What if the US Disappeared?

[Fulanito de Tal]

If the US were to disappear, what country or group would fill the power vacuum?

I'm thinking it would be between Russia and China. China is a huge industrial power. Russia's economy has been improving drastically since the collapse of the USSR.

Without the US, the EU would not be anything spectacular.

[hatzel]

I've heard it anyway suggested that US power is fading right now, and that this will lead to the strengthening of regional powers, rather than one (or even two) global superpowers. The world's changed a little since the Cold War, you know...

[Psy]

I've heard it anyway suggested that US power is fading right now, and that this will lead to the strengthening of regional powers, rather than one (or even two) global superpowers. The world's changed a little since the Cold War, you know...
Yet eventually regional powers will expand their spear of influence through conquest for example without the US empire why wouldn't the ruling class of Japan sink back into the same expansionist mindset it had before its defeat after WWII of trying to annex the entire Pacific rim in order to exploit cheap resources for its factories?

If you have regional powers start waring with each other then eventually you'd get super powers as regional powers become consolidated through military conquest.

[The Fighting_Crusnik]

My guess is, is that if the United States disappeared, it would probably be by the hands of those whom we fight now along with assistance from Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries. So I think they would get the power for a little while, but then Russia or the EU would try to conquer them and China would try to screw them with shady deals.

[Nuvem]

Other.

Trinidad and Tobago.

[mykittyhasaboner]

If the US dissapeared, then obviously Brazil would fill in the power vaccum.

I don't even know why you put China or the EU on there.....like that's gonna happen.

[Fulanito de Tal]

Other.

Trinidad and Tobago.

LMAO! :laugh:

The Soca Warriors!

[cska]

North Korea!

But seriously, I voted other, as no single country would take over the power vacuum. We would actually have a multipolar world instead.

[hatzel]

Other.

Trinidad and Tobago.

Actually, I think it will just be Tobago. Frustration at the years being considered the 'inferior' of the two, hence why it's second in the name, will fill the population with an uncontrollable desire to turn Trinidad into little other than an outlying colony. At which point the nation will be renamed 'The Empire of Tobago (with Trinidad)'

Yeeeeeah...:thumbup1:

[Obzervi]

Why the hell did so many people choose China? China is not interested in foreign affairs and doesn't want to get involved. Its primary interest is its own economic development.

[Comrade Wolfie's Very Nearly Banned Adventures]

Why the hell did so many people choose China? China is not interested in foreign affairs and doesn't want to get involved. Its primary interest is its own economic development.

Thats just not true

[Adil3tr]

I think everyone would be screwed if this happens.

[Manic Impressive]

Why the hell did so many people choose China? China is not interested in foreign affairs and doesn't want to get involved. Its primary interest is its own economic development.

That's so wrong China have been setting up huge companies in Africa and South America just like the US they will give a fuck who is in charge of their economic fortunes. They wouldn't want any kind of socialists in these countries who might want to keep their resources for themselves.

I think Chinese soldiers even deployed on "a peace keeping mission" in one of the recent wars, I think it was Darfur but I really can't remember.

So yeah China would just take the USA's place probably using very similar tactics.

[Outcast]

I think Africa. Africa is becoming very united with the African Union. It has a population of one billion people plus a very high birth rate so thats a lot of raw human material to work with. Through the African Economic Community it will have a common curency by 2023 and a Central Bank by 2028. No it wont be more powerful than the EU if the US disappears tomorrow but in the longer run it might maybe in 50 years. Thats just my opinion.

[Obzervi]

Thats just not true
Ok some of you misunderstood what I meant.

The west is pissed at China because it won't join them in their sanctions against countries like Iran. China only intervenes in foreign affairs when it effects their economic self interest, such as their huge investments in Africa. China is not interested in foregin affairs in the same way the US tries to "spread democracy", nation building, and playing the role of world police.

China has always been isolationist, which is symbolized by their Great Wall.

[AK]

I think Canada might take over the administration of some Northern states - but Russia would have a shot at taking back some Alaskan oilfields. The rest of the US would become anarcho-capitalism at its finest. In terms of power - it'd be a shitstorm and definitely a multi-polar world.

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

If the US disappeared...things would be interesting. The entire western economic system would more than likely collapse, the price of grain may spike uncontrollably (at least at first), the largest market in the world would disappear and who knows....probably people would go on like they have for milenia.

[Nolan]

In the wake of total economic disaster or something like that, it would just break up into smaller states, or small states would eventually emerge. With the status as world empire gone, they'd revert to the power and economic strength of their Latino brethren to the south. Some type of EU or CIS-like organization and maybe even a single military would form quickly, if only to secure themselves against possible new powers like China or rival states in the Americas. It could reform from that, or some kind of Pan-North American union would take its niche.


With the U.S. gone, I think we'd see the biggest change of all in Latin America. Brazil, Argentina, and Chile would either compete or form a bloc and cooperate to dominate the region. Africa, considering its material condition, would probably fall under the spell of some other power(s). As for China , the EU, and Russia, those have been done to death already. The EU would break up before it would emerge as a global military power - even this recent crisis strained it. Russia is in a similar boat, although with its vast resources you never know.


I don't think we'd see the imperialist superpower world we're used to for quite some time. More likely there would just be dozens of regional powers with no clear superpowers or "world policeman." In other words a return to the old Europe but on a global scale, minus an equivalent to Britain. I'd expect to see a complete rearrangement in who's core and periphery, so it might be a time for countries like India and Latin American countries to shine.

[Rainsborough]

Is there a point to this speculative rubbish?

[Nolan]

Is there a point to this speculative rubbish?

Not really. But tis interesting to ponder.

[maskerade]

Haven't a lot of people predicted the dissolution of the United States of America?
to be honest, i don't really see it happening (as in the country breaking up into lots of smaller countries). But the US's influence in the world is diminishing, especially in Africa where the Governments and people are finally seeing through the bullshit (though, as has been said, China is a main reason for this).

On that note, China sucks. They have destroyed most of the forests in Mozambique, and exported the lumber back to China, when most of the Mozambican population still live in mud and straw huts.

They also give huge bribes to government officials. To those who still claim that China is socialist - is this the way a socialist state should conduct international affairs? Where is the solidarity?

[Tatarin]

Why, Isle of Man of course! It's the longest continous democracy on earth they say...

No, it would be China, but I wouldn't discount EU's role, even though it too seems to be splitting though slowly (neo-nationalism). Russia is another candidate, as it goes the way of China (authoritarian democracy, monopoly capitalism).

In any case, I don't think the US would just "disappear". It could be weakened, sure, but I'm pretty sure there are a lot of potentials ready to stir people around them a.k.a. dictatorship. Don't forget they have, what is it, 6000-something nuclear weapons, and that's got to count for something.

[Kuppo Shakur]

I would drown.

[Friedrich]

I was discussing this with a friend earlier, he thought that the EU would become the next superpower, but in my opinion China would.

[Psy]

Haven't a lot of people predicted the dissolution of the United States of America?
to be honest, i don't really see it happening (as in the country breaking up into lots of smaller countries). But the US's influence in the world is diminishing, especially in Africa where the Governments and people are finally seeing through the bullshit (though, as has been said, China is a main reason for this).

Why not? For example if the US power degrades past a point why wouldn't there be another armed succession by reactionary elements within the US ruling class that think they could get a better deal as a independent bourgeoisie state?



In any case, I don't think the US would just "disappear". It could be weakened, sure, but I'm pretty sure there are a lot of potentials ready to stir people around them a.k.a. dictatorship. Don't forget they have, what is it, 6000-something nuclear weapons, and that's got to count for something.

Weapons that would be in the hands of individual breakaway armies if the US did break up.

[Saorsa]

It won't.