The Influence of Roman Philosophy and Military Tactics on Modern Western Powers: A Comparative Analysis of the U.S. and the U.S.-Led World Order.
"Great civilizations are not conquered from the outside until they have destroyed themselves from within." — Will Durant
The legacy of the Roman Empire—spanning military innovation, political governance, and Stoic philosophy—continues to influence modern powers, especially the United States. Often compared to the Roman Empire due to its global dominance, the U.S. has inherited and adapted Roman military strategies and philosophical ideas. However, like Rome, the U.S. faces internal challenges that have impacted its global influence. In this article, we will explore how Roman military tactics and philosophical traditions have shaped the U.S., while also examining the nation's current struggles with sociopolitical issues, and how emerging powers like China and India are positioning themselves on the global stage.
Roman Military Tactics and Modern U.S. Strategy
1. Military Structure and Organization
Rome's legions were highly disciplined, with clear hierarchies, a rigid chain of command, and an emphasis on logistics and engineering. The U.S. military adopts similar structures, with centralized command and decentralized execution. Units like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which contribute to both military operations and infrastructure development, mirror Rome's ability to employ soldiers for construction and other non-combat tasks, contributing to long-term strategic advantages.
Additionally, just as Roman legions were equipped with advanced technology for their time—such as ballistae and advanced naval vessels—the U.S. military maintains technological superiority as a cornerstone of its power. Advanced weapons systems like the F-35 fighter jet, precision-guided missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) reflect this tradition.
2. Tactical Flexibility and Adaptation
Roman generals like Fabius Maximus introduced strategies that avoided direct confrontation, focusing instead on attrition. This tactical flexibility allowed Rome to adapt to enemies ranging from the Carthaginians to the Germanic tribes. Similarly, the U.S. military has refined its tactics over time to address threats in complex environments, such as guerrilla warfare in Vietnam and counterinsurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan. Drone warfare, special operations, and cyber capabilities demonstrate the U.S.'s continued reliance on flexible and adaptive strategies in an era of asymmetric warfare.
3. Technological Innovation and Global Reach
Rome built an extensive network of roads that connected its vast empire and allowed for rapid deployment of troops. The U.S. has achieved a similar feat with global military bases, advanced logistical networks, and control over key global infrastructure like GPS. The ability to project power rapidly anywhere in the world—whether through aircraft carriers or intercontinental ballistic missiles—maintains the U.S.’s position as the world’s preeminent military power.
However, modern-day challenges in maintaining this influence have surfaced, partly due to internal distractions.
Military Budget and Hard Power
The United States maintains a military budget that far surpasses that of any other nation. In 2023, the U.S. military budget was approximately $916 billion, which is more than the combined military spending of the next five largest military budgets, including China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. This significant financial commitment underscores America's role as a global superpower, allowing it to project military strength and influence worldwide.
According to the Chavda Index, which assesses nations based on their hard power capabilities, the United States consistently ranks at the top. The hard power score evaluates various factors, including military rank, economic rank, and nuclear rank. In 2024, the U.S. score is 93.32, significantly higher than its closest competitors, indicating a robust and technologically advanced military force.
This overwhelming military capability not only provides the U.S. with strategic advantages in international relations but also allows it to respond effectively to global threats and challenges. However, the sustainability of this military dominance is increasingly questioned, especially as nations like China and India continue to bolster their military capabilities and assert their influence on the global stage.
As such, while the U.S. retains unparalleled military strength, it faces an evolving landscape where strategic planning and fiscal responsibility will be crucial to maintaining its status as a leading world power.
Internal Issues Impacting U.S. Global Influence
While the U.S. has inherited many strengths from Rome, including its military prowess and philosophical underpinnings, it faces internal challenges that have undermined its influence on the world stage. Movements such as "wokeism" and politically divisive agendas have, in the eyes of critics, distracted the nation from larger strategic goals. Commentators like Abhijit Chavda and Abhijit Iyer-Mitra have pointed out that the U.S. is increasingly consumed by internal cultural wars, which divert attention and resources from pressing geopolitical matters.
In Roman times, internal conflicts, political corruption, and social instability contributed to the decline of the Empire. Similarly, many view the U.S.’s current sociopolitical issues as weakening its global standing. The intense focus on identity politics, gender debates, and social justice movements has, according to these critics, shifted attention away from core national interests like economic growth, national security, and foreign policy.
1. Wokeism and Domestic Distractions
Wokeism, which refers to an ideological focus on social justice issues, has permeated U.S. politics and culture. While advocating for equality and justice is important, many argue that the excessive focus on these issues has resulted in a fractured society and weakened national unity. Furthermore, resources and political capital that could be devoted to countering rising global powers like China are instead used for debates on gender identity, race, and privilege. This mirrors some aspects of Rome’s decline, when internal divisions and political instability sapped the strength of the once-mighty empire.
2. Declining Global Influence
While the U.S. remains the world’s leading superpower, its influence is waning in certain regions, especially in the face of strategic competition from nations like China. China, with its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has made inroads into Africa, Asia, and even Europe, leveraging economic diplomacy to create strategic alliances and secure resources. India, too, has emerged as a rising power, focusing on indigenous military development and economic growth to carve out its place in the multipolar world order.
Both China and India, as discussed by Abhijit Chavda and Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, have brilliantly maneuvered on the global chessboard. These nations focus on pragmatic, long-term strategies while avoiding the kind of internal distractions that seem to plague the U.S. China’s sharp focus on economic and military expansion, paired with India’s strategic alliances and burgeoning tech sector, pose credible threats to U.S. dominance.
Intelligence and Global Strategy: The U.S. vs. Emerging Powers
Despite the U.S.'s internal challenges, it remains unmatched in the field of intelligence gathering and global strategy. The CIA, NSA, and other intelligence agencies are deeply integrated into global surveillance networks, allowing the U.S. to maintain a strategic advantage in information warfare and counterterrorism operations. The Roman Empire also relied heavily on intelligence, with detailed scouting and espionage efforts that enabled military success. The U.S. continues this tradition with cutting-edge surveillance technologies, ensuring it remains a step ahead of its adversaries.
However, as nations like China and India rise, they are adopting highly effective intelligence strategies of their own. China’s extensive use of cyber espionage and influence operations, paired with its surveillance state, have given it an edge in asymmetrical warfare. India, while still developing its intelligence capabilities, has shown remarkable resilience in counterterrorism and strategic foresight, positioning itself as a counterbalance to China in Asia.
A Logical Conclusion: The U.S. as a Superpower Pulled Down by Internal Struggles
The United States, much like Rome, stands at a crossroads. On the one hand, it retains a dominant military, unparalleled technological innovation, and global intelligence networks. On the other hand, internal political struggles and sociocultural distractions have begun to erode its focus and global influence. While the U.S. has inherited the Roman tradition of military excellence and governance, it risks falling into the same traps that led to Rome’s decline.
Critics like Chavda and Iyer-Mitra argue that if the U.S. does not refocus on core national interests—such as securing its economic future, maintaining military superiority, and countering the rise of authoritarian powers like China—it may see its influence wane even further.
At the same time, emerging powers like China and India are playing their hands brilliantly, focusing on economic growth, military modernization, and intelligence capabilities, often free from the ideological distractions plaguing the West. China’s Belt and Road Initiative, India’s rise in the tech and defense sectors, and their diplomatic maneuvering in multilateral forums all signal a shift in global power dynamics.
Final Thoughts
The U.S. remains the world’s leading superpower, with a military and intelligence apparatus that draws heavily from the Roman tradition of dominance. However, like Rome, it faces the risk of internal decay due to social divisions and distractions from larger strategic objectives. To maintain its global standing, the U.S. must refocus on its core strengths—military, intelligence, and innovation—while learning from the tactical brilliance of rising powers like China and India. The path forward requires a balance of internal cohesion and external vigilance, much like Rome at its height, if the U.S. is to retain its position in the 21st-century world order.