Signs of US Collapse Already Visible, Set to Occur in 2030

Signs of US Collapse Already Visible, Set to Occur in 2030

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The United States’ (US) unchallenged global dominance since the end of World War II is now facing serious challenges from all directions. After decades of acting as the sole power regulating the world’s economic and political order through Pax Americana, Uncle Sam’s hegemony is deemed to be at its lowest point.

International observers see that the US’s insistence on imposing its ideology and capitalist system has become a boomerang that sparks global disillusionment. Amid Washington’s focus being divided by various conflicts in the Middle East, new powers like China are creeping up and ready to displace the US as the world’s main axis.

These various victories clearly made the US very powerful and possessed infinite strength, while also making it the world’s policeman in economic or political sectors. In the name of democracy and liberalisation, the US often expands its hegemony, called Pax Americana.

Nevertheless, as Tom McTague writes in The Atlantic, the US’s great power is also accompanied by such great vulnerability to collapse. Because, the world’s public dislike of the US’s position makes them desire the downfall of the nation founded in 1776.

Tom’s statement is indeed not wrong. Why?

This is evident in the US’s approach to battles. Referring to the exposition in The New Rules of War: Victory in the Age of Durable Disorder (2019), it must be understood that after 1945, wars in the world are not confined to one country, crossing national political boundaries.

This is because wars are more driven by militant nationalist and religious sentiments that can span countries. Conflicts between tribe A and B could span 2-3 countries.

This new perspective is what the US failed to understand. They use World War strategies, where victory is achieved after killing the leader and destroying the enemy’s military.

Here lies the problem. In every battle, the US succeeds in destroying the military and leaders, but not the ideology or their thinking, which remains extant.

As a result of failing to eliminate the cross-border ideological roots, and being lulled by “illusory” victories after killing leaders, various extremist groups have emerged, giving birth to global terrorism movements, one of which is named ISIS. And this is indeed proven when ISIS launched terrorist acts against the West, especially the US, to achieve the US’s own collapse.

Cases like this are actually a boomerang for the US. Since the 1970s, and peaking as it entered the 21st century, there have been various predictions of American Decline or the US’s downturn.

As explained by Nicholas Kitchen and Michael Cox in “Power, structural power, and American decline” (Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 2019), the cause of the decline entering the 21st century is because the US has disappointed the entire world due to its military aggression and capitalist system.

Specifically the latter, the US capitalist model, which was previously so dominant, is seen to have damaged politics, hindered growth, and weakened the US’s appeal in the global order. As it begins to weaken, this is where China emerges and rises.

Interestingly, China’s rise is again caused by the US’s own folly. While the US focused on stirring up the Middle East, which ended in defeat, China focused on trading and expanding its influence. At this point, the US actually missed and was late to realise that it was experiencing a decline.

Referring to IMF data, in 2000 China’s GDP was only 7% of the world. However, two decades later, the figure has doubled to nearly 19%. In the same period, the US GDP has actually dropped from 20% to nearly 16%.

This aroma of decline has also been predicted by US historian Alfred McCoy. According to him, rising prices, stagnant wages, and fading international competitiveness will come.

Quoting Big Think, by 2025 the US’s power will already be in tatters and fading. Then five years later, the US dollar will lose its status as the world’s currency, resulting in the loss of US hegemony in the world.

Actually, Alfred’s statement is already starting to show. The United States (US) is now beginning to be “shunned” by several countries. This is evident from currencies, dedollarisation, to global social trends.

From the currency side, efforts to “discard” the US dollar are being carried out by several parties. Among them are countries joining BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).

In terms of international relations, the US is also starting to be “forgotten” by several countries, including its close allies. For example, Saudi Arabia, which suddenly rebuilt relations with Iran, under China’s mediation, as reported by Reuters and AFP.

Not to mention France, after President Emmanuel Macron met Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. Macron said Europe must reduce its “dependence” on the US.

Europe, he emphasised, must avoid being dragged into a confrontation between the US and China over Taiwan. Macron, as reported in Politico, emphasised the theory of “strategic autonomy” for Europe, which might be led by France to become the third superpower.