The Rise and Fall of Civilizations

"What goes up will necessarily come down!" We know Pioneer spacecraft will never come back and if we hurl something up with enough speed, more than the speed known as ’Escape Velocity’ it will never come back. It is difficult to find parallels and accurate paradigms, which can be juxtaposed against issues for true illustration and to bring out the contrast. However this profoundly expressed wisdom accurately puts in perspective the periodic rise and necessary fall of civilizations. We have seen this happening to the ancient Egypt, the Mesopotamia, the great Mayans, to the Greeks, the Romans, the Chinese and of course the Indians.

Civilizations rise from the ashes like phoenix and crash to the same fate, some sooner, others in considerable time but crash they will eventually. It may appear incongruous but a rational view would be that a highly evolved society would have the best means to perpetuate its further evolution indefinitely in terms of advantage it has in material wealth and intellectual might. Yet, when the fall comes it comes sometimes rapidly as with the British Empire and sometimes societies decay slowly like decline of the great Moguls and the Ottomans.

The beginning is mostly spurred by individuals with enterprise and then a self-sustaining system comes into being where material wealth pushes state’s might and might of the state spurs generation of more material wealth. Early trajectory has efficient use of both wealth of the state and its power to expand into newer horizons. As a civilization prospers and reaches a threshold, it’s people begin to shed tendencies of xenophobia; there is a definite drift towards liberal environment and relaxing of guard. The apparent chasm between their might and that of there nearest adversary instills in them an extreme sense of invincibility, making them callous towards their security. A weakening of threat perception blunts their response, while a mammoth bureaucracy takes over the state apparatus. The elite of the society begin to dream of unrealistic but grand projects to leave behind in history their footprints, completely oblivious to reality.

The rise of civilizations also brings with it unprecedented prosperity and with prosperity the people as well as the state becomes very liberal in attitude. We have written records, which suggest that in the period of the Gupta dynasty, felony like treason too was taken lightly. The great opulence de-motivates large portion of society and a general degeneration of society begins. In absence of worthwhile challenges coupled with liberal environment, the society drifts rapidly towards what is considered seedier aspect of life.

While on the fringes are less developed and disadvantaged societies seething in intense jealousy and suffering from insecurities engendered by a big brother’s whims. The extreme deprivation makes them tough and inventive. The easy affluence of their neighbor motivates them to excel. They are always looking out for opportunities. Their own misfortune and a deprived lifestyle makes them ruthless and xenophobic and highly charged to grab the opportunity that comes their way.

The fall of a society often begins from within. Now a degenerated and directionless population looking for thrills explores and plays all sorts of games. The liberal environment allows them to recklessly stretch the limits of safe behavior with no fear of reprimand. The same attributes that helped the rise of civilization also lead to its downfall i.e. whereas the resources were used efficiently in the beginning are in the end grossly misrutilized. People begin to castigate their own society. In such monotonous excitement seeking society, any failed, dissatisfied person could seed the down fall of society, while an eager and vengeful neighbor ever willing to fish in the troubled water quickly moves in and occupies the vacuum. Most shocking scenario turns out to be the near fatal inertia of a mighty war machine completely bogged down in its own bureaucratic mire, while a puny enemy systematically slaughters the mighty force.

Are we witnessing signs of fatigue in American society? Difficult to say but there are enough indicators to set the alarm bells ringing. The frequent use of gun by school children, the mayhem exemplified by American movies and the grand sounding and visually appealing projects their establishment is selling the nation like the NMD should cause worry. The arrogance of invincibility is deceptive but there are too many variables, though, to definitely suggest irreversible decline of American society.

There is a saying, "History repeats itself, first as a tragedy and .... " I would like to add my own maxim to this "... every time with a different paradigm."

This time the fall will come due to economic collapse. Have we forgotten the Soviet Union!