America is a unique phenomenon in world history, the greatest success story among the world's nations and one that defies the usual classifications of social science. It also might become history's greatest tragedy, a promise unfulfilled due to civilizational fatigue. America flourished on the strength of a singular political and religious culture. To revive American power we require a deeper account of our culture and its role in shaping America's destiny.

David P. Goldman writes the Spengler column atAsia Times Onlineand blogs at PJ Media. He has written for numerous publications includingThe Wall Street Journal,Commentary, andFirst Things, where he was a Senior Editor from 2009 to 2011. Goldman is also a fellow at the Middle East Forum and at the London Center for Policy Studies. His bookHow Civilizations Die (and Why Islam is Dying, Too)was published in 2011 by Regnery. A book of essays,It’s Not the End of the World – It’s Just the End of You(Van Praag) also appeared in 2011.

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