Like the fearful Sicilian aristocracy in the 1958 epic novel, Europe clings to the status quo. But managed decline is not the only option Like the fearful Sicilian aristocracy in the 1958 epic novel, Europe clings to the status quo. But managed decline is not the only option J ust past the quarter-mark of the century, Europe appears to be at a turning point. For decades its share of global GDP has been shrinking and its geopolitical influence eroding. At a certain point, relative decline can