Will America retire gracefully from being the worlds greatest power?

At some point in the 21st Century, it is likely that America will cease to be the world's main power. Some estimates put this time in as short a time as 40 years. No one occupies the top spot indefinately. Chiefly because the world changes and those at the top are usually the most resistant to change with them feeling themselves secure. So how will America retire? The Romans found their cities left in ruin, the british suffered uprisings in several colonies before disbanding its Empire relatively peacefully (though in some instances a little too hastily -eg in drawing up the borders for India and Pakistan), Russia who vied for decades for the top spot ended up in total economic collapse and so on and so forth. Most countries that have occupied the top spot haven't retired gracefully or peacefully, so how will America decide to meet its face?

Public Comments

1. hell no it will carry on causeing all the worlds problems then again so will we
2. China Russia India Iran :)
3. America will never step down peacfully, we would rather crush another country then give up being top.
4. What goes around comes around.. what goes up must come down... *PeAcE*
5. the reason we might cease to become the greatest power on earth is because of the diluting of america with illegals and this liberal mindset that america is the cause of wrong in the world....
6. Never happen. The only way the US loses it status as Worlds Greatest Power is if the NeoCons spend all of the US' money on subsidizing Haliburton....which is a possibility.
7. no , they will bomb the next no1 super power and wreak it
8. Rome was the pre-eminant power in Europe for over 500 years. i think you're putting the cart before the horse, pal. ain't nobody gonna knock us off anytime soon
9. All empires eventually fall. Nothing last forever. How? Well I won't say. Since they're still in power now, I'll keep my mouth shut. For fear of a good old written and verbal American lashing!
10. Not while there is still oil left on the planet.
11. America only think they are the greatest power. With aguy like george Bush in control come on lets be realistic
12. It will prob NEVER happen, it is a rich country, it has LOADS of people and with BUSH in power...nough said?
13. America is facing its fate already (not its "face"). And that is why there is so much noise going on. They aren't going quietly, and they are trying to drag as many as possible down with themselves and doing all they can to stop the next candidates from rising too. America is calling in all favours, pulling all strings and forcing all its puppets to come out of cupboards... but sooner or later, the inevitable will come. I believe they are forcing world politics to take drastic actions (wars where diplomacy would work, wars where it is none of the business, wars where there was nothing wrong but nothing on the agenda for that day either), in order to appear to be the caring big brother who knows all but only because they care so deeply without letting on that they have a peeping hole bigger than the UK where they keep tabs on everything and anything that goes on, and anything (like this message board?) that might appear contrary to their self-righteousness is deemed a "threat to national security" and dealt with appropriately. what about Human Rights?? what about the Berlin Wall?? they say they defend the one and celebrated the defeat of the other, but now they have GUantanamo Bay and the Mexican Border. Who are they trying to fool?
14. We will burn down the house, and everyone in it.
15. america will fall as will britain but in both cases they dont have to, god gave both these countries their power, but the liftiles of both have become evil thats why they will fall if they repent and go back to their god they could both save the day, but i dont think they will...too far gone
16. No power 'retires', least of all from the top spot! They either lose balance and fall off, or they have to be shoved. If I'm wrong on that, please correct me by stating which country ever vacated the top spot amicably, waving in their successor with good will. If America ever had the foresight to see its fate approaching (highly unlikely) the only way it could avert ignomy would be for the nation to repent before God and plead for his mercy. Pause... You can all stop laughing now and try the website of charlesstrohmer.com and click on to 'Wisdom Project'. He's an American writer with a new book coming out soon. Not all American Christians enthuse about the Bush administration, you know.
17. never gracefully, the right word would be Shamefully,and Disgrace marked red on the face!
18. If the US does lose the status of the world greatest power, we will have no one but ourselves to blame. Through multiculturalism, political correctness and Liberal propaganda we have created a society set on destroying itself. When we, as a country, allow rights and privileges normally reserved for citizens to be handed out freely to non citizens, how can we then criticize and question why we no longer have certain rights and privileges for ourselves? When we, as a country, provide incentive for minorities and special interest groups to raid our system of the resources provided for those in need, how can we then question why no resources are available for those truly in need? When we, as a country, deny the foundation upon which this great country was established, how can we then question why? It is our responsibility to secure the freedoms and rights provided us from previous generations. Instead, we choose to sit back and expect someone else to secure those freedoms and rights for us. Since we cannot and will not unite to do this any longer, rest assured that someone else will gladly step in to do it for us. The problem is that we will no longer be America when they do!
19. After billing yourself as the greatest, ( see Mohamed Ali, Mike Tyson, the Jackson Family, Hollywood stars, etc...) there is no "graceful" way to fall. As in any thing, one will fight and suck that last breath of air, before suffocation. Since we are billed as never die, we will inevitably claw the dirt in final throws.
20. It depends on whether or not the world allows Islama-fascism to rise up or if the world decides to defeat it. If they are able to wrest control of the world economy by monopolizing Middle Eastern oil, they will have the world in the palm of their hand. That, to me, seems to be the most likely succession to world super power status in this century.
21. They will never admit they are not top dog!
22. pssst...whatever anyone does, Don't tell Wattha that this wasn't actually an anti-American post. Also please don't tell him he's an idiot with a reading and writing age of 5 and a brain to match. And please please don't tell him to leave discussions like these to grown-ups who can think for themselves and not just repeat what they hear in the street from people who badmouth countries they've never even been to. Right, sorry about that, but ignorance is a truly big way to annoy me. My main worry with America is its nuclear arsenal. No other country has in its downfall had the ability to take the rest of the world with it. I think we should also be asking what will the next power do to take control off America? Whenever a power has been replaced by another it has usually involved violence, Britain getting Dominance over France, the Romans over the Greeks and Carthaginians etc. So what will China or India or whoever do when that top spot looks in reach but America refuses to let hold. And I think it will be this century, maybe even by the halfway point Yes America's economy is hideously strong, and its military stronger, but its growth isnt when compared to that of countries like China. China has a quarter of the world's population under its belt, which gives it a huge potential that it is truly starting to use now. Of course, even China has its limits at the moment. I guess we'll have to wait 50 years before we find out the results of this, but i really really hope America sees when it's time to hang up the towel and declare that theyve had a good run and don't mind taking silver for a change
23. i don't think it will truly fade away for at least another 100 years, i think the belief that it's going to collapse and china will take over is just wishful thinking. the empires you pointed out were all based on oppression and conquering - the US's power is in money and its products ubiquity. elements of 'american' culture can be found all over the world. i can't see that going away, unless everyone decides to stop using american products. america has a linguistic advantage aswell, for now - english is seen as the 'language to learn' by most non-english speaking countries. their military is the biggest, most technologically advanced.....no other country rivals the US at anything, except for the development of new, innovative technology, which china is excelling at russia only collapsed because there was civil dissaray and many countries inside the USSR were fighting for independence. it was the middle classes that wanted to end communism, the working classes benefited from it and i truly believe that if the USSR had carried on it would have become the next world super power - but it wasn't ideal. china's gradually fading out communism and wheeling in democracy, so maybe in about 20-30 years time we'll see them and the US vying for the top spot, although i can't see the US being firmly displaced for a long time.someone mentioned india, which is possible, if they could sort themselves out.
24. once a war monger always a war monger. once a invader always an invader once an occupier always an occupier. once a looter of oil always a looter of oil OLD HABITS DIE HARD
25. Empires, like massive stars, collapse into black holes. And the collapse is seldom "graceful" for the inhabitants. The Soviet U collapse to Russia is a possible path but it could be worse if we don't get control of evil clowns like Dumbya and his "hyperpower" myth soon. There are also more optimistic senarios if we have Constitutional restoration.
26. Sometime in the 21st Century the USA will collapse due to its own internal contradictions, much in the same manner as the USSR did, and for much the same reasons - a massive, unsustainable military budget being the main one and unrealisable, unrealistic aspirations on the part of the American people. I suspect that like the USSR the USA will not go out with a bang but with a whimper.
27. Since when has america been the worlds greatest power? China and North Korea have obviously not been considered. China has billions of men under arms and so has North Korea.
28. When have America done anything gracefully ? America's wealth was sustained by a plentiful supply of oil. Unfortunately they have consumed most of their own reserves and are now dependent on imports from the middle east. 67% of the remaining oil reserves are located in the middle east. Which ever nation can take control of those reserves are going to have power. Since America as the most nuclear, biological,chemical and conventional weapons it is likely that they will take control of middle east oil reserves. There is going to be a great deal of blood shed in taking control of those reserves. They are just pussyfooting around in Iraq now, just wait till the going gets real tough, all hell wil break lose
29. It will happen. One day in the future. But that will be not a solution for your problems. Just star asking what kind of power you expect or think will replace USA.