Rise & fall of empire

Decline and rise of an empire

So I've often stated that we are living through the decline ofthe American empire. Given the events of October 2008 I think few would disagree. The question of who will rise, however, is always a topic of some debate.

The general consensus is that it's an emerging Market, the usual subjects are China, India, and Brazil with the occasional dark horses of Russia/CIS and even the EU.

At the Between conference in Capri last week over dinner, some friends and I were having this exact discussion. I gave my usual pronouncement that while I admire the Market power of China as an entrepreneur I find it a difficult place to believe in due the existence of only the carrot of maret opportunity with no stick of legal/international due process. I pushed my strawman Eu theory (see earlier blog post) and someone raised the ever present counter of India. I found myself struck by a sudden realization. The rise of the american empire was really and innately about pmnupreawnce of American media.The cultural imperialism of cinema, music and tv drove demand for goods and services in the world which in turn positioned the us as a world leader in hearts and minds. The rest, as they say is history!

Under this methodology the new and rising media force in the world is actually India - more specifically bollywood! Their voracious output paired with rising - though confusing - cultural adoption in MENA and Asia make an excellent case for India as the next world empire. Add this to the enormous percentage of the World's millionaires who, thanks to silicon valley and the h1 visa include a greater percentage of Indians than any other! Something to ponder as we consider the future, yet I know a few things about the future:
It's viral, the future empire will build through cellular infection, not through military or mass Market dominence

It will intrinsically understand sustainability and that in a closed system inputs and outputs must always be equal, wheel of life indeed.

It will look nothing like today, yet is is just around the corner