In this country, we talk about an "economic downturn." In the rest of the world it's called a global economic crisis. It's an important difference: one country can recover from a downturn in a few years, but a global economic crisis takes longer. And more importantly: a global crisis is like a shifting of the earth's plates resulting in a different landscape.
America's wealth was made in part by its companies operating all over the world. Our standard of living was invisibly (t0 us) supported by profits that Coca Cola made in Africa, that Chevron made in the Middle East, that Citibank made in Argentina. In every city and village across the world, there have been little American vacuum cleaner hoses sucking profits back here to the United States. But now the American century may be at the beginning of the end. We have gone from lender nation to borrower nation. While Daniel Webster believed that relative economic equality among the Pilgrims was the germ of democracy, we now have economic disparaties that rival the most corrupt, exploitive regimes in history.
In this great, global sweep of history, we cannot expect or hope for a return to the glory days of the empire. It helps to understand, though, that as empires decline, people become afraid, and are more susceptible to demagoguery; the implicit oligarchy strengthens its legal fortress walls.
And yet, the daffodils are pushing their heads up in the cold, wet soil, soon to bloom in golden glory. Pessimism is an assessment of the situation. Optimism, in contrast, is an orientation of the spirit. We are pessimistic about the future, but optimistically hopeful in outlook. Let the spring begin. –Jan Masaoka
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* This issue's practical piece: A Nonprofit Copyright Primer. Provocative piece: Robert Egger on organizing nonprofits for political action. Ask Rita in HR: Can you terminate an employee who's been out on sick leave for a year? Crash seminar: nonprofit research valentines. Mischievous piece: soliciting nominations for the upcoming Just Awards — one for narcissism in philanthropy and one for bad media coverage of the nonprofit sector.
I’m sorry that my first comment on this blog is negative, but….
The thing that makes America great isn’t its ability to dominate nor its far flung empire – it is (or was) the collective belief in the country, its people and its ability. For generations it has acted as a beacon to people right across the globe – particularly those who found themselves in less than pleasant circumstances.
Sure, America has financial difficulty at present. Yes, it has borrowings that need to be paid back. But if Amercia, and Americans don’t believe it can get back on its feet and retain its rightful place as an economic powerhouse amongst the nations of the world – what hope is there for all the rest of us who look on, admiringly, at what you have and what you represent?
America has a lot going for it. Not least its commercial nous, its leadership ability, its siren call to entrepreneurs everywhere. When America speaks, the world listens. Do you real want to send the message that the game is up?
http://non-profitplace.com
Thank you for the thought-provoking article. And thank you to those who posted comments and for reminding us that democracy is about sharing differing points of view without worrying about being exiled or executed. Unfortunately some of our failing may be because we now live in the “it’s my way or the highway” society. You either agree with me or you’re wrong. Well we haven’t survived over 200 years as a democracy by turning from opposing points of view. Let’s use the daffodils to help us talk to each other respectfully.
Your opinion of the United States is entirely off the mark. Economic Equality can be restated in one word COLLECTIVISM. This is not what made the U.S. great.
As a non-profit, dependant upon the economic success of others, I would hope that you see the greatness of our country, the inovation and entrepreneurship of our corporations, and the generocity of our citizens. If it were not for the ‘for-profits’– i.e. the evil corporations, and for the taxes paid by those and theirs based on prosperity, and ingenuity, there would be no non-profits — no foreign aid, etc. (read 25.439 Billion Dollars in Foreign Aid in 2008).
I will be unsubscribing after this email. Sincerely, A tax payer in the top 5%, non-profit donor, and volunteer.
Thanks to everyone for joining this conversation. I wanted to respond in particular to those who saw my comments as anti-American, or anti-capitalist. Although I’m pro-American and pro-capitalism, that isn’t the point. The point is that we observe history unfolding before us, and whether we welcome or hate the changes, we need to pay attention to them and the implications for our work.
The incursion of white society into Native American homelands, the decline of the Roman Empire, the decline of the Portuguese empire, the decline of independent bookstores: these were all driven by deep economic and historical forces that could not be stopped. People did and still act in every way they can to preserve what’s good and shape what’s coming in, but we aren’t effective if we don’t recognize these sweeps for what they are. My $0.02. Jan
I LOVE the lead piece this month in BA!! It’s so honest and frank. I particularly loved “little American vacuum cleaner hoses sucking profits." Thanks so much for your wisdom and words!
Just wanted to let you know how much I love the introduction to Blue
Avocado this month. Really, really, really well said. Thanks!
Jan, I read with great interest your take on the end of the American Empire. I have reread the article 4 times, and it seems there is a bit of excitement in your tone about the American Empire falling to its knees. I especially like the vacuum cleaner metaphor as "sucking the profits" back to America. However, I failed to read anything about how these evil profit sucking machines provided major boosts to the economies of so many of these countries that one can hardly count. I also didn’t see any comments about the improvements in the lives of millions of people around the world as a result of the evil American Empire with its evil vacuum cleaner corporations providing jobs for so many of the world’s jobless.
Help me understand better your true message in the article. We do have our problems in this country but we are still the only country in the world that has millions of people from around the world that want to get to our shores, to at least have an opportunity to do something with their lives.
I’m not criticizing your article, just wishing you would have been a little more positive about this great nation in which we reside. Have a great day and keep up the great work!
John
Wow, I am so glad that you have amassed all of knowledge and insight needed to pronounce a death sentence on our nation and its economy. Yes, times have been tough in ways shocking and new to many and I am certain that had there been online musings in 1930, they would have predicted much the same doom and gloom you do in "Springtime During the end of the American Empire."
I simply have to disagree with the negative tone and castegation of our nation’s wealth accumulation positioned as acquired "with little American vacuum cleaner hoses."
Free enterprise conducted without undue government interference is the bedrock of individual equality. Not an artificial sharing of wealth or forced equalization we have today. Our founders knew this and hence the right to private property ownership. I guess I have more faith in the American spirit of those willing to work hard and persevere in the toughest of times than you and your other commentators with all due respect to the feigned optimism of your lovely daffodil analogy. Kimberly Britton
Kimberly, thanks for taking the time to comment. I believe in capitalism, but I also believe that no country maintains world dominance forever. As for 1930, at that time the dominant world power was still Britain. Whether the "loss" of their colonies or their decline to being an important second tier player are good or bad developments, I do think it’s arguable that their dominance couldn’t have been maintained through political policies. But political policies could have made the transition easier for them and for the people in their colonies around the world.
Thanks for commenting. We all need to talk more often with people with whom we disagree. Jan
"Free enterprise conducted without undue government interference is the bedrock of individual equality." (Since when does Sarah Palin read BlueAvocado?) If it weren’t for "undue government interference" most of us would be out in the cold, equality-wise.
Free enterprise conducted without undue government interference is the bedrock of individual equality. Constitutionally, the inalienable rights of man(kind) are thought to be the controlling principle of individual equality. Free enterprise of the kind that Ms. Britton would seem to advocate is but one competing and partial strategy amongst others.
In any case, I thought the purpose of commenting here would be to focus on nonprofit strategy and health, and that is how I see Ms. Masaoka’s piece, simply a call to re-think in that vein. She presents a model and it’s not a bad one for a field where yes, the concentration of wealth would seem to present the image of centrality but as anyone who’s ever fund raised knows this is only part of the story.
Despite the declaration of faith in the American spirit to work hard and persevere (which can be claimed but who can deny the spirit of mothers around the world who work hard and persevere?), Kimberly must not have read much American history about wealth accumulation in this country- yes, we Americans work hard (don’t forget immigrants documented and undocumented), and we can see the results- most of us are losing in wages and wealth while the top 1% keep accumulating wealth despite the market fluctuations and, slight government regulation.
Yet I guess some of us can still remain optimistic that we will make it to that 1% and keep ranting and voting against our interests.
edgy.
This is the best gut-punch I’ve read in a long time. We can always count on Blue Avocado to say what others are thinking.
Your daffodil metaphor is apt. I once left a daffodil in the glove compartment of my car, and it managed to bloom overnight. Here’s hoping there’s something left in our soil to grow a future of some kind.
I just read your article today, "Springtime During the end of the American Empire" and it simply took my breath away. I am a news junkie and read all my favorite writers and op ed folks each day, but no one has actually described the situation so elegantly and succinctly as
you.
I am a product of it all – I grew up in the glory days of the empire and have been seeing it slip away. I am an aging babyboomer hoping to hang on to my job, with a husband who used to make a living in the auto industry, savings gone, two daughters in their 20’s in jobs with little hope of pensions or decent insurance – and all of us afraid for the future. This is not what the American Dream is supposed to look like.
I have had an internal sense of all of us on a sinking ship, but it was not until I read your piece that it became clear – the empire really is gone and it won’t be coming back. We all had hope a year or so ago, but it is getting more difficult…… But Jan, your picture of the daffodil and statement that "pessimism is an assessment of the situation – optimism, in contrast is an orientation of the spirit" lifted my spirits and that picture and quote are now pasted above my desk and on our refrigerator. Thank you for your wonderful work and beautiful writing.
Way to go! I just want to let you know how impressed I am with this opener. Deep and smart!
John, this is an excellent question. I’m afraid we can’t answer all the questions to Blue Avocado, but this will make a great future article. Jan
Several organizations I know are or should be concerned about protecting their names and event names. How should they approach this?