REPUBLIC AND EMPIRE: Many classical writers thought it natural and unavoidable for republics to evolve into empires. Americans (including this one) have never wanted to see their nation become an empire. Science Fiction writer Jerry Pournelle has been meditating on this subject for years (he was predicting a U.S. / Russian “codominium” back in the 1970s) and now has a page on his site pulling together links and observations.