Peter Turchin, a mathematician at the University of Connecticut, has developed a mathematical model of the spread of empires. Intriguingly, he found that conflict among societies and the development of military technology were among the two most important variables explaining the spread of empires. I will confess that I have little expertise to evaluate the integrity of the model, but the simulation, when compared to the actual data, is quite impressive. I will leave it to others to determine whether the model is something we should use as a guide.
Pakistan suffered its third major bomb attack in a week, as a bomb blew up an historic market in Peshawar. The political situation in Pakistan seems to be rapidly deteriorating, even more so because of a series of earthquakes that have killed many and injured hundreds. The legitimacy of the Pakistani government and its effectiveness are being increasingly questioned.
The US may, along with Greece and Italy, be facing a major economic crisis as the Congress appears unable to agree upon a budget. While the economic situation in the US is not as precarious as in the other two states, its inability to accomplish routine tasks is raising questions about whether democracies are in fact governable in the 21st century. It is an interesting historical moment.
World Politics News 
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