Originally posted by cpdaman
nice post silent thunder
economies of scale en.wikipedia.org...
so what powerful group loses?
the U.S military machine?
i don't see them surrendering power unless their funding capacity (dollar as world's biggest reserve currency/"petro dollar" falls off its
perch)
many have talked about this but most people i respect think it's at least 2 to 3 years away (when our Debt to GDP could either exponentially rise or
perhaps level off in the 150-200% area)
Thanks for the Kudos.
I actually think the military will come out better than most. There are many possible outcomes...the formal structre of the miltary could collapse,
for example, but smaller factions, corps, units, etc. could go on to do a thriving business as a private army, like the (now-defunct) Sandline or
other PMCs. Ever since the Hessians there has been a market for military muscle...many ex-soldiers may find themselves guarding gated communities of
wealthy against increasingly violent and impoverished citizens. Another scenario: They simply become a major part of the muscle of the One World
Order, traveling around the world as mobile private enforcers where needed. The trend towards privitzation of the military and the role of such groups
in domestic security
is already well underway, more than most people realize.
So..a lot of military types are likely to come out OK...I think a lot of the military "desk jobs" and fat layers of middle-management will be
slashed to the bone in the increasing, obessive search for efficiency, so these are likely to be among the losers. HARDWARE contractors will be
squeezed out too, as more efficient, centralized ways of dealing with weaponry will be streamlined. No more Pentagon charging the Uncle Sam $4,000 for
a set of socket wrenches. That whole aspect of corruption is likely to go up in flames...perhaps not without a struggle.
I think WESTERN MANUFACTURERS and heavy-industry leaders are extremely threatened...most will see their businesses move to the control of others in
cheaper, far-flung parts of the world. This group, once mighty, has dwindled in influence anyway, and sadly seems to be on a trajectory to continue to
do so. IMHO, a strong nation needs strong heavy industry. For the past 30 years we've been selling off the crown jewels with this "offshoring"
garbage.
Who else will be "powerful losers?" Perhaps some renegade parts of the govt or milliary who refuse to cowtow to the new order. Private farmers who
are not big agribusinesses. In fact, most smaller players in any given industry will be simply bulldozed over by the big combines, who will work
hand-in-hand with the banks. It will be like a global version of the old pre-War Japanese
Zaibatsu system that was so extraordinarily efficient
and resulted in extreme central authority. Local and "mid-level" politicians will lose out. So will much of "middle management" in general.
Nevertheless, all these people still posess the potential to fight back...if they are sharp enough and perhaps even band together.
And, saddest of all, the "average citizen" will be a loser too. Average citizens can be a mighty force, as history teaches with every rebellion and
revolution. Can they wake up in time?
[edit on 7/26/09 by silent thunder]