The Oqual Cycle: The 84-Year Rhythm of Human Civilization (2023) E-Book

Amjad Farooq

• Herausgeber: Oquannium Xpress
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Today, almost every nation-on-earth is teetering on the brink of a societal meltdown as it finds itself in the midst of a sociopolitical upheaval, the like of which has not hitherto been witnessed in our lifetime.

Yet, hardly anyone realizes that like a winter that returns every year, such a concerted turmoil across the globe is also periodic due to what I have dubbed the "oqual cycle".

On the basis of scientific reasoning and mathematical modeling of history over the past 600 years, the oqual cycle posits that human civilization seemingly undergoes a sweeping global reset once every 84 years on average in order to purge itself of a plethora of wrongdoings from the societal ills through excesses and imbalances to transgressions amassed over that multidecadal period.

Unfortunately, there is no free music as one must pay the piper.

Indeed, such a societal reboot (or revitalization) is typically accomplished through a global conflict with the potential to not only wreak havoc but also strike fear into the hearts and minds of people on an apocalyptic scale so that they can put their sociopolitical differences aside and come together for the common good of the world at large.

The oqual cycle therefore lends human society a subtle albeit deadly mechanism to break ties with its dysfunctional past in order to begin anew rather than being held hostage from moving forward under its own weight, or even worse, continue down the rabbit hole in perpetuity with the potential for self-destruction.

Taken together, The Oqual Cycle is a must-read for everyone in that it will not only dramatically transform your perspective on how you view the world and your own place within it but it will also become your best companion to guide you as you navigate the dire fallout from the ongoing sociopolitical upheaval around much of the globe over the next decade or so and when you can expect to see everything around you to be hunky-dory once again like the good old days from the second half of 20th century.

 

Leseprobe

www.oqualcycle.com

www.oqualcycle.com

Copyright © 2023 by Amjad Farooq | All rights reserved

The content of this book is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical, legal, financial, or any other advice or consultation. The author declares no conflict of interest nor was this work financially supported by any private or public organization. The author declares no affiliation to any religious, social, economic, political, or any other organization. The author is providing this book and its contents on an “as-is” basis. The author makes no representations or warranties of any kind. No part of this book may be reproduced, recorded, or transmitted in any form without express written permission of the author. Although the author has made every effort to ensure that the information provided in this book is accurate, he does not assume and hereby disclaims liability for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors, or any other inconsistencies—whether they result as a consequence of the use and application of any of the contents of this book, or from negligence, accident, or due to any other cause.

Book Essentials

Final Version on 2023-08-18

First Published on 2023-04-11

Published by Oquannium Xpress

Length: 153 kilowords

Approximate Reading Time: 24 hours

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023905413

Book Formats

ISBN 978-1-960887-07-8 | Ebook (EPUB)

ISBN 978-1-960887-00-9 | Digitalbook (PDF)

ISBN 978-1-960887-03-0 | Audiobook (MP3)

ISBN 978-1-960887-13-9 | Paperback (B&W)

ISBN 978-1-960887-01-6 | Paperback (RGB)

ISBN 978-1-960887-02-3 | Hardback (RGB)

Book Page

www.oqualcycle.com

Miami • Florida • USA

www.oquannium.com

"A life without sacrifice is no life at all!"

"Capitalism is an affront to Mother Earth!"

"Democracy is socialism-in-disguise!"

"Democracy is simple: hand out notes in return for votes!"

"Democracy is destined to break rather than make a nation!"

"Minorities are the goldmines that never run out of gold!"

"The holy grail of a nation is the strength of its minorities not superiorities!"

"Everyone has education but hardly anyone has the wisdom for if they did they would not be doing what everyone else is doing!"

"Migration is the very essence of human civilization in that it keeps nations in the remaking over and over again lest they turn stale beyond the pale!"

"Faith fuels our civilization as it helps us to overcome the thermodynamic bottleneck in order to break through the glass ceiling so as to reach new heights!"

"Religion is hardwired into our DNA and those who try to run away from it face the wrath of biology through being condemned to extinction!"

"History is not only oscillatory but also a laboratory full of knowledge and wisdom that we can only disregard at our own peril!"

by

Amjad Farooq

Dear Reader:

I would like to extend you a special note of gratitude for your interest in The Oqual Cycle—a timeless book that will not only dramatically transform your perspective on how you view the world and your own place within it but it will also become your best companion to guide you as you navigate the dire fallout from the ongoing sociopolitical upheaval around much of the globe over the next decade or so and when you can expect to see everything around you to be hunky-dory once again like the good old days from the second half of 20th century.

While developing the theory of oqual cycle over the past several years, my primary motivation has solely been scientific curiosity—having an axe to grind has never been my modus operandi nor the lack of nuance.

Like many of my peers, you might also be wondering as to why the oqual cycle runs on a periodicity of 84 years in lieu of say 60 years, 80 years, or 100 years.

The answer to that question is very simple.

As a quantitative and analytical scientist, it comes naturally to me to best fit the data at my fingertips to the simplest model possible and that is exactly what I have done with the oqual cycle.

It just so happens that the historical data not only happen to best fit a periodicity of exactly 84 terrestrial years but they also happen to be synchronized with the corresponding Uranian year (which is equivalent to 84 terrestrial years).

Ironically, almost every scholar that I know agrees that human civilization does indeed travel through mountains and valleys over a multidecadal period but none of them are quite sure what the exact periodicity of such a cycle is.

That is the precise gap in our understanding of the trials and tribulations of human society that this book fills.

Of particular note is the fact that the dire spell of oqual cycle leaves no stone unturned as it reaches its crescendo and, in doing so, it decimates nations that have transgressed beyond the pale with their perpetual stream of excesses and imbalances having grossly violated the unforgiving laws of nature.

On that note, a rather doomy-and-gloomy picture of America and other nations closest to my heart being painted throughout this book is not only based on facts but it also stems out of my sincere intentions and good faith in that one ought to be brutally critical of those for whom they care most.

While critical voices remain few and far between even in the face of dire societal straits that the American society has been plunged into over the past several decades by the-powers-that-be, criticism of ailing institutions and breaking ranks with the mainstream propaganda nevertheless remains an essential ingredient needed to reverse course in the face of hopelessness as well as to ameliorate the fortunes of the very community that we are a part of.

In particular, this book is not about supporting one party over another but rather forecasting what lies ahead on the basis of centuries-old historical trends in the most blunt and logical manner possible against the backdrop of a systematic (or preset) calendar that sets The Oqual Cycle apart by miles from anything that you may have ever come across before in the genre of cyclical history.

As cyclical history stands, America today is a decadent nation on its last leg, all the while China is rising fast and furious. America is today where Britain was 84 years ago. China is today where America was 84 years ago. And China will be where America is today in 84 years from now unless the future generations of Chinese leaders pay heed to the dire spell of oqual cycle so as to avert the sinking of their ship a la the dire fate awaiting the American Titanic today.

Finally, to play your part in further advancing the theory of oqual cycle, I invite you to leave an impartial review of this book @ www.oqualcycle.com.

Rest assured, I will personally dig through your feedback as it will go to great lengths in guiding me to attune and further develop the theory of oqual cycle—even a one-star review would be deeply appreciated as my primary goal is finding facts rather than contracts.

In particular, I am looking for additional historical data that refute or corroborate the oqual cycle and that can be further used to reconcile the alternative viewpoints or beef up the existing theory in the next edition of this book.

If you are a seasoned historian or a social scientist stung by The Oqual Cycle and you would like to collaborate with me, I am only a call away.

On the same token, if you have been mesmerized by The Oqual cycle and you wish it was also available in your own language, I am once again only a call away.

Thank you so very much for your precious time.

Enjoy the book!

AMJAD FAROOQ PhD DIC

CONTENTS

Preface

Prologue

|1| Essential Principles

|1.1| Physical Basis

|1.2| Central Dogma

|1.3| Generational Impact

|2| Political Waves

|2.1| Global Hegemony

|2.2| Global Politics

|2.3| Global Reset

|3| Cultural Waves

|3.1| Demographic Trends

|3.2| Cultural Dysphoria

|3.3| Consumption Mania

|3.4| Institutional Fraud

|4| Xenophobic Waves

|4.1| White Supremacy

|4.2| Global Anti-Semitism

|4.3| Hindu-Muslim Conflict

|5| Economic Waves

|5.1| National Income

|5.2| National Debt

|5.3| Money Printing

|5.4| Stock Market

|6| Climate Waves

|6.1| Temperature

|6.2| Droughts

|6.3| Floods

|6.4| Storms

|6.5| Climateganda

Epilogue

Glossary

Literature

PREFACE

Today, almost every nation-on-earth is teetering on the brink of a societal meltdown as it finds itself in the midst of a sociopolitical upheaval, the like of which has not hitherto been witnessed in our lifetime.

Yet, hardly anyone realizes that like a winter that returns every year, such a concerted turmoil across the globe is also periodic due to what I have dubbed the "oqual cycle"—with the adjective "oqual" coined from Latin and literally meaning "84-year" with the oqual cycle therefore essentially being the "84-year cycle".

Admittedly, most public institutions around the world not only seem to have lost credibility but they have also seemingly become irrelevant.

Such a once-in-a-lifetime synchronization of dire sociopolitical straits across much of the globe is no coincidence but rather written in the stars thanks to the mysterious spell of oqual cycle on human civilization.

Not only here at home in America but friends and frenemies from every corner of the world also confide in me:

"What happened to our civil liberties that we once had taken for granted during much of our earlier lives?"

"What happened to what were once our rock-solid institutions that provided stability and direction in the face of adversity?"

"What happened to the good old institution of marriage and our moral compass that once defined who we were?"

"What happened to the rather upbeat zeitgeist of our earlier lives?"

Well, they have all been temporarily oqualled (or silenced) rather than being forever quelled due to the dire spell of oqual cycle that began a quarter-of-a-century ago almost at the outset of 21st century.

However, the good old days are just round the corner and inching ever closer so as to herald the beginning of a new dawn of hope and prosperity after the dust from the looming World War III has settled in about a decade or so as the oqual cycle draws to a close.

What in the world is oqual cycle?

On the basis of scientific reasoning and mathematical modeling of history over the past 600 years, the oqual cycle posits that human civilization seemingly undergoes a sweeping global reset once every 84 years on average in order to purge itself of a plethora of wrongdoings from the societal ills through excesses and imbalances to transgressions amassed over that multidecadal period.

Unfortunately, there is no free music as one must pay the piper.

Indeed, such a societal reboot (or revitalization) is typically accomplished through a global conflict with the potential to not only wreak havoc but also strike fear into the hearts and minds of people on an apocalyptic scale so that they can put their sociopolitical differences aside and come together for the common good of the world at large.

The oqual cycle therefore lends human society a subtle albeit deadly mechanism to break ties with its dysfunctional past in order to begin anew rather than being held hostage from moving forward under its own weight, or even worse, continue down the rabbit hole in perpetuity with the potential for self-destruction.

More specifically, the oqual cycle posits that the sociopolitical progress of human civilization does not follow a linear course but rather it waxes and wanes in a cyclical manner over a period of 84 years due to what appears to be its coupling with the orbiting of the second outermost planet Uranus around the Sun.

Put another way, the overall human progress waxes and wanes in a sinusoidal manner over the course of oqual cycle in a similar fashion to the waxing and waning of the Moon over the course of a lunar month.

In fact, almost every facet of human civilization from politics through economy to climate appears to be beholden to an 84-year rhythm that propagates in sync with the oqual cycle in a manner reminiscent of our daily and annual rituals.

The oqual cycle is thus essentially a lower-order harmonic of the daily and annual cycles in that the trio seemingly act in a concerted fashion to orchestrate the full gamut of our extraordinary and complex lives.

Of particular note is the salient observation that Uranus appears to exert a subtle control over human civilization by virtue of its ability to modulate the terrestrial climate in a sinusoidal fashion in sync with the oqual cycle in a manner akin to the annual climate cycle dictated by the orbiting of Earth around the Sun.

Admittedly, the unprecedented rise in global temperature witnessed over the past quarter-of-a-century is in no small part due to the Uranian spell on our planet and, as such, global warming is expected to not only plateau out but also head south as the current oqual cycle draws to a close over the next decade or so.

Likewise, the wrath of natural disasters from droughts through flooding to storms with an increasing frequency and intensity seen over the past quarter-of-a-century also seems to be largely due to the cyclical flux of our planet undergoing a self-cleansing process under the watchful eye of oqual cycle rather than a direct consequence of human activities.

While the drummed-up specter of global warming seems to be nothing more than a hyperbole hatched by devious actors around the globe in order to advance their propaganda, there appears to be nevertheless a seemingly upward trend in global temperature over the long run though far from being anywhere near as apocalyptic as that forecast by climate scientists.

Importantly, the oqual cycle not only serves as a model par excellence for making sense of the rapid climate change swamping our planet but also the ongoing sociopolitical trials-and-tribulations of our own times that in no small part elicit a wistful yearning for the rather sweet memories of our recent past from the second half of the 20th century.

To say that the oqual cycle represents a Rosetta stone of human civilization that should help us navigate our future with rational wisdom in lieu of blissful ignorance would be to put it mildly.

Taken together, The Oqual Cycle is a must-read for everyone in that it not only transcends national, ethnic, political, religious, and demographic boundaries but it will also become your most-trusted companion to guide you as you navigate uncharted landscape of your life—the younger you are, the more relevant the oqual cycle is to your life.

PROLOGUE

In 1971, I took my first breath in a nondescript abode planted in the middle of nowhere and shrouded in utter wilderness in rural Mirpur—a city located in the foothills of Himalayas in the northeastern region of Azad Kashmir in Pakistan.

Since my early childhood, I have been awestruck by stories of uncannily-similar upheavals paying us homage time and again.

My beloved grandmother often used to share anecdotal accounts of her forefathers and their belief that every century was like a revolving year with many shared features but on an extended timescale.

While attending university in England during the 1990s, I would become familiar with the oft-repeated cliché: “History repeats itself!”

After moving to America as a postdoctoral scholar a couple of years before the 21st century rolled in, I would learn that while history does not repeat, it nevertheless rhymes and chimes as if it were an integral part of our DNA.

More recently, I would learn that the rise and fall of great powers typically occurs over a cyclical pattern of roughly between 80-120 years as theorized by the Polish-American political scientist George Modelski in his 1987 book titled "Long Cycles in World Politics" [1]—though Modelski's model is based on some questionable data and misinterpretation of historical facts, not to mention that the author is obsessed with the notion of each new century ushering in the rise of a new hegemonic power at odds with reality and, in doing so, he completely dehegemonizes the towering roles that the likes of Spain and France played in shaping the world during much of the 16th and 18th centuries, respectively.

Next, I would stumble upon the work of American historians William Strauss and Neil Howe published in their 1997 book titled “The Fourth Turning” [2]—although difficult to read particularly with regard to its biblical approach rather than a scientific one, I was nevertheless able to curate the central premise of Strauss-Howe model that can be summed up as human civilization cycling through a long human life that spans a period of between 80-100 years with each cycle ending in a crisis of epic proportions.

Oqual Cycle

Annual Cycle

Daily Cycle

Periodicity

84 years

1 year

24 hours

Quarterly

Equivalent

21 years

3 months

6 hours

Monthly

Equivalent

7 years

1 month

2 hours

Seasonal Equivalents

Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter

Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter

Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Night

Celestial

Origin

Orbiting of Uranus around the Sun

Orbiting of Earth

around the Sun

Spinning of Earth

on its polar axis

Functional

Significance

Global reset

Annual rituals

Daily activities

Comparison of oqual cycle with the daily and annual cycles

► see §1.1 for further details

However, according to the mathematically-driven work of Russian-American ecologist-turned-anthropologist Peter Turchin published in his 2016 book titled “Ages of Discord” [3], such cycles of human civilization are envisioned to last between 150-200 years—though Turchin's model is based on historical records that barely stretch back three centuries and it is therefore not clear how the author can make such outlandish claims against the backdrop of a rather limited timespan of data at his fingertips.

Tellingly, the aforementioned books paint a very confusing picture that leaves one wandering whether the cycles of human civilization last 80, 100, 120, 150, or 200 years—or, perhaps, they occur randomly without a fixed periodicity in which case the whole thing becomes somewhat murky stripping a logical mind of any real enthusiasm of paying heed to such doctrine.

Being a logically-driven mind to the quartic power coupled with an analytical and perfectionist approach to life thanks to my Virgoan cosmotype, I was understandably dumbstruck by the lack of a methodical strategy adopted by the authors in the aforementioned triad of models proposed for the cyclical nature of human civilization.

Admittedly, genuine cycles such as our daily and annual rhythms operate over a predefined timespan, and cycles without a fixed periodicity represent nothing more than a conjecture rather than a serious scientific framework.

That line of reasoning coupled with a nagging curiosity would lead me to launch my own investigation to look into what is arguably the single most important aspect of understanding our society, and through this highly-rewarding process, I was finally able to connect the dots between time and space as I developed the theory of oqual cycle using mathematical modeling and scientific reasoning to account for the cyclical nature of human civilization in a succinct and logical manner on the basis of tons of historical data both at qualitative and quantitative level.

In order to fully comprehend the recurring spell of oqual cycle on our lives, this book therefore delves deep into the causes that bring about eerily-similar revolutions in human civilization every 84 years on average.

Nevertheless, the book provides a logical rather than an exhaustive treatment of history and how it continues to shape human civilization with particular emphasis on connecting the dots between archetypal (or quintessential) events and trends that seem to repeat at remarkably regular intervals of 84 years on average.

In other words, the major historical events represent constituent elements of a larger multi-tier 84-year cascade rather than isolated cases.

Unlike the rise and decline of human civilizations over the course of millennia as documented by the works of European scholars such as Oswald Spengler [4] and Arnold Toynbee [5], the oqual cycle directly impacts our own lives due to the fact that its periodicity equates to an average human lifespan.

Needless to say, the oqual cycle bears huge implications for us at an individual level and how we view the world at large.

In a manner that our understanding of the cyclical nature of a day or a year helps us plan our lives accordingly, the oqual cycle likewise unpacks our own successes and failures in life in that they very much happen to be an intricate function of the ups and downs in our society over which we have little or no control.

Why certain generations for example consistently view the world through rose-colored glasses while others are flabbergasted at their naivete also becomes crystal clear due to the differential spell of oqual cycle on our lives—it matters a lot not only where we are born but also when we are born.

In light of the ongoing sociopolitical bedlam across the globe showing no signs of easing, The Oqual Cycle bears the potential to become our best companion in its ability to guide us through our worst insecurities yet lend a comfort with the promise of a new dawn of optimism and prosperity in the not-too-distant-future.

The Oqual Cycle is indeed indispensable for the sociopolitical health of nations.

It should serve as a reminder to the-powers-that-be to avoid falling into economic quagmires such as debt trap and money printing at the wrong time lest they take the whole nation down with them into a deep canyon between a rock and a hard place with self-destruction all but guaranteed.

Timespan

Annus mirabilis

Annus turnilis

Annus horribilis

Hegemon

Hegemonic Wars

OC1

1451-1534

1451

1493

1524

Portugal

Fifth phase of

Italian Wars (1521-1530)

OC2

1535-1618

1535

1577

1608

Spain

Sixth phase of

Eighty Years War (1599-1609)

OC3

1619-1702

1619

1661

1692

Netherlands

Glorious Revolution (1688-1689)

Nine Years War (1688-1697)

OC4

1703-1786

1703

1745

1776

France

Russo-Turkish War (1768-1774)

US Independence War (1775-1783)

Anglo-French War (1778-1783)

OC5

1787-1870

1787

1829

1860

Britain

Crimean War (1853-1856)

Indian Mutiny (1857)

American Civil War (1861-1865)

Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867)

OC6

1871-1954

1871

1913

1944

Britain

World War II (1939-1945)

Chinese Civil War (1945-1949)

Indian Partition (1947)

Arab-Israeli War (1948-1949)

OC7

1955-2038

1955

1997

2028

America

Russia-Ukraine War (2022-date)

World War III (circa 2028)

OC8

2039-2122

2039

2081

2112

China

World War IV (circa 2112)

A systematic calendar indicating the unfolding of each oqual cycle (OC) since the birth of Modern Age in 1451

► see §1.1 for further details

Should great powers pay heed to The Oqual Cycle, the quasi-apocalyptic wars that have hitherto paid us homage at least once in a lifetime could altogether be averted.

The Oqual Cycle is also a godsend for the well-being of our planet in that it identifies the disruptive forces that must be kept at bay lest their cooperative action leaves our world on the precipice of a mental collapse.

A once-in-a-millennium book, The Oqual Cycle will not only lead to a paradigm shift in our perception of human civilization but it is also a must-read for an intellectual and curious mind craving for an answer to what in the world is going on, why it is going on, and when they can expect to see the back of hard times that somehow appear to have become endemic to our society since the outset of 21st century.

On a personal note, I wish I had been cognizant of such a phenomenal aspect of our society from an early age so that I had been well-prepared in advance of the trials-and-tribulations of my prime years rather than making sense of them now in a retrospective manner.

In all, the book is divided into six chapters.

The first chapter serves as a primer for understanding the essential principles of oqual cycle.

Once this prerequisite has been met, the readers are fully equipped to browse other chapters in any sequence they so wish in order to gain an in-depth understanding of oqual cycle with respect to key facets of human civilization such as politics, culture, xenophobia, economy, and climate.

All told, the book walks the reader through the current sociopolitical upheavals unfolding across the globe and what potentially lies on the other side of the bedlam after all the nuclear dust has settled and humanity once again begins to rise from the ashes over the next decade or so courtesy of the mysterious spell of Uranus on our planet.

What has Uranus got to do with all this?

COncurrence between UranIAN solstices and global resets

Once every 84 years, Uranus enters its southern winter solstice—the southern midwinter point when the southern pole of Uranus is minimally exposed to direct sunlight over the course of its one full turn around the Sun.

In line with what humanity has endured over the past five centuries, the year during which such a solstice occurs appears to be the annus horribilis due to the fact that it typically coincides with the oqual cycle reaching its crescendo and unleashing the worst of its destructive rage upon our civilization.

Since the birth of Modern Age in 1451, the annus horribilis of oqual cycle has befallen humanity in 1524, 1608, 1692, 1776, 1860, and 1944.

Spaced apart by exactly 84 years, those were really-really horrible times that amounted to nothing short of a hell-on-earth and the like of which is encountered only once-in-a-lifetime.

With the last one occurring in 1944, Uranus is poised to enter its next southern winter solstice in 2028

► see §1.1 for further details

Not only was each annus horribilis noted above flanked by a synchronized-and-synergized wave of deadly conflicts unfolding across the globe but also bore witness to civil wars breaking out across many nations and culminating with the establishment of a nouveau sociopolitical system under a new world order.

For example, 1944 was sandwiched between the destructive World War II (1939-1945) coupled with the dreadful Holocaust (1941-1945) on one side, and the bloody Indian Partition (1947) along with the chaotic births of the State of Israel (1948) and People’s Republic of China (1949) on the other—America would emerge as the new hegemon taking up the reins from Britain.

Likewise, 1860 was flanked by the deadly Crimean War (1853-1856) between Russia and Turkiye coupled with the Indian Mutiny (1857) against the British colonialists on one side, and the American Civil War (1861-1865) along with the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867) on the other—Britain would hold onto its global dominance though closely checked by the rapid rise of America just as the 19th century bid farewell.

On the same token, 1776 was preceded by the Russo-Turkish War (1768-1774) and followed by the American Independence War (1775-1783) coupled with the Anglo-French War (1778-1783)—America would become a sovereign nation and Britain emerged as the new hegemon taking up the baton from France.

Prior to that, 1692 was straddled with the deadly Nine Years War (1688-1697) between France and Netherlands with the latter supported by various European powers including England due to its own existential crisis of the Glorious Revolution (1688-1689)—France would emerge as the new hegemon taking up the mantle from Netherlands.

Before that, 1608 was marred by the consequential sixth phase of the Eighty Years War (1599-1609) between Spain and Netherlands with each supported by various European powers—Netherlands would emerge as the new hegemon taking the helm from Spain.

Finally, 1524 was underscored by the 1529 Treaty of Cambrai in the midst of the fifth phase of the so-called Italian Wars (1521-1530) pitting Spain against France for the control of Italian peninsula as well as global dominance with each side supported by various European powers—Spain would emerge as the new hegemon and Portugal having passed on the torch.

Why should I care about our checkered past?

OUr sociopolitical Titanic has already hit the iceberg with our leaders scrambling to avert the utter carnage waiting ahead

Once every 84 years on average, human society reaches a nadir when it becomes boxed-cornered-and-trapped under its own weight of a plethora of wrongdoings from the societal ills through excesses and imbalances to transgressions amassed over the course of oqual cycle.

This self-inflicted trauma is further exacerbated by Mother Nature which seemingly reserves the worst of its scourge on humanity by virtue of its ability to unleash a barrage of natural disasters just when we are at our worst and least prepared.

Such synergism between Mother Nature and humanity’s unraveling plunge the society into an even deeper sociopolitical crisis.

Today, that is exactly the status quo around much of the globe as sociopolitical quandary of virtually every nation has turned into an insoluble Rubik's cube.

Not only that but many nations even believe that they are being battered by Mother Nature for their excesses and imbalances though they understand not that such retribution is nothing more than a stroll in the park compared to what awaits them ahead over the next decade or so.

Arguably, our sociopolitical system has been hitting a new low with each passing year with no signs of troughing out since the outset of 21st century.

The

Oqual

Cycle

[This Book]

Ages

of

Discord

[3]

The

Fourth

Turning

[2]

Long Cycles

in

World Politics

[1]

First Published

2023

2016

1997

1987

Historical Window

1400-2023

1700-2016

1500-1997

1500-1987

Quantitative Data

Yes

Yes

No

No

Periodicity

84 years

150-200 years

80-100 years

80-120 years

Periodicity

Fixed

Yes

No

No

No

Systematic Calendar

Yes

No

No

No

Previous Cycle

1871-1954

1780-1919

1866-1945

1900-??

Current Cycle

1955-2038

1920-??

1946-??

??

Next Cycle

2039-2122

??

??

??

Geographical Region

Global

United States

United States

Global

Global Synchronization

Yes

No

No

No

Celestial Orchestrator

Uranus

None

None

None

Societal

Domains

Universal

Sociopolitical History

Sociopolitical History

Sociopolitical

History

Author

Name

Amjad

Farooq

Peter

Turchin

William Strauss and Neil Howe

George Modelski

Author Background

Biophysicist

and Polymath

Ecologist and Anthropologist

Historian (WS)

Historian (NH)

Political

Scientist

Author

Nationality

Pakistani-British-

American

Russian-

American

American (WS)

American (NH)

Polish-

American

Author

Lifespan

1971-date

1957-date

1947-2007 (WS)

1951-date (NH)

1926-2014

Comparison between The Oqual Cycle and previous models proposed to account for the cyclical nature of human civilization

► see §1.2 for further details

In metaphorical terms, our sociopolitical Titanic hit the iceberg nearly a quarter-of-a-century ago and since then it has only continued to sink with no sign of lifeboats anywhere in plain sight.

Ironically, every sociopolitical step taken by our leaders to fix the leak has only served to exacerbate the plight of our sinking Titanic due to the fact that such a Band-Aid has always been a slippery slope.

Instead of sending out an SOS call to the masses to come forward and make sacrifices during what have been rather difficult times over the past quarter-of-a-century, the-powers-that-be have been going out of their towers to make life even easier for hoi polloi in an attempt to remain politically popular rather than what was best for their nation.

For example, over the past couple of decades, the global financial system has been flooded with decatrillions-of-dollars of printed money coupled with virtually every nation taking on ever more debt to purportedly address the dire economic straits of the masses.

Yet, such generous handouts have been akin to an addict being given a license to continue to overdose on heroin in that they only served to fuel the reckless lifestyle of hoi polloi having become accustomed to living beyond their means and becoming an ever-rising burden on society.

Just as the addict encounters their rendezvous with destiny once-in-a-lifetime, so does humanity as a whole so as to purge and cleanse our society of its reckless violations of the laws of nature in lieu of continuing down the rabbit hole in perpetuity with the potential for self-destruction.

Such a proofreading mechanism, which can also be viewed as a reality check or quality control, revitalizes human civilization by enabling it to break ties with its dysfunctional past so as to begin anew just as the oqual cycle moves past its annus horribilis.

When is the next annus horribilis due?

THe Next annus horribilis is lurking on the horizon

While the oqual cycle is not set in stone, it nevertheless begins and ends with each full turn of Uranus around the Sun once every 84 years—a timespan dubbed "oquannium" that is to oqual cycle what annum is to an annual cycle.

In particular, the oqual cycle can be viewed as a tale of two diametrically-antagonistic halves: a constructive phase of relative peace followed by a destructive spell of sociopolitical upheaval, with each lasting some 42 years.

Having nominally begun in 1955 and set to bid farewell in 2038, the current oqual cycle is in the latter stages of its destructive spell with the year 2028 in line to become the next annus horribilis—the year during which Uranus is poised to enter its next southern winter solstice.

Human population growth waxes and wanes in sync with the progression of oqual cycle such that baby boom is followed by baby bust and vice versa

► see §3.1 for further details

If 2028 is the annus horribilis of the current oqual cycle, then 2039 will be the annus mirabilis of the next one in a manner similar to 1955, 1871, 1787, 1703, 1619, 1535, and 1451 since the outset of Modern Age.

While annus horribilis is indicative of the fact that the worst of the fallout from our wrongdoings amassed over the course of oqual cycle is already upon us or approaching its crescendo, annus mirabilis all but guarantees the beginning of good times if they have not already arrived on our shores years earlier than anticipated.

Taken together, the ongoing sociopolitical crisis will soon morph into a global conflict of epic proportions that will end no earlier than annus horribilis (2028) of the current oquannium (1955-2038) but by no later than annus mirabilis (2039) of the next cycle (2039-2122) so as to acquiesce to a new dawn of hope and prosperity—such a forecast is deduced with a high degree of confidence in line with the recurring spell of oqual cycle on our civilization.

As the saying goes, no pain no gain.

Indeed, a large-scale global conflict with the potential to not only wreak havoc on an astronomical scale but also strike fear into the hearts and minds of people appears to be a prerequisite for breaking ties with our past and old traditions so as to revitalize human society and usher in a brighter tomorrow under a new world order spearheaded by a nation that has proved itself as the manufacturing powerhouse head-and-shoulders above its competitors.

Without such a real-life horror show a la hell-on-earth, people on opposite sides of the sociopolitical spectrum refuse to see eye-to-eye in order to come to a consensus necessary to rid the society of its wrongdoings amassed over the course of oqual cycle.

In particular, when a society has gone astray and lost its moral compass as is the case across much of the globe today, havoc combined with fear appear to be blessings-in-disguise in that they serve to jumpstart a new beginning so as to reset our sociopolitical system.

On the one hand, fear appears to be an incredibly-effective therapy for deranged individuals to come to their senses and exercise humility after having lost the moral compass or having become accustomed to living beyond their means and a burden on society over the course of oqual cycle.

On the other hand, havoc seems to facilitate the removal of old traditions so as to usher in new technologies coupled with creating megatons of highly-rewarding jobs that motivate otherwise discouraged individuals to get back to work just as the human society sets about rebuilding from scratch.

As for the loss of human life on a humongous scale, it seems that biology is also in on the act collaborating closely with the oqual cycle to pull off its own magic of pitting humanity against a deadly audit so as to proofread its own product before continuing further afield and, in doing so, ensuring the survival of the fittest at the expense of the weak.

No matter how advanced and progressive our civilization may come to be viewed as, it seems that humanity simply cannot shake off the oversight of biology and the wrath of nature.

While it pains me a great deal to deliver such a dire forecast of what lies ahead in the near future, I am only a messenger who is reverberating echoes from the past that seem to be repetitive and unavoidable at remarkably regular intervals of 84 years on average.

Still, a new dawn of good-old-shiny-happy days is on the horizon and will likely arrive some time during the 2030s in a manner akin to the beginning of relatively prosperous times during the 1950s, 1870s, and 1790s savored on American soil and across much of the globe.

A nation's debt burden ebbs and flows in tandem with the progression of oqual cycle producing a perpetual tale of two contrasting halves underscored by a receding tide followed by a rising tide and vice versa

► see §5.2 for further details

However, the ongoing sociopolitical upheaval will get multiples worse over the next decade or so before we see the light at the end of the oqual tunnel.

In other words, the human society not only finds itself in a bind but has also been rolling downhill since the outset of 21st century and it will continue to do so for at least another decade before it reverses course and begins to climb uphill once again with a renewed vigor just as it did some 84 years ago during the 1950s.

In particular, the decade centered on annus horribilis (2028) of the current oquannium (1955-2038) does not bear good omens as it will not only be paralyzed by deadly conflicts and civil wars unfolding across the globe but the odds of a nuclear war breaking out over that period are also statistically high.

With that ominous decade roughly stretching from 2023-2033 having just kicked off, we can already see the tip of the nuclear iceberg threatening to capsize our civilization like never before.

While the countdown has already begun, many are quick to dismiss the utter bedlam waiting ahead as nothing more than fear-mongering on the pretense that none of such doom and gloom has ever borne fruition in their lives except that it only occurs once-in-a-lifetime.

Admittedly, hardly any adult who faced the scourge of World War II (1939-1945) is alive today nor any adult today will be alive some 84 years from now when annus horribilis (2112) of the next oquannium (2039-2122) rolls in.

What is however indisputable is the fact that when one makes a deal with the devil, they cannot expect to have an angel waiting for them on the other side.

Why is a nuclear war all but a mathematical certainty?

Trillions were not invested in NUKES just so that they would be for the showroom

As the oqual cycle draws to a close, with the current one poised to do so in 2038, the battle for determining the new world order gets under way across the globe so as to usher in a new dawn under a nouveau sociopolitical system.

Not only does such a global conflict straddling the annus horribilis outshine its predecessor due to the emergence of ever more destructive killing machines over the course of oqual cycle but the world leaders also do not shy away from using the most lethal arsenal at their disposal as they lock horns to settle the contest for the control of the world and its resources.

Since the dawn of the current oquannium (1955-2038), global powers have hitherto funneled trillions-of-dollars toward developing a paraphernalia of nukes in order to gain a military edge over their rivals.

To believe that such apocalyptic weapons are only for the showroom would be to sweep history under the rug.

Paradoxically, that ought to be a huge credit to humanity for being so resourceful in that it does not invest in something it will never use.

Still, when the specter of a nuclear war is contemplated, it is often viewed as nothing more than a razzmatazz better suited for science fiction than becoming a real-life documentary.

Yet, the same audience would put the probability of a nuclear war befalling humanity at 10% in any given year—little they realize that such odds amount to a mathematical certainty of a nuclear war breaking out over the next decade.

Money printing by central banks ebbs and flows in tandem with the

progression of oqual cycle producing a perpetual tale of two contrasting halves

underscored by a receding tide followed by a rising tide and vice versa

► see §5.3 for further details

Importantly, the hope that the most destructive weapon at one's disposal will not be unleashed is nothing more than a folly that has come back to haunt humanity time and again.

Nevertheless, the looming nuclear war will in all likelihood be a tactical one with the potential to turn a few cities into ghost towns rather than an all-out apocalypse for humans have a built-in evolutionary mechanism to exercise restraint and tamp down collateral damage when faced with utter annihilation.

The notion that humanity could one day nuke itself into extinction is nothing more than a hyperbole.

Still, the looming threat of a societal collapse is not lost on those with means—while they are yet to learn about the dire spell of oqual cycle on human civilization, many uber-wealthy individuals have already begun to shop for either giant bunkers or citizenships in far-flung safe-havens in preparation for all hell breaking loose on earth over the next decade or so.

Although such wealthy fools and their entourage of financial advisors are drawing parallels between today and the zeitgeist of 1980s, we are in fact currently traveling through a similar time and space as we did some 84 years ago vis-à-vis our sociopolitical system in line with the oqual theory supported by a barrage of eye-popping data rather than opinion.

Thus, the next decade or so will be very much akin to the 1940s in a manner reminiscent of recurring annual seasons.

Just as the annual winter does not necessarily have to replicate its predecessor, the same also holds true for the oqual cycle as it draws to a close.

While the looming global conflict is unavoidable, it is hard to conclude if it will be a shadow of World War II (1939-1945) or whether it will make its predecessor look like a dress rehearsal.

Still, given the 800-pound gorilla of our wrongdoings amassed over the past several decades, it is hard to imagine anything other than the latter outcome for the magnitude and intensity of the global conflict befalling humanity at the dusk of oqual cycle appear to be proportional to the extent of our deviations from the laws of nature as evidenced through the unfolding of one crisis after another with each plunging us ever deeper into a canyon without a rescue over the past quarter-of-a-century.

Will the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War turn into a full-fledged World War III?

NATO has already started fighting Russia through a proxy war

While the seeds for the ongoing dire sociopolitical straits were planted nearly quarter-of-a-century ago by America and its European lapdogs via a double whammy of first through the expansion of NATO and then closely dogged by the decades-long self-destructive 9/11 Wars, they have finally begun to sprout around the globe with a vengeance.

In 2022, after decades of provocation by NATO, Russia's full-fledged invasion of Ukraine came hot on the toes of the 84th anniversary of Poland’s annexation by Nazi Germany as the previous oquannium (1871-1954) neared its end.

In 1939, few at the time believed that such a preemptive action by the Nazis against Poland was the beginning of a global conflict as World War II (1939-1945) came home more than two years later with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and, in doing so, drawing the then rising global power of United States into the war.

Unsurprisingly, the echoes of 1939 have once again begun to reverberate with the 2022 Ukraine-Russia conflict showing no signs of abating.

Returns in the stock market ebb and flow in tandem with the progression of

oqual cycle producing a stock bust followed by stock boom and vice versa

► see §5.4 for further details

Just as Nazi Germany and Soviet Union signed a pact to divide Poland between them in 1939, so did Russia and China some 84 years later in 2022 to go about their territorial business with a mutual understanding and cooperation in their attempt to reclaim what they believe to be their destiny in Ukraine and Taiwan, respectively.

With a 20/20 hindsight in a decade from now, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict will come to be viewed as the start of World War III though it is yet to come home just like its predecessor some 84 years earlier.

In fact, more than a year into the conflict, the 2022 Ukraine-Russia tussle has not only gained enormous inertia but it has already turned into a NATO-Russia war in that without the overpowering military support from the West, the Siberian Tiger would have long toppled its much smaller Western neighbor.

To add salt to Russian wounds, NATO has refused to engage in diplomacy as it ups the ante in order to escalate the conflict already threatening to spiral out of control.

Bluntly put, NATO has already started fighting Russia through a proxy war in what is essentially an unequal contest in that the latter’s conventional military power is no match for the West’s paraphernalia of hi-tech arsenal and spurs.

Nevertheless, Russia’s nuclear capability is something to be reckoned with as the deployment of nukes will not only level the battlefield but also take the NATO bully by the horns without even breaking a sweat.

Sooner or later, the Siberian Tiger will indeed be forced to heavily rely upon its nukes as the NATO-Russia war chugs along in that facing the prospect of a crushing defeat at the hands of its immortal enemy would be simply unfathomable for Russian leaders for whom a world without Russia ought to be no world at all.

It is indeed rare that the opposing sides in a global conflict are equally balanced in terms of their military might.

Accordingly, when one warring party feels frustrated or is facing defeat with conventional firepower as Russia is poised to do so over the next couple of years, it will have no choice but to resort to the deployment of its nukes as a last resort to salvage something out of nothing.

In what I call “Oquandra”, the power of oqual cycle to forecast sociopolitical future is personified as the modern-day equivalent of Cassandra.

"Only fools would call Russia's nuclear saber-rattling a bluff", Oquandra says.

“Russia can no longer get out of the mess it has trapped itself into without the use of nukes”, Oquandra adds.

“The Siberian Tiger with a barrage of nukes at its disposal will soon begin to feel like a Cornered Tiger and you know what happens next”, Oquandra goes onto lament as she breaks the rather bad omens.

Admittedly, given its gigantic landmass and sparsely-populated cities unlike many Western nations with densely-crowded metropolises, Russia would clearly enjoy a strategic advantage when a nuclear war does finally break out.

In a nutshell, the probability of World War III becoming a nuclear one is all but unity.

Nukes not playing even a tactical role in such a looming conflict flanking 2028 would be at odds with a time-tested human tradition, particularly when they are already on the bench warming up to be introduced at a short notice in the deadly game of thrones that is all but upon us.

To argue against such a highly probable outcome would be like saying that one can go through the whole winter without a snowstorm.

That is possible but not a realistic outcome.

How does America benefit from the outbreak of World War III?

The global temperature ebbs and flows in lockstep with the progression of oqual cycle producing a perpetual tale of two contrasting halves underscored by a cooling period followed by a warming spell and vice versa

► see §6.1 for further details

World War III lends an uncomfortable solution to America’s sociopolitical upheaval

World War III would be a boon for America in that it will provide a perfect smokescreen (or camouflage) for a barrage of nation's Ponzis from social security through national debt to dollar hegemony teetering on the precipice of going up in smoke any day, not to mention that the looming global conflict will also create tons of opportunities to reboot the nation’s old-and-degenerate economic engine from scratch just as World War II did some 84 years earlier.

Not only will World War III put an end to decades-long economic stagnation in America and across much of the globe but it also appears to be the only mechanism to return to those good old days of economic prosperity enjoyed by the masses in line with the oqual theory.

This is due to the fact that the thermodynamic bottleneck holding the socioeconomic system hostage can only be overcome through the release of free energy via a large-scale global conflict.

While those in the upper echelons of global powers understand this thermodynamic rule very well, they are however not quite sure when to get such a transformation underway though their job is made all the more easier given that such timing is largely determined by annus horribilis of oqual cycle.

Toward this goal, America has turned Ukraine into a battleground with monetary and military aid having already exceeded the $100B mark within the first year alone of what is likely to be a long and protracted Russia-Ukraine War undergoing a slow and painful metamorphosis into World War III.

To put that into perspective, Ukraine’s economic output runs at $200B annually.

Thus, the $100B windfall for Ukraine would be equivalent to God showering America with a lotto of at least $12T annually—while an unlikely scenario to bear fruition, one cannot imagine how such a godsend could make every American so rich that they could all retire at 18 and never have to work ever again.

Till then, Americans must continue to work if only to pay their bills and fund wars.

Indeed, it is mind-boggling to say the least as to why Americans cannot see the World War III in the making and being bankrolled by their tax dollars.

To add to their incognizance, Western media have already taken victory laps on behalf of Ukraine without even realizing that the Siberian Tiger has not even been awoken yet and what they have so far witnessed is nothing more than a mouse playing with the big cat’s tail.

Slumbering it may very well be but Russia is fully aware of the fact that it is fighting America not Ukraine and, when two superpowers lock horns, there can be no peaceful solution.

Rather, utter annihilation of our world is on the cards over the next decade or so as exquisitely forecast by the dire spell of oqual cycle on human civilization.

Has World War III not been debated ad nauseam throughout our lives?

So why should it happen now when it has never happened before?

Had the ongoing Ukraine crisis between two global powers pitting Russia directly against America occurred a couple of decades earlier, it would not in-and-of-itself be a recipe for World War III to break out.

Today, however, the ever-bloating sociopolitical upheaval serves as a catalyst to turn such a crisis into a full-fledged global conflict.

Over the multi-centennial timescale, there appears to be a negative correlation between the global temperature (blue) and the emission of carbon dioxide as probed by the time-resolved Pearson's correlation coefficient (green)

► see §6.1 for further details

Indeed, the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis did not lead to a war between the two global powers, much less a global conflict, due to the fact that it transpired against a backdrop of relatively prosperous times that would make the sociopolitical dilemmas of that era look like a stroll in the park compared to what the world is facing today.

Ever wondered why chemists are darn good at solving problems?

Because they have all the solutions!

Not only that but a chemist would also tell you that one can have all the reactants they desire in a test tube but, without a catalyst, they are not going to attack each other nuclearphilically or otherwise.

Today, the sociopolitical upheaval is nothing short of a potent catalyst on the verge of being unleashed to turn the ongoing Ukraine Crisis into World War III.

Add to that the fact that the fools who have been debating World War III since the 1960s are utterly ignorant of history in that the odds of a global conflict dwindle as human society walks past annus horribilis of oqual cycle as it did some 84 years earlier in 1944 but then they begin to swindle as it cycles back to that horrible year as is the case today with the next annus horribilis (2028) barely years away.

With the writing already on the wall without hors d’oeuvres in the hall, one can only disregard the dire spell of oqual cycle at their own peril as it inches ever closer to our day of reckoning.

Given the perpetuity of a plethora of crimes from having normalized a culture of living beyond means through institutional fraud run amok to the hilt to debilitating economic stagnation that continue to bloat by the day, one would be naïve to think that such calamities will somehow disappear and a better tomorrow will emerge by itself.

Heck no!

Such a societal reboot does not occur spontaneously but rather it happens to be an endothermic process.

In a manner that an endothermic reaction requires the input of heat so as to lower the activation energy of the transition state to generate a product, a destructive mechanism with the potential to strike fear and chaos into the hearts and minds of people on an apocalyptic scale seems to be a prerequisite to rid our society of such a baggage of evils so as to make way for a fresh start.

Just as World War II (1939-1945) accomplished that goal some 84 years ago so will World War III over the next decade or so as utter fear and chaos engulf our society and, in doing so, purge humanity of mischief so as to enable it to come to its senses once more.

A brighter tomorrow is indeed on the cards but only after humanity has been handed due retribution for having gone bonkers over the past several decades.

Once a few cities have been nuked into the ground, hardly anyone would indeed be left with the urge to continue a reckless lifestyle of self-indulgence and hedonism nor would anyone dare to put up a Ponzi over the several decades that follow until people’s memories of hard times begin to fade away once more.

Unfortunately, such deadly punishment seems to be the only mechanism to put human society back on its track after it has not only lost its moral compass but also moral protractor—one could of course pick them up at WHSmith but why bother learning geometry when bots can do everything for you these days:

Bot > You: Hey bot!

Bot > Me: Hello!

Bot > You: How many angles does the pentagon have?

Bot > Me: Right now, the Pentagon has only one angle! World War III!

The severity of droughts seemingly ebbs and flows in sync with the progression of oqual cycle producing a relatively wet period followed by a dry spell and vice versa

► see §6.2 for further details

Admittedly, the Pentagon is gung-ho on turning the Russia-Ukraine War into a global conflict without even realizing the scale of utter carnage waiting ahead.

Can American leaders not see where such escalation could lead to?

After having been on cocaine for decades through running excesses and imbalances at every societal level, America’s parable today is akin to an addict who has simply lost control of their life in that every new step that they take in the misguided belief that it will turn their poor state of affairs around only serves to exacerbate their dilemma.

And when everything goes up in smoke at home, they also set the world on fire.

Indeed, the US government is led to believe that a global conflict offers a perfect solution to its sociopolitical upheaval at home and to once again regain global preeminence just as it did some 84 years earlier in the wake of World War II.

After all, what kind of an American capitalist would not want another global conflict where Europe and Asia get razed to the ground and US companies earn trillion-dollar contracts to rebuild them.

That ploy seems quite plausible except that unlike World War II, America will not come out of World War III unscathed as today’s world is very different from what it was some 84 years earlier.

With the likes of Russia and China not only vying to hold their own with their hypersonic technology having made the globe look like a small village but, in many ways, the Eurasian nations are militarily far more advanced than the United States would like to believe due to greed and hubris in an echo of Nazi Germany.

And we know how that panned out for Nazi Germany.

Unfortunately, a similar fate awaits America as the time to pass on the baton of global leadership is inching ever closer with the ominous-and-defining decade centered on annus horribilis (2028) of the current oquannium (1955-2038) having already begun.

A contributing factor to America’s foxy ploy turning roxy is the fact that the morale within the US Armed Forces (USAF) is at an historic low in an echo of the American society at large.

With United States having bankrupted itself morally and financially through the decades-long 9/11 Wars waged under the guise of freedom and democracy yet driven by the capitalist interests of the wealthy, the rank-and-file of USAF are much more cognizant of America’s true intentions today than they have ever been in the nation’s 250-year history.

With America’s hidden war propaganda having been laid bare, the odds of United States achieving its capitalist goals and goods through World War III therefore do not bode well.

Nor do they bode well for America’s whipping boys across the Atlantic.

Unlike some 84 years earlier when they were the belligerents on steroids and precipitated their own self-destruction through World War II, European nations today are completely oblivious to being fooled and tricked into Siberian Tiger’s den with dire consequences of being badly mauled and left bruised once again.

It seems that Europe has learned nothing from history.

As the saying goes, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

It is indeed highly probable that Europe will be caught in the deadly crossfire between Eurasia and America for a battle for the control of world’s resources as World War III begins-in-earnest over the next couple of years or so.

How will China benefit from the looming World War III?

The frequency and severity of storms seemingly ebbs and flows in sync with the progression of oqual cycle producing a relatively calm period followed by a stormy spell and vice versa

► see §6.4 for further details

CHina is rubbing its hands with siberian glee and feet with indian ghee as it manoeUVERS to take up the baton of global leadership

On the other side of the looming conflict, China is aptly and deservedly positioned to emerge as the new hegemon taking up the baton of global leadership from America some time between annus horribilis (2028) of the current oquannium (1955-2038) and annus mirabilis (2039) of the next cycle (2039-2122).

However, such a transfer of global power is unlikely to happen without a showdown between the two superpowers in a manner akin to the fact that the alpha male in a lion pride does not get dethroned by a younger and more hungrier competitor without putting up a fight of his life.

In that sense, the looming World War III can also be viewed as a rite of passage for the newly-minted hegemon to take up the mantle from its predecessor.

But, for China, such a rite of passage goes through Taiwan for without its soul the Asian Giant cannot claim to be whole, much less a leader of the world.

Being fully aware of such a deadly confrontation and coronation waiting on the horizon, China is working round the clock to beef up its military paraphernalia with the Chinese navy today being the largest in the world and rapidly dwarfing its US counterpart—a truly daunting feat that should not be lost on anyone given that the wars are won and lost at sea.

And when it comes to battling it out at sea, preponderance reigns supreme over all else in guaranteeing the triumph as attested by history time and again.

In fact, history shows that the hegemon is often dethroned not because it is no longer powerful enough to knock out its rival but because it lacks the stamina to go the full round due to the low morale within its ranks echoing the rather poor state of the nation as a whole having fallen prey to moral disintegration as a result of self-indulgence and waning zest for life.