Modern geopolitical actors are operating according to the templates of ancient empires, often unconsciously.
Discussing Thomas Barfield's book "Shadow Empires" with political analyst Yuriy Romanenko, historian Ilya Chedoluma compared the European Union to a medieval "nostalgic empire" and China to the Tang and Song dynasties.
Chedoluma argued that the European Union fits the definition of a "nostalgic empire"—a structure maintained not by a rigid vertical of power, but by symbolic capital and appeals to a shared past.
"It calls to mind not only the Habsburg Holy Roman Empire but is also very similar to the European Union today... which relies more on this capital of a symbolic past than on a clear understanding of where to move next," Chedoluma noted.
He emphasized that just as emperors once leveraged the authority of Rome, Brussels now utilizes values as an instrument of influence.
"We see the use of that symbolic capital... appeals to tolerance, democracy, and European values... In principle, this is the same dynamic as when the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire interacted with other rulers," the expert explained.
Regarding China, the historian believes Beijing is currently choosing between two historical strategies: aggressive military expansion (the Tang dynasty model) or economic dominance (the Song dynasty model).
"China stands at a crossroads... whether to pursue the more aggressive, expansionist model of the Tang dynasty, or remain within the framework of the Song dynasty model, which focuses more on economic interaction with various players," Chedoluma said.
He clarified that the Tang dynasty was "more aggressive and conquest-oriented," whereas the Song "relied more on economic interaction and trade." The future of global security will depend on which path modern China chooses.