Kinda the former. We are witnessing the slow collapse of the US global empire (along with its European wing), and like other instances of hegemonic empires collapsing it’s not going to be pretty (think collapse of the Roman Empire) but it’s ultimately a system collapsing rather than society collapsing.
The same far right rot that’s destroying America from the inside is also spreading rapidly in Europe, and the only group in a position to do anything about it is the same corporate centrists who failed to prevent it in America. There’s no additional element or condition that would make “it’s gonna happen in America but not Europe” a reasonable conclusion. America didn’t feel like it was collapsing ten years ago either.
Yeah as concerning as the present historical moment is to live through, i’m really excited about the light it can shine on the past - what imperial transitions look like.
I’d like to argue that this isn’t a slow collapse, but a remarkably rapid one. The Roman Empire, for example, took almost 300 years from the Antonine Plague that halted it’s growth before the last western emperor was deposed, or almost 500 years if counting from Julius Ceasar and the eruption at Pompei.
The USA, by contrast, entered its decline a mere 25 years ago when it expended vast resources attempting to conquer the Graveyard of Empires, and only just last year ceded its position as global hegemon to China. At this rate, the American Empire might only last another generation or two.
Kinda the former. We are witnessing the slow collapse of the US global empire (along with its European wing), and like other instances of hegemonic empires collapsing it’s not going to be pretty (think collapse of the Roman Empire) but it’s ultimately a system collapsing rather than society collapsing.
Stupid question, I don’t feel like Europe is collapsing in any way. Can you tell me why would you say that?
The same far right rot that’s destroying America from the inside is also spreading rapidly in Europe, and the only group in a position to do anything about it is the same corporate centrists who failed to prevent it in America. There’s no additional element or condition that would make “it’s gonna happen in America but not Europe” a reasonable conclusion. America didn’t feel like it was collapsing ten years ago either.
Yeah as concerning as the present historical moment is to live through, i’m really excited about the light it can shine on the past - what imperial transitions look like.
I’d like to argue that this isn’t a slow collapse, but a remarkably rapid one. The Roman Empire, for example, took almost 300 years from the Antonine Plague that halted it’s growth before the last western emperor was deposed, or almost 500 years if counting from Julius Ceasar and the eruption at Pompei.
The USA, by contrast, entered its decline a mere 25 years ago when it expended vast resources attempting to conquer the Graveyard of Empires, and only just last year ceded its position as global hegemon to China. At this rate, the American Empire might only last another generation or two.