Hypothetical Question: What if the USA Collapsed?

[Gez]

What would happen would depend on what exactly caused the USA to collapse. I don't see it happening lightly; the USA are by far the largest power economically and militarily, there's no comparison possible to the fall of the USSR. The states haven't been united in the same way as the Soviet Union -- where it was always clear that Russia was the one SSR that really mattered and all others were vassals -- so you couldn't have the same collapse where the Russia equivalent (which, alone, represents over half the economy of the entire union) simply runs out of fund to keep controlling the rest.

But let's suppose the collapse comes from the economy. How would that happen? It's quite unlikely it'd split into 50 separate states, instead there might be a few prosperous states going all FYGM and seceding so as not to pay for bankrupt states in the union (a Brexit-like scenario) or, inversely, bankrupt states being ejected instead of bailing them out (a Grexit-like scenario). Maybe both could happen together.

The big issue would be "what happens to Federal stuff" like the military. Does, say, Iowa or Nebraska get a share of the US Navy? (They don't have direct access to the ocean.) If the naval assets are spread between only the coastal states, they will probably not have the funds to keep maintaining them. I mean, the European Union has a larger economy than the USA, and a larger population to boot, and there's just one nuclear aircraft carrier in it; the USA have ten -- and they're bigger. A collapse of the USA would lead to a collapse of American military might.

Now let's imagine a world where countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan can no longer count with the dissuasive power of their alliance with the USA. Let's imagine that world, and look at what's happening in the Spratleys right now. If the USA collapsed, we'd probably get a war in Asia pretty soon. But it's not just Asia, either. Things would get pretty interesting in Eastern Europe as well.

Conclusion: as awful as the USA are, the world would actually be shittier without them.

[StevieWolfe]

geo said:

This. Exactly this.

A lot of currencies are backed by USD while ours is backed by gold and imagination.

So if there is no more US you mean the government right like no more nation? Someone would step up. Americans would step up and govern themselves even if people say they hate the government, someone has to do it. Most likely a coalition of parents or businessmen.

There will always be leaders and people looking for leaders. That's just how humans are. Even in anarchy and chaos people will still manage to make normalcy happen. Even if it starts with one household and grows to another before it becomes a village. Nothing would change.

If Mexico, China or USSR try to invade or take over... even without a government, we still have generals, an army, jets, tanks. Beyond that everyone with a gun would stand for the USA if Mexican soldiers broke their doors down and started threatening them, their prosperity or their family.

If you think the army would fold when no one is paying them, you'd be wrong. They have pride in being the best whether they're paid or not. There are fail safes to ensure even the collapse of the USA doesn't mean the collapse of the people inside it.

There are towns with mayors that are goats, 3 and 6 year old children. Somehow America will survive.

Are you fucking serious? Our people care more about TV than anything nearly these days. If our economy collapsed we'd be FUCKED. People assume that the majority of citizens are prepared to do what it would take if the shit hit the fan and that's just not reality. Look at the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. That shit says miles about how the US reacts when facing any serious collapse.

[Kontra Kommando]

StevieCybernetik said:

Are you fucking serious? Our people care more about TV than anything nearly these days. If our economy collapsed we'd be FUCKED. People assume that the majority of citizens are prepared to do what it would take if the shit hit the fan and that's just not reality. Look at the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. That shit says miles about how the US reacts when facing any serious collapse.

I remember when in my area, we had no electricity for a couple weeks after Hurricane Sandy. Things were fine at first, but people started to get extremely pissed off while waiting on lines for gas. Plus there was some looting going on in lower income areas. I was nearing the pump, when the police came, and forced everyone away so they could take the gas. I think if the situation had lasted longer, order would have deteriorated badly over time.

Though I have to say it was pretty fun driving on the streets at night, with no lights. However, it is extremely dangerous.

Gez said:

A collapse of the USA would lead to a collapse of American military might.

Now let's imagine a world where countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan can no longer count with the dissuasive power of their alliance with the USA. Let's imagine that world, and look at what's happening in the Spratleys right now. If the USA collapsed, we'd probably get a war in Asia pretty soon. But it's not just Asia, either. Things would get pretty interesting in Eastern Europe as well.

Conclusion: as awful as the USA are, the world would actually be shittier without them.

I agree, not only would the USA be in trouble, but so would many of its allies and trade partners. Without the U.S. have military uni-polarity in the world; there would be a lot of power plays made by dictators and extremists.