NationStates Jolt Archive

I've been wondering what the world will be like twenty years from now, and I bet our parents thought the same thing.

20 years from now I think electronics will rule. The internet will take over all forms of media, save digital television. Medicines will be extremely advanced and with breakthroughs in gene therapy cancer will become very survivable.

On the political side. I believe China will have annexed Taiwan, and to avoid conflict, the US and Europe let it be. The UN will continue to destabilize and fracture, and tensions will rise as governments run unchecked.

I don't think the future will be bleak...just..."tricky".

What do you think?

there will be no twenty years from now, some nukehappy dictator is gonna blow us all into nothingness.

there will be no twenty years from now, some nukehappy dictator is gonna blow us all into nothingness.

Thats what they said 20 Years ago.

there will be no twenty years from now, some nukehappy dictator is gonna blow us all into nothingness.

Don't worry, he can't stand for a third term.

Twenty years from now, I can't say for sure. But I will say that over time we will become as a world more like one country rather than the present many, many countries. The UN or something that takes it place will prevent warfare. The concept of collective security will mean that no nation will dare start a war because they will know with out a doubt that every other nation will rise up against them. The economy of the world will be rid of the extremes of wealth of poverty between nations. We will have a common language that we share and also our mother tongue. Countries will not need large standing armies to protect themselves from hostile neighbors. Large multi-national corparations will not be able to take advantage of the lack of international laws to hide profits from taxes.

Don't worry, he can't stand for a third term.
at least someone got it

Well let's see twenty years from now.

One word for America,.... Bleak.

In the US poverty will be the main salary line for 70% of Americans as corporations find that even an MBA's job can be off shored. After Engineers they were the last holdouts. Of course there are those who work for the government, but those jobs are few and far between.

College has been put economically out of reach for most Americans so if your parents aren't rich you can look forward to a life of flipping burgers, or take a chance in the Army.

The Bush/ PNAC plan has become the main stay of American foreign policy so the US has become the World's police force as we try to remain the planet's only super power a little longer. We'll be sacrificing generation after generation of surplus youth in endless border and raw resource wars.

So basically in the future there will be people who work for the government, a few private sector managers, some people who make money from money, and the rest of us flipping burgers, sweeping floors, and stepping and fetching! :D

So basically in the future there will be people who work for the government, a few private sector managers, some people who make money from money, and the rest of us flipping burgers, sweeping floors, and stepping and fetching! :D
So it'll basically be the same as now?
:p

i hope we get flying cars within 20 years. ive been waiting since back to the future...

I say someone will kill Bush (come on, it like he's TRYING to kill himself!) so we get Kerry, and things will be only slightly better, but at least there won't be stupid wars :D

So it'll basically be the same as now?
:p

Yes sir, would like fries with that observation? :D

In twenty years, I'll be 37, and quite possibly... Something. I'm really not too sure about the future, so... Hmm.

*thinks*

In twenty years, I'll be 37, and quite possibly... Something. I'm really not too sure about the future, so... Hmm.

*thinks*

Well...think harder dammit!

Twenty years from now, I can't say for sure. But I will say that over time we will become as a world more like one country rather than the present many, many countries. The UN or something that takes it place will prevent warfare. The concept of collective security will mean that no nation will dare start a war because they will know with out a doubt that every other nation will rise up against them. The economy of the world will be rid of the extremes of wealth of poverty between nations. We will have a common language that we share and also our mother tongue. Countries will not need large standing armies to protect themselves from hostile neighbors. Large multi-national corparations will not be able to take advantage of the lack of international laws to hide profits from taxes.
God, how optimistic. I wish the world would be that nice in twenty years. Just ain't gonna happen.

In twenty years, I'll be 37, and quite possibly... Something. I'm really not too sure about the future, so... Hmm.

*thinks*

hmm...ill be 41......interesting....i want to be retired by then...

hmm...ill be 41......interesting....i want to be retired by then...

I'd like to be recording albums until I'm too old to continue :D.

I say someone will kill Bush (come on, it like he's TRYING to kill himself!) so we get Kerry, and things will be only slightly better, but at least there won't be stupid wars :D

If we kill Bush we get Cheney. Not an improvement. He's smarter but way more evil.

I hope to be on a different planet by then, with a small group of freinds and allies.

If we kill Bush we get Cheney. Not an improvement. He's smarter but way more evil.

*shudder*

Nader for president!..

In 20 years, Europe will be even more united than it already is and will be a combined economic powerhouse; however, its main concern will be an aging population with a negative birthrate. Unless the young people begin to have more children, Europe's power will fade by 2100.

China and Japan will continue to have verbal spats but will not actually go to war; Japan may consider developing nuclear weapons and may write the clause about being unable to declare war out of their Constitution due to the Chinese threat. However, like India and Pakistan, there will not be an all-out war, just severe tension. Also, no suicide blasts.

The U.S. will be extremely divided between conservative and liberal as there is a backlash toward the social conservatives. More states will allow gay marriage or civil unions and very few who haven't done so already will write anti-gay marriage amendments into their constitutions. In fact, some states will remove them from their constitutions in the next 20 years (Michigan comes to mind.)

No U.S. states will break off from it, and Canada will stay in one piece...I fear for the future of the Russian people, however; they may revert to an authoritarian state within the next 20 years. I picture Iraq-style elections with only one candidate on the ballot.

God, how optimistic. I wish the world would be that nice in twenty years. Just ain't gonna happen.

Notice I did not say 20 years. I did not give a specfic time frame, but it will happen. Look back 100 years and see where the world was. 1905 was just few short years before WWI broke out, most of Africa and Asia were colonies held by European countries. Today the UN as ineffective as in seems to be at times is making progress in elimanating disease including smallpox, improving health in many countries. The world has made hugh strides in many areas. It has a long way to go, but we are making progress.

"The whole earth," Bahá'u'lláh, on the other hand, forecasting the bright future in store for a world now wrapt in darkness, emphatically asserts, "is now in a state of pregnancy. The day is approaching when it will have yielded its noblest fruits, when from it will have sprung forth the loftiest trees, the most enchanting blossoms, the most heavenly blessings." "The time is approaching when every created thing will have cast its burden. Glorified be God Who hath vouchsafed this grace that encompasseth all things, whether seen or unseen!" "These great oppressions," He, moreover, foreshadowing humanity's golden age, has written, "are preparing it for the advent of the Most Great Justice." This Most Great Justice is indeed the Justice upon which the structure of the Most Great Peace can alone, and must eventually, rest, while the Most Great Peace will, in turn, usher in that Most Great, that World Civilization which shall remain forever associated with Him Who beareth the Most Great Name.

(Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. 5)

I've been wondering what the world will be like twenty years from now, and I bet our parents thought the same thing.

20 years from now I think electronics will rule. The internet will take over all forms of media, save digital television. Medicines will be extremely advanced and with breakthroughs in gene therapy cancer will become very survivable.

On the political side. I believe China will have annexed Taiwan, and to avoid conflict, the US and Europe let it be. The UN will continue to destabilize and fracture, and tensions will rise as governments run unchecked.

I don't think the future will be bleak...just..."tricky".

What do you think?
I think that, should I live to 82 ( which is what I will be in 20 years ) it will have been one hell of a ride! :D

I'd like to be recording albums until I'm too old to continue :D.
htats no good, im sure youve seen what happens when musicians keep musicking to long

If the machines take over, time for Holy War!

The US and Europe will fade on the political arena(how Europe can fade anymore is hard to imagine). The US economy will implode and the government will cut defence spending and go to a more passive foreign policy. China and India will grow on the international arena, especially China. Japan and China accepts an unfriendly coexistance. Japan has in secret developed a nuclear program to defend against a conventional Chinese attack(Japan's economy will also shrink, mostly because of the crashes in Europe and the US and Chinese competition).

I think that people will live even longer weakening the western economies even further(damn it people, die!). The technology will not change as visibly as flying cars and robotic servants. Technology has slowly moved further, the question of oil has been discussed between the nations of the world. Because of the European and American depression they cannot afford to think very much on the enviroment, they need cheap power to get the economy growing.

Russia may or may not have expanded. Under some circumstances, such as severe economic and security problems, some former Soviet republics might become autonomous regions of the Russian Federation. Russia has grown slightly in importance but has been hit hard by the incredible economic recession. Putin's legacy is continued by a hand-picked successor who guards the more centralised Moscow government. Russia has relied on weapon sales to aid its economy, its main customers have been India and China. With elite forces and costly military campaigns most Chechnyan terrorists are hunted down and killed, a small unorganised number remain(considered harmless by Moscow)

North Korea has moved towards China after a change in national leadership. The new government in Pyongyang is strongly supported by China and there are fears of a Chinese sponsored invasion of South Korea.

The weakened Europeans have become more united, the European Federation is a loose union of most European nations. With a centralised defence, a common constitution and foreign policy most day-to-day business is left to its members. NATO is still existing on paper but it means nothing anymore. The US has withdrawn all troops from Europe to save money for its weakened economy.

The war on terror has all but been abandoned. The terrorists have lost large numbers of troops but because of lack of cooperation and diplomacy the UN and the nations concerned have not been able to conduct it efficiently.

South America has formed a union similar to today's European Union, it is new so it has not evolved much yet.

Most of Africa has tried to unite to fight AIDS, famine, and poverty. Africa is in disorder, millions are dying from poverty and famine. Many wealthy Africans, mostly South Africans, have left the troubled continent. Mobs and rebels clash with government troops across the continent. Limited UN peacekeeping forces make no real difference.

Notice I did not say 20 years. I did not give a specfic time frame, but it will happen. Look back 100 years and see where the world was. 1905 was just few short years before WWI broke out, most of Africa and Asia were colonies held by European countries. Today the UN as ineffective as in seems to be at times is making progress in elimanating disease including smallpox, improving health in many countries. The world has made hugh strides in many areas. It has a long way to go, but we are making progress.

"The whole earth," Bahá'u'lláh, on the other hand, forecasting the bright future in store for a world now wrapt in darkness, emphatically asserts, "is now in a state of pregnancy. The day is approaching when it will have yielded its noblest fruits, when from it will have sprung forth the loftiest trees, the most enchanting blossoms, the most heavenly blessings." "The time is approaching when every created thing will have cast its burden. Glorified be God Who hath vouchsafed this grace that encompasseth all things, whether seen or unseen!" "These great oppressions," He, moreover, foreshadowing humanity's golden age, has written, "are preparing it for the advent of the Most Great Justice." This Most Great Justice is indeed the Justice upon which the structure of the Most Great Peace can alone, and must eventually, rest, while the Most Great Peace will, in turn, usher in that Most Great, that World Civilization which shall remain forever associated with Him Who beareth the Most Great Name.

(Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. 5)


I wouldn't be taking predictions from religious texts on this question.

World: At same time more and less dangerous; standard of living increased in most places, though danger of travel may increase in face of new nuclear powers. Most powers will realize danger of use of nuclear weapons; while some nuclear material may fall into rogue possession, none successfully deployed due to heightened security on global scale, new anti-nuclear defenses.

United Nations: Will still be kicking around, but will be severely cracked, at last proven of its own mortality in the face of literally NO ONE obeying some of its charter points and resolutions.

United States: Unknown. Corruption rampant. Likely to be in the middle of a massive power crisis, unless massive nuclear or zero-point initiative becomes mainstream; 'two Americas' issue comes to head, potentially erupting in civil war (crossreference with no one obeying UN rules; international interference is more likely to side with a secedent force rather than a loyalist force based on ideology, economy and power ratios.). Military failed; draft fails to return due to popular opposition. Middle class may be in death throes except for in potential secedent state(s), urban cores. Economy reinternalising, economy and laws in period of readjustment in face of corporate, conservative excesses during 2000s and 2010s. No longer the world's marketplace or cultural center. All of above scenario may be nullified if conservative, corporate excesses come to a head too early.

Canada: No real change, though potentially far greater share of Western Hemisphere output and culture in wake of US collapse. May annex Alaska if American power wanes sufficiently, Greenland if Denmark focuses on itself and EU.

South America: Balance struck between material, environmental, medical resources in rainforests. Decent chance of taking role of manufacturing, cultural center from United States. Equity, worker's protection movements become at least partially realised. Corruption reduced, perhaps greatly.

Europe: Far closer to full unification than it is now, but member nations will still have relatively independent defense and infrastructure. Far less affected by power issues than United States, but still takes some hits. Begins to share role of cultural center with Canada, ANZ, possibly China, India, SA. High possibility of United Kingdom, remaining western CIS nations, remaining Scandinavian nations joining the Union. UK will experience little change, except for potential entry into European Union.

Russia: Reapproaching socialism from the left side. Having trouble with those funny election things. Still producing damn fine vodka. Most books printed here based on economy.

Middle East/North Africa: Liberalising slowly, with Iran leading in progress; democratising somewhat faster, but tradition hard to shake off. Having trouble with those funny election things. Economy attempting to find niche after oil failure. Water wars threaten progress of region. Likely uneasy truce with Israel. Most likely forming a bloc similar to European Union under ideology of paraIslamic community structure, with common distrust and disdain for United States. Decent chance of remaining southern CIS nations joining in such a bloc. Probable accords of trade, non-agression with India and/China; small potential of mutual defense with each, possibly to deter the other.

Subsaharan Africa: No real change, though Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa beginning to have visions of empire RE: rest of continent.

India: Rapidly becoming new home of the middle class. Certain guarantees of safety, protection to lower classes in similar manner to century-prior New Deal in United States. Corruption greatly reduced, perhaps eliminated. Beginning to challenge China militarily, economically, though as of yet no wars with either China or neighboring Pakistan. Infrastructure initiatives largely eliminate 'two Indias' issue. Technology approaching forefront, especially after beginning to work for their own profits rather than those of American corporations. Stands to take role of United States within fifty years, unless China achieves it first.

China: Liberalising and democratising slowly, though rather faster than Middle East, likely because of increased economy. May have limited worker protections due to influence from India. Having trouble with those funny election things, though less than Russia or Middle East. Still dealing with 'two Chinas' issue size of nation guarantees this will endure for some time. May annex Mongolia; this may strain relations with Russia. Middle class growing, though far slower than India. New marketplace of the world, especially after beginning to work for their own profits rather than those of American corporations. Stands to take role of United States within fifty years, unless India achieves it first.

North Korea: Annexed by China after overdrafting on the Party's good name.

South Korea: Left to fend for itself, becomes decent technology centre. Neither China nor Japan will try to annex for fear of India and/or EU.

Japan: Due to new threats of power from China, Southeast Asia, abandons Article IX and reconstructs armed forces. Recession officially over, though share of domestic production halved due to failure in materials, agricultural supply. Sakhalin conflict with Russia resolved because of Russia's lack thereof.

Southeast Asia: Forced into bloc by threats of power from China, India. Still dealing with 'two Asias' issue. May have limited worker protections due to influence from India.

Australia/New Zealand: Republics, especially in event of UK joining EU. New Zealand may join Australia, and both may join Southeast Asian bloc, due to threats of power from China, India, Southeast Asia; in such event, likely to force enhanced worker protections in Southeast Asia, likely to somewhere between China and India standards.

i hope we get flying cars within 20 years. ive been waiting since back to the future...

Man I hope there are no flying cars ever. Picture a 16 y/o totalling his brand new 2-ton skycar. A family could be sitting down to dinner when their livingroom becomes a highway accident.

I feel much more comfortable with trained pilots flying over my head.

Meh, I don't plan to live that long.

Man I hope there are no flying cars ever. Picture a 16 y/o totalling his brand new 2-ton skycar. A family could be sitting down to dinner when their livingroom becomes a highway accident.

I feel much more comfortable with trained pilots flying over my head.

If there are flying cars, people will have to be trained in far greated detail on how to operate them. It won't be as simple as getting a regular driver's license.

That said, flying cars won't become too mainstram within 20 or even 100 years. They will be something that rich people or upper-middle-class people who do a lot of traveling own, just like boats or RVs are today. They won't be as mainstream as the car, and I can't picture too many teenagers operating them.

htats no good, im sure youve seen what happens when musicians keep musicking to long

It really depends on the musician ;).

A new ice age arrives.

i think in 20 years the US will effectively dominate the world, and all the information will be property of Microsoft and the CIA, and there won't be any freedom anymore, since TCPA will be on all computers.

i don't want to live and see it

A new ice age arrives. :) The greenies will declare that yes, they were wrong about the ice age in the 80s and yes, they were wrong about global warming in the 90s but the world is slowly getting smaller due to the number of paved roads pressing down on it. If we don't ban cars and pull up the roads, we are all going to die! Die! Did you hear me? Die!!!

I believe in dystopias, fortress worlds and post-apocalyptic models. 20 years from now, the world will either be how I want it to be (a lush world filled with arcologies and beige concrete and plate grass, free market, libertarian ideals) or how I imagine it to be - think Eyrie Tower, Union City, Beneath a Steel Sky - every kilometre. A corrupt world government, taxes so high that nobody has seen paper called currency for years, LINC terminals, the Happiness Patrol (Doctor Who's answer to Margaret Thatcher's Britain), et al.

I posted this a few months back...

1. China will hit a period of stagflation. This will occur due to a combination of factors, including
a) no longer being an aid recipient
b) having to unpeg the Yuan from the dollar, thus setting off inflation
c) After an initial round of shopping, Chinese citizens start carrying debt.
d) The lack of raw materials at a cheap price will halt industry.

On the upside, China will have mostly completed it's "long-road" strategy towards Democratization.

2. Iran will have suffered a counter-revolution and will be a republic, albeit not likely a pro-western one.

3. White Russia (Belarus) will merge with Russia. (Shoot. That could happen NEXT year!)

4. Ukraine joins NATO, much to Poland's relief and Russia's angst.

5. Western Europe & the Euro will be ground down by the preponderance of the welfare state; Germany especially will feel the pain of having too many pensioners and not enough workers.

6. The US will still be debating Social Security reform, while Medicare implodes.

7. The US and Mexico will set up a real border.

8. India will go through an outsourcing nightmare, as companies flee for Kenya or Nigeria.

9. There will be a major South American conflict in Columbia/Venezuela.

10. AIDS will continue to decimate southern and central Africa.

11. In second and first world nations, alternative energy will finally be having it's day, and new, fourth generation hybrid cars will be the norm, not the exception.

i think in 20 years the US will effectively dominate the world, and all the information will be property of Microsoft and the CIA, and there won't be any freedom anymore, since TCPA will be on all computers.

i don't want to live and see it
Meh, and in technocratical flair, everyone is connected to a central server via bionic implant and is mind-controlled to the point where there are no personalities. And there will be no reproduction - instead, "children" will be AI constructs in said terminals and servers, and the human race will die out with the exception of select civil servants with egos the size of the entire Alpha Centauri system and right-wing policies that are so far right they are actually vertical, cryogenically frozen and scheduled to awake when the world regrows after the human race destroyed it. Then they waste it all over again, and repeat until a stray asteroid or something crashes into the Earth and wipes them out. The global warming will melt the Ice Caps, causing a flood, and aliens will briefly land and correct the Ozone Layer for no apparent reason. Then life will appear and evolve into a much better race than the entire Human Race (however, no branch of Man is better than the other). One that can actually get along with each other. And one that can cook.

In 20 years I will be dead. Here is my reasoning:

1. I will complete a degree in biochemistry
2. I will still be quite socialist
3. The tory govt. will have doubtless got in somehow, and we'll all be living under 24hr surveillance
4. One day I voice my opinion that the Conservatives couldn't find their collective arsehole (and, being the tories, that is one gigantic arsehole) with both hands.
5. The govt. forges documents showing my connections to biochemistry and socialism actually being connections to communism and bioterrorism
6. The police bust down the door and shoot me where I stand.

In 20 years I will either be dead, or wired to the central government as stated in my last post and lose my personality, or I will be a lead singer of a retrospective electropop band. :p

In 20 years I will be dead. Here is my reasoning:

1. I will complete a degree in biochemistry
2. I will still be quite socialist
3. The tory govt. will have doubtless got in somehow, and we'll all be living under 24hr surveillance
4. One day I voice my opinion that the Conservatives couldn't find their collective arsehole (and, being the tories, that is one gigantic arsehole) with both hands.
5. The govt. forges documents showing my connections to biochemistry and socialism actually being connections to communism and bioterrorism
6. The police bust down the door and shoot me where I stand.

It's a nice conspiracy theory, but you have better odds of evolving into a native Manx speaker. :D

In 20 years I will ... lose my personality, or I will be a lead singer of a retrospective electropop band. :pYou repeated yourself there :D

It's a nice conspiracy theory, but you have better odds of evolving into a native Manx speaker. :D


Correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt Manx a very difficult language to learn, much less speak like a native?

We may not get flying cars, but we will probably get computer-controlled cars, powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

Cold Fusion! Oh no, wait, we already had that one fail spectacularly.

Normal Fusion! If it ever gets off the ground.

AI! Well, there is a new one out in a couple of months - Cyc, I believe...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt Manx a very difficult language to learn, much less speak like a native?

Its kind of like Gaelic, but i dont think there are any native speakers left.

<snipped for brevity>

United Nations: Will still be kicking around, but will be severely cracked, at last proven of its own mortality in the face of literally NO ONE obeying some of its charter points and resolutions.


That's now.

United States: Unknown. Corruption rampant. Likely to be in the middle of a massive power crisis, unless massive nuclear or zero-point initiative becomes mainstream; 'two Americas' issue comes to head, potentially erupting in civil war (crossreference with no one obeying UN rules; international interference is more likely to side with a secedent force rather than a loyalist force based on ideology, economy and power ratios.).

Turn off the pundits; this is all highly unlikely.

Military failed; draft fails to return due to popular opposition.

Why would the professional military fail? Even with current recruiting shortfalls, it would take over a decade at even double current loss levels to do that.

Middle class may be in death throes except for in potential secedent state(s), urban cores. Economy reinternalising, economy and laws in period of readjustment in face of corporate, conservative excesses during 2000s and 2010s. No longer the world's marketplace or cultural center. All of above scenario may be nullified if conservative, corporate excesses come to a head too early.

Very unlikely: if any of that came to pass, the world economy would go into a tailspin that would cause the current world recession to look like happy days.
Further, I've seen the reports of the middle class being eliminated by 1988. Then 1996. Then 2003. None of these guesses have even taken into account that little idea of innovation... that people always find something else to do.

Canada: No real change, though potentially far greater share of Western Hemisphere output and culture in wake of US collapse. May annex Alaska if American power wanes sufficiently, Greenland if Denmark focuses on itself and EU.

Actually, the opposite would be true: native Canadian media outlets are nascent at best. Most are subsidiaries of US or other international media firms. And any idea of Canada annexing anything is just darned silly.

South America: Balance struck between material, environmental, medical resources in rainforests. Decent chance of taking role of manufacturing, cultural center from United States. Equity, worker's protection movements become at least partially realised. Corruption reduced, perhaps greatly.

Why would THAT balance come to pass? The folks doing the slash n' burn are already outside the law.
Odds are ZERO of anywhere in S. Amer becoming a major manufacturer due to a slew of reasons, not least of which being that they're very far from the markets of Europe and Asia and mostly lack basic infrastructure when one moves more than a hundred miles from the coast.

Europe: Far closer to full unification than it is now, but member nations will still have relatively independent defense and infrastructure. Far less affected by power issues than United States, but still takes some hits.
Begins to share role of cultural center with Canada, ANZ, possibly China, India, SA. High possibility of United Kingdom, remaining western CIS nations, remaining Scandinavian nations joining the Union. UK will experience little change, except for potential entry into European Union.

The UK is already in the EU.
ANZ doesn't have enough PEOPLE to become a major culture center (no offense to my Anzac buddies). I can throw the population of New Zealand into New York CITY twice with ease... and while I loved LotR, it's not everything. :) Australia? 20 million, and facing a population DECLINE right now
! And 20 million makes it the size of Florida & Connecticut put together.

Subsaharan Africa: No real change, though Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa beginning to have visions of empire RE: rest of continent.

VERY unlikely. Those three states can barely govern themselves.

China: Liberalising and democratising slowly, though rather faster than Middle East, likely because of increased economy. May have limited worker protections due to influence from India. Having trouble with those funny election things, though less than Russia or Middle East. Still dealing with 'two Chinas' issue size of nation guarantees this will endure for some time. May annex Mongolia; this may strain relations with Russia. Middle class growing, though far slower than India. New marketplace of the world, especially after beginning to work for their own profits rather than those of American corporations. Stands to take role of United States within fifty years, unless India achieves it first.

Sure. Assuming they still have the Yuan pegged to the dollar, oil is still cheap, Indonesia still has a stick of wood to sell them and they're still a World Bank aid recipient. What you say could happen in 50-70 years, but not 20.

North Korea: Annexed by China after overdrafting on the Party's good name.


Doubtful. More likely it'll collapse and merge with the South. Hopefully without conflict, as the Germanys and Yemens managed to do.

South Korea: Left to fend for itself, becomes decent technology centre. Neither China nor Japan will try to annex for fear of India and/or EU.

Japan will never annex ANYONE. They're done with all that.

No one is afraid of the EU's military, either. It's only possible to mobilize 4% of it outside of Europe, and there are NO plans to fix it! I doubt in 20 years if it'll be much different.

Japan: Due to new threats of power from China, Southeast Asia, abandons Article IX and reconstructs armed forces. Recession officially over, though share of domestic production halved due to failure in materials, agricultural supply. Sakhalin conflict with Russia resolved because of Russia's lack thereof.

Unless they figure out how to build mechs, I doubt it. :D

Australia/New Zealand: Republics, especially in event of UK joining EU. New Zealand may join Australia, and both may join Southeast Asian bloc, due to threats of power from China, India, Southeast Asia; in such event, likely to force enhanced worker protections in Southeast Asia, likely to somewhere between China and India standards.

The UK is already in the EU. Has been since 1973.

You repeated yourself there :D
Electropop ISN'T dead.

Its kind of like Gaelic, but i dont think there are any native speakers left.

Yep. The last one died in 1974. There are some people whom still speak it today, but they learned from books after his death.

what i want to happen in the next 20 years and what will actually happen are markedly different

but for my main prediction, the world will get increasingly paraniod, nationalistic and we'll head towards another head-to-head superpower standoff, another cold war, between the US and China. the EU probably won't advance much (sadly) and things will pretty much continue as they are. its all a bit drab & bleak really :(

what i want to happen in the next 20 years and what will actually happen are markedly different

but for my main prediction, the world will get increasingly paraniod, nationalistic and we'll head towards another head-to-head superpower standoff, another cold war, between the US and China. the EU probably won't advance much (sadly) and things will pretty much continue as they are. its all a bit drab & bleak really :(
The EU has advanced loads in the last 20 years - 11 new members, the SEA, the Maastricht treaty, The single currency...

The European Union is the most advanced form of international economic integration in the world. Other trade organisations between nations are poor in comparison. What is to say it won't advance further into a proper EMU?

The EU has advanced loads in the last 20 years - 11 new members, the SEA, the Maastricht treaty, The single currency...

The European Union is the most advanced form of international economic integration in the world. Other trade organisations between nations are poor in comparison. What is to say it won't advance further into a proper EMU?

Ha! thats a brilliant acronym. I hope it does advance further just so i can say i live on an EMU.

Ha! thats a brilliant acronym. I hope it does advance further just so i can say i live on an EMU.
There already is an EMU, at least partly. But I agree, being in an emu is far more interesting than the other names for less integrated ones. Except the one for a single market, which is SM. Maybe S&M? :eek:

In 20 years from now Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourgh, the Netherlands, Holland and Russia will be under communist rule, and they will pretend to like it just to show the US how well its going for them.

In 20 years from now Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourgh, the Netherlands, Holland and Russia will be under communist rule, and they will pretend to like it just to show the US how well its going for them.

How on earth would that happen?

The EU has advanced loads in the last 20 years - 11 new members, the SEA, the Maastricht treaty, The single currency...

The European Union is the most advanced form of international economic integration in the world. Other trade organisations between nations are poor in comparison. What is to say it won't advance further into a proper EMU?
the world is seeming to move towards more conservatism and nationalism. the EU may well go ahead with full EMU and further political union, but i'm afraid it'll be slow and Britain will most likely opt out. its not what i want to happen, just i am extremely pessimistic about the future (and i think conservatives will screw it up for us all :mad: )

the world is seeming to move towards more conservatism and nationalism. the EU may well go ahead with full EMU and further political union, but i'm afraid it'll be slow and Britain will most likely opt out. its not what i want to happen, just i am extremely pessimistic about the future (and i think conservatives will screw it up for us all :mad: )

Nationalism sucks.

In the year AD 2025 war was beginning: :D

Seriousy:
-UN collapses (good riddance)
-Europe merges to become the EU (or EMU :D)
-US shifts towards the libertarian (I wish)
-Space travel becomes a lot less expensive and/or is run by private enterprise

Twenty years from now, I can't say for sure. But I will say that over time we will become as a world more like one country rather than the present many, many countries. The UN or something that takes it place will prevent warfare. The concept of collective security will mean that no nation will dare start a war because they will know with out a doubt that every other nation will rise up against them. The economy of the world will be rid of the extremes of wealth of poverty between nations. We will have a common language that we share and also our mother tongue. Countries will not need large standing armies to protect themselves from hostile neighbors. Large multi-national corparations will not be able to take advantage of the lack of international laws to hide profits from taxes.

The only downsides of this are that the most innovation actually happens in wartime, and only afterwards gets civilian uses (aerosol, etc), and that when (not if) we finally make contact with another race in the universe, we won't have much in the way of defences if they're hostile.

Capitalism works because the only thing you can count on with humans is Greed. Many people have a great many honorable attributes, but people as a whole can not be relied on to be generous, environmentally friendly, or peaceful. Therefore the United States, which runs on greed, will likely be doing just fine in 20 years. There will be a lot of really cool stuff, I am looking forward to the mp3 player, cell phones that everyone carries. The culture of, the harder you work the more money you make, will continue its spread across the globe.

What can I say, I am a conservative, capatalist, who is totally against big government. We will rise and fall by the actions of the many.

In 20 years from now Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourgh, the Netherlands, Holland and Russia will be under communist rule, and they will pretend to like it just to show the US how well its going for them.

most of those are already at least halfway there... take away a few more financial rights for businesses and people, raise taxes a bit more, tinker tinker, and voila.

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In 20 years:

China will be the world's leading manufacturer of shoes.

The United States will still have the most McDonald's restaurants and the highest GDP of any country.

The Middle East will be in upheaval (duh) .. with the Israqghanistanael alliance attempting to secularize/free their neighbors.... freedom is so cool, they want others to see what it's like.

France will be defeated by General Wolfgang Doppelganger and his Foreign Legion fellows... call it an inside job... once again Paris will be under the thumb of a German.

Japan will lead the world in electronic/computer innovation.

lol