The straw that broke the Soviet Union’s back was the inability to pay employees. California is now starting to do the same.
Yep...
That’s exactly right. When Soviet Army officers and troops were not paid, they went through a period of utter beggery. Under those circumstances, the troops were both unwilling and unable to force the discontented national republics to stay in the USSR. They were literally living off of the charity of the “rebels” in some cases. Soldiers were digging potatos and officers were cleaning offices to make ends meet.
We may meet the same fate, if the economy collapses.