http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/texson1986/6317 The United States, with its claims of exceptionalism, is usually thought of as free of historical analogies. But comparisons with the fate of earlier empires are becoming more common. I have recently been struck by an analogy from German history: the disaster of German leadership during the first world war, epitomised by Kaiser Wilhelm II. In 1888, at just 29, Wilhelm became the leader of a country on the cusp of European mastery. Wilhelm flaunted his absolute power, believing it to be divinely ordained, was contemptuous of parliament, revelled in the trappings of power, and delighted in uniforms. He was given to bombastic speeches, detested liberal critics, and spoke disparagingly of foreign nations.   Imperial hubris: lessons for America - rest of artical The United States, with its claims of exceptionalism, is usually thought of as free of historical analogies. But comparisons with the fate of earlier empires are becoming more common. I have recently been struck by an analogy from German history: the disaster of German leadership during the first world war, epitomised by Kaiser Wilhelm II. In 1888, at just 29, Wilhelm became the leader of a country on the cusp of European mastery. Wilhelm flaunted his absolute power, believing it to be divinely ordained, was contemptuous of parliament, revelled in the trappings of power, and delighted in uniforms. He was given to bombastic speeches, detested liberal critics, and spoke disparagingly of foreign nations.   Imperial hubris: lessons for America - rest of artical en-us Pretty weak analogy. Couldn't you back to the Roman Empire to prove your point?   http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/texson1986/6317/#c_33005 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/texson1986/6317/#c_33005 Pretty weak analogy. Couldn't you back to the Roman Empire to prove your point?   Did you read the rest of the article? I mean if you are a student of History then you will understand just how analogous it is. http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/texson1986/6317/#c_33008 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/texson1986/6317/#c_33008 Did you read the rest of the article? I mean if you are a student of History then you will understand just how analogous it is. Interesting article from the Guardian. http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/texson1986/6317/#c_33090 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/texson1986/6317/#c_33090 Interesting article from the Guardian.