Zócalo's Connecting California
The fall of the American empire
The United States may not dominate the 21st Century the way it did in the 20th. What does that mean for California?
By Joe Mathews • • 5m ListenZocalo Public Square columnist Joe Mathews sees the signs of a declining American empire all over. From skyrocketing national debt to trade wars to the authoritarian figure in the White House, American influence is waning on the world stage. How will that impact California? After all, we are a state that knows a thing or two about rebounding from disaster. A trip to Rome helped shed some light.