Ivy League philosopher Cornel West has said, “We are witnessing America as a failed social experiment.”
West is not alone in this assessment. Numerous scholars are expressing similar concerns, including University of British Columbia professor Wade Davis who recently published “The Unravelling of America” in Rolling Stone magazine.
Are we really seeing the end of the American empire? If we are indeed heading that direction, is there anything we can do about it?
It is important to note that all through history empires have come and gone. The Age of Britannia has passed, though Great Britain remains a viable state. History has been less kind to empires in Rome, Greece, France, Spain and many others.
We need to be concerned about the future of the United States for many reasons. It is Canada’s largest trading partner and remains the centre of the industrialized world. If it did indeed fail, who would take its place? Will we one day be pining for the good old days of the American empire?
In studying history, we notice that it is usually a combination of internal and external factors that cause an empire to decline. One might think the consolidation of power in the hands of a few and the use of violence would strengthen a state, but the opposite is generally true, at least in the long run. It is the sharing of wealth and power that tends to bring the greatest stability.
Great Britain remains one of the oldest governments in the world because those in control chose to share their authority. The Magna Carta remains one of the most renowned power-sharing documents in human history, and though they have faced their share of usurpations, the passing of power from the monarchy to the common person (at least ideally) was gradual and largely peaceful.
After the destruction caused by violence and force in the early part of the 20th century, the United Nations passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This gave us something to strive for and these principles are now the foundation of every stable social democracy, including Canada.
What is the lesson in this for the United States of America?
Throughout their history they have faced numerous threats and leaders have responded with wisdom to steady the ship of state.
In the 1930s, for example, the Great Depression caused tremendous unrest and the Franklin Roosevelt government initiated the New Deal. This gave rise to a country that was able to outproduce any other, and thus contributed greatly to victory in the Second World War.
The rise of corporatism in the United States since the Reagan era has resulted in almost unbelievable income disparity and a decline in standard of living for much of the population. Today, the US is far behind the social democracies of the world with regard to education and the health of its population.
Many blame Donald Trump for this current state of affairs but the truth is he is not the cause of the crumbling of the American state, he is the result.
Are we seeing the end of the American Empire? West tells us that the choice in the 2020 presidential election is between disaster and catastrophe, and he may be right.
One can only hope that our neighbours to the south will recognize the dire condition of their nation and that their leaders will have the moral fortitude of Abraham Lincoln, as well as the wisdom of Franklin Roosevelt.
If America can prioritize the well-being of the common person and return to the ideals under which their nation was established, they will weather this storm and the world will be better because of their efforts.
May we send them our good wishes.
