Blurbs

Ismail Rifaat

In my view, “The Last Lost Empire” is a must read by any American who truly cares about his country. Nay, it is a must read by any citizen of the world who cares about his well being and the fate of humanity at large. The reason being that, “The Last Lost Empire” addresses critical conditions in the USA, how they evolved historically, how they have gravely impacted the lives of the ‘people’ in the US and elsewhere in the world, and most importantly, how to practically tackle the issues identified.

Earlier this year I completed and published a book titled “Planning for Survival”. It approaches current global conditions through application of a rigorous planning methodology; i.e. from a different angle compared with that of “The Last Lost Empire”. Lo and behold, my analysis led me to essentially the same conclusions reached in “The Last Lost Empire”. Namely, that the critical path to the survival of the human species and life on earth, depends in large measure on the course of political developments in the USA. In particular, they depend on the prospect of taming the US’s imperial impulses, which in turn, is not likely to materialize unless the ‘people’ in the US empower themselves to effect this goal in democratic fashion.

I also find the book format to be ground breaking. It allows debate of issues by all; whether they agree or disagree with its content. Personally, I agree with the thrust and assessments of the book, and would be glad to participate in future debate. Albeit, I do hope that all who elect to participate would do so in civil manner.

Ismail Rifaat
Author of Planning for Survival

Dr. John Rensenbrink

Ted Becker (in collaboration with Michael Briand) has published a powerful and provocative book. Its title is The Last, Lost Empire: Why America Flounders in Early Post Imperial Times and How to Transform Its Political Economy. I think it’s about the most original analysis of political economy since C. Wright Mills’ The Power Elite.

He grounds his book on “Fifteen Laws of Political Economy.” The intended readers and viewers are college students and all citizens concerned about the mess the world is in right now. At first sight the 15 laws seem tough-minded and realistic to a fault. Every society, in one way or another, gets ruled by the very few. Even when determined opposition forms and a new group comes to the fore, they begin to ape the departed power structure and nothing has basically changed.

But a closer look at his laws reveals how a truly democratic transformation IS HAPPENING both economically and politically and its form is being fleshed out in the U.S. and globally NOW. Not the least of its uniqueness, however, is that The Last, Lost Empire is the prototype of an online book—full of videos, animations, links to relevant websites, computer games, audios that are embedded in and amplify the text. You will also be able to edit this book, once you buy it, on its own website…making it a Wikipedia style book

Get the book. Read the book. Share the book. Edit the book. And, oh, you can get a lot out of just clicking around the book’s website at www.last-lost-empire.com

Dr. John Rensenbrink
Editor-in-Chief, Green Horizon Magazine
Professor Emeritus, Government and Legal Studies
Bowdoin College.