Divided States of America
I posted about Prof. Panarin’s prediction a month ago: “Russia Gets It!” Now there is a WSJ Article about it:
“There’s a 55-45% chance right now that disintegration will occur,” he says. “One could rejoice in that process,” he adds, poker-faced. “But if we’re talking reasonably, it’s not the best scenario — for Russia.” Though Russia would become more powerful on the global stage, he says, its economy would suffer because it currently depends heavily on the dollar and on trade with the U.S.
Mr. Panarin posits, in brief, that mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar. Around the end of June 2010, or early July, he says, the U.S. will break into six pieces — with Alaska reverting to Russian control.
While the article makes it clear that a lot of people don’t take him seriously, his credentials and access to data are sobering. So is his map:
Divided States of America
I certainly don’t agree with his predicted territories, and I suspect Sarah Palin isn’t going to give up Alaska to Russia without a fight; but the notion of a breakup during the coming depression is sounding less nutty all the time. Another telling quote:
Interest in his forecast revived this fall when he published an article in Izvestia, one of Russia’s biggest national dailies. In it, he reiterated his theory, called U.S. foreign debt “a pyramid scheme,” and predicted China and Russia would usurp Washington’s role as a global financial regulator.
Americans hope President-elect Barack Obama “can work miracles,” he wrote. “But when spring comes, it will be clear that there are no miracles.”
A Ponzi scheme has never been saved by a miracle… â—„Daveâ–º
Next fall? There is no way.
Maybe with a major natural disaster, but I can’t think of any political or economic disaster that would bring us to that in less than three years. I’ll be interested to see if the dollar takes a hard turn up or down after new years. I’m expecting the banks to finally make a move.
LOL, Steel. You were certainly right. Seven years and counting… At this rate, us old farts won’t even be here to experience it. 😀 â—„Daveâ–º
I’m a fan of this map: http://emerald.tufts.edu/alumni/magazine/fall2013/images/features/upinarms-map.jpg
Yes, an interesting map, Steel, although it somewhat reminds me of gerrymandered congressional districts. If turned into individual republics, however, there are some really long indefensible borders. I reckon it would be most useful, in my ideal stateless laissez faire society, for allowing one to locate places where one would most likely be able to find compatible neighbors. 🙂 â—„Daveâ–º