What do you think was the main factor in the destruction of most empires?

Corruption and complacency. By corruption, I don't just mean the government although that does play a role. I mean a corruption of the values that made the empire great to begin with and a lack of basic humanity. People all really want the same things and that isn't to be rich or famous, it's to have their fair share. To have something to show for a hard days work. That's all. The empire that realizes that and is demonstrably working towards that goal is the one that remains standing.

All I know is the British Empire collapsed due to WW2 which battered the British economy.

Maintaining the colonies was getting harder as many were wanting independence and America was against Britain holding on to them by force and offered them no help.

The USA is seeing its own demise as we speak, China's turn next.

EDIT: The Commonwealth is not the British empire for the guy who said so. We cant travel freely through the Commonwealth and they can all leave if they want. Its just a group of nations which shares certain aims/goals none of which are enforced to me its just an image.

IMF and World Bank are the real empires both are American I think.

Well, technically China, England and Egypt are still around. Maybe you mean the Pharaohs, Rome etc?

It's a proven fact that absolute power corrupts absolutely and all great empires eventually fall. The USA is no exception.

America doesn't consider itself an Empire. And technically it's not as they dont own countries outside the US. They do however influence and somewhat dominate the world. But with the rise of Asia and the European Union we are going to see many super powers at once.

The biggest Empire to this day is still the British Empire but they just go under the term of Commonwealth now.

Most empires spread themselves out to thin(area and power wise), or didn't adapt to a changing world around them. American falling is a matter of when, not if. All things fade.

lol Mr. Nice Guy!

Greed mostly.

And I don't think the US will fall in the same way other empires before it fell, mainly because in the modern age countries are so interconnected that the total failure of the US would mean the total failure of the modern world.

Increasing reliance on the central government, and overextension of power.

all empires which used violence and fought wars after wars to conquer other nations for wealth and other benefits. ... like the ones u mentioned above got destroyed. ... ... they should have spent their time usefully for developing their own country with their own resources..... so they have vanished.

will US be far behind ........ if they follow this path?????

Gay marriage and universal health care.

That's what did it for the Romans and the Mayans...

Once you let the gays marry and have decent non for profit health care, everything goes to donkeyshit.

Pride. Thinking that they were so great and not looking past that to see the signs of rotting.