In the Media: Is the US the new Sparta? Professor Landes explores lessons from ancient Greece
Satori.lv has released a new article in Latvian published by Professor Landes. Titled "Is the US the new Sparta?", Landes is relying on historical research work from French historian Manuel Rodrigues de Oliveira for drawing possible lessons for the US and Europe of the confrontation between Sparta and Athens.
"Sparta and Athens were leading very different military alliances. Sparta was a benevolent hegermon (i.e. leader in Greek) with the The Peloponnesian League, at the image of the US with its NATO allies until recently. To the contrary, Athens was acting as an imperialistic power (arche) with its own alliance, the Delian League, like the USSR within the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War. History shows that when a benevolent hegemon is turning into an arche, the alliance doesn't last. Moreover, behind the rise of any imperialistic power, there are complacent, passive, allies. That should be a warning sign for European countries."
Link to the article: Vai ASV ir nākamā Sparta? (in Latvian)