Pirates & Emperors takes a Schoolhouse Rock approach to international relations, starting with a fairly valid, age-old concept — that conquering emperors are simply really successful robbers — then goes off into Chomsky-land:
‘Cause there are
pirates and emperors, but they’re really the same thing
When they go and try to reach the same ends
By using the same means.
Well they do it big
or they do it small
From a little tiny boat,
or from hallowed halls.
Bully is as bully does, that’s plain to see.