Dalio’s eight quantifiable power measures can be tracked with data: patent filings (innovation), unit labor costs (competitiveness), military spending as % GDP, trade balance, GDP per capita, financial market depth, currency reserve share in global FX reserves. These allow objective assessment of cycle position. Current US readings (2021): strong military, strong financial center, strong reserve currency — but eroding cost competitiveness and trade balance. China: rising on education, innovation, economic output; still weak on financial center and reserve currency.