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What causes a nation to fail?
There are lots of theories
Maybe it is disease?
When the Europeans arrived, carrying germs which thrived in dense, semi-urban populations, the indigenous people of the Americas were effectively doomed. They had never experienced smallpox, measles or flu before, and the viruses tore through the continent, killing an estimated 90% of Native Americans.
Maybe it is poor financial planning like Communist Russia
Maybe it is a revolution like Iran in 1978
One of the theories I particularly like states that: when the complexity of operating a society outstrips its utility then it is destined to fail… 
There are endless books and theories to what causes a nation to fail, but these are all by products of one single criteria that God tells us in the Quran:
[16:112] GOD cites the example of a community that used to be secure and prosperous, with provisions coming to it from everywhere. But then, it turned unappreciative of GOD's blessings. Consequently, GOD caused them to taste the hardships of starvation and insecurity. Such is the requital for what they did.  
[14:7] Your Lord has decreed: "The more you thank Me, the more I give you." But if you turn unappreciative, then My retribution is severe.
Word: رَغَدًا (raghadan)
Root: ر غ د
to be abound in a good thing; (eat) freely and plentifully and with ease; live in ease and affluence; be amble and pleasant (in life); freely; plentifully; with ease
This root and this word occurs only 3 times in the Quran, one of those times was in 16:112 as we just read 
(2) Adam in Paradise 
[2:35] We said, "O Adam, live with your wife in Paradise, and eat therefrom generously, as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you sin.”
[20:116] Recall that we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They fell prostrate, except Satan; he refused. [20:117] We then said, "O Adam, this is an enemy of you and your wife. Do not let him evict you from Paradise, lest you become miserable. [20:118] "You are guaranteed never to hunger therein, nor go unsheltered. [20:119] "Nor will you thirst therein, nor suffer from any heat."
[7:17] "I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find that most of them are unappreciative."
[20:120] But the devil whispered to him, saying, "O Adam, let me show you the tree of eternity and unending kingship." [20:121] They ate from it, whereupon their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Adam thus disobeyed his Lord, and fell.
 
(2) Children of Israel
Word: رَغَدًا (raghadan)
Lack of Confidence in God: They Refuse to Enter Jerusalem
[2:58] Recall that we said, "Enter this town, where you will find as many provisions as you like. Just enter the gate humbly, and treat the people nicely. We will then forgive your sins, and increase the reward for the pious." [2:59] But the wicked among them carried out commands other than the commands given to them. Consequently, we sent down upon the transgressors condemnation from the sky, due to their wickedness.
So much of what we have we did zero work for:
[56:57] We have created you, if you could only believe! [56:58] Have you noted the semen that you produce? [56:59] Did you create it, or did we? [56:60] We have predetermined death for you. Nothing can stop us— [56:61] from substituting new generations in your place, and establishing what you do not know. [56:62] You know about the first creation. Do you not remember?
[56:63] Have you noted the crops you reap? [56:64] Did you grow them, or did we? [56:65] If we will, we can turn it into hay. Then you will lament: [56:66] "We lost. [56:67] "We are deprived."
[56:68] Have you noted the water you drink? [56:69] Did you send it