I am not being xenophobic about it but because we argue a lot you may assume I am making a generalized statement about globalism being bad. I am just stating that if you look at the bronze age, it gives us the first example of this domino effect that can create a global collapse (global in this case would mean the "civilized" world at the time when trade between empires first began on massive scales). Historians and archeologists theorize that somehow, one collapse led to another, and because everyone relied on each other for trade, it is likely that this set off a chain of events. Some say earthquakes or climate change may have sparked it, but regardless, these civilizations all fell save for Egypt. This event really set humanity back. Politics aside, this is just what happens when everyone relies on everyone. What could spark the next global collapse? War? Food shortage? Climate Change? Tons of things, which could start the domino effect. In fact, it may have already started and we don't know. Anyway, regardless of what you think about me and my views, which we usually differ on, I recommend studying the late bronze age collapse sometime. It is a fascinating subject.
Our system is fragile because in order to generate the obscene amounts of wealth necessary to sustain capitalism (and I am not a socialist), you have to have extreme leverage. So it only takes a few bad actors to create a panic. That's true within a country and now across countries because of - yes you are right - trade. But understand, that without trade we'd all have a lot less, it's just that most of the benefits of economic growth now go to the ultra rich while the middle class stays middle. In our current situation, we've had relative peace for the past 70 years in the western democracies - that's getting to be an unusually long time for a vast region. With a system that has enormous wealth disparity, and high consumer debt coupled with issues around sustainability - you have a recipe for global collapse. It won't happen in 3 years or probably not even 10, but it is very likely to happen in our lifetimes.
It's not a question of if, it's a question of when for places outside the US bubble. The US is protecting itself from Middle East instability (ie syria) with climate change protocols, aggressive drilling in Alaska, and the inevitable but slug speed shift to renewables. This isn't as much about the US collapsing as it is about the immigration / violent pressure that will come from those without opportunity in the developing world. Trump pulling out troops shows that it's hard to have a heart out there, it's far easier to let the "outsiders" scrap amongst themselves and get far stricter on immigration. Brexit shows that the majority of British agree. The rise of far right sentiment in places like Germany, who always overcompensated for the whole Hitler thing, show that. Of course, in a global economy, when enough of the developing world collapses, it will eventually get to India and China, wh The article is about understanding historical trends that have happened time and time again, and using that knowledge to prevent them from happening again instead of pretending it's all roses because you'
