Why America Is Not a New Rome
Choice, Vol. 48, No. 5, January 2011 (PDF)
James B. McSwain, Canadian Journal qlHistory/Annalees canadiennes d 'histoire, Volume XLVI, AUlumn/aulomne, 2010 (PDF)
"Smil (Global Catastrophes and Trends) scrutinizes the frequently made comparison between ancient Rome and the contemporary U.S. as “bloated, decadent” empires in decline. Though he sees the U.S. as a country “in gradual relative retreat” and believes that the perception of its power and influence, like that of ancient Rome, is vastly exaggerated, he dismisses any analogy between the two because of their vastly different reaches of power and economic bases. With exacting rigor, he makes his case first by clarifying such key terms as empire, then examining the political might, energy consumption, and demographic patterns of the two societies. Smil covers an impressive range of topics, from the U.S.’s national debt to the Roman use of water power. By taking a granular, scientific approach, the author convincingly demonstrates that life in ancient Rome and contemporary America are so different in almost every meaningful way that any comparison of the two societies is at best general and superficial. Readers willing to sift through the author’s frequently technical analysis will come away with a richer understanding of both the Roman Empire and the post-WWII United States. (Mar.)"
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, 1/25/2010
"Repetition by pundits and literary commentators in the mass media has entrenched in people's minds the notion that America is a new Rome. Smil's book, tightly argued and rigorously documented, is a concise and persuasive scientific demolition of the Rome-America parallel, totally deflating the usefulness of the analogy as a tool of historical analysis. Why America Is Not a New Rome is a much-needed corrective."
—Paul Demeny, Distinguished Scholar, Population Council, New York
"Why America Is Not a New Rome is significant because, for the first time, it puts comparative perspectives on Rome and the United States in proper and much-needed historical context. This is a timely and valuable intervention."
—Walter Scheidel, Dickason Professor in the Humanities, Stanford University