Ave Caesar! Reflections on Empire and Emperor

                Ave Caesar! Reflections on Empire and Emperor
                By Vladmir Angelblazer, Washington,
                2025-01-20


       I "marvel" at modern commentators analyzing political events in the United States, China, or Russia. They speak of the horrors of empire, totalitarianism, and other ideological specters, as though such phenomena are relics of the past. Yet, what are the United States if not an empire? Examine their Capitol, their Senate, their judiciary—are these not the unmistakable symbols of Western Rome?

       Critics often tell us that Donald Trump will wage war against the "deep state", the so-called bureaucratic swamp. But what is this swamp if not the very lifeblood of an empire? Do you truly believe that anyone ascends to the pinnacle of power without pledging allegiance to this entrenched system?

       Even in Canada, we find echoes of imperial allegiance. Provincial premiers and even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau swear an oath—not to the people of Canada but to the British Crown and its heirs. To this day, Canada's political rituals remain tethered to an imperial past.

       Now, as a new "emperor," Donald Trump declares that Canada might be integrated into the United States. What does such a statement signify? It is the continuation of a centuries-long struggle between empires. The United States vies for global dominance with the remnants of the British Empire, now cloaked under the guise of the Commonwealth. The key word here is "wealth"—but whose wealth?

       The struggle for global supremacy endures. Do you seriously believe Vladimir Putin does not preside over an empire? Of course he does, built upon foundations laid by the Romanovs and the Soviet Union. And President Xi Jinping of China? He governs an empire with its own calendar, ideology, and traditions.

       Every empire is sustained by a doctrine of power, an ideology that underpins its existence. Maritime powers—like Britain and Spain—once dominated the seas. Today, the mantle of global influence has shifted. Russia and China now command land, sea, and even space. Peter the Great "opened a window" to Europe via the Baltic Sea; Catherine the Great secured access to the Mediterranean through Crimea.

       The problem with modern political analysts is their detachment from history. Armed with political science degrees, they lack the depth that only historical context provides—both the official narratives and the untold stories hidden in the vaults of the Vatican, the Lenin Library, or the Library of Congress. Understanding empire requires not only knowledge but also time, experience, and relentless self-education.

       Humanity has waged bloody wars for millennia. Those who believe they are uncovering new truths about power and conspiracy are sorely mistaken. The rhetoric surrounding so-called "conspiracy theories" is almost laughable. After all, the world's oldest professions are said to be prostitution and espionage. Where there is a state, there are secrets.

       And the greatest secret? It lies in plain sight. Climb the steps of any Capitol in the United States, and you will see it: the enduring machinery of empire.

       There is a perspective that the age of empire ended when colonies supposedly became economically unviable and colonial empires relinquished their holdings. By the early 21st century, nearly all maritime colonial empires had legally ceased to exist. According to another view, while the legal structure dissolved, the economic system of colonial exploitation persisted and even evolved into neocolonialism.

       In antiquity, the concept of empire signified supreme power. Among the Romans, imperium—the highest state authority—belonged to a single people, manifesting in legislation, supreme judiciary powers, and decisions of war and peace. Temporarily, this supreme authority was vested in elected officials. Roman generals were called "emperors," while the head of state held the title Caesar (Caesar), and an autocratic ruler was referred to as Rex (Rex). From the time of Julius Caesar and Augustus, emperors adopted the title of Caesar, and supreme authority became synonymous with imperial rule. Later, "empire" came to signify a state uniting numerous countries and peoples under one ruler. Parallel to the Roman Empire, the powerful Persian Empire also flourished.

       On January 20, atop Capitol Hill in Washington, Donald Trump will once again take the oath of office as President of the United States. Long live the Emperor! Ave Caesar!

       The bureaucracy’s swamp is eternal, as long as the machinery of the state exists. No one can fully drain it, just as no mortal hero could cleanse the Augean stables—except in myth. Trump, for all his bravado, cannot single-handedly dismantle an empire in a four-year term. Already, the officers of this imperial chessboard align themselves with him. The world of chess and poker collides with the Russian game of lapta and the Chinese strategy of Go.

       Sea clashes with land. But why? Is such conflict natural? Perhaps. Yet who truly benefits from it?

       As Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor, once said:
"Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look."

       This eternal struggle for power reflects not only the ambitions of emperors but also the enduring nature of the human condition. Empires rise and fall, but the forces driving them remain constant. In this great game of nations, the ultimate question lingers: does anyone ever truly win?

       Everyone expects peace from Donald Trump. But I must disappoint you—there will be escalation across the globe. Emperors used to crown themselves with a "wreath of victory through force"—a golden laurel wreath. How will these "skilled negotiators through force" ultimately end?

       And now, the question for you, reader: will you be a passive observer of this imperial cycle or seek to understand its deeper truths? Will you uncover the mechanisms of power or remain captivated by the pageantry of its performance? The choice, as always, lies in your hands.