DeclinatioEuropaea

By Matthew Clark

Amidst the chaos of the contemporary war in the Middle East (2026) there is much talk about the decline in United States economic and Geopolitical influence. That the United States is in decline is quite apparent. Yet so is China. China's economic growth has slowed markedly over the last 5 years. Her long predicted ascent into the number one economic position on the globe keeps getting readjusted to further down the road. If the Yuan is converted into dollars than China's economy has not

grown in at least 3 years. China is trying to buck this recent trend by once again flooding the world with cheap manufactured goods, a strategy sure to be resisted by most nations.

Nevertheless the conditions and challenges confronting the United States and Communist China pale in comparison to the demise of Europe. The Old World has, since the European Renaissance (1400-1600 A.D.) been the premier civilization on the globe. At the height of it's ascent Europeans possessed political and militay control of 83% of the Earth's land surface, while leading humanity in every major meaningful category ( medicine, education, applied science, etc.) essential to civilization.

Even after both World Wars, which left the continents inhabitants physically and spiritually shattered, Europe was still, arguably, the vanguard of civilization, if for no other reason than Europeans substantial influence on the people of the United States, the imminent power globally.

As late as 1991, when the Cold War with the Soviet Union concluded, Europe represented an impressive force amongst the Earth's jurisdictions. Her economy(s) controlled 1/4of the World's GDP. The continents three major military and economic powers, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, were capable of mobilizing and deploying their nation's warriors anywhere on the globe. Britain and France possessed their own substantial nuclear triad. A nuclear triad being a nuclear, in the case of the U.K. and France, a thermo-nuclear (fusion) system of land based missiles, submarine deployed missiles, along with Air Force missiles and bombs.

Other sections of Europe were also thriving. Spain, Portugal, and Italy, had rejuvenated their economies while still employing enough of a slower paced lifestyle to attract vacationing North Americans and travellers from the Orient. Poland, Hungary, Czech, and Slovaks, recently liberated from the Soviet empire, started, after a few hiccups, on the road to prosperity. With good reason citizens of the Old World looked to a fulfilling future.

Thirty years later times have changed dramatically for the Europeans. In 2025 European denizens and institutions share of the global economy has shrunk to 14% of international wealth. Part of this contraction can be attributed to the successful financial gains of the developed world. Only part! High youth unemployment, low real wages, and stagnant economic growth indicate Europe is not only in relative decline yet absolute decline as well.

One pregnant statistic indicating the nations of the old continents face enormous challenges is that in 2024 the Eurozone economy grew by a meagre 0.7%. Germany, supposedly the manufacturing powerhouse of the continent, contracted 0.2%. This is now a consistant pattern with the Germans. As a result of the Ukraine War the Germans have been deprived of cheap Russian gas since 2022. Deutschland is de-industrializing, particularly in her once vaunted auto-sectcor.

Youth employment in Europe is sparse. Spain in particular is a worrisome example with a troublesome youth unemployment level of 27%.

Civil strife in Europe is rife. Riots in Ireland, Scotland, England, and Italy, caused by egregious government policy regarding mass migration, large scale protests in France against pension reform, as well as mass protests in Germany and Prague against the proposed inclusion of Ukraine within NATO, all project a political and social system under stress.

A risk adverse bureaucracy enacts policies that inhibit liberty, create overregulation, and stifle innovation. Elon Musk descrxibes the E.U. as a Bureaucratic Monster. Certainly the continents civil service is at odds with the business community. Zew Economic Sentiment Index, which measures investor confidence has been in a prolonged decline. This signals widespread uncertainty about Europes future. This pattern was exhibited well before Brexit (2016). As a result of overregulation Europe has fallen behind in Artificial Intelligence while leading the way in censorship!

On the military front the armed forces of the nations of the continent, with the possible exception of Poland, are in a dilapidated condition. Britain's army is below 100,000 personnel, with a navy which possesses more admirals than fighting ships. France has a slightly larger army than Britain yet one that is poorly trained. France's military has suffered defeats recently in Francophone Africa to Russian mercenaries. Germany controls an armed force which is incapable of deploying in any meaningful time frame beyond cental Europe. Nevertheless the three stooges retain the continents most powerful militaries, Poland excepted. All other European jurisdictions armed forces are in even worse condition than Britain, France, and Germany.

Internal divisions rack the Europeans. Mass migration has turned sections of Birmingham, Paris, Stockholm, Berlin, as well as other municipalities into "feral zones!" Garbage collection is intermittant, as are social services, and police only enter these areas with the permission of local community leaders. Crime is a constant concern for the people who reside in these areas. For instance in 2023, the latest year for such statistics, Birmingham, England had a violent crime rate of 61 for every 1,000 people.

As a result of these developments the "auld alliance" between the United States and NATO (European) nations is frayed, to say the least. In decline herself, the Americans who have for the past 76 years subsidized Europe financially and militarily, can no longer afford to do so. United States parting of the ways from NATO is definitely a sympton of American demise. Nevertheless it is, under the circumstances, the proper policy for that major power. It should not be up to the Yankees to shield and maintain her Atlantic partners, as much as many individuals would like her to do so. With American withdrawal the weakness of the old continent becomes even more apparent. She cannot stand on her own two legs!

And what of Canadian policy towards Europe? In attempting to decrease United States influence over everyday life in the Great White North Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has chosen to pivot the Northern Kingdom toward Europe. While this might bring comfort to most Canadians, a majority of whom who are of European ancestry, it is arguably counter productive. Canada itself is in descendancy. In four years her per capita GDP is projected to fall below Mexico! So it appears given her present conditions Canadian political leaders need to steer the nation towards a stronger economic performer than Europe.There is also a danger that a closer alliance with Europe will draw the Canadians into the Russo-Ukraine war, a circumstance which bodes ill for Canadians. Therefore wisdom appears to indicate that PM Carney should stop the pivot toward the Old World and look to another part of the globe to find partners for Canada.

Europe is in decline in almost every meaningful way. Misery loves company, which is what will occur to the peoples of nations which attempt to partner with the former vanguard of civilization.

REFERENCES

A European's Pessimissism, Europe's Decline, And the Question of Irrelevance, Adrian Gimenez, The Gazelle, March 2, 2025

The Four Horsemen of Europe's Decline

Guest Contributor, The Europorter, January 8, 2026

Zelensky Called Europe's Defence Weak, How Did It Get There?

Azacra Amza, TRT World