Although the damage done by empire cannot be calculated, we can calculate the income generated by empire. We have the permanent public records to do so. As the USA Hamiltonian empire wanes, the income from the empire will be diverted elsewhere. Economists, policy makers and strategists will want to factor in the reduction of empire income into various projections.
Below is one example, in this case diamonds from the Congo. Follow the steps and see how quickly you can amass raw data, and then analyze it. Once you understand the simple research steps, you can pick any product you like, from any country in the world, and produce such a report yourself.
Expect to spend five or six hours producing your first report, due to the "learning curve." Thereafter, each report should take no more than an hour or two.
If you care to share your research with me, I will include it in a book I am writing, with a working title of "Calculating the Income From Empire" which Seattle Teachers College Press has scheduled to be published in 2010. You will be cited in the book for your research.
Another benefit, is by producing this research, you will learn how to analyze international trade data, a marketable skill.
1. Look up your country in the C I A Factbook, in this case, the Democratic Republic of Congo
2. Then Study USA Imports from the Congo, the last five years...
3. Check diamond prices online...
4. Check the Tariff Schedules of the United States for the proper HTS number for Diamonds.
Click on Chapter 71, in this case, and download the .pdf file for gems and print out the relevant pages.
5. Then proceed to
http://dataweb.usitc.gov/scripts/user_set.asp
to download the raw trade data...
Click here for more detailed instructions...
And here is an analysis of USA diamond imports:
Thanks, please email me if you have any questions.
John Spiers
Instructor
john@johnspiers.com