[The Hierophant]

Great answers Djinn and Yorick.
So it is an issue of a conscious will to control the affairs of others? Where one person or group of people applies force (whether physical, cultural or intellectual) to bend or break the will of another group who hold beliefs or cultural identities contrary to the pressuring group? Hmmm. Yes, sounds a little anti-social to me too.

to Djinn - A question I have for you is where does the Nation stop and the Empire begin? Nations involve groups of people of similar mindframe and identity merged into one cultural community. In order to do this, wills need to be imposed. Are Nations merely mini-empires? Your thoughts?

to Yorick - So one aspect of the negativity of empire involves the clear detriment of certain groups and/or cultures through the actions of another? Would the reliance of the 'western world' upon cheap mass-labour in Asia and south/central America for manufactured consumer goods (such as shoes, plastics, coffee etc.) count as imposing a detriment on other cultures in order to gain benefit for another? If so (and only if), would western consumer culture be seen as an imperialist force? Thoughts welcome....