tribes. It makes no difference wether you are sacrificed by your chief or your emperor, in either way you end up dead. There is no doubt that, e.g., the Roman Empire spread culture, law, knowledge, etc. etc. But all that also would have spread without battles and uncounted victims, just by trade - the wars were fought to install military, political structures and taxation, when the war was over the exchange of goods and the assimilation of culture took place. So we can cancel the war, thus politics and taxation, out of the equation and still stay with exchange of goods and culture. regards Andi

Government No, the government is not an organization. An organization does not indoctrinate children who didn't sign up to said organization and point guns at them. The government is just a group of individuals pointing guns. Freedom An individual at Apple set up the contract that way, I am not sure if the government had anything to do with apple, however, in a free market an individual can set it up so the money made doesn't belong to an individual but instead has to be spent in order to profit to keep shareholders happy. Which is what I believe apple has done. Free Market The free market is simple, no taxation, no regulation, No coercion Tribalism not sure on the point here Empires Coercion is whats "totally bad" As far as speaking English and using computers. it's simple in the free market. Whoever has the best incentive will win, no guns needed. Like I am not going to learn some African clicking language because the incentive is low. I am not going to use a floppy disk computer because there are people with a better one that I can use. Nothing beats the free market. People will choose what they want to do best in a free market. Races & Summary not sure on the point on race Anyways, it seems you are fixated on this "empire" thing. Well it's time you know this, There is no such thing as an empire, just individuals with a gun.