Even Great Nations Fall

This has been my worry for the past few years. I've read that throughout the course of world history, there have been many great successful nations that declined tremendously in trade and economy. Some empires are now in ruins and even remain somewhat as mysteries to modern man. My worry lies in my confidence in my own country. Sometimes I feel that our heads are just getting too big for itself. Sometimes I feel that we're hanging on a thin thread. I certainly don't feel like I belong in my own country despite having served my time in National Service, contributing whole-heartedly to the economy, supported most of their campaigns, shed my tears of patriotism, etc.

Am I the only one feeling this way?

The fall of the Roman Empire, British Empire, Greek Empire, the Aztecs, etc.

Was it due to war? Famine? Greed? Change of government? Lack of passion in leadership? There can be so many factors, and it seems so intriguing the more I think about it. Perhaps I'd need to read more about failures of empires, or societies in general.

A quick check on google reveals Jared Diamond's 2 critically acclaimed books:

• Collapse
• Guns, Germs, and Steel

Very good books... maybe I should read one of them after Long Way Gone (which I'm already halfway through)

Anyway, I also came across this article by Yeo Toon Joo on www.theonlinecitizen.com titled 'Is this the start of Singapore's Decline?'.

Maybe I'm not the only one feeling this way after all.