In his chapter "The Fall of the Hunnic Empire," page 365, Peter Heather
writes, "In contrast to the Roman Empire, which as we have seen,
attempted to keep population levels low in frontier areas so as to
minimize the potential for trouble, the Hunnic Empire sucked in subject
peoples in huge numbers. The concentration of such a great body of
manpower generated a magnificent war machine, which had to be used -- it
contained far too many inner tensions to be allowed to lie idle. The
number of Hunnic subject groups outnumbered the Huns proper, probably in
a ration of several to one. It was essential to keep the subject
peoples occupied, or restless elements would be looking for outlets for
their energy and the Empire's rickety structure might begin to crumble."
Rather than the wave of the future which many, including the current
American president, seem to believe, the European Union is experimenting
with itself and its rippling may fall far short of a wave. It is
importing "a great body of manpower" into its very vitals and isn't
particularly interested if this "body" hates it. Over here in the U.S.
by contrast (at least until recently) if you wanted to become a citizen,
you had to swear that you loved us (or words to that effect). Not so in
Europe. At present the "body of manpower" being imported isn't being
used to fight wars, just do work -- if it feels like it, other wise it
is given welfare. Is it "looking for outlets for its energy in the
Empire's "rickety structure"? We see photos of burning cars and rioting
& read reports of bombings and shootings.
We aren't immune from some of that here in the U.S. under a
European-like administration which is importing a like (but not as
numerous) "body of manpower" to do some shootings and bombings over here
(as well as work -- that is, if it feels like it). California's
European-like Governor seems to believe he is solving this problem by
ignoring the concept of Islamic anti-everyone-else and cracking down on
gun ownership.
Attila had the charisma to dominate a great number of divergent
populations and keep them busy conquering Europe. When he died these
peoples revolted and the Hunnic Empire, and indeed the Huns as a
distinctive people, disappeared. Europe after WWII has never had a
leader like Attila. It instead has a couple of ideas, to ban together
as in the UN and subsequently the EU to oppose another Hun-like Nazi
threat and to demonstrate that the creation of wealth through a
Capitalistic union will keep the nations happy and peaceful. We note
that its financial well-being is based upon a Ponzi scheme and needs an
ever increasing "body of manpower" to pay for welfare promises.
Meanwhile in volume 2 of the /Foundation /series, Isaac Asimov (who
before writing these novels read /The Decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire /twice) describes the Galactic Empire as still existing in a
technical sense after a couple of centuries after Hari Seldon predicted
its fall. We who have read the end of the series can see its
decrepitude and consequent weakness, but those living in the empire have
convinced themselves that all is still as it was in the early days when
it was young and strong. If the European Empire is falling into that
sort of decrepitude, will it fade away has the Hunnic empire did, or
will someone like Asimov's Mule (or Europe's own Hitler) take over and
make it strong again for as long as he lives and retains his own strength.
Short of multiple nuclear explosions it doesn't seem possible that the
various nations of Europe could disappear as the Hunnic nation and many
of its subject nations did in the middle of the fifth century. We have
computers and records; surely mankind would keep track of any modern
nation from now on. Beyond that we have records of DNA. We know who we
are and who we have been -- not all of us but a significant and growing
number. Ancestry.com has mine. I am "52% Western Europe, 22% Ireland,
9% Scandinavian, and 4% Italy/Greece." As to my DNA details,
Ancestry.com doesn't have the money to get into that. I know I have
alleles that make me lactose tolerant, give me pale skin, but not as
pale as those with more Scandinavian influence. If there is an allele
that makes one happy to live in a large city, I don't have that one. I'm
not sure I can wait until my son is ready to move me to Sandpoint. I am
getting antsy. If the European Empire falls, I suspect the American
won't be far behind?
Tomorrow, July 4th, will be the first anniversary of Susan's death -- so
there's that as well.
Lawrence
