When historians have studied the history of powerful countries and empires around the world that have collapsed, they have found that fallen empires lasted for an average of ten generations, about 250 years, and that each of these fallen countries went through the exact same sequence of developmental and deteriorating stages from their founding to their complete decline.
In the 1950’s, historian Sir John Glubb studied eleven empires from the past 3,000 years, including Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome, to the more recent Spain and Britain, and he found that the eventual collapse of these nations occurred because of internal conflict that developed inside their countries between political parties and citizens during the late stages of their countries’ decline, until eventually the countries became so weak internally that an outside force could conquer their countries and destroy them.
There are many internal factors that led to the declines of these empires, some of which include:
- Extreme political dissension that politicians and citizens refuse to put to the side and overcome for the good of their country.
- Economic difficulties.
- Environmental and climate change factors.
- A pervasive self-centeredness within the individual citizens that results in citizens thinking that their personal selfishness and personal indulgence is more important than the need for service to their country.
- Mass migration that can change the internal make-up of a country and cause economic difficulties for a country.
- The flawed thinking that all problems can be solved by only thinking and ideas, and not recognizing or not being physically willing to combine action and work with their thinking and ideas.
Glubb found that the erosion of these empires occurred internally within the people of the empire, until eventually the empire became so weak internally that an outside force could complete the decline, most often through invasion and war.
This life cycle of nations continues to repeat itself throughout history because this life cycle is based upon the human nature and human behavior of all human beings.
Glubb’s research shows that over a period of 10 human generations within a country, which is approximately 250 years because the definition of a generation is 25 years, then a country moves through six stages of human existence.
These six stages are:
- The Age of Pioneers – People with wild courage and energy.
- The Age of Conquests – Expansion of a Country by founding new land and military expansion.
- The Age of Commerce – Development of Business and Inventions, Expansion of Trade.
- The Age of Affluence – The combination of money, luxury, and national power.
- The Age of Intellect – Spread of knowledge, Debate and Argument, Political fighting and division, Discussion and ideas overtake action, Growth of the incorrect and undermining idea that the human brain can solve the problems of the world without including physical work and physical action.
- The Age of Decadence – Extreme political hatreds and Extreme polarization, Pessimism, Materialism, Frivolity including bad habits and addictions and watching games, Influx of foreigners that changes the solidity of the original culture that built the country, Devaluing or taking for granted the value of citizenship and offering citizenship too easily to everyone, establishing a Welfare state where a large percentage of the population is being given financial benefits through welfare programs, Reduced importance of Religion, Individual selfishness, Too long a period of luxury and power that causes people to become spoiled and take for granted how much work and action was needed to originally create and generate this luxury and power, Love of money, and the Loss of a sense of Duty to Country, to our Communities, and to our Fellow Americans.
In reading this book that was written more than 75 years ago, before America had grown to reach the status of being the number one world power, it is very concerning to see the exact similarities between the stages of Our Country and the stages that these eleven collapsed empires went through during the past 3,000 years.
We can see that the History of America has gone through the periods of our pioneers, to the period of conquests that expanded Our Country, to the period of commercial successes and amazing scientific discoveries, to the period of wealth and luxury, to the period of higher education and the spread of incredible amounts of knowledge, to the emphasis on thoughts and ideologies taking over for the necessary physical work and action, to our current situation that matches in nearly every way what Sir John Glubb referred to as the final stage of all these previous eleven empires, the Age of Decadence.
This research on the history of empires is also very interesting to us in America because we are currently in our 248th year as a Country in 2024, and so we are right at the average length of time that the eleven previous empires collapsed.
Therefore, our concern is considerably increased because America’s History of 248 years since our founding, along with the current problems facing Our Country that includes the extreme political polarization we have now, are identical with the time period and cultural environment in the other countries that have collapsed throughout world history.
Some people might make the mistake of thinking that a collapse would be good for them because then they could have complete control when the other political party was gone.
However, nothing can be further from the truth because it is very important for all of us to realize that if Our Country were to collapse because our two political sides did not correct Our Country’s problems and fought with each other until we collapsed, then this collapse would not result in one of our political groups winning and getting the chance to reshape America in the image that they believe in.
No, when a Country collapses, then the entire Country collapses. The Country is gone.
Neither political side wins. Both political sides lose.
The Country and all of its people are taken over by an outside invader or force.
Causing all of our people to become less than citizens in this new country as we will be reduced to where all of our possessions are taken away from us, even our citizenship, and we will become forcefully controlled by the new outside rulers.
If we allow this to happen, then we are not Building A World For Our Children like we have Promised Our Children that we would.
These studies of previous empires ask the most important question, “Why do the very polarized people in a collapsing country not put aside their differences and work together to save their country when they can see that their country is collapsing?”
But throughout 3,000 years of world history, the polarized people of collapsing countries have not pulled together to save their country while their country was collapsing.
Instead, the worse their country’s situation became, the more extremely polarized they became.
Exactly like we are currently seeing in America, where as Our Country is falling around us we are continuing to become even more extremely polarized.
Instead of us choosing to work together and compromise for each other, both of our political sides make the mistake of thinking that they can keep from being blamed for the collapse if they blame everything that is going wrong on the other people.
This is a mistake because if Our Country collapses, then it does not make any difference who we blame it on because Our Children’s Country is gone either way.
We are All supposed to be Members of One American Team.
On a football team, some players play on the offense, and some players play on the defense.
If you are a member of the offense, and your team loses, then you cannot change your own loss into a win by saying that your offense played better than the defense did, and that the loss was the defense’s fault for making mistakes and giving up too many points.
The same is true if you are a member of the defense. You cannot change your own loss into a win by saying that the loss was the fault of the offense because they did not score any points.
None of that passing around of the blame matters because you either Win as a team, or you lose as a team.
When a team loses, it is not possible for some of the team to win while the rest of the team loses.
Instead, when a team loses, then every player on the team loses.
Therefore, if Our Country collapses and is taken over by outside forces, then every one of us will have lost, and especially Our Children will have lost the most.
A football team with a Championship attitude does not pass around the blame to other people.
If a Championship-thinking team loses 64-63, then the offensive players do not blame the defensive players for giving up 64 points. Instead, the offensive players say and Believe that their offense should have scored 65 points instead of only 63 points.
Likewise, if a Championship-thinking team loses 3-0, then the defensive players do not blame the offense for not scoring any points. Instead, the defensive players say and Believe that their defense should not have given up 3 points, and that their defense should not only have shutout their opponent but they should also have found a way to score on defense with an intercepted pass, fumble recovery, or a returned kick.
We want Our America to be a Championship-thinking Country, and as a Championship-thinking Country we are not interested in blaming Our Teammates because we know that We Can Only Win as a Team.
Fooling ourselves into thinking that it is the other people’s fault does not matter because our choice to blame everyone else does nothing to save Our Country For Our Children.
None of the previous eleven world powers were able to change their behaviors to save themselves.
And so the most critical question becomes, “Are we going to change our behaviors to save ourselves?”
Are we going to learn that we need to compromise, or are we going to continue to be so stubborn that we refuse to let go of the incorrect thinking that we need to get everything we want for ourselves on every issue?
Are we going to learn from 3,000 years of world history and learn from the mistakes of the eleven collapsed empires, or are we going to stubbornly ignore the facts of history and make the same mistakes ourselves that the eleven collapsed countries made?
Are we going to learn that we need to Respect Every Person’s Feelings and Beliefs so that we are willing to compromise and work together to Save Our Country?
Or are we going to continue to be so selfish with what we individually want that we refuse to compromise as we watch Our Country collapse?
A collapse that would leave Our Children to become the subjects and servants of the next ruling people who invade Our Country and take everything away from Our Children.
This threat to Our Children should scare each and every one of us so much that we are willing to wake up to reality and change our ways.
America is at a crossroads moment in our history right now.
We can either answer the call, and come together to meet the challenge so that we Save Our Children’s Country. Or, we can continue to fight among ourselves because we think that getting every little thing we want is more important to us than Our Children and Our Country.
A famous Native American proverb is, “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.”
The same is true of Our Country.
We do not inherit Our Country from our ancestors, we borrow it from Our Children.
During this very important moment in American and World history, You and I, We, have been assigned the responsibility of providing this all-important watch over Our Country.
For this assignment, we have borrowed Our Country from Our Children for this short period of time until we will One Day turn our watch over to Our Children, for Our Children to carry Our Country forward.
We are not going to fail Our Children!
We are not going to fail Our Children’s Country during our watch!
We will Protect Our Country For Our Children!
And for us to Protect Our Children’s Country, then we need to put aside our differences by Treating Every Person’s Feelings and Beliefs with Complete Respect.
We need to realize that Every Person’s Feelings and Beliefs are just As Important As Our Own.
And if we are Kind, then we need to know that Every Person’s Feelings and Beliefs are Even More Important Than Our Own.
And this thought of Other People Being More Important than We Are is True whether or not we can relate to and understand their Feelings and Beliefs.
We Need To Come Together!
Because this is the Only Way we are going to be able to Save Our Children’s Country and Build A World For Our Children.
The stages of decline for previously collapsed nations were described in detail by Sir John Glubb more than 75 years ago, and these details are an exact description of the current environment that we are now facing right here in America.
Therefore, the analysis of fallen empires more than 75 years ago was predictive of the serious problems we would see in America before our problems ever began to happen in America.
The fact that the characteristics of falling empires were described long before we ever began to decline, adds considerable weight to the thinking that America is currently facing challenges at 248 years from our founding that have destroyed previous countries and empires at an average of 250 years from their founding.
As a result, the first thing we need to realize is that we are currently in a very difficult and threatening situation, and that we are now in a battle to survive and overcome this threatening situation.
The second thing we need to realize is that the 250-year average length of fallen empires does not have a requirement that an empire or country must collapse at 250 years.
Instead, the studies show that countries and empires fall because the people within them make the same mistakes that previous empires have made.
Even in the late stages of its lifecycle, an empire can still choose to make the necessary changes that will lead to its rebirth, resulting in a new 250-year cycle beginning again.
However, if we do not learn from the mistakes of previously fallen empires, then history will repeat itself and America will collapse because we will have made all the same mistakes that the previous eleven collapsed countries made.
As we search for Our Solution, it is very important for us to understand that one of the primary factors that led to the end of these previous eleven empires was an atmosphere of complete division and animosity between people and political groups.
This divisiveness, just like we are experiencing now in America, destroyed the empires from the inside.
When these former empires were in their final years before falling, and the collapse of their country or empire could be seen on the horizon, it would have been logical for the political groups of the failing empire to put their differences to the side, and for the good of their country to begin to work together.
However, the people and political groups of these fallen empires were not smart enough or disciplined enough to do this, and so the people and political groups in those countries did not choose to come together.
In fact, history shows that the closer empires got to collapsing, the more the political groups fought with each other, just like we are seeing now.
Until the countries became so weak internally that an outside force was able to destroy the country and conquer it.
The most important question therefore becomes, “Are we going to be smart enough to put aside our differences and division, and come back together to Save Our Country.”
Our answer to this question is Our Alliance and Our Movement to Reunite America.
The reason we have formed Our Alliance and started Our Movement is because We BELIEVE and Know that we will help Our Country to do this.
As we look to Save Our America that We Love, because history is our greatest teacher, then we want to learn from the mistakes that were made by past countries so that even if we are facing challenges that are similar to where other countries collapsed, we are still able to make the positive changes necessary to Save Our Country before it is too late.
Changes that will lead to America’s rebirth, a rebirth that will result in a new and even greater second 250-year cycle beginning for us.
Together we can make the positive changes that we need to make in America. Positive changes that will allow us to move forward together into a Rebirth of America that will be Even Greater For Our Next 250 Years than we were for Our First 250 years.
The positive changes we will make will be for the Benefit of All Our American People, and for the Benefit of Every American Person.
We will create the opportunity again For Every Person and For Every Family to Achieve Your American Dream.
For us to accomplish this, we need to put aside our differences and come together with an “All For One and One For All” attitude.
The study of the rise and fall of countries and empires shows that the first stage of a country is characterized by an extraordinary display of energy and courage.
In contrast, old nations become defensive in their thinking. They want to hold onto what they already have, and so they get stuck in the past and do not want to try new things.
Therefore, in order for us to grow and build America from here, then we need to continue to have Tremendous Pride in the Beauty, and in the Wonder, and in the Patriotism, and in the Many Areas of Great Success that we have had in our first 250 years.
But we also need to Begin Again.
We need to Be Proud Of and Love Our American Past and Our American History.
But for us to make Great Progress from here then we also need to Move Forward and Renew Ourselves.
We need to become Excited Again About Our Future.
For us to be able to begin a new 250-year History and a new 250-year Life Cycle, then we need to Renew Ourselves and begin at the First Stage of Great Nations again.
Just like we began America 248 years ago with this First Stage of Great Nations.
This First Stage of the Life of a Great Nation is a period of amazing initiative, enterprise, courage, and toughness.
Therefore, we need to become motivated again to create and design innovative ideas that are different from anything that we have done before.
This same need to renew and begin again is also true for Championship Teams and for Champions.
I have been a player or a head coach, or the player/head coach, on 22 Championship-winning teams.
One thing I have learned from these is that you do not win the next Championship when you become complacent or satisfied about winning the previous Championship.
To win the next Championship you have to find renewed inspiration. You have to find and BELIEVE in a new reason and a new motivation for Why You Want To Win The Next Championship.
Because without this renewed inspiration, then you will not put in the work necessary to win the next Championship.
If the team that won the Championship last year becomes complacent and satisfied with last year’s win, then the players and coaches will not put in the work that is necessary to win the Championship again this year.
That is why it is very often said that Repeating as a Champion is far more difficult than winning the first Championship.
The same is true of America as a Country!
America won the World Championship in our first 250-year cycle.
There is no question of that!
And there can be no debate on that because All the Facts show that We Became The Greatest And Most Outstanding Country In The World.
But we are not going to win the next World Championship unless we overcome our complacency.
New Success does not come to anyone unless he or she is willing to Work Hard – Now.
America has won many Championships in our 248-year history. But we are not going to win the next Championship if we do not find Renewed Inspiration For The Future.
The reason that empires and countries collapse after 250 years is the same reason that Championship teams drift into obscurity and do not Repeat as Champions.
Success, money, and power breed complacency in countries.
Complacent teams do not win Championships, and complacent Countries do not continue to be the World Power.
Therefore, we cannot rest on past glories. We Need to Begin Again!
In fact, past glories are the victories of past generations, anyway.
We Need New Victories For You in Today’s Generation!
Economic victories from past generations in America have deservedly benefited America, benefited our past generations, and benefited all of us in many direct and indirect ways, but we cannot rest on those old victories because past victories are not going to Provide You With Your Victories For Today and For Tomorrow.
We Need Your Economic Victories!
We now need to Create the Foundation and Create the Opportunity For Every Person and For Every Family in America to Achieve Your American Dream For You and For Your Family.
For Us to Accomplish this, then We Need to Have Inspiration and Innovation and Enterprise in Every Field.
We also need to have a willingness to Improvise and Experiment.
That is why we have designed and written 65 New and Innovative Ideas that will Take Us Higher than America has ever been during Our First 250 years.
New and innovative Ideas that are different from what we have ever done before.
I am sure that You also have many New and Innovative Ideas that will Greatly Benefit Our Country.
As we learned from the six stages of empires, during the First Stage, the Pioneer Stage, people of a new country have no fear of failure. If their first effort fails, then they just try something else.
And so that is what we need to do.
Just like Winning a Championship, Achieving The American Dream is the Result of Courage, Endurance, Toughness, and Hard Work.
If You Work As Hard As You Can In A Given Day, then You can only get a tiny amount better, an almost immeasurable amount better.
But if You put in this Hard Work Every Single Day, then these small amounts of improvement add up on top of each other, so that when You look back in a few months, or You look back in a year, then You will be Amazed at How Far You Have Come.
That is what The American Dream is!
“Abounding in Courage, Energy, and Initiative, new countries overcome every obstacle and always seem to be in control of every situation.”
“Action is their solution to every problem.”
This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, said by the great U.S. General George Patton during World War II. “A good plan, executed with maximum effort now, is better than a perfect plan next week.”
Fully Committed Action is what brings about Success!
There are many ways to solve a problem. There are many ways You Can Find A Way To Win.
But all of these Ways To Win Require Action – None of them happen on their own.
Therefore, we need to focus on the Actions of a New and Exciting America, and not on the complacency of what we have accomplished in the past.
We need to focus on Winning the Next Championship, and not be satisfied or complacent with the Championships we have won before.
Because it is not possible for complacency and satisfaction to ever be a part of the Next Championship or the Next Success.
General Patton also said, “By perseverance, and study, and eternal desire, any man can become great.”
That is what The American Dream is! The Belief and Knowledge that any Man or Woman or Family can Become Great By Effort, Perseverance, Study, and Eternal Desire.
And so Now we are going to begin the Rebirth of Our Next 250 Years For America that is going to be even Greater and More Incredible than Our First 250 Years.
A Rebirth of America that is going to Provide the Foundation and the Opportunity For You to Achieve Your American Dream For You and For Your Family.
The 65 Innovative Ideas and Plans that we have designed and written about in detail on our website and in this book, along with the additional Innovative Ideas and Plans that You will Design and Send to Us, along with the Innovative Ideas and Plans that We will Design Together during the next Four Years, will provide the Foundation and the Opportunity For You to Achieve Your American Dream For You And For Your Family.
We BELIEVE For America!
