The United States it's so clearly in decline that it is time to start looking toward our most logical historical equalent: The United Kingdom.
The UK peaked as the ultimate world power in 1870 (give or take a few years) It took World War I and the Boer War to totally hammer it into ground. (By WW II the UK was toast and would have been occupied had it not been for the USA and Soviets)
History lesson aside, it is great example and an idea of what the US need to move towards. The US needs to become to China, what the UK was to the US. (if it isn't already) A big brother who shows them the way forward while hitching its political capital to the new power.
The UK and the US always had the historical bonds and sat in the same side for two wars and reconstruction of Europe twice. It is during the war years that somehow the UK hitches its wagon to the US while simultaneously declining gracefully as a world power. (The end comes with India's independence) With the UK by its side the US has had a confidant and in its dealings with the world a partner who will always side with it.
Ths US is already in the role with China and we have a few items to sort out as the transition happens over the decades. (US and UK had a handful of these, Suez and Palestine come to mind)
The irony of it all is that China and the US while on the surface different, they are really the same. Both are run by a small oligarchy (in China the communist party, in the US the monied 1%) both are about profit at all costs and both completely control their people through legend, myth and media
Lastly both are completly petrified of the marginalized majority rising up to topple the status quo.
There is no book where you can look all this up and it all is just in my mind. Knowing your history can really get your brain going when you see the big picture.
Originally appeared http://laurent-courtines.com/is-this-what-it-felt-like-to-be-english-in-19 from http://laurent-courtines.com
