The United States, stepping boldly into the 19th century…
What a contrast between the glorious race to the moon in the 60’s, and medicine by leeches under RFK Jr’s HHS and congresscritters wanting to bring back privateering in 2025… The Roman empire took centuries to collapse, and it only took the US 50 years. Quite stunning.
Most European powers banned letters of marquee in the 19th century, but the US never signed it because we didn’t have the navy to compete with them otherwise. That’s not true anymore.
It’s technically still in the Constitution as something Congress is allowed to do. Every once in a while, a right wing Congress critter thinks that because Congress is allowed to, then therefore, it should. No thought as to why.