There is simply no historical precedent for a large empire calling it quits because it could not compete economically or technologically.
( There ( ( ( is simply ) ( ( no ( historical precedent ) ) ( for ( ( a ( large empire ) ) ( calling ( it ( quits ( because ( it ( ( could not ) ( compete ( ( economically or ) technologically ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (EX There)) (VP (VBZ is) (ADVP (RB simply)) (NP (NP (DT no) (JJ historical) (NN precedent)) (PP (IN for) (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ large) (NN empire)) (VP (VBG calling) (SBAR (S (NP (PRP it)) (VP (VBZ quits) (SBAR (IN because) (S (NP (PRP it)) (VP (MD could) (RB not) (VP (VB compete) (ADJP (RB economically) (CC or) (VBG technologically)))))))))))))) (. .)))
Empires are too large to fail and cannot quit just because they are struggling financially.
( Empires ( ( ( ( are ( too ( large ( to fail ) ) ) ) and ) ( ( can not ) ( quit ( just ( because ( they ( are ( struggling financially ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNS Empires)) (VP (VP (VBP are) (ADJP (RB too) (JJ large) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB fail)))))) (CC and) (VP (MD can) (RB not) (VP (VB quit) (SBAR (RB just) (IN because) (S (NP (PRP they)) (VP (VBP are) (VP (VBG struggling) (ADVP (RB financially))))))))) (. .)))