I don't know if I should post this as some people get so mad and I don't really want to get into it with anyone, this is just how I see things from where I am sitting. We all have a window that we observe from. I am just reporting how it looks from my window. If you would like to report how this looks to you, let me know. I have read a very definitive article by Niall Ferguson on The Daily Beast. I'm not good at posting a link so, please excuse. I really liked this comment he received.


 
COMPETITION 
Western societies divided into competing factions, leading to progressive improvements. 
Corporate Competition: who can lobby Congress for the least money and get that secured profit policy? 
 
THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION 
Breakthroughs in mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, and biology. 
Corporate Science: the only science that exists is that which increases profit. Anything else will be lobbied against. 
 
THE RULE OF LAW 
Representative government based on private-property rights and democratic elections. 
Corporate Government: All members of Government will be pre-screened with corporate campaign "donations" and then voted on by the little people. Upon reaching office, they will pass favorable legislation. 
 
MODERN MEDICINE 
19th- and 20th-century advances in germ theory, antibiotics, and anesthesia. 
Corporate Medicine: A socialized insurance system will never be discussed, though it is the most logical system. U.S. residents will only be allowed to purchase U.S.-based drugs to assure maximum profits are maintained. 
 
THE CONSUMER SOCIETY 
Leaps in productivity combined with widespread demand for more, better, and cheaper goods. 
Corporate Consumers: Pervasive advertising will almost mandate that you have certain products, if you can afford them . Products will be made as cheaply as possible to assure rapid replacement, they will be made abroad to assure maximum profit, and they will use as much energy as possible, to help our friends in the Energy Sector. 
 
THE WORK ETHIC 
Combination of intensive labor with higher savings rates, permitting sustained capital accumulation 
Corporate work: We will work our few and dwindling employees as hard as possible while paying as little as possible and providing benefits with increasing hurdles and decreasing reward. This allows for increased profits. 
 
Welcome to the United Corporations of America! "In Profit We Trust!"

And one more,


What Ferguson overlooks is that America has already "collapsed," but not in the traditional way of a fall into chaos (though that may well come). Instead, the collapse of America is due to the fact that our leaders, both corporate and political, have already made the transition to a post-national model. Call them the 1% or the elite or whatever else, but the simple fact is that these people no longer need the United States except as a vehicle with which to make money in other countries. Why is GE so eager to do business in China, despite the requirement to give up most of its intellectual property and to submit to all manner of onerous incursions on its "liberty?" Because doing so drives vast amounts of cash into the coffers of its shareholders. Cash is the new nation. Cash operates well above and beyond any law. 
 
Meanwhile, back at home we are suffering through an incredibly deep crisis of governance that is both a symptom of and a cover for the creation of this actual "new world order," which by the way has nothing to do with the insane conspiracy theories about bilderbergs and bat caves. Those anti-competitive quasi monopolies Ferguson writes about need the politicians of the US to ensure that their execrable ethics are protected from prying eyes, and to further their race to suck all the value out of the country that gave them their start and every other advantage too. 
 
While it may appear that they've all forgotten the lessons of 1789 France, it is plainly evident that they have learned enough to co-opt a government and media machinery that actively demonizes both government and media, and thus keeps people from ever truly seeing the vipers and thieves at work. 
 
One of the real advantages these monsters have is that in America, there are no poor people, just temporarily embarrassed millionaires, to borrow the phrase. Thus all these people who are being robbed blind will keep voting for the same people who facilitate the theft. Collapse coming? I don't think so. It's already happened, right before our eyes, in the last 30 years.

America collapsed in 1812. Again in the Civil War. It collapsed in the late 19th century financial meltdowns. It collapsed again in the 1920 when social change and massive economic growth led to the kind of collapse we're experiencing again. It collapsed after WWI when the nation gave up its pretense of isolationism (as many to fought for isolationism argued.) WWII was, of course, the death knell of America as a nation in that sense. It collapsed again in the 60's as social change swept the country--a culture war we are still fighting.

The collapse of the nation would appear to be the nation's status quo.

Every generation claims the nation has collapsed as soon as they themselves have to take off their prom dresses. It's the political equivalent of predicting the end of the world, and should be given the same credibility.

Sure, the way "the elite" have gone post-national is an issue, but only because we've reverted to a system that treats the mega rich in a pre-WWII way but with fewer trade sanctions. It's just a slightly different flavor of the same struggle.

To sarah71
The aftermath of anarchism is savagery where the strong rule and everyone who can't resist is a victim. Much like before civilization. There are only a few systems that we can use: Democracy by mob rule, Socialism, Communism, Fascism, and Republicanism to name the major ones.

If our Republican representative form of Gov't is to be torn down, what do the destroyers want to replace it with? Just curious.


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I'm afraid people trying to tear Republicanism (or any -ism, whatever) down haven't got a clue of the aftermath, they just want to erase those whom they consider responsible of the current crisis. Anyway, though I'm not a supporter of Republicanism, I agree with you that there's no chance without rule, we're not used to it any longer.

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Death is the ultimate dream

I guess I wasn't thinking I might be seen as an anarchist. I'm really not, but I see a day that the political/government model we have adapted to is going to fail. Our way of life is not sustainable. Consider just these facts. Most of the food we eat comes from hundreds or a thousand miles from where we live. Not only are our supply lines in danger, but we do not see a reason to try to create our own supplies locally. Our water resources are drying up and being polluted. No one lives long without water. There is only one manufacturer of antibiotics left in the US. If our access to antibiotics was denied it wouldn't be two weeks before people and animals would begin to die. We will soon reach that "Oh, shit!" moment and our way of life will be permanently altered. whether or not we can identify the exact cause. What I am asking is how will re-construct ourselves? I do believe that Americans are resourceful and resilient people and life will go on, but it may mean that all we have built and dreamed of may disappear like all previous civilizations - unless we allow ourselves to adapt to the changing world. Another reason that I am so pessimistic about the future is that no one wants to admit to the elephant in the room. To me the only common sense scenario for health care is a socialized system that allows everyone access, but as long as profits are more important than keeping people healthy we are all in jeopardy. I don't know if it is naivete or pride that keeps people from acknowledging this, but it will be like 9/11 with people running around saying "I had no idea".

The Great Day by William Butler Yeats

Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot!
A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot.
Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again!
The beggars have changed places, but the lash goes on.

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I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.