“Assyria soon discovered a painful truth: empires are like Ponzi schemes: financial frauds in which previous investors are paid returns out of new investors' deposits. The costs of holding imperial territory can only be underwritten by loot and tribute extracted… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“And that through all the ups and downs, nothing really worthwhile is ever permanently lost, even though its creators may be long forgotten. When,… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“Highly organized complex societies are delicate machines. It does not take much to bring them to ruin. ‘For want of a nail…the kingdom was… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“Those societies in which seriousness, tradition, conformity and adherence to long-established - often god-prescribed - ways of doing things are the strictly enforced rule,… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“But if it were only a matter of attracting success and good fortune to his city and his empire, then being pronounced a god… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“If history, as by most definitions, begins with writing, then the birth, rise and fall of ancient Mesopotamia occupies a full half of all… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“History may not repeat itself but, as Mark Twain said, it does rhyme.” — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“Assyria soon discovered a painful truth: empires are like Ponzi schemes: financial frauds in which previous investors are paid returns out of new investors'… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“For a patrimonial state to be stable over time, it is best ruled with consent, at least with consent from the largest minority, if… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“But belief in a system cannot be sustained for ever. Empires based solely on power and domination, while allowing their subjects to do as… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“There is much irony in the fact that Anglo-American Middle East policy, from Operation Ajax, the deposing of democratically elected, socialist, secularist Prime Minister… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“The gakkul vat, the gakkul vat! The gakkul vat, the lamsare vat! The gakkul vat, which puts us in a happy mood! The lamsare… — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
“A hugely complicated, centrally planned, social and economic system can only be kept on the rails for as long as people believe in it.” — Paul Kriwaczek Copy Share Image
