Will Trump falter first? Much hangs on this

Karl Marx believed that capitalism carried within itself the seeds of its own decline. The trajectory of America's future and more hinges on the extent of Trump-led upheavals.

- Ravi Velloor

For a large section of Asia, America used to be the shining city on the hill. It was the post-World War II leader of the free world, the openness of its markets emblematic of the openness of American minds.

The concept of the Fourth E Estate which sees an independent media to be as important as the executive, legislature and judiciary, thrived more in the US than any place else.

The bigness of America and not just for its territory, the awe-inspiring military machine, the oversized servings of food in restaurants and the fondness for the big automobile may have all been wasteful to Asian eyes.

But it also spoke to an expansiveness of the American spirit. Meritocracy came naturally, without the need to give it a E label.

Above all, Americans relished the good fight, elevating the uniformed enlistee to cult status through two world wars and, since then, conflicts on the Asian mainland.

"All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle," General George Patton barked, as he rallied his Third Army to battle in World War II. "Americans play to win all of the time. That's why Americans have never lost nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to an American." Even amid its monumental blunders which included turning a nation Vietnam - into a synonym for war, admiration for the US rarely waned.

Filipinos captured that reality with humour. Amid the nationalistic calls for the US to vacate its Subic Bay and Clark military bases was the plaint: "GI, go home, but take me with you!" Adulation of the soldier was also transposed into respect for the veteran, the retired serviceman.

It is said that the generals in Myanmar softened their antipathy to democratic rule at the turn of the century after several of the top brass were taken to visit Arlington National Cemetery, as part of an American outreach to the junta. It possibly prompted the brass to yearn for similar respect from its own people.