Decline Going Mainstream?
At the beginning of December I commented on the Newsweek cover story, "How Great Powers Fall," in which economic historian Niall Ferguson openly entertained the idea that America's huge load of debt may herald the end of her superpower status. At the time it appeared, to my eyes at least, as a lonely statement of historical inevitability. It has been surrounded by assurances, or at least hopeful assumptions, that our unequivocally bad times, however severe, are still just bumps on the road to renewed prosperity and might. Perhaps most Americans are still pessimistic about the current state of affairs and the near-term future, but I wager that few conceive that dramatic changes in their way of life, or the global order writ large, are plausible.
The latest issue of Newsweek, however, mentioned the prospect of imminent decline multiple times. In a column on Chinese-US relations, Fareed Zakaria writes about a
great fear that the U.S. economy is in deep structural decline. If American politicians cannot muster up the courage to make the U.S. economy competitive again, and Beijing perceives that it is dealing with a superpower in inexorable decline, relations between China and America will change fundamentally. [emphasis mine]
Turning the page, the next column by Jacob Weisberg comments on the nation's current political paralysis, turning blame from the politicians to the "biggest culprit of all: the childishness, ignorance, and growing incoherence of the public at large." In aggregate, he says, the American people live "in Candyland" by simultaneously holding desires for government both to tackle big problems and "get out of the way." This is his concluding paragraph:
Our inability to address long-term challenges makes a strong case that the United States now faces an era of historical decline. To change this storyline, we need to stop blaming the rascals we elect to office, and look instead to ourselves. [emphasis mine]
Turn the page yet again and Robert Samuelson's column warns that delay in addressing the budget deficits will eventually compel odious tax increases and painful spending cuts. Turn the page yet again and Evan Thomas' article on Obama's "candor deficit" stresses that the public's trust in a better future for their children is in jeopardy and the time has long since come for politicians to drop slogans and speak honestly about the challenges and sacrifices necessary to forge a better future. One wonders how successful such honesty will be since, as Thomas writes, "liberal democracies are notoriously unable to demand sacrifice from their citizens, outside of time of war."
Elsewhere in the mainstream media, decline is openly discussed or otherwise implied. Economist and Nobel laureate Paul Krugman recently wrote about Obama's "cluelessness" in a New York Times column. Responding to the president's recent pro-business and pro-banker comments, including a statement about the influence corporate leaders have had on his economic policies, Krugman ends his column with these words:
We're doomed.
Canuck commentator Eric Margolis of the Toronto Sun wrote a column last week about America's black hole of military spending, stating that the U.S. has reached "imperial overreach." Meanwhile, Paul Farrell of MarketWatch, part of the Wall Street Journal Digital Network, lists 20 "made-in-America" time bombs of debt that threaten the global economy and can "destroy your retirement."
Signs and portents, perhaps.
Labels: Ruins of Empire
In late 2008 I mentioned that the US's role as "world cop" was officially over. While you and I disagree with my analysis of the Ossetian war, I simply pointed out to some neo-con Zionist Calvinists that Russia's stopping the Soros-armed Georgian army (which had official backing by Bush, Obama, and McCain) showed the world that US no longer dictates policy.
Secondly, the economy tanked. I forgot who said it, but war is the health of the state. And for a state to have a good, healthy war, it needs money. Which means morons print it. Which means the economy gets worse. Ad infinitum.
With the US economically crippled and her military stretched out across the world, when Israel does another false flag to induce a US war with Iran, it's not going to be the same as it was in 2003. America's superpower days are over. And with Russia giving both Syria and Iran high-tech anti-aircraft missiles, the Zionists are in for a hard fight.
Posted by
Jacob Grail-seeker |
Saturday, February 13, 2010 3:12:00 PM
Well....while America may very well be on the decline, I don't think Russia or any other single country will rise to become the next superpower. I agree with the analysis that says we're heading towards a "multi-polar" world. And, as far as Russia's military capabilities and whatnot, it is still relevant that she spends not even a tenth of what the US does on its bloated defense budget. Not that I care for any militaries or their monies, but I doubt that Russia's top-of-the-line stuff will outflank made-in-America anytime soon. I say that especially keeping in mind the rather humiliating series of missile tests off Scandinavia recently.
What Russia has to watch out for is the fact that her recent economic boom is totally built on the export of commodities, particularly oil and natural gas. There are a number of factors that should make the leadership worry - inevitable restrictions to combat climate change, price volatility, and the onset of peak oil. Some think Russia's oil fields are already nearing peak. If so, any new day in the sun Russia may have won't last long.
Posted by
Chris Schelin |
Sunday, February 14, 2010 10:13:00 PM
I agree. Russia officially stated she doesn't want to be a superpower and the world shouldn't be ruled that way (China might take up the position by default).
I agee with the dangers of a petrol based economy, but I disagree with you on climate change et al. Mexican standoff. And Russian scientists have discovered massive oil and natural gas fields in Siberia and in Syria, which is functionally a Russian protectorate (Syria owed billions to the Soviet Union and realized she could never pay up; Russia wrote off the debt in exchange for naval bases, scientissts in teh region).
And Putin is looking at moving towards a Science-based economy in the future.
Posted by
Jacob Grail-seeker |
Sunday, February 14, 2010 10:17:00 PM
You might want to moderate the comments setting on your blog. You are getting a lot of spam on older posts.
Posted by
Legion of the Grail |
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 7:31:00 PM
This got lost in translation: I actually enjoyed this blog post!
Posted by
Legion of the Grail |
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 8:34:00 PM
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