--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The possible signs of a coming collapse…" description: "\"The possible signs of a coming collapse are the same as the greatest strengths of Western civilization: democracy, capitalism, the generally peaceful l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98b/arthur-demarest-40360_capitalism_the-possible-signs-of-a-coming-collapse_1796831.jpg" --- # The possible signs of a coming collapse are the same as… ![“The possible signs of a coming collapse are the same as the greatest strengths of Western civilization: democracy, capitalism, the generally peaceful linking of world economic systems, our amazing success in harnessing the powers of nature to the betterment of the human condition in health…” quote by Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98b/arthur-demarest-40360_capitalism_the-possible-signs-of-a-coming-collapse_1796831.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98b/arthur-demarest-40360_capitalism_the-possible-signs-of-a-coming-collapse_1796831.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98b/arthur-demarest-40360_capitalism_the-possible-signs-of-a-coming-collapse_1796831.jpg) > “The possible signs of a coming collapse are the same as the greatest strengths of Western civilization: democracy, capitalism, the generally peaceful linking of world economic systems, our amazing success in harnessing the powers of nature to the betterment of the human condition in health, subsistence, longevity. These are the hallmarks of our society - its most successful elements.” [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The traits that make Western societies strong—democracy, capitalism, global trade, scientific progress—also contain the seeds of their potential downfall. **In simple terms:** Strengths can become weaknesses. Key Takeaway Watch for systemic risks in our successes. Themes politics economics technology environment societal risk Mood cautious reflective concerned Type analytical critical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - investment strategy - education reform - public health planning Key Concepts Systems theory feedback loops resource limits Questions to Reflect On - How can we safeguard democratic and economic institutions against collapse? - What policies balance progress with resilience? A Different Perspective These strengths may be undermined by inequality, overextension, or environmental strain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Collapse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collapse/) [Collapse Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collapse-greatest-1994999/) [Coming Collapse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-collapse-1994998/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Economic system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-system/) [Greatest strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-strength/) [Hallmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hallmark/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Human condition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-condition/) [Longevity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longevity/) [Peaceful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful/) [Possible Signs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-signs-1995000/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-civilization/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We believe we are creating the beginning of a new world order coming out of the collapse of the U.S.-Soviet antagonisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-scowcroft/we-believe-we-are-creating-the-beginning-of-a-new-world-order-coming-2/) [Brent Scowcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-scowcroft/) > [We believe we are creating the beginning of a new world order coming out of the collapse of the US-Soviet antagonisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-scowcroft/we-believe-we-are-creating-the-beginning-of-a-new-world-order-coming/) [Brent Scowcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-scowcroft/) > [On the future of the U.S., or of Western civilization in general, I tend to be quite pessimistic. I would say that today I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/on-the-future-of-the-u-s-or-of-western-civilization-in-general-i-tend/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [It can be set down as a broad, general principle that we cannot indulge in idleness and abundance during both the first and second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/it-can-be-set-down-as-a-broad-general-principle-that-we-cannot/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Sourav's greatest strength is his mind. He is hardworking - not only in the nets but also mentally. He bounces back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachin-tendulkar/sourav-s-greatest-strength-is-his-mind-he-is-hardworking-not-only-in/) [Sachin Tendulkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachin-tendulkar/) > [Facebook's greatest strength - its ability to identify and connect like-minded people - is also a major vulnerability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-rangappa/facebook-s-greatest-strength-its-ability-to-identify-and-connect-like/) [Asha Rangappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asha-rangappa/) > [“Our brokenness is our greatest strength. I've been broken all my life, for my life is one on the spectrum with OCD to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/our-brokenness-is-our-greatest-strength-i-ve-been-broken-all-my-life/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [ “In the absence of expert \[senior military\] advice, we have seen each successive administration fail in the business of strategy - yielding a United… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-luttwak/in-the-absence-of-expert-senior-military-advice-we-have-seen-each/) [Edward Luttwak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-luttwak/) > [Your greatest strength can be your greatest weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-clarke/your-greatest-strength-can-be-your-greatest-weakness/) [Michael Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-clarke/) > [I think our big tent is our greatest strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/i-think-our-big-tent-is-our-greatest-strength/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [The Puritans' sense of priorities in life was one of their greatest strengths. 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This is because while you are all thinking of one idea, I’m thinking of five different ideas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mitchell/my-greatest-strength-is-an-unfocused-mind-this-is-because-while-you/) [Ben Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mitchell/) > [Our toil must be in silence, and our efforts all in secret; for this enlightened age, when men believe not even what they see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/our-toil-must-be-in-silence-and-our-efforts-all-in-secret-for-this/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [America's greatest strength, and its greatest weakness, is our belief in second chances, our belief that we can always start over, that things can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-walton/america-s-greatest-strength-and-its-greatest-weakness-is-our-belief/) [Anthony Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-walton/) > [Being funny is one of my greatest strengths. I can make girls smile when they're down, and when they're having a good time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/being-funny-is-one-of-my-greatest-strengths-i-can-make-girls-smile/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) ## More by Arthur Demarest > [“When you examine societies just as self-confident as ours that unraveled and were eventually swallowed by the jungle...you see that the balance between ecology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/when-you-examine-societies-just-as-self-confident-as-ours-that/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [When there is pressure for leaders to respond to problems or crises, they often simply intensify their efforts in their particular defined sphere of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/when-there-is-pressure-for-leaders-to-respond-to-problems-or-crises/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [These strengths, and our civilization in general, have reached an apogee with the end of the apocalyptic threats of the Cold War and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/these-strengths-and-our-civilization-in-general-have-reached-an/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [One of our great strength, world capitalism, is the most successful economic system possible, but has also become one of shorter and shorter cycles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/one-of-our-great-strength-world-capitalism-is-the-most-successful/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [The key strengths of civilizations are also their central weaknesses. 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History demonstrates that expectations of infinite growth lead to collapse. Unfortunately, millennia of evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/no-society-can-sustain-unlimited-growth-none-ever-has-history/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [Leaders may recognize that they are not addressing the real problems, but they rationalize their actions with the argument that they must first politically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/leaders-may-recognize-that-they-are-not-addressing-the-real-problems/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [With apologies to the green movement, "sustainability" is a myth. History and archaeology show that societies are always moving to the edge of crisis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/with-apologies-to-the-green-movement-sustainability-is-a-myth-history/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) [Explore all 11 Arthur Demarest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) ## More Capitalism quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. 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Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/) [Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) [F. A. Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-a-harper/) > [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/capitalism-communism-it-s-all-garbage/) [Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/) > [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Socialism is humanity's second nature. All politicians do is turn human vice into votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/socialism-is-humanity-s-second-nature-all-politicians-do-is-turn/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“Scholars have long debated whether capital markets lead to appropriate levels of saving and investment for future generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weimer/scholars-have-long-debated-whether-capital-markets-lead-to/) [David L. Weimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-weimer/) > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 3,832 Capitalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The possible signs of a coming collapse are the same as the greatest strengths of Western civilization: democracy, capitalism, the generally peaceful linking of world economic systems, our amazing success in harnessing the powers of nature to the betterment of the human condition in health, subsistence, longevity. 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