The quasi-socialist states of Europe have the same problems as the FSoA, with the most successful of them in Scandinavia having until recently relatively small and racially homogenous populations.  Norway also has been the beneficiary of North Sea oil.  I don't see the Scandinavian Dream lasting any longer than the Amerikan dream will though.

I don't think any political system can manage economic shrinkage, which is why it progresses to collapse.  It's also why proposing one is a hornet's nest of problems, landmines and potholes.  With shrinkage you have 3 ways to manage it.

1-  Everyone takes an equal hit

2-  One group takes a big hit the other a small hit

3-  One group is wped out of existence, the other's improves.

This all falls under the category of, "You can please some of the people all the time, all the people some of the time but you can never please all the people all the time."  As economics spin down, more and more people fall off the economic cliff until you reach critical mass and you have political lockup.  In a Parliamentary system, no goverment party can gain a majority and coalitions cannot be formed.  In 2 patyr systems, you have polarizaton.  Inability to govern effectively leads to social instability leads to radicalization and violence.  Ultimately, you get anarchy.

I don't see much hope for a peaceful way out of our economic problems, because even if Green Hydrogen could be used to substitute, we're going to have a shrinking amount of per capita available energy until such time as we have a significant die off of the population.  That won't happen without violence.

So, if you find violence entertaining, it will definitely be that.  It is entertaining, as the spectators at  the Colisseum found in Rome and as we find watching Superhero movies.  Until it happens to you.  Then it's not entertaining, it's an existential crisis.  Which if you survive will be an entertaining story to tell, if not you'll be dead.

RE