Why Empires Collapse, And How Close Are the U.S. and EU?

NOTE: I have read extensively on this subject, taken an outstanding audio course by Professor Rufus Fears, and listened to a fantastic podcast by Paul Cooper called The Fall of Civilizations.

Empires have risen and fallen throughout history, with the patterns of their rise and decline offering insight into the potential futures of current global powers like the United States and the European Union. The collapse of empires is often the result of complex factors, including internal decay, external pressures, economic decline, and overextension. This article explores the common causes of empire collapse. It assesses where the U.S. and the EU might stand in their respective cycles of dominance, considering whether they could be on similar trajectories toward decline.

The Life Cycle of Empires: A Historical Perspective

Empires have a life cycle of distinct stages: rise, dominance, and decline. Historians and scholars like Sir John Glubb and Oswald Spengler have identified recurring themes in the rise and fall of empires. Glubb’s analysis, in particular, noted that empires typically last about 250 years, undergoing phases of pioneering, conquest, commercial expansion, cultural flourishing, and eventually, decay and collapse.