United States eventual future? - Page 4

Arch0wl_MMS · 01-12-2008, 04:01 AM

The most compelling case for the U.S.'s eventual failure could be land mass. Most nations with the highest Human Development Index are small western democracies no larger than France, with the glaring exception being the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

**devonin** · 01-12-2008, 11:17 AM

Simply pointing to there being not many physically large nations with a high HDI doesn't necessarily prove that it is significant. Could you make an actual case out of the theory that its size is the most compelling factor into a possible failure? I'm curious to hear the rationale, if only because Canada is larger than the US, has a much lower population density (Making it functionally even larger) and in my opinion is not under any threat of any kind of collapse at all.

Arch0wl_MMS · 01-12-2008, 02:48 PM

Canada, I would assume, is a bit different because of population density like you said. However, at least in the U.S., the size has done little more than create political divide. I would also imagine that smaller size helps because protests and political activism can have more of an effect.

**devonin** · 01-12-2008, 03:34 PM

To counter that: the larger population means that when a certain percentage of the population gets behind a specific cause, a substantially larger volume of people are involved. Imagine 20% of a country with a population of 5 million all raising their voices in a common cause, versus 20% of a country with a population of 300 million.

While fewer bodies make up a larger percentage of smaller nations, don't underestimate the increased effect of the sheer volume of noise that can be raised by the larger number.

Also, while the divide is substantial in american politics, it is still equable to the political divide in nations like Ireland, or Pakistan, or other smaller nations, and in fact, the extra room in a large nation for like-minded people to interact without constantly being put into conflict with those of the opposing view might actually help keep the tensions under control, if just because the radicals on both sides are less concentrated.

01-12-2008, 04:01 AM	#61
Arch0wl_MMS FFR Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 29	Re: United States eventual future? The most compelling case for the U.S.'s eventual failure could be land mass. Most nations with the highest Human Development Index are small western democracies no larger than France, with the glaring exception being the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

01-12-2008, 11:17 AM	#62
devonin Very Grave Indeed Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 40 Posts: 10,098	Re: United States eventual future? Simply pointing to there being not many physically large nations with a high HDI doesn't necessarily prove that it is significant. Could you make an actual case out of the theory that its size is the most compelling factor into a possible failure? I'm curious to hear the rationale, if only because Canada is larger than the US, has a much lower population density (Making it functionally even larger) and in my opinion is not under any threat of any kind of collapse at all.

01-12-2008, 02:48 PM	#63
Arch0wl_MMS FFR Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 29	Re: United States eventual future? Canada, I would assume, is a bit different because of population density like you said. However, at least in the U.S., the size has done little more than create political divide. I would also imagine that smaller size helps because protests and political activism can have more of an effect.

01-12-2008, 03:34 PM	#64
devonin Very Grave Indeed Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 40 Posts: 10,098	Re: United States eventual future? To counter that: the larger population means that when a certain percentage of the population gets behind a specific cause, a substantially larger volume of people are involved. Imagine 20% of a country with a population of 5 million all raising their voices in a common cause, versus 20% of a country with a population of 300 million. While fewer bodies make up a larger percentage of smaller nations, don't underestimate the increased effect of the sheer volume of noise that can be raised by the larger number. Also, while the divide is substantial in american politics, it is still equable to the political divide in nations like Ireland, or Pakistan, or other smaller nations, and in fact, the extra room in a large nation for like-minded people to interact without constantly being put into conflict with those of the opposing view might actually help keep the tensions under control, if just because the radicals on both sides are less concentrated.

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