Energy crisis, spiralling inflation, dependence on external powers, war on our doorstep, climate damage, rise of Islamism, daily insecurity, apathy on the part of the citizens, anti-democratic forces, plummeting birth rates, evaporation of values: those who believe that Europe is going to hell in a hand cart have any number of examples to choose from to back up their argument.
There is a huge body of scientific literature that can explain the decline of empires or civilisations – after the...