stevep
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Post by stevep on Nov 27, 2019 18:33:38 GMT
Welcome to the site. Possibly I'm old and cynical but I would say that what it needs for a successful world union would be something to unite against. Whether aliens, human communities beyond the Earth or something similar. Basically a continued perceived threat that requires unity.
Alternatively you might have some political union before that point but I fear that, without some outside elements to prompt a need to look after the needs of the population I fear it would descend, gradually or quickly into an autocratic state. Which hopefully would be overthrown eventually, although that's likely to be a bloody process. Very much a believer in Acton's Law - "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Steve
I’m wondering if even in the case of some existential threat or another, united humanity might still bicker, squabble and downright backstab amongst itself due to both a) disagreements over how best to manage things—i.e. irreconcilable cultural differences, for example—and b) human nature in general. So, as much as I’d like to one day be proven wrong, I have a hard time believing that we’ll form something as seemingly coherent and utopian as the United Federation of Planets from Star Trek.As such, I’m also curious as to what points in time we’re talking about here? Maybe we can’t narrow down a precise date at the moment, but a one-world government sure doesn’t sound like a reasonable proposition anytime soon (barring something ASB happening in real life, perhaps). I’m sure that’s why this thread is in ‘Future History’ in the first place, of course, but still.
Would fully expect that to occur for at least a few decades/centuries of such a union. Plus inevitably assorted politicians will seek to play off groups against each other, including advocating the advantage of one or more groups in the world. That's virtually a given for politics.  |
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Zyobot
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Post by Zyobot on Dec 10, 2019 4:20:14 GMT
I’m guessing that in order to have an at least semi-cohesive worldwide federation, an official and overarching language that’s pretty much universal amongst the populace—or at least, the global political class—would be a good idea. So, what are some potential candidates?
English is the first one that comes to mind for me, though I do wonder if other major trade languages could supersede it someday. Or, perhaps an entirely new tongue comes into being thanks to centuries and millennia of linguistic change and hybridization?
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James G
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Post by James G on Dec 17, 2019 19:48:45 GMT
I’m guessing that in order to have an at least semi-cohesive worldwide federation, an official and overarching language that’s pretty much universal amongst the populace—or at least, the global political class—would be a good idea. So, what are some potential candidates? English is the first one that comes to mind for me, though I do wonder if other major trade languages could supersede it someday. Or, perhaps an entirely new tongue comes into being thanks to centuries and millennia of linguistic change and hybridization? Much would depend upon politics, but Esperanto was created as a universal language. It is very Western though. |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Dec 17, 2019 19:54:00 GMT
I’m guessing that in order to have an at least semi-cohesive worldwide federation, an official and overarching language that’s pretty much universal amongst the populace—or at least, the global political class—would be a good idea. So, what are some potential candidates? English is the first one that comes to mind for me, though I do wonder if other major trade languages could supersede it someday. Or, perhaps an entirely new tongue comes into being thanks to centuries and millennia of linguistic change and hybridization? Much would depend upon politics, but Esperanto was created as a universal language. It is very Western though. Esperanto was also used if i recall correctly in US war games as a enemy language as of course having the enemy speak Russian would upset the Russians at that time despite everybody knowing that the enemy in US war games was always modeled after the Russians. |
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Zyobot
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Just a time-traveling robot stranded on Earth.
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1 Nation
Dec 17, 2019 21:53:12 GMT
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Post by Zyobot on Dec 17, 2019 21:53:12 GMT
I’m guessing that in order to have an at least semi-cohesive worldwide federation, an official and overarching language that’s pretty much universal amongst the populace—or at least, the global political class—would be a good idea. So, what are some potential candidates? English is the first one that comes to mind for me, though I do wonder if other major trade languages could supersede it someday. Or, perhaps an entirely new tongue comes into being thanks to centuries and millennia of linguistic change and hybridization? Much would depend upon politics, but Esperanto was created as a universal language. It is very Western though. Yes, I’m aware that Esperanto exists and the basics of its backstory. While I’m no linguist, it doesn’t seem all that well-established in terms of speaker count or global importance to me. So I’m unsure how it could take off to the point where it surpasses the likes of English or Mandarin. |
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dayton3
Chief petty officer
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Post by dayton3 on Jan 17, 2020 22:19:04 GMT
I think it will take a something world ending to unite us all. I would like to know what you think how this might happen. What type of advancements may it bring? Not nearly enough advancements to compensate for all the destruction necessary to bring it about. The only way I think it would be remotely viable would be a massive third world war situation where in the aftermath a revamped and more effective version of the UN came about. |
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