Common to decline is inability to see the decline and acknowledge it and the likely successors. Chinas challenge to the hegemony of the USA/west is now evident but dismissed by many despite the overwhelming evidence that China could displace USA and create a new world order very different to the current western 'liberal' one. https://www.thepress.co.nz/world-news/350370374/china-stockpiling-should-west-be-doing-same