How Empire Collapse
It is about how empire collapse after becoming superpower by loosing if dominance
10/30/20251 min read
How Empire Collapse
There are 7 stages of model of imperial decline:
1. Military Over-extension, 2. Currency Debasement, 3. Debt Spiral, 4. Loss of Productive Capacity, 5. Social Decay, 6. Loss of Reserve Currency Status, 7. Collapse
Five additional cases:
Roman Empire – It endured massive military over-extension along long frontiers; its currency was repeatedly debased in the 3rd century crisis. Debt burdens mounted, economic productivity declined, social cohesion eroded and ultimately the Western half collapsed.
Mongol Empire – At its peak vast territory brought tremendous logistic strain (Stage 1). It suffered costly campaigns (currency and taxation strain) and fragmentation of authority. Productive capacity in conquered areas was undermined and internal social decay set in, culminating in collapse of the unified empire.
Ming–Qing Transitional Empires (as a stretch) or perhaps better: the Golden Horde/Khanates of the Mongols – Their over-extension, taxation burdens, declining trade, fragmentation and loss of control mirror the stages.
Spanish Empire – Spain fell through the seven stages between roughly 1590-1670.
British Empire – Its global commitments (Stage 1) during WW I and II, heavy debts (Stage 3), declining industrial capacity (Stage 4), social strains (Stage 5) and eventual loss of reserve currency primacy (Stage 6) as the £ sterling was replaced by the US dollar.
The United States today
The United States appears firmly in Stage 5 (“Social Decay”) of the model: rising inequality, institutional trust eroding, civic cohesion fraying and rising polarization. The emergence of large-scale deficits and dependence on foreign capital raise the specter of Stage 6 (“Loss of Reserve Currency Status”). If the pattern holds, the U.S. could face serious systemic vulnerability going forward.
