Image via Wikipedia
Complete Dissolution of theUnited States of America
Of all the possible outcomes of National Insolvency, the complete dissolution of the nation is perhaps the worst. Indeed, whereas there may be some outside America who would like to see such an outcome, we seriously doubt that anyone living
the American Dream (or Nightmare as some may call it) would like to see a complete end to this “great experiment in democracy,” as deTocqueville called it. Certainly here at Collapse Consultants, we do not like the ramifications of such an event and hope we are wrong about this one. So could this outcome really occur?
It could
and here is why.
The best
examples we have for making any kind of comparison are the former Soviet Union and the Ancient Roman Empire. The demise of these two nations can provide us with insights into what could transpire when the dollar eventually collapses, be that soon or far into the future. Naturally, we hope it occurs well into the future.
Much has
been written in recent years regarding the similarities between the ancient Roman Empire and America; fewer comparisons have been made with the Soviet Union. To gain the full understanding of the ramifications of U.S. insolvency, it will be necessary to look to both because of the economic factors that couple with the political forces.
Ancient Rome
was very similar to America in that the Empire was a Republic, politically speaking. Because it was a Republic, when her fall
came, there were numerous strong political factions at play. Of course, depending upon exactly when one says the “fall” came, she could also have been said to be more of a monarchy. None-the-less, because of the foundations of that nation, there were factions that vied for power and took over the reigns of governance after the fall. This served to somewhat buffer the nation from many of the more serious difficulties that may have befallen her people. In this way, America could be buffered from the worst effects.
America
has two primary political factions, the Democrats and the Republicans along with several minor factions, such as the Green Party, the Reform Party, and the Libertarian Party. These could potentially play a role in shaping politics after the collapse. One cannot say for sure. However, just as these various factions could save our people from the worst effects of collapse, so too might they
exacerbate the situation. If no single political force can rise to assume the mantle of control, then the nation could slip into a period of anarchy and chaos.
Now look to
the Soviet Union. The single greatest factor protecting this nation after the collapse was that there was but a single political party before; thus any opposition to that party afterward quickly gained a following. But there were other factors with that nation that served to protect the people after collapse along with factors that made the transition fairly painful. By comparing these two nations, we can look more deeply at the crisis we will be facing and perhaps find a way to be better prepared. First, let us take a brief look at the similarities, then the differences, after which, we will explore the matter in greater detail to find out how these factors can play a role in shaping the future of this nation.
Here are
the most striking similarities between the former Soviet Union and theU.S.:
- Superpower
- Racially diverse
- Economic dominance over large portions of the globe
- Strong sense of national identity
- Engaged in “cold war”
- Dependence on oil
- Technologically advanced
- Solidarity
- Language
Now look at some of the differences:
- Single Party system vs. Two Party dominance
- Communism vs. Capitalism
- Oligarchy vs. Democratic Republic
- Racially at peace vs. racially divided
- State ownership vs. private ownership
- Weak vs. strong infrastructure (esp. roads and highways)
- Religion
- Regions vs. States
When the Soviet Union experienced collapse, naturally the first thing to happen was a period of panic and uncertainty. People did not know how they were going to pay for food and other necessities, nor did they know if such necessities would exist in the near future. Store shelves, which were already stocked considerably low by American standards emptied quickly. Immediately, people began to barter goods and services. The goods ranged from produce to vodka whereas the services ranged from simple jobs to prostitution. The formerly Orthodox, then non-religious State, Religion made a comeback within weeks. Hustling, stealing, and cheating became commonplace and before long, the Russian Mafia began to dominate everything from local to national. It still holds considerable power today.
Comparing the former Soviet Union to America we can see major differences in how collapse will impact life as we know it.
First, because all ownership was held in state control, when the economic collapse occurred, people were not uprooted from their homes; they simply remained where they had always lived. In America, most people “own” homes that are mortgaged by the banks and other lending institutions. With no currency to pay the loans, it is most unlikely that these institutions will permit the people to remain. How these companies will go about removing dwellers we cannot say, but it is likely that most will seize
their property in some manner. If this happens, we can expect serious breakdown of society. Homelessness leads to despair, despair leads to desperation, and desperation leads to desperate choices.
Add to this that although the former Soviet Union was as racially diverse as America, it had far less bigotry than America. Hence, it would not be a stretch to expect race to become a divisive issue in this nation. One former Soviet bloc nation wherein this effectively illustrates this issue is Chechnya, where race fueled civil war.
Just as the Soviet Union found itself without the means to procure foodstuffs from other countries after the collapse, so too will America have similar problems. However, the major difference is that America is a breadbasket for the world—we produce ample food for our people with incredible surpluses to sell abroad. Hence, the only products we may have difficulty obtaining are those items we can actually survive without such as new apparel, electronics, and gadgets. The only problem we may have is distribution. Indeed, if total breakdown of governance occurs, this could be a considerable problem.
On the plus side, we currently have one of the best infrastructures in the world. Our roads and highways, water distribution, and communications could feasibly all remain intact, provided the people continue to go to work with the possibility of never receiving pay. This is where communism protected the former Soviet Union—people believed in work for the sake of work; it was ingrained within them from infancy. After the collapse, people continued to work for the most part. In America, it is possible, though we hope unlikely, that many will refuse to continue to work with the possibility that they may never receive pay. Indeed, in most parts of Russia, teachers and other state workers were paid with butter. This created problems because people could not sustain their lives on butter, nor was it of much use in bartering because everyone had it. We could see something similar here, though likely with hard-line products rather than foodstuffs.
Back to the potential total dissolution of the nation. The examples discussed above illustrate that a large and diverse nation need not dissolve into anarchy and chaos. Much depends upon the leadership of those entrusted with power after-the-fact, not
before. Much more depends on the attitudes of the people living in the regions. Some regions will experience great turmoil whereas others will find the transition reasonably smooth.
Perhaps the single greatest factor that could serve to buffer America from even the worst effects of national insolvency is the fact that, unlike the former Soviet Union, this nation has a large degree of built-in autonomy. That is to say, each state has a separate government that can assume control over its borders in an emergency. Of course, as soon as the U.S. goes bankrupt, these states will each find themselves holding zero debt and zero cash-flow, so the transition will not be without hurdles. But the point is, anarchy and chaos need not occur and is highly unlikely because of this structure. Once again, much depends on the attitudes of the people.
Related articles
- The Gorbachev Files: Secret Papers Reveal Truth Behind Soviet Union Collapse. (worldnewsrecord.wordpress.com)
