
The Fate of Empires (1978) [pdf] - mikhailfranco
http://www.thegreatstory.org/glubb.pdf
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mikhailfranco
Glubb's theory of the arc of empires is strongly influenced by Toynbee's _A
Study of History_ , which was in turn informed by the 20th century zeitgeist
of _historicism_ (a belief in recurring patterns of history), initiated by
Marx, refuted by Popper, but ultimately going back to Ibn Khaldun's
_Muqaddimah_.

Strauss and Howe's _Fourth Turning_ follows in this tradition.

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mikhailfranco
On the arrogance and hubris of elites ...

    
    
        XX The inadequacy of intellect
    
        Perhaps the most dangerous by-product of the Age of Intellect 
        is the unconscious growth of the idea that the human brain  
        can solve the problems of the world.
    

On the deterioration of political discourse ...

    
    
        XXI Civil dissensions
    
        Another remarkable and unexpected symptom of national decline 
        is the intensification of internal political hatreds.

