4 juli. What has America ever done for us? Trump’s arch is planned to be a tiny bit higher than any other arch in the world.

What has America ever done for us?

On this anniversary, it seems only right to think about this question. There are some very easy answers. 

Cutting-edge technological advances, the American dream and the generation that fought for freedom in the second world war. 

But if it weren’t for the greatest generation, we’d all be speaking German now. Well, not the British obviously. We’ve always been hopeless with languages. 

So, 250 years on, what are America’s greatest hits? 

Robert Shrimsley Financial Times 3 July 2026

https://www.ft.com/content/f61eb897-ff73-4943-ae5e-9d96c61ee3b8?syn-25a6b1a6=1


What has Rome ever done for us

That line is from Monty Python’s Life of Brian, and the joke answer is: quite a lot — aqueducts, sanitation, roads, education, wine, public order, irrigation, fresh water, public health, and peace.


There are strong similarities between Rome and many later political systems, not only the modern United States. 

The emperor has to be seen, has to leave his mark, has to outbid earlier emperors. So Trump’s arch is planned to be a tiny bit higher than any other arch in the world. 

The Column of Marcus Aurelius, still standing in Rome, was designed to be a tiny bit taller than the earlier Trajan’s Column.

Professor Mary Beard scholar of ancient Rome New York Times 3 July 2026

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/03/opinion/mary-beard-trump-ancient-rome.html 


Lisa Magnusson och Martin Wolf om romarriket - Tänker Killar på romarriket mer eller mindre varje dag?

https://englundmacro.blogspot.com/2023/09/lisa-magnusson-och-martin-wolf-om.html




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