EVERY GREAT POWER DECLINES–EVENTUALLY

6473. On November 24, 2020, Marco Rubio wrote the following : “Biden cabinet picks went to Ivy League schools, have strong resumes, attended all the right conferences, and will be polite and orderly caretakers of American decline…” I agree with his assessment, but from an entirely opposite to his perspective. First, American decline is inevitable, since no superpower in history retained its dominant position in perpetuity. And secondly, American decline will be good for both America and the rest of the world. The world leadership imposed enormous burden on American society, Sharing this burden will be good for America. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Many of American internal problems could be attributed directly to this universal phenomenon.  To put it simply, America needs some rest to heal itself. As for the world at large, it became too complex, too interdependent to be ruled by one country. American leadership had both positive and negative effects, but in a last few decades the negatives overtook the positives. Relinquishing its leadership role by America will create the atmosphere of cooperation and equality, which will be beneficial for all. The fear that China will replace America as the next global superpower and would be the much harsher taskmaster, due to it totalitarian character, is unfounded. For many reasons, and not just economic and military, but also historic and cultural, China will never assume position America held for almost a century by now. For better or for worst America represented the West. But China will never be the sole voice of the East, never mind the whole world. It is too unique. It is truly exceptional, much more exceptional than America, the progeny of the West ever was.   This article was written by Nick Gurevich.

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