Is America's decline absolute or relative?

There are lots of columns, articles, narratives and commentaries that lament and postulate over the decline of America's power in the world. Some say that globalization and free trade are causing America to decline. Others say that a disdain for American culture is causing many to reject our ideals and our economic prowess. Still others say that our lust for our new Western religion, "consumerism" is causing us to wane in the eyes of the world.

There may be some truth to all of these perspectives, but it probably depends on your point of view and your motivation for establishing that point of view. If you are a recently laid off factory worker in the Midwestern US than you probably blame globalization for your plight.

If on the other hand you believe that America is being punished for past sins then you probably believe that our culture and consumerism as well as our projection of US power abroad has caused our decline. Many believe that our current national status is very similar to the decline of the Roman Empire.

Is America really declining or is the rest of the world just catching up? Either way this will cause some changes to our way of life that may seem both unfair and uncomfortable, but it does not signal the end of the world as we know it. We have enjoyed a relatively trouble free domestic existence since the end of WWII. True, we have recessions, wars, terrorism and some civil unrest but it has been nothing compared to some of the events that have impacted our friends and foes abroad. We don't have any hints of genocide (although some would say that the increasing imprisonment of African-American males is a form of genocide). True, direct gun to the head genocide happens everyday in some parts of the world, but not here. Just think Serbia, Darfur, or Rwanda for examples of the last 10 - 15 years.

The rest of the world is rising relative to us. The economies of the world are beginning to specialize based on the comparative advantage of nations. This is currently in a state of flux, but the bottom line is that nations will do what they do best and get all of their other needs met from outside their borders. Also, what about the increasing instances of power that is not nation based? There are many organizations that influence events world wide that are not sponsored or a part of any nation state.

The economies of the rest of the world are no longer dependent upon America. Or are they? Where will China sell its products if we stop shopping at Walmart? Where will the Saudis sell their oil if we switch to renewable energy sources for transportation energy needs? London is surpassing New York as the finance center of the world. Will this trend continue?

The pie is getting bigger and America is still getting a pretty big slice. The difference is that many other countries are getting big slices also. Our decline is relative, not absolute. We still have a high GDP and a strong military. We still export our culture more than any other society. Even though Bollywood makes more movies than Hollywood, how many are exported and to where? Movies made in America are still a hot cultural export.

Even those who say that they hate our culture and our way of life still enjoy some vestiges of what America has to offer. Many of our enemies only hate the fact that our culture has impinged upon their culture. They hate us because they cannot shape the thoughts of their land when opposing thoughts are readily accessible through the media and the internet.

America's decline is relative. We are still looked up to, admired and revered. Yes, we have our problems, but every generation since 1776 has had problems. We just have to keep changing for change is a part of being free and living in a democracy.

Thomas Jefferson, one of our best known founding fathers, stated "Each generation has a right to choose for itself the form of government it believes most promotive of its own happiness... A solemn opportunity of doing this every nineteen or twenty years should be provided by the constitution."