Mr. Steyn nails it.
Far too many people assumed that the immediate post WW2 environment would last forever; there was a belief that somehow, the US is immune from historical precedent, and that America would continue to economically grow forever, and continue benevolently guiding the world’s affairs (anyone remember “The End of History” by Francis Fukuyama?).
There is a finite limit to pretty much everything.
America’s decline will progress with a certain inexorability; most likely, in 100 years, American will be much like the U.K. is today. All great powers wax and wane; the Assyrian Empire, the Golden Horde, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the French Empire, the British Empire, the Japanese Empire, the Soviet Union. Though historically the word “empire” was inevitably used, all of these were really just great powers, militarily, economically, and culturally. Some declined gradually, some fell catastrophically, some were erased in war. This is the way of the world.
To assume one can freeze the pendulum of history and maintain a dominant status in world affairs forever is, at best irrationally idealistic and at worst, dangerously naive.
There will be a post-American world, and being as I’m currently 42, I’m pretty sure I’ll see it in my lifetime. Don’t like it, I admit, but I accept it, because the rise and fall of great powers is the iron law of history.
The unique moment for America was indeed the post WW2 era, when our competition lie in ruins. That moment is passed, and new great powers will come to the fore. I doubt they’ll be as benevolent or altruistic as we were. The OWS’ers (and indeed, thinking people everywhere) need to ponder this fact.
Spot on. I get a deer-in-the-headlights look when I ask the America haters who'd they like to see on top when America goes under. The next one is gonna be a Doozy.
Well said.