Why “American Decline” Is Overblown
Fear sells.
It is easy to criticize America these days. Many on both the right (Glenn Ellmers) and left (umair haque) make a living selling “American decline.” Others enjoy smelling the seemingly greener grass on the other side of America’s northern border. Fear and apocalyptic prognostications sell. Just ask Donald Trump.
Most of these criticisms, however, are overblown and hyperbolic. America still works. In fact, by many metrics, it is firing on all cylinders and thriving. Of course, there is always room for improvement in this grand experiment of democracy and self-government.
In this article, we’ll run through some of the key metrics that measure America’s position in the world and whether there is evidence of “American decline.” From economics to democracy and civil liberties, it is anything but doomsday for America, despite what some may want you to believe.
American Companies Dominate Market Cap Leaders
Market capitalization is the measure of a company’s total number of outstanding shares multiplied by its current share price. Take a look at the current top 10 companies in the world by market cap and tell me what you notice.
