Capitalism, War and the Downfall of the American Empire

There is little doubt that the American Empire is the greatest empire in the history of humanity. Its influence extends to every corner of the globe. Its corporations control vast sectors of the economies of nearly every country on the planet. It posses the most powerful military force ever constructed. The United States of America is a giant, but it is clearly in trouble. A collapsing economy, a massive deficit, rising foreign powers, and two exhaustive wars are all threatening its position as the global super power.

The American empire has clearly reached the height of its success and is now in decline. Rocketed into the position of a major power after the Second World War, the United States quickly grew to super power status. After the fall of the Berlin wall, the US became the sole super power on the planet and quickly dominated the globe. This was a first in human history. But every empire must fall, no matter how large and powerful. This does not mean that America will collapse entirely as a major power in the short term; the decline of the Roman Empire spanned several centuries. But it is becoming more and more clear that America’s grip on the world is slipping.

The economic foundations of American dominance are crumbling. The currency is struggling, major institutions are failing, mass unemployment undermines domestic markets and a 1.3 trillion dollar deficit threatens to cripple her future development. She has been fighting wars on multiple fronts, leaving her military stretched and her population fatigued and unwilling to support further military action. The limits of American power are being clearly shown in Latin America. The persistent presence of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and a rising tide of leftists being elected throughout the continent show her weakness. A few decades ago, every one of these governments would have been overthrown by coups, carefully plotted in American embassies. But American imperialism is left powerless in the face of growing revolutionary movements in its own “backyard”.

One could write an entire book on nearly every line of this post. The topic is not one that could be covered extensively in any forum, let alone a four paragraph blog-post. But these are fascinating times we live in. I’ve often thought about what it would have been like to live in the tumultuous past and watch history being made. But it is becoming clear to me, that our grandchildren will look back on our time with the same reflections. It is a privilege to be witness to such a spectacle. We are watching the beginning of the downfall of the greatest empire that has ever existed. This is one of the most important events in human history and we will all have some part in it.