>Empires do die because something in human > nature either revolts or cannot thrive in this kind of environment.
I agree totally with your sentiments, but you may not be correct on this point. Suppose that instead of getting people to revolt, you get them to mutate in some way, let's think of a biophysical mutation (or, in religious terms, a rapture) which causes people to see the world in a different way, and so that they see the trading process in a different way, so that terms of exchange can be transformed, so that cultures change, and so that social institutions change, and consequently so that different values are placed on assets and liabilties. Couldn't the empire continue in that case, for example, take the case of New Zealand, if you only BELIEVE ? Jurriaan
