The question of whether the US dollar will collapse has moved from fringe conspiracy theory to mainstream economic debate. The dollar has been the world's reserve currency since the Bretton Woods agreement of 1944, giving the United States extraordinary economic privilege. But the foundations are being challenged like never before. The US national debt has passed $35 trillion. BRICS nations are actively developing dollar alternatives. China and Russia are conducting bilateral trade in non-dollar currencies. Gold purchases by central banks are at record highs. Dollar defenders point to the fact that there is simply no credible alternative reserve currency. Sceptics point to history — every reserve currency in history has eventually been replaced. Will the US dollar collapse in our lifetime?
