The New Empires

Colonialism did not end.
It changed form.

In The New Empires, Richard Crawford delivers a penetrating analysis of how power operates in the twenty-first century—without colonies, governors, or flags. Drawing on political economy, international relations theory, and contemporary case studies, the book argues that modern colonialism functions through systems, not occupation: finance instead of tribute, infrastructure instead of conquest, data instead of territory.

Crawford examines three dominant models shaping the global order:

•The United States, governing through financial dominance, institutional authority, military reach, and cultural consent
•China, extending influence through infrastructure, state-coordinated capital, and long-term embeddedness
•Russia, projecting power through energy dependence, insecurity, arms, and strategic disruption

Across Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the digital realm, The New Empires shows how sovereignty persists in law while eroding in practice. States remain formally independent yet find their choices constrained by debt, supply chains, security alignments, and algorithmic governance. Power is exercised quietly, often legally, and with plausible deniability—making it more durable than traditional empire.

Rather than moralizing or predicting collapse, this book offers a clear diagnosis of the structures that now govern global life. It asks a central question facing governments and citizens alike:

Can sovereignty survive in a world ruled by systems?

Rigorous, accessible, and timely, The New Empires is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how power really works in the modern world—and why colonialism never truly disappeared.