NationStates Jolt Archive

We all agree that America is a superpower. Sucks to be outside it.
But which country do you think comes 2nd?


Choose from the list or suggest your own.

Britain
France.
Germany.
Italy.
Russia.
Spain.
Portugal.
Denmark.
Sweden.
Norway.
Finland.
Iceland.
Austria.
The Netherlands.
Andorra.
Hungary.
Poland.
Greece.
Albania.
Turkey.
China.
Japan.
India.
Australia.
North korea
South Korea.
Serbia

China, obviously.
Russia still stands a good chance.

sometime soon the Federal EU hopefully will be up there too

Botswana

You left out the Duchy of Grand Fenwick. They really are the hidden superpower.

Canada.

Hmmm... China and Russia come to mind, but do the UK.

I mean, would any one nation be able to actually win a war against the UK, what with all the Allies the UK has made up over the Centuries?

Tony Danza. Other than the USA, he's the boss.

Tony Danza. Other than the USA, he's the boss.

LMFAO!

/thread

Um... the Gnomes of Zurich, maybe?

sometime soon the Federal EU hopefully will be up there too

I wouldnt hold my breath.

Russia= ub3r tanks
China= ub3r people
Japan= ub3r tech
Italy= TEH CHURCH! (not very strong, but what Catholic bomber would hit the Vatican?)
Iran= oil...
Turkey= uhh... oil? Dunno...
UK= Royal Air Force and Royal Navy
France= NADA
Germany= engineering
Switzerland= nothing besides banking and cheese
Korea= n00ks

I'd say either Russia, Japan, China, or Iran.

China or Russia. Oil isn't a strong enough asset to qualify a nation as a superpower; other than oil, the economies of nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia are nothing and would collapse entirely. I personally feel the OPEC nations are going to get steadily weaker over the next few decades, so the only real nations suitable for #2 status are China and Russia.

China has economic strength and a large economy, so it is very influential on the world stage. Russia has oil, but it also has other sectors that are large enough to balance the economy outside of that one industry; it also has a shitload of nuclear weapons and plenty of money for its military.

We all agree that America is a superpower. Sucks to be outside it.


I agree with the first, but dispute the second most heatedly. You're letting your narrow prejudices show again.

Superpower: United States of America
Runner-up (Heir apparent to USA): Peoples Republic of China
2nd Runner-up: EU

Britain: sadly, no.
France: happily, no
Germany: no, don't know how I feel about it
Italy: no, not sure how I feel
Russia: thankfully, no
Spain: no, not sure how I feel
Portugal: laughable
Denmark: no, not sure how I feel
Sweden: happily, no
Norway: no, not sure how I feel
Finland: laughable
Iceland: laughable
Austria: no, not sure how I feel
The Netherlands: thankfully, no
Andorra: What rational person would say yes?
Hungary: laughable
Poland: laughable
Greece: no, not sure how I feel
Albania: What rational person would say yes?
Turkey: no, not sure how I feel
China: yes, regretfully
Japan: no, sadly
India: no, not sure how I feel
Australia: no, sadly
North korea: no, Thank God!
South Korea: no, thankfully
Serbia: laughable

My responses of laughable don't mean I have anything against their policy or theri culture or anything. It just means that they have a long way to go before I would consider putting them on the list of the most powerful and influential countries.[/QUOTE]

I mean, would any one nation be able to actually win a war against the UK, what with all the Allies the UK has made up over the Centuries?

Well... the IRA were able to fight it to an effective stalemate (although obviously they aren't a country).

Italy= TEH CHURCH! (not very strong, but what Catholic bomber would hit the Vatican?)

The church isn't in Italy, it's in the Vatican, which isn't a part of Italy.

We have at least a dozen superpowers, in the sense of nations capable of destroying the entire earth and everyone on it, should they choose to.

There's only one hyperpower, though.

China or Russia. Oil isn't a strong enough asset to qualify a nation as a superpower; other than oil, the economies of nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia are nothing and would collapse entirely. I personally feel the OPEC nations are going to get steadily weaker over the next few decades, so the only real nations suitable for #2 status are China and Russia.

China has economic strength and a large economy, so it is very influential on the world stage. Russia has oil, but it also has other sectors that are large enough to balance the economy outside of that one industry; it also has a shitload of nuclear weapons and plenty of money for its military.

Why not India? I see their economy growing more rapidly than China's in the future due to their investment in higher education. Hell, the India Institute of Technology graduates people who go on to become leaders in their field in high demand all over the world. Plus India doesn't piss off trading partners through patent infringement and a shitty human rights record.

Britain= No one messes with the Royal Navy, but no.
France.= 3rd most powerful military, still no
Germany.= Not even a shadow of its former strength, no
Italy.= A little better than Germany in terms of military size, but no
Russia.= More oil than Iran, and who would declare war on Russia, most nukes in the world. Maybe
Spain.= Plain no
Portugal.= As above
Denmark.= Sick and tired of these hopeless nations (They are okay and all, nut no hopes of reaching superpower status.
Sweden.= Nope
Norway.= No
Finland.= Nein
Iceland.= Why is this on the list? Nyet
Austria.= Nah
The Netherlands.= No
Andorra.= Orlando is bigger than this country
Hungary.= No
Poland.= No
Greece.= Also no
Albania.= Hell no
Turkey.= Umm...no
China.= maybe, if not yes. 4th most powerful military, good economy, everything and a half is made there.
Japan.= Really good technology and economy, but no.
India.= Maybe, strong military and good economy, but better chance with China, or Russia.
Australia.= Not a chance
North korea= Guatemala has a better chance than N Korea. They eat their own kids there.
South Korea.= No
Serbia= Why is this even on the list.

I think that China, Russia, or India may have chances of reaching superpower status.

China probably in second place, quite likely to overtake the US in the not-to-distant future. Then we British will :fluffle: them instead of the US:p

Britain - close but no cigar
France. - no
Germany. - see britain
Italy. - no
Russia. - possible
Spain. - no
Portugal. - no
Denmark. - no
Sweden. - no, and they do not deserve it (high taxes)
Norway. - no
Finland. - no
Iceland. - no
Austria. - no
The Netherlands.
Andorra. - don't make me laugh
Hungary. - no
Poland. - very sadly, no
Greece. - no
Albania. - how did this get on the list.
Turkey. - no
China. - yes, even though they do not deserve it
Japan. - no, but third place is not bad
India. - Someone shattered my crystal ball, need to get new one
Australia. - no
North korea - no, and they don't desrve it.
South Korea. - no
Serbia - youve got to be kidding
Saudi Arabia - I would stab myself if such an evil country became a superpower.

Why not India? I see their economy growing more rapidly than China's in the future due to their investment in higher education. Hell, the India Institute of Technology graduates people who go on to become leaders in their field in high demand all over the world. Plus India doesn't piss off trading partners through patent infringement and a shitty human rights record.

China's in the lead now, but India will probably take the lead somewhat farther in the future.

America is superpower for the same reason it is going to collapse

diversity and constanly getting involved

if america were to collapse i would prefer to see a european country or a country with ties with europe to step up. these countries tend to be less known (at least in the past 50 years) to have a leader with his entire political latform on world power.

but i actually expect thatonce america collapses, the world will be in a regression stage and the countries as we know them wouldnt exist anymore:p :( :confused:

The most consistently overestimated country on that list right now is China. Outside of having plenty of people and nuclear warheads (which, if I recall correctly, are reliant on old models of soviet missiles to deliver them), China does not have world power status yet. It's economy is powerful, but not quite as strong as Britain, Japan, or the US's. It's military is being rapidly upgraded, but still is ill-equipped and has little power-projection. It could rank as a runner-up superpower in a couple decades, but right now it just isn't at that point yet.

The likely strongest two candidates on that list are France and Britain. Both have large, well equipped, and well trained militaries. Both are also certified economic juggernauts and France (together with Germany) has a stunning amount of leverage in the EU.

China probably in second place, quite likely to overtake the US in the not-to-distant future. Then we British will :fluffle: them instead of the US:p

I don't really see China overtaking the US. Its like a mutual relationship. The US reallies on China for cheap stuff, and China relies on the US to buy cheap stuff.

I just had an idea. What if the next super-power wasn't a nation, but a corporation instead. Like Jennifer Government or Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere. I could be possible, you know. Microsoft got sued by the US gov (which lost) because Microsoft outspent them. Scary. All the freedoms of democracy brought down by capitalism. And you know that corps don't give a hoot about individual freedoms, being the fact that they do math like this:
"Does it cost more to fix a hazardous product or is it cheaper to let people die and get sued? Hmm.... Let's go with the second option."

Tony Danza. Other than the USA, he's the boss.
Wait DCD, you're from New Jersey! You know who's the real boss! :eek:

Germany could potentially be the one.

We all agree that America is a superpower. Sucks to be outside it.
But which country do you think comes 2nd?


Choose from the list or suggest your own.

Britain
France.
Germany.
Italy.
Russia.
Spain.
Portugal.
Denmark.
Sweden.
Norway.
Finland.
Iceland.
Austria.
The Netherlands.
Andorra.
Hungary.
Poland.
Greece.
Albania.
Turkey.
China.
Japan.
India.
Australia.
North korea
South Korea.
Serbia

:( I thought this was going to be a thread about what super-power you'd like to have other than flight or invisibility.

France= NADA


You realize that if it wanted to, France could nearly obliterate this country, right?

The idea of "superpower" being based purely on potential military might is not very sensical these days.

China, obviously.
Russia still stands a good chance.

sometime soon the Federal EU hopefully will be up there too

Russia> Are you kididng me
They got completely OWNED by Chechynia in '97 and kill more of their own people than save them on hostage operations TWICE. Ill take hmm the Vatican over Russia. Well maybe not but definately China #2

We all agree that America is a superpower. Sucks to be outside it.
But which country do you think comes 2nd?

Choose from the list or suggest your own.

Candidates:
Britain
Russia.
China.

Possible future candidates:
Japan. (Needs to play a larger role in world affairs)
India. (Needs economic boom to aid the other 95% of the populace)
Australia. (Must actually... you know, get people to live there)
France. (Needs to stop being so French).
Germany. (Is starting to become a nationstate again (assimilation of E. Germans), needs to reduce the coming future crippling welfare state).

ROTFLMAO material:
Canada
Italy.
Spain.
Portugal.
Denmark.
Sweden.
Norway.
Finland.
Iceland.
Austria.
The Netherlands.
Andorra.
Hungary.
Poland.
Greece.
Albania.
Turkey.
North korea
South Korea.
Serbia
...and every other country on Earth.

Russia> Are you kididng me
They got completely OWNED by Chechynia in '97

Vietnam

and kill more of their own people than save them on hostage operations

Iran

Britain or France both have good projection power, seats on the UN Security Council and solid economies, (although the Brits economic status is more than a bit better off than the French), decent nuclear arms, fully developed economies, no major insurgent campaigns within their borders, strong global economic weight and a couple of other things.

China, fails in several areas though. They have virtually no force projection capability, besides a handful of nukes, they cannot militarily influence an event in, say, South America or Europe, very readily. Their economy is still developing (hence the extreme growth rate), and still focuses on goods that are lower on the value chain, they have various governmental problems. They face regional insurgent campaigns in the PRC and challenges to it's territorial claims from foreign powers and several internal groups (read: Taiwan). Has strength, but is not the second most powerful nation.

Paraguay is the runner-up superpower of my heart.

Vietnam
Same goes for China, most powers who have exercised a level of influence in Souteast Asia have run into the Vietnam problem, ferocious little country. Beyond that, I've already elucidated the fact that counter-insurgency campaigns are rough. Even at that, the Republic of Vietnam did not collapse until well after the US had withdrawn. After the US thought the war was over, and after the North Vietnamese broke the peace treaty.

At the same time, Chechnya's been a problem for Russia for the past several hundred years. Read Lermontov and you'll get an idea of how long it's been going on.



Iran

Thirty years ago, and an operation planned by an administration with a knack for incompetence..

Germany and France are strong contenders, but they do not play a noticable role outside the EU.

Externally, India and China only generate buzz by stealing our jobs. Though China does have a stick idea for anexing other countries.

Russia is, however, using oil prices to manipulate its neighbours into obeying. They may not have what the above have economically, but the are using what they have to change world events in their favor.

China, of course.

Germany and France are strong contenders, but they do not play a noticable role outside the EU.

Externally, India and China only generate buzz by stealing our jobs. Though China does have a stick idea for anexing other countries.

Russia is, however, using oil prices to manipulate its neighbours into obeying. They may not have what the above have economically, but the are using what they have to change world events in their favor.

why does not wanting to be an imperialist power outside the EU a bad thing?
China annexing countries-only Tibet comes to mind-USA however-P.R., Hawaii, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa etc...

Russia will recover and will be very strong, enormous country, vast natural resources and a relatively small population

China will surpass USA in 25-30 yrs economically, India will do the same 30-40 yrs

why does everyone think that military strength will be a factor in determining what makes a superpower? military strength will become insignificant with a half dozen countries now capable of destroying ANY other country on the planet, and more will jopin this group in the future. The USA with it's vaunted military costing trillions of dollars cann't even pacify Afganistan or Iraq(I won't mention Vietnam, oops) military strength in the future will serve only to bankrupt countries not make them superpowers

Economic strength will be the only mark of a superpower in the future.

UK, Russia, and China are the other big super powers.