Harvard Historian: Collapse of America, Swift, Sudden & Certain

[pigeonmeister]

I personally see the American global position (whether you call it the benign or reluctant hegemon or simply the uni-polar moment), as a unique entity in an extraordinary historical context and thus beyond comparison with any European predecessor (much less, ancient).

One of those unique traits is that America is at once the world's unrivaled super-power and world's greatest debtor.

It seems strange that it was Ferguson himself who pointed out this anomoly back in 2004- which may reinforce his notion of a declining power but doesn't really support his comparison with other historical examples.

Then again, I still largely agree with Jeff- this is a crass overeaction to a global recession.

What people forget is that they are seeing countries like China, Russia and India become great powers once again- not super-powers. Their structural vulnerabilities are, in many ways, far worse than America's.

The last 20 years have been a period of flux and American hyper-power was always going to be transient. The world is probably returning to its more natural state.

Worth remembering that America still has more billionaires than the next 10 countries put together and half of the world's total. Still, America needs to cut its debt for sure (but I'm British so we can hardly talk).

[Inquartata]

In other words I agree with Inq.

Nurse, my smelling salts at once, if you please!

[Gav]

Nurse, my smelling salts at once, if you please!

So long as you're not asking for a bed bath at the same time...

[jeff]

That could be said of a lot of things. And the influences of phenomena can make themselves felt long after the phenomena themselves are gone...

Sure, that happens quite often.

I mean---isn't that what they say would happen with greenhouse gasses even if we eliminated emissions?

Yes, just as cyanide in ground water causes damage long after the mine is closed. The effect is observed when the damage is done, along with its consequent damage, and analysis based on data establishes causality.

However, in the above lamentations claim that we were in a Golden Age before, and are sadly downtrodden now because of the depredations of unions and high taxes, despite that fact that in those halcyon days both unions and taxes were more prominent. Those statements say more about the political beliefs of those saying it than any analysis.

Yep.

Sound good. Not a part of history I know much about, but if you and Gav agree it must be so!