Are the main democratic powers of the world in decline?

Question

nightdrot · Accepted Answer

The answer is to the question that there is no metric by which to judge the answer to the question. On this page you have any number who confidently answer that "Yes, the end is nigh" and a few who are sure that it is not, but the truth is, from an historical perspective, that there is no way to be sure.

There is no doubt that there is much to be alarmed about. Social and cultural cohesion is fraying, economics are problematic and rival powers are challenging the West. All true. Yet the problem with that analysis is that, historically speaking, the democratic world has been here before.

In economic terms, right now, the USA has an inflation rate of 8.5%. Yet in 1979 it hit 14.5%. The unemployment rate is actually quite low, it having hit 28% in the Great Depression and 10.1% in 1982. The national debt is high, but has actually been higher in wartime.

In moral and cultural terms, a new technology in computers and the Internet is having all sorts of unpredictable consequences and that is causing angst. Just as radio and television did in their hey days. There is crime and murder - and yet the crime rates in the USA were actually higher in the 1970s, such that a 1978 Gallup survey found that 77% of ALL women - all income levels, races, religions, etc. - answered in the negative when asked if they felt safe walking alone in their neighborhoods at night. Then what do you know? There was a reaction and by the early 2000s, crime had fallen to levels - accounting for population - not seen since the peaceful placid 1950s when crime was at record lows.

Besides, is the West in greater decline now than when Jews were being thrown into ovens and whole cities were being incinerated? Alternatively, Americans slaughtered each other in greater numbers in their civil war than they lost in both world wars - COMBINED. In France, is decline greater now or when citizens were openly killing each other by the hangman's noose in the late 1700s?

The bottom line is that there are always ups and downs. Which is not to say that this is an optimistic view. All things mortal and made by mortals will decline and fall eventually. It is the way of imperfect things forged by imperfect and imperfectible beings. Moreover, to strive for Utopia, as H. G. Wells said, is the "primal madness of the species." See also the "secular religions" like Fascism, Communism and National Socialism for some of history's most odious examples.

The point is that "we cannot know the day nor the hour," and predictions of doom usually devolve into merely an excuse for ignoring our duty - individual and collective - to strive for excellence. Alternatively, as noted above, such predictions of doom become an excuse for the most monstrous crimes and perversions.

So the best course is to identify the problems and fix them where possible and manage them where necessary. It always being best to recall that not every problem has a solution, but rather some problems have no solutions but are rather just difficulties that must be managed as best they can be. Then you soldier on without adopting the pretense - from our limited mortal vantage point - that we know more than we can possibly know.

NamerOfStars · Accepted Answer

Yes. Possibly not irreversibly, but that's the direction things are headed. Catch is, we don't really have anyone else rising up to position of top dog; China's population bomb is set to go off in the next few decades, Russia's STILL not recovered from the damage the Commies did, and the rising crime likely to follow the receding pax Americana will likely lead to a somewhat less globalist world.

At this point, the best candidate for "next superpower" is probably India (which is a democratic state, if not quite in the western style), but whey've got a LONG way to go in that department.

Debris1 · Accepted Answer

Most democracies have lasted about 200 years. Most current democracies are about 200 years old, with the USA almost 250 years old. Therefore, within a few decades we should know if the 200 year average life of a democracy holds true. Monarchies including some current ones have lasted over 1,000 years. When they end, democracies tend to become dictatorships and, in my opinion there are indications the USA is become a type of dictatorship; that is, rule by an elite few.

Anonymous · Answer

The Purple (Latin America) is as much a part of the blue western world as Southern Europe.

Overall the entire world is in decline due to sub-replacement level birth rates, the more industrialized the country the faster the decline.
Latin America is only doing better than the rest of the western world because they are less industrialized and far less feminist. They too however are in decline just a generation behind the USA & Canada which is about a generation behind Europe.

This is the most serous problem of our time

Stoner710 · Answer

Yes, A lot of it has to do with the abolishment of the nuclear family, Second third and fourth wave feminism. Not to mention we just don’t trust our elections anymore. democrats believe that the 2016 election was stolen by the Russians and Republicans believe that the 2020 election was stolen by voter fraud. In other countries were seeing A partial break up of the EU with Brexit, people no longer trusting there neighbors. And social media causing groupthink be it democratic or conservatives

Lord_Saddler · Answer

Am I supposed to care about that? Duhmocwacy belongs to the trash heap of history. The future generations will call it for what its real, but ugly name: plutocracy.

EyeKnowMeNahYou · Answer

The world's working on a great reset and all of these leaders are in on it, and is slowly but surely going to be a thing

Slingblade1126 · Answer

I don't know, maybe you should ask the people of Russia or China? Maybe try N. Korea. lol

Curmudgeon · Answer

Sadly yes. The "woke" Left is prima facie evidence of this.

H8INCHES · Answer

The ones that allow government by the few are always going to suffer. Government by the people is the only existence I believe in. One of the reasons we need term limits in or congress. We are building an elite class that ignores the people.

CloudMassacre · Answer

Where do you consider to be the Main Democratic Powers?

QuietRunner · Answer

The moral values of the people in the main Democracies around the world are in decline. Once people get a taste of how China, North Korea, and other autocratic governments treat people they will change.

WhiteBoyChill · Answer

definitely. We’re replacing ourselves with black people and muslims since we aren’t birthing enough white children

Anonymous · Answer

Definitely not. But let's see how long this depression... ergo I mean recession goes and then get back to me.

ManHater · Answer

Democrats and the voter base are enemies of the country.

Anonymous · Answer

Only an idiot would have to ask it. Do people have to tell you that you are on fire?

Anonymous · Answer

satan is the ruler of this world  and his followers control the nations

Zeldaismyqueen · Answer

Canada is doing well. So is New Zealand.

OldWorldOrder · Answer

Yes, because democracy is stupid.

NathanDavis · Answer

nope

Anonymous · Answer

Yes.

Are the main democratic powers of the world in decline?

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