NationStates Jolt Archive

Hmm...
America's economy is in a bust, europes union is failing, china and india are becoming superpowers, The abandonment of ideologies with the rush for the Centrist ground will cause either Apathy or votes for extremist parties, causing Dictatorships.
General attitude toward america is cold at best, as such these dictatorships will likely launch a war, all the while global warming cooking us and the arms race destroying our major cities.


Whats your viewon the future, is mine close to your predictions?

The U.S. economy is doing pretty decently, and the only thing that really poses a threat to it's continues sucess is the government going crazy with the racking up of debt. And i don't know where you got the idea that people will abandon ideaologies, nor how this will all of a sudden lead to dictators springing up everywhere.

The U.S. economy is doing pretty decently, and the only thing that really poses a threat to it's continues sucess is the government going crazy with the racking up of debt. And i don't know where you got the idea that people will abandon ideaologies, nor how this will all of a sudden lead to dictators springing up everywhere.

Not people, political parties.
In the bid for gaining votes, parties are attempting to appeal to everyone, this is the case in the UK

The conservatives are a traditionally Right party, Labour a Left, Liberals a Center.

Recently this has changed, Labour Center, Liberals Center, Conservatives Center-Right.

This causes apathy with parties, and allows political parties with extreme views, such as Far-Left and Far-Right to be elected due to the fact that they come closer to Left and Right ideologies.
This was the case in the Weimar republic, and led to the rise of the nazis

Economic growth across the world makes almost everyone richer and starts slowly pulling people in poor countries out of poverty. Developed countries switch to greener souces of power and transport, with the United States being the slowest to adapt. Alternative power takes off in the developing world with help from Europe etc. because wind and solar power don't need to be connected to a grid. The earth continues to warm due to increased levels of CO2 which causes problems, but fortunately sea level rises are very slow over the next generation or so due to ice sheets needing time to warm up. Peak oil is not a huge problem due to a conservation and more use of rail and water transport. The United States has an Argentenian style financial crisis, but rapid economic growth prevents too much economic hardship. The United States regains some of the status it lost at the start of the centuary and works in concert with other developed nations to partially solve some world problems. Increasing women's rights helps stabilize many developing countries.

In fifty years time the earth is richer, safer and greener. The U.S. is like France today, a powerful rich country with attitude, but only taken seriously when acting in concert with allies. India and China are powerful, but mostly preoccupied with internal affairs. China almost collapsed but is now more stable and is now a fairly corrupt but mostly democratic nation. People are starting to panic about sea levels that are now starting to rise.

*Gets out old notes*

We get these threads from time to time. I wrote this a year ago, but I don't think much changed.

2005-2010.
The world continues much as it has so far.
American troops eventually end the occupation of Iraq, but maintain a sizeable force on their military bases in the country. Insurgents still cause some uncertainty, but the now well equipped and ruthless Iraqi Security Police cracks down on any Islamic movements with great efficiency.
In Central Asia, much goes on as it has before. Some old dictatorships are overthrown and replaced by new ones, which all try and get support from the various powers.
India and Pakistan finally sign a peace and friendship treaty, and work towards an independent Kashmir, which is to be included in a new South-Asian free trade zone.
The Republicans continue to dominate US-Politics, with Hillary Clinton the last democrat to get even close to Jeb Bush’s numbers. Social Security and Retirement funds are privatised and monopoly laws are softened. The US Economy thrives on this, while the poor become poorer and public schooling becomes a nightmare. All in all, things are looking good though.
China continues to modernise, spending hundreds of billions on improved infrastructure and improving local industries. US trade officials still demand the Yuan to be freely floated, but cheap Chinese Labour is too important as that anyone could force China to do so. Relations with Taiwan remain largely as they are now.
In Europe, the fall-out of the failed constitution of 2005 continues to weaken all efforts to coordinate policies. Britain states repeatedly that it sees the EU as an FTA without any political function and resists any movement into that direction. The Russian government and EU-Leaders though declare a closer friendship treaty that is to open the way for an alliance of interests in later times.
The UN is reformed, with Germany, Brazil and Japan receiving permanent seats without veto-power. An African representative is planned but never introduced. Global Warming is still an unimportant issue, while crops in the third world and in Australia suffer from droughts and tropical storms claim hundreds of lives.
Islamic Terrorist Groups, such as Al Qaeda slowly fade away, as Osama Bin Laden suffers a stroke and dies, never to have been found or arrested. Ayman Al-Zawahiri vows to continue the struggle, but as the times change, new recruits become scarce and the war on terror becomes a thing of the past.

2010-2020.
A new war in the Balkans stretches NATO to its limits, as the US-Government refuses to get involved. Popular opinion is against helping the Europeans, and NATO is quietly disbanded. EU Peacekeeping forces are greatly stretched, but manage to keep control in key areas, as diplomats begin negotiations. In the end, the EU is successful, as the Balkans become peaceful members of the EU and continue their rivalries diplomatically.
In the early 2010’s a shock goes through the world economy, as a popular movement inspired by Islamic clerics as well as Western democratic activism launches a revolution in Saudi Arabia. Thousands die as armed forces and demonstrators clash all over the country. US-officials are unsure how to react, as this is a popular, largely democratic movement against an autocratic regime. American popular opinion is also against any involvement in the issue. When the Saudi royal family is overthrown and killed however, the result is a massive break-in of stock prices all over the world. Hardest hit is the US, as trillions in Saudi-Investment suddenly disappear or are claimed by others and oil prices hit $100 per barrel.
In Iraq, a revolt of Sunni Muslims leads to civil war, splitting Iraq into three parts: Kurdistan, the Arabic Republic of Iraq and the South-East, which is eventually annexed by Iran.
In Europe the economies crumble as well, as Central Asian and Russian suppliers find themselves unable to fulfil oil demands. The Alliance between the EU and Russia is never realised, as all countries are once again drawn into a great depression.
China is very badly hit as well. As foreign demand diminishes and resources become harder to procure, China finally decides to float the Yuan and reform its banking system. The result is a collapse similar to those in the US and the EU, leaving the government on the ropes. For a time it looks like civil war could break out, but compassionate pleas from many sides bring the masses back from the brink, and the communist party is disbanded. Two new forces take its place, one Maoist party and a new direction, forming a curious mix of Chinese nationalism, Confucianism and Capitalism. This new party wins the general election and rules the nation for the years to come.
Israel suffers greatly under the sudden stop of US-aid and the spiralling world economy, leaving the Prime Minister with no choice but to downsize the armed forces and push for an immediate settlement with the Palestinians. A Palestinian state is created in the following year.
In the US the economic collapse has catastrophic consequences. As tax revenue crumbles, the Government cuts its spending as demand for its bonds is near nil, and no more funds are available. The space program is discontinued, as is much military research and an overhaul of national education systems. Furthermore, the democrats have now faded almost out of the picture, with the filibuster gone and public opinion firmly directed against weak-minded liberals. Strong nationalism leads to aggressive tariffs and quotas being introduced against foreign companies, who are often blamed for the economic collapse.

2020-2030.
The World is gradually recovering from the collapse. Oil continues to become scarce, and global warming has now made farming unviable in much of Australia, Southern Africa and so on, but the priorities of the world are on other things.
In the US, Fox Media has offered to buy the struggling CNN, the last news corporation other than Fox. When the US Government isn’t forthcoming with a decision, Fox sues at the Supreme Court, which eventually rules in favour of Fox. Civil Rights Groups are outraged, many Republicans hail the decision as a landmark, and most Americans couldn’t care less, as they haven’t been watching much news anyways.
The EU is making headway politically after the UK had declared itself no longer a full member during the depression. A new constitution is introduced, abandoning most national governmental departments and parliaments and replacing them with European ones. At CERN French scientists develop the technology for the peaceful use of nuclear fusion. The EU quickly realises the possibilities and begins to construct fusion plants and exports energy.
India and Pakistan are also recovering and increase their influence over formerly American-controlled central Asian nations in an attempt to secure more oil reserves.
Russia has become more centralistic during the depression, but is mainly directing its interest at Central Asia as well.
The UN, which had faded almost out of existence during the depression is reconstructed, abandoning the security council and giving every country votes based on population and other factors.
In China, the new government completes its reforms and reconstruction efforts successfully, and is in a strong position. The second largest country on Earth, it presides over the strongest economy and a powerful, reformed and modernised military.
In Taiwan, a referendum is held on whether the island should join the new mainland, which is successful. Talks begin immediately, as Chinese police forces are invited on the island and hailed as friends. In America, this new development is very concerning. Fearing Chinese expansion and losing its presence in Asia, the US is determined not to let the two nations unite. When diplomatic pressure is ignored by the Chinese, US warships begin to move. North of Taiwan, there is first contact as a Chinese drone is shot down. When US Special Forces are found on Taiwan, the unified Chinese governments react with anger. A deadline is set for the US to leave the area. When American officials refuse, a massive upset hits the world. A taskforce carrier group of the US Navy was attacked by a swarm of Cruise Missiles, and a nuclear carrier was hit so badly that it sunk the following day. More than 1000 US Crewmembers die.
The following days are spent with waiting for imminent nuclear apocalypse, as the US Military asks the president for the right to hit back with all might. Only the combined pressure of the entire world, and a threat by all other nuclear powers to side with whoever is being shot at first convinces the US President to be the better man and back off. From this day on, the US Hegemony over the planet is over.

2030-2040.
In combined elections the people of Pakistan and India unite their nations once more to form the new largest economy on earth. Proclaiming that they are not interested in military power, they stay neutral.
The EU is finally declared one single state, ending 2000 years of intra-european rivalry and an FTA is declared with Russia. Furthermore, a new alliance (similar to the old EU) is declared between Europe and the nations of North Africa, Kazakhstan and its neighbours, as well as with Canada and later Mexico. American protests are ignored, as they are based on ideology without facts to support them. Nuclear fusion technology is used wherever a nation was ready to comply with certain criteria. China soon developed its own version but the US refused, slowly developing its own fusion technology based on a different approach.
In America, liberalism and anti-government sentiment has lead to a gradual disappearing of an ordered police force. Local groups and companies are vying for the right to take care of security, often at gun point, leaving behind an anarchy.
FoxNews is no longer showing news from the world outside the US. Immigration was outlawed during the depression, and the import quotas were gradually decreased to reach practically zero in order to protect US Companies.
In the Middle East, stable Islamic democratic states have developed in Egypt, Syria and the Arabian peninsula. Kurdistan is also solidified, as the EU has prevented Turkish intervention. Iraq is going well, while Iran has increasingly become freer and is now usually referred to as Persia, linking it directly with the empires of the past.
In China, the past is now looked upon as the Mao Dynasty, in one direct line from the first emperor. The nation has become the new power in the world, generally keeping out of affairs that don’t affect it directly, but always ready to intervene to protect its interest. The rest of the world becomes slightly sceptical and anti-sinoism becomes increasingly popular in Europe. ;)

2040+
Well, America has become more and more of an outcast internationally, but its tale is not over. Eventually it may recover, rebuilding itself on the platform of the American Dream. It may not be able to do so by itself, but a time comes when they will accept foreign help. Global Warming becomes a scourge, flooding vast pieces of land (the Netherlands, New York, Shanghai) and millions die in annual famines and shortages of drinking water. Eventually the climate will normalise, as fossil fuels are no longer used, but the damage is done. The UN becomes the standard forum for nations to disband old feuds, coordinate policies and rebuild the ravaged ecosphere. China’s time comes and goes, followed by the final unification of interests when the UN becomes the central government body for Homo Sapiens.
Man will eventually look to the stars again and build space ships to found colonies on Mars and beyond…:p