Who shaped the world more, the continental empires or the maitime empires? Why?

Answer 1

Well, that's a bit of a tuffy now then isn't it.

I could talk about the French, Japanese, Islamic, and Dutch, but if you wanna look at the two empires who have made the greatest impact on western civilization, then you have to look at the British Empire and Imperial Russia --> Soviet Union.

Personally, I say the Brits because the pound provided monetary stability and they deal with their former colonies today through the Commonwealth Pact - http://www.commonwealth-of-nations.org/article.php

The Russians failed in preserving their relations (such as through the Warsaw Pact) and have been disintegrating ever since their prime before WW1 and after WW2. Even today, we see their struggles in how Chechnya is constantly raveled in unrest, how Belarus is trying trying to be readmitted through annexation, how Ukraine (one of Russia's greatest allies) has to bargain over cheap gas, how Iran (another Russian friend, but their relationship isn't highlighted by US-Iranian conflicts) is worried about energy supplies, and how their southern border is always leaking terrorists into their country.

The sites below will let you compare their success and greatness.

Answer 2

Maritime empires were much more sucessful than continental empires. Most landlocked empires failed. This is because with their access to the oceans, maritime had easier access to trade and the ability to spread out into colonies. Just look at the Ottomans, the Safavids and the Mughals, none of them survived to the present. Plus, whats going to last longer during a battle, a boat or a person? A person would take one hit to kill them, a boat could last the impact of many such hits.