Tears for Fears were correct: Everybody wants to rule the word. But who will take over from America’s domination?
2 theories:
1. China and India. A conglomeration of Indian software and Chinese hardware that “will signify the coming of the Asian century of the IT industry” Premier Wen Jiabao, in Bangalore yesterday. Bangalore would be an interesting place to live, since they speak english and have great food. Also lots of spiritual movements that interest me at the moment. Ummmmm. . .
2. Europe will rule, claims Mark Leonard of “Why Europe will Run the 21st Century”, a book that arrived in the mail this morning from Amazon. No longer a single country or power (like America) but a confederation of sorts that works in an emergent way.
As for me and my blog, I think it will be a bit of both. Indian/Chinese power and money but North European style and political diplomacy. Its a complex world and a single country will not rule it.
Who will rule the new world?
Canada. We have most of the world’s fresh water and are the first nations of hockey AND curling and Alberta and Saskatchewan have more oil in the oilsands than Saudi Arabia (I could be annexed and made part of the US in the future 🙂 )
Iceland. May not rule the world but could produce many of the world’s fuel cells because of it’s vast and powerful geothermal energy (which makes it cheaper to manufacture in the upcoming fuel shortage)
Some other thoughts… China has a huge problem with not enough natural resources and enourmous environment problems (most of its water is now heavily contaminated) and futurist Patrick Dixon says that regulation in the EU is a combination of the the combined neurosis of all of it’s member states (disclosure, he is English and not a big fan of the EU)
For good or for ill, I’m not convinced America’s “domination” will decline any time soon to the point where someone else will “take over.” Of course, I am stuck in my American context. But when I took a river boat in Bangkok just over a year ago there was a poster hanging in front of a ran-down house bsahing George Bush. For some reason they care.
I agree with Jordon Cooper that China won’t be able to do it. John Mark Reynolds once said, “What do you get with a bunch of men and no women? War!”
Hmmm indeed! Neal Stephenson’s “Snow Crash” ISBN 0-14-023292-3 is also on a good bet that it will be Burbclaves ruling…miniature nation states. A good read, and not too far away in the future. No mention of church there though. I guess it’s all underground and people have finally woken up to the need for no buildings whatsoever.
Re: Canada.
a) Nobody else does Hockey or Curling.
b) The oil in Canada would use more oil as energy to recover the oil than oil you would get. oil.
I think that Scotland will rule the world with a regeme of dour self-punishing bitterness.