Decline of the American Empire

Two recent events brought home the fact that the United States in a state of decline. First, there was the abandoning of the shuttle program and manned space flight using our own rockets. Secondly, the wrangling in Washington about the national debt. Empires, like all entities, are born, grow, reach their peak, decline and die. The Romans ruled the world for a thousand years, but by the fifth century A.D. Rome itself was sacked by barbarians.

 

England ruled the seas for centuries; eventually it reverted to a minor European country. The Soviet Union lasted from 1918 to 1991. These are only three examples of the many great empires that have come and gone.

At the end of World War II, the United States reached its peak. We were the strongest, best armed and richest empire the world has ever known. Immediately after hostilities ended, we were able to rebuild the war torn countries, had the exclusive use of the most powerful weapon ever conceived, had troops stationed all over the world, had begun to build the superhighways that span the nation, started the space program and had more wealth and prosperity than ever existed before. The years from 1946 to 1963 saw an empire that was extremely powerful and wealthy.  

Although the years that followed were prosperous and innovative, the slide had begun. First there was competition from other nations in some of our most favored industries such as automobiles, electronics and clothing. Then came unpopular wars that caused us to switch from a citizen (drafted) army to a mercenary (all-volunteer) defense force. Recent events have shown that the decline is accelerating.

Some of these signs are an economy that is manipulated by greed, the neglect of our infrastructure, insane politics where reason gives way to dogma, a government debt that is out of control, growing personal debt, heads of great corporations who allow personal greed to override ethics and the welfare of their own companies, disdain of art, science and education and costly never-ending wars with no clearly defined purpose or conclusion.