The British Empire lasted at most three centuries. In the 18thC it was “accumulated”, in the 19thC it was extended and “enjoyed”, and in the 20thC it was lost. Such is the pattern of empire that world history presents without exception: empires come and go, no matter how big and powerful. The USA has never had an empire of the British kind, but it has had vast global influence for about a century, the 20thC. Its climax has already been passed, however, and decline has set in. Though, like Britain, its influence will still be significant to a degree, it will no longer dominate the world. The proud title “Greatest Power in the World” is rapidly being washed away. That title is extremely unlikely to survive with any reality even the first half of the 21stC.
The first decade of the 21stC has already clearly demonstrated that. The USA has become embattled with militant Islam and as a consequence ventured into two crippling wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan, with little success, draining its economy on a huge, unsustainable and daily basis. Those wars are the real and significant outcome of the twin towers bombing – a bleeding and poisonous sore. On the economic front the US has been plunged into an enormous and unprecedented national debt by persistent high level reckless financial gambling, with the prospect of more debt to come, and with much of its industrial heartland now wasteland. In a mere fifty years it has travelled from enormous wealth to enormous liabilities.
And then there is China, with a much, much greater population and a much greater wealth and military potential moving ahead very rapidly and highlighting the American decline even more.
If one looked at Europe as an entity, one would have to draw a similar conclusion of great decline.
Those who make a study of the decline and fall of empires constantly point to the fact of moral and social collapse (especially, though not exclusively, among the ruling classes) as a powerful contributing factor to decline. Empires collapse when powerful exterior pressure is exerted on them at the same time that their own social strength and cohesion has been sapped by indolent, selfish and pleasure loving lifestyles. It certainly happened to biblical Israel and Judah, to Assyria and Babylon and to Rome. We can see it very clearly in our own times among the powerful and over-proud major nations.
The biblical prophetic message provides the clearest statement of this repetitive historical process; that’s why it is so relevant. That’s why its constant call to come back to God and his ways is so important. The human tragedy lies in its blind and proud rejection of God.
Bob
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If one looked at Europe as an entity, one would have to draw a similar conclusion of great decline.
Those who make a study of the decline and fall of empires constantly point to the fact of moral and social collapse (especially, though not exclusively, among the ruling classes) as a powerful contributing factor to decline. Empires collapse when powerful exterior pressure is exerted on them at the same time that their own social strength and cohesion has been sapped by indolent, selfish and pleasure loving lifestyles. It certainly happened to biblical Israel and Judah, to Assyria and Babylon and to Rome. We can see it very clearly in our own times among the powerful and over-proud major nations.
The biblical prophetic message provides the clearest statement of this repetitive historical process; that’s why it is so relevant. That’s why its constant call to come back to God and his ways is so important. The human tragedy lies in its blind and proud rejection of God.
Bob
To make a comment: click on word “comments” below, write your comment in the white box which appears and add your name and e mail address (if you wish), choose “select profile”, click “anonymous” and then continue.
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