I like to make an analogy to Spain. In the 16th century Spain was a world power, conquering significant parts of the New World. Just note how many countries have Spanish as their first language.
Then there was the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Had it succeeded we'd probably be speaking Spanish ourselves, Catholicism would have a much tighter hold on the world, and a better alternate historian than I can figure out if the (now Spanish) colonies in North America would have broken away from Greater Spain.
But the crucial decision was to put virtually the entire tax burden of that country and its colonies on the poor. The nobles and the wealthy were essentially exempt. Spain never developed the kind of entrepreneurial middle class that gave the Protestant countries the Industrial Revolution. And yes, with all due respect to the modern Catholic Church, Catholicism did not encourage that sort of thing. Spain became a backwater. In the 20th century it had Francisco Franco. When he died and the crown was restored, the country improved a lot.
I've never been to Spain, most likely won't get there, but if the opportunity arose I'd love to go. It seems like a pretty nice country these days. But it's still a backwater.
Something similar will no doubt play out with this country. Successive governments, will continue to build up our military and tear down social programs and infrastructure, no matter which party is in power. Republicans because that's just what they do, and Democrats because they've been bamboozled by Republican ideology. Spending on science and research is already being cut. The concept of the common good is being trampled. Decent health care is seen as a privilege, not something our society should provide as a matter of course. All regulations are deemed bad, as if there's no need for clean air, water, unadulterated food. The lessons that put those regulations in play are completely forgotten.
We can only hope that in the finals spasms of failure, this country doesn't launch a nuclear war or even a series of conventional wars around the globe. Either could happen. If I'm lucky, I won't live to see it, but I'm only 69 and come from a decently long-lived family. I'm just glad I have no grandchildren (my one son is not very likely to reproduce) and so don't have to despair over their futures.
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