The fall of the Roman Empire whose collapse must have seemed delusional to those who saw it at the height of it's power and wealth. But collapse it did as it's privileged elites plundered the country dry and increasingly used military force and tawdry spectacle to maintain impossibly unsustainable levels of inequality while the empire decayed from within. A 2017 report from the office of the UN High Commissioner paints a similar picture of the American empire.While the US is the wealthiest per-capita nation on earth, it spends more of it's wealth on military than the next 14 nations including China, Russia, the UK and France combined. This in a country where infant mortality rates are the highest in the developed world while health care is the most expensive and least efficient than any other nation in the developed world. The Stanford Centre on Inequality and Poverty ranks the US in terms of inequality, poverty, social safety standards, labour markets and economic mobility dead lest when ranked against the top ten wealthiest countries in the world and 18th out of the top 21. Childhood poverty rates are the highest ranked amongst the top ten and it is estimated that at least 40 million people live in extreme poverty. "My visit coincides with a dramatic change of direction in US policies relating to inequality and extreme poverty. The proposed tax reform package stakes out America’s bid to become the most unequal society in the world, and will greatly increase the already high levels of wealth and income inequality between the richest 1% and the poorest 50% of Americans. The dramatic cuts in welfare, foreshadowed by the President and Speaker Ryan, and already beginning to be implemented by the administration, will essentially shred crucial dimensions of a safety net that is already full of holes. It is against this background that my report is presented. The United States is one of the world’s richest, most powerful and technologically innovative countries; but neither its wealth nor its power nor its technology is being harnessed to address the situation in which 40 million people continue to live in poverty." The UN report: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=22533 This is how Rome went down the wealthy elites cavorted while the empire crushed the middle class and doomed an increasing majority to poverty. Finally it was unable to contain the people it conquered and oppressed and the borders fell as migrants rushed the gates. 20 facts you should know about inequality in the US: Only Turkey, Mexico, Israel and Romania have higher child poverty rates than the US in all of the OECD. https://inequality.stanford.edu/publications/20-facts-about-us-inequality-everyone-should-know "Perhaps none of this should come as a shock in a country where the rich are getting richer, the poor get poorer and the middle class is collapsing, with most Americans living one emergency away from financial ruin. All empires fall after all. And Donald Trump is accelerating the process. His Republican tax plan was a massive giveaway to the rich. It even included a special tax cut for private jet owners. The US might have the highest child poverty and infant mortality rates in the developed world, but the political class believe private jet owners deserve a break!" https://www.rt.com/op-ed/418572-us-decline-poverty-un/
I wonder where it says that the US is the wealthiest per capita country. This study from 2017 doesn't confirm that statement (no. 12). https://www.gfmag.com/global-data/economic-data/richest-countries-in-the-world?page=12 This source says no. 11. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-richest-countries-in-the-world.html
An error on my part, well spotted. I would have done better to leave out the per-capita. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
It is interesting that the fall of Rome was precipitated by trying to maintain military and economic hegemony. The same is true about the Dutch, Spanish and British empires. As it turns out the cost of projecting power increases with time - to the point where the return on investment turns negative which eventually bankrupts the nation trying to maintain hegemony.
Happens to everybody. Happened to Russia. Happened to Japan. Happened to Germany. Happened to Ottoman Turkey. Happened to Austria-Hungary. Happened to England. Happened to France. Happened to Montezuma. Happened to Spain. Happened to Venice. Happened to Rome. Happened to Greece. Happened to Persia. Happened to Egypt. Happened to Babylonia. Happened to Assyria. Happened to Akkad.
I share your concerns about the United States falling by the wayside. We do spend vast amounts of money on our military because many countries are under our umbrella of protection. We are the Worlds policeman. We are the most generous Nation in total aid and assistance to other countries in need. We also have one of the most liberal immigration policies in the world. People are not trying to get into our country because we are a poor country. We are the engine that drives the economy of most nations. Our greatest gift to those who are seeking refuge from tyranny is Freedom. Affordable Health care seems to be the biggest issue with many in this country. Other countries have health care for their citizens but contrary to believe it is not free. I have been to many countries, that some in this country like to point out , are bastions of a better life than what we have in America. It is like the German pastries that look so good in the cases but the frosting has no sweetness. The majority of poor people in America have a higher standard of living than many middleclass people in the EU. The average American would be shocked that they cannot just run their mouths like they do back home. Many woman would be surprised how much freedom they have in the States. Being poor in America is a state of mind. Have you noticed how the illegals will get a house and they pack it with people. Why? Because it is actually better than the places they just came. Americans bitch and moan about working 40 hrs. Illegals will work as many hours as they can get. They also work harder in the jobs they can find. The majority of them send money back home to their families. I don't have the time to give my opinion on the real reasons for the fall of the American Empire but it's all self inflicted and has to do with the moral fabric of our society and the abandonment of values that use to be taught about family, citizenship, country, the Constitution and GOD.
I just spent three months touring USA. Why then, did I form the opinion, if the USA is so great, that the place was a circus.
Could it be that everyone seemed more interested attached to their cell phones than the world around them? Hopefully you didn't ask many of our junior members of society any serious questions that were of a civil nature. We have whole cities of airheads who believe in nothing at all.
Good report OP. Concur. Capitalism is not perfect. Add the dems hell-bent nature to destroy our country and we are in deep doo-doo.
Why did you forgot to mention that US is a most corrupt country in the world. I am not sure where else bribing politicians is legal.
After all of these words of derision, I can still think of no other nation better to live and grow up than the United States of America.
It is not mentioned because it is false, though our political/donor situation is bad. The United States is certainly being tested right now and our electoral process must be evaluated accordingly, we have been through tough times before and will go through many more but always seem to weather the storm and arise even stronger. Once this Trumpist phase is gone, lessons will be learned and our nation and people repair the damage while putting in place protections to prevent a repeat of this very embarrassing and divisive chapter in our history book. Taking a long view of this fiasco in the context of our Constitution and history makes all the difference when watching this episode of "As Democracy Turns".
Wrong. Rome accepted nothing. Rome attacked Germanic tribes and tried to conquer our ancestors. They failed miserable and then my ancestors started going towards Rome. Rome tried to stop it but was to weak.
You seems to afraid to to call a spade a spade. The corporations bribe government and the government do what corporations want. E.g. the congress artificially creates a deficit in the health care industry by limiting number of doctors and by banning import of drugs. As a result 40% of the budget goes to pay health care cartel instead of an infrastructure projects. The same is true for the companies that make weapon, they bribe politicians, the politicians make laws and policies to the benefit of military industrial complex.
true, but for how much longer that can be said, remains to be seen... we are allowing ourselves to be destroyed...