Doug Rogers

Let me ask you something. Have you ever wondered how long a country is supposed to last? I mean really last, without falling apart or changing so much it becomes something entirely different? Do nations have an expiry date?

Because if you’ve been watching the news lately, especially in the U.S., it kind of feels like something big is shifting. And even here in Canada, things don’t feel quite as steady as they used to. So what’s going on? Is this normal? Or are we entering a new kind of era?

Let’s dig into it.

Now historically, when we look at empires and nations over time, they don’t last forever. In fact, there’s this an old essay by a Brit named Sir John Glubb who studied the rise and fall of empires. He found they usually lasted about 250 years. That’s the average. Some went longer, sure, but most didn’t. He looked at the Assyrian Empire, the Roman Republic, the Arab Caliphate, even the Ottoman Empire, and guess what? Most of them made it just about two and a half centuries before something major shifted. Either a collapse, a territorial division, or a complete reinvention. So where does that leave the U.S.?

Well… the U.S. declared independence in 1776, which puts it right now at 249 years old in 2025.

Right on schedule, eh?

Now, I’m not saying America’s about to vanish overnight. But when you look at the polarization, the political chaos, and the loss of faith in institutions, people are wondering if this is the beginning of a new chapter, or the end of an old one.

And up here in Canada, we’re not exactly immune. We’re younger with our Confederation in 1867, but even so, there’s growing division. Western alienation, Quebec sovereignty issues that never fully die, Indigenous reconciliation, affordability crises… it’s like the social contract is starting to fray.

Now here’s the twist.

We might be entering a new kind of historical pattern.
Back in the day, empires fell slowly. Wars or Battles, famines, economic collapse. Often, these took centuries for change to occur. But today? Change happens fast. The internet, global finance, mass migration and climate change. These aren’t local issues as they affect every nation at the same time.

Some experts think we’re shifting toward a post-national world, where borders matter less, and the real power lies with corporations, algorithms, and global alliances. Think about it, who shapes your life more: Your national government, or Apple, Google, Amazon, and your phone? So, what we’re seeing, both in the U.S. and here in Canada might not be the end of the story, but just the end of a chapter. A long chapter. History tells us that nations evolve. Some fall. Some adapt. Some reinvent themselves. But either way, it helps to zoom out once in a while and realize this has all happened before – even if it never looked quite like this.

I’d love to hear what you think. Do you think we’re watching history repeat itself or are we entering brand new territory?

Drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts, and as always – thanks for stopping by my web-blog.