The politics of the future circa 1934
Oct. 4th, 2008 01:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ffuturesI've taken a few days off from Weinbaum to work on another games project (it's a bit early to say more) but am now now back at work on it, and have reached the bit of the Weinbaum game where I need to say something about what Earth is like circa 2100 AD. About which he unfortunately said virtually nothing.
Going by the things that were happening in Weinbaum's time (he died in 1934), I'm assuming that he would expect to see large superstates on the lines of the USA, British Empire, etc., so I've divided the world into the following main political blocs:
United Americas - Canada, Alaska, the USA, Mexico, Ecuador, and everything else north of Brazil. The USA formed economic links and military alliances to the North and South, eventually becoming a single economic community. The nations within the UA are still self-governing, to about the same extent that states were in the old USA, but all use a common currency, the dollar, and all owe their ultimate allegiance to Washington.
Brazilian Federation - Brazil responded to the rise and southward spread of the UA by forming links with other South American nations, united primarily by their distrust of the UA. In recent years the Brazilian Federation has become a little more relaxed in its dealings with the UA, and there have been joint agreements on trade which some interpret as a prelude to a final amalgamation of the Federation and UA.
Russian Empire - Russian Communism inevitably fell and the Romanovs were restored. Learning from their mistakes, the Russian Empire became a benevolent constitutional monarchy. All of the former USSR and some of the Balkan states, Poland, etc.
United States of Europe - The European empires were torn apart by the struggle against fascism of the 1940s to 60s, and most of their colonies became independent. Europe is now a loose association of states, the United States of Europe, although constant bickering makes this perhaps the least effective government on Earth. Essentially the European nations retain most of their independence, paying lip service to the United States of Europe when it suits them to combine economic or military forces.
Islamic Caliphate - Africa and the Middle East. With the decline of the European empires Africa was united by a new Mahdi. Now moderately liberal by Islamic standards.
Pacific Alliance - China, India, and everything down South including Australia and New Zealand. The Alliance was India and Australia, who allied to resist Chinese expansion in India and the Philippines. This led to the 2075 Pacific War (nuclear) and (surprisingly) the collapse of the alliance of warlords which had previously ruled China. Somehow this hugely confusing mess ended with the Australians in charge. G'day cobber...
Anyway, that's my first stab at this; anyone got any better "plausible evolution from 1934" ideas?
Here's a rough map:
Anyone got any thoughts?
Later Looking at everyone's suggestions, maybe something more like this:
• The USA formed economic links to the South, with the United Americas eventually becoming a single economic community. The nations within the UA are still self-governing, to about the same extent that states were in the old USA, but all use a common currency, the dollar, which is now also the main currency off-world, and all owe their ultimate allegiance to Washington. Canada stayed independent, and is on reasonably good terms with the United Americas, but generally considered to be a closer ally with Britain.
• Brazil responded to the rise and southward spread of the UA by forming links with other South American nations, united primarily by their distrust of the UA. In recent years the Brazilian Federation has become a little more relaxed in its dealings with the UA, and there have been joint agreements on trade which some interpret as a prelude to a final amalgamation of the Federation and UA.
• Russian Communism fell and the Romanovs were restored. Learning from their mistakes, the expanded Russian Empire became a benevolent constitutional monarchy.
• The European empires were torn apart by the struggle against Communism and Fascism from the 1940s to the late 1960s, and most of their colonies became independent. Europe is now a loose association of states, the United States of Europe, although constant bickering makes this perhaps the least effective government on Earth. Essentially the European nations retain most of their independence, paying lip service to the United States of Europe when it suits them to combine economic or military forces. Several European nations have their own colonies in space, such as the Dutch and French zones on Venus.
• The old British Empire still exists in South Africa and Rhodesia, India, and Burma, and Hong Kong, with a scattering of other possessions such as the Falklands and Gibraltar; while nominally independent Australia, Canada, and New Zealand also owe their primary allegiance to the Crown. Despite its small size, Britain packs an enormous political, economic and military punch.
• With the decline of the other European empires most of Africa was united by a new Mahdi, and is now an Islamic caliphate. There has been a general liberalization of Islam over the last century, and women are even allowed to appear unveiled, although they are still denied the vote. There are border tensions between the Caliphate and South Africa.
• The Pacific Alliance originally formed to resist Chinese expansion into Korea, Japan and the Philippines. This led to the 2075 Pacific War and (surprisingly) the collapse of the alliance of warlords which had previously ruled China. The current capital is Manila.
• Finally, China is currently an anarchic mess; dozens of rival groups contend for power, with no clear-cut leadership. Fortunately none of the current factions seem to be inclined to use atomic weapons, although it’s certain that they possess them, and recent battles have been fought mainly with rifles, artillery and flame pistols.
Going by the things that were happening in Weinbaum's time (he died in 1934), I'm assuming that he would expect to see large superstates on the lines of the USA, British Empire, etc., so I've divided the world into the following main political blocs:
United Americas - Canada, Alaska, the USA, Mexico, Ecuador, and everything else north of Brazil. The USA formed economic links and military alliances to the North and South, eventually becoming a single economic community. The nations within the UA are still self-governing, to about the same extent that states were in the old USA, but all use a common currency, the dollar, and all owe their ultimate allegiance to Washington.
Brazilian Federation - Brazil responded to the rise and southward spread of the UA by forming links with other South American nations, united primarily by their distrust of the UA. In recent years the Brazilian Federation has become a little more relaxed in its dealings with the UA, and there have been joint agreements on trade which some interpret as a prelude to a final amalgamation of the Federation and UA.
Russian Empire - Russian Communism inevitably fell and the Romanovs were restored. Learning from their mistakes, the Russian Empire became a benevolent constitutional monarchy. All of the former USSR and some of the Balkan states, Poland, etc.
United States of Europe - The European empires were torn apart by the struggle against fascism of the 1940s to 60s, and most of their colonies became independent. Europe is now a loose association of states, the United States of Europe, although constant bickering makes this perhaps the least effective government on Earth. Essentially the European nations retain most of their independence, paying lip service to the United States of Europe when it suits them to combine economic or military forces.
Islamic Caliphate - Africa and the Middle East. With the decline of the European empires Africa was united by a new Mahdi. Now moderately liberal by Islamic standards.
Pacific Alliance - China, India, and everything down South including Australia and New Zealand. The Alliance was India and Australia, who allied to resist Chinese expansion in India and the Philippines. This led to the 2075 Pacific War (nuclear) and (surprisingly) the collapse of the alliance of warlords which had previously ruled China. Somehow this hugely confusing mess ended with the Australians in charge. G'day cobber...
Anyway, that's my first stab at this; anyone got any better "plausible evolution from 1934" ideas?
Here's a rough map:
Anyone got any thoughts?
Later Looking at everyone's suggestions, maybe something more like this:
• The USA formed economic links to the South, with the United Americas eventually becoming a single economic community. The nations within the UA are still self-governing, to about the same extent that states were in the old USA, but all use a common currency, the dollar, which is now also the main currency off-world, and all owe their ultimate allegiance to Washington. Canada stayed independent, and is on reasonably good terms with the United Americas, but generally considered to be a closer ally with Britain.
• Brazil responded to the rise and southward spread of the UA by forming links with other South American nations, united primarily by their distrust of the UA. In recent years the Brazilian Federation has become a little more relaxed in its dealings with the UA, and there have been joint agreements on trade which some interpret as a prelude to a final amalgamation of the Federation and UA.
• Russian Communism fell and the Romanovs were restored. Learning from their mistakes, the expanded Russian Empire became a benevolent constitutional monarchy.
• The European empires were torn apart by the struggle against Communism and Fascism from the 1940s to the late 1960s, and most of their colonies became independent. Europe is now a loose association of states, the United States of Europe, although constant bickering makes this perhaps the least effective government on Earth. Essentially the European nations retain most of their independence, paying lip service to the United States of Europe when it suits them to combine economic or military forces. Several European nations have their own colonies in space, such as the Dutch and French zones on Venus.
• The old British Empire still exists in South Africa and Rhodesia, India, and Burma, and Hong Kong, with a scattering of other possessions such as the Falklands and Gibraltar; while nominally independent Australia, Canada, and New Zealand also owe their primary allegiance to the Crown. Despite its small size, Britain packs an enormous political, economic and military punch.
• With the decline of the other European empires most of Africa was united by a new Mahdi, and is now an Islamic caliphate. There has been a general liberalization of Islam over the last century, and women are even allowed to appear unveiled, although they are still denied the vote. There are border tensions between the Caliphate and South Africa.
• The Pacific Alliance originally formed to resist Chinese expansion into Korea, Japan and the Philippines. This led to the 2075 Pacific War and (surprisingly) the collapse of the alliance of warlords which had previously ruled China. The current capital is Manila.
• Finally, China is currently an anarchic mess; dozens of rival groups contend for power, with no clear-cut leadership. Fortunately none of the current factions seem to be inclined to use atomic weapons, although it’s certain that they possess them, and recent battles have been fought mainly with rifles, artillery and flame pistols.
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-04 02:47 pm (UTC)- The Pacific alliance much as is except for Australia, with the more-important difference being that it grew from a colonialist Japan.
- Russia expanding west rather than south after a short period of German/Italian/Spanish dictatorial rule on the continent.
- "White Dominions" plus the United States as the British Empire seeks a new equilibrium in the post-German/Russian War (particularly after India left and joined with Asia).
- I'd transfer Iran from Russia to the Caliphate and slice the cone of Africa off for the Amro-Brits.
This is all just in aid of roughening it up a little so there would be some surprises.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-04 06:20 pm (UTC)The northern half of Africa I can see as part of the Caliphate, but the southern half? It's more likely to be attached to the Amero-British alliance, IMO.