ABSTRACT
A country can be democratic, or it can be imperialist, but it cannot for long be both. The United States (US) political system failed to prevent this combination from developing. Americans are in danger of losing their democracy for the sake of keeping their empire. In her book The Origins of Totalitarianism, the political philosopher Hannah Arendt writes about British imperialism as on the whole it was a failure because of the dichotomy between the nation-state’s legal principles and the methods needed to oppress other people permanently. Imperialism could have been a success if the nation-state had been willing to pay the price, to commit suicide and transform itself into a tyranny. When one looks at the Prime Minister Tony Blair government’s unnecessary and futile support of president George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq, one can only conclude that it was an atavistic response, a British longing to relive the glories-and cruelties-of their past.
