If it fell quickly into a civil war or a multitude of small nations, I believe that most of the world's economies would collapse or come very close to it, because we are nearly every countries largest trading partner. I also believe that the U.N. would collapse, since the United States pays roughly one-third of its budget.

If it fell slowly, I don't know what would happen.
Any thoughts?

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Deus ex Machina

As far as the slow decline, I sometimes wonder if that's not happening already. America's "greatest generation" is pretty much gone and I don't see the "ME" generation as a solution.


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"God does not play dice" - Albert Einstein
"God does play dice" - Stephen Hawking

Bohica

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Deus ex Machina

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I think people are inflating the United State's value to world affairs.  Frankly, if the United States suddenly vanished I don't think a great deal would happen outside of the United States.  I don't think the world is all that reliant on trade with the United States.  Sure, things would change, but this assumption that the world needs us and that we're the center of everything just seems a bit silly.

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I disagree with that. If the US collapses, trillions upon trillions, upon trillions of dollars would virtually vanish from the world's wealth. The banks holding trillions in US debt would find themselves holding paper notes worth nothing. That alone would cause a collapse within many of the major European and Asian banks. With the collapse of a huge portion of their financial sectors, Japan and Europe will then themselves enter a huge recession if not depression. With 1st world markets no longer purchasing anything, China, oil producers and the 3rd world will then follow down the toliet. There's clear reason why financial experts across the world are yelling at the US to fix its debt problem.

China could do this now if it really wanted to as it holds huge amounts of securities.  

Like it or not Boys and Girls, the world runs on the confidence of Consumers. The destruction of the most stable, largest financial block in the World is going to destroy that confidence.

Without the US, financially, the world goes to Hell.

Post edited at 3:24 pm on Nov. 9, 2006 by obvious child

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"I give the probability of this working at zero" - Dan DeMatteo

Well that is my opinion.

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We had so much potential...
Then you were born

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Quote: from telomere13 at 10:07 am on Nov. 9, 2006

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I think people are inflating the United State's value to world affairs.  Frankly, if the United States suddenly vanished I don't think a great deal would happen outside of the United States.  I don't think the world is all that reliant on trade with the United States.  Sure, things would change, but this assumption that the world needs us and that we're the center of everything just seems a bit silly.

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I disagree with that. If the US collapses, trillions upon trillions, upon trillions of dollars would virtually vanish from the world's wealth. The banks holding trillions in US debt would find themselves holding paper notes worth nothing. That alone would cause a collapse within many of the major European and Asian banks. With the collapse of a huge portion of their financial sectors, Japan and Europe will then themselves enter a huge recession if not depression. With 1st world markets no longer purchasing anything, China, oil producers and the 3rd world will then follow down the toliet. There's clear reason why financial experts across the world are yelling at the US to fix its debt problem.

China could do this now if it really wanted to as it holds huge amounts of securities.  

Like it or not Boys and Girls, the world runs on the confidence of Consumers. The destruction of the most stable, largest financial block in the World is going to destroy that confidence.

Without the US, financially, the world goes to Hell.

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That may be so but I can also see China emerging as the new US.

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Let's play our lives in rewind and start with goodbye.

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Quote: from obvious child at 3:23 pm on Nov. 9, 2006

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Quote: from telomere13 at 10:07 am on Nov. 9, 2006

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I think people are inflating the United State's value to world affairs.  Frankly, if the United States suddenly vanished I don't think a great deal would happen outside of the United States.  I don't think the world is all that reliant on trade with the United States.  Sure, things would change, but this assumption that the world needs us and that we're the center of everything just seems a bit silly.

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 I disagree with that. If the US collapses, trillions upon trillions, upon trillions of dollars would virtually vanish from the world's wealth. The banks holding trillions in US debt would find themselves holding paper notes worth nothing. That alone would cause a collapse within many of the major European and Asian banks. With the collapse of a huge portion of their financial sectors, Japan and Europe will then themselves enter a huge recession if not depression. With 1st world markets no longer purchasing anything, China, oil producers and the 3rd world will then follow down the toliet. There's clear reason why financial experts across the world are yelling at the US to fix its debt problem.  

 China could do this now if it really wanted to as it holds huge amounts of securities.    

 Like it or not Boys and Girls, the world runs on the confidence of Consumers. The destruction of the most stable, largest financial block in the World is going to destroy that confidence.  

 Without the US, financially, the world goes to Hell.

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That may be so but I can also see China emerging as the new US.

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No, because after the fall of the US, China would be reduced to nothingness

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Quite likely as China needs the US to fund its development and provide the capital though trade to shift millions of people into better jobs so they won't rebel. There's a reason China has threatened to stop buying US securities if the US raises tarrifs.

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"I give the probability of this working at zero" - Dan DeMatteo

But the US isn't going away anytime soon. It'll be gradual, not another 1929 stock market 'balloon-bursting' crash.

does anyone have any idea how much money foreign nations have invested in our markets and securities. how do you think we fund our debt. our gov. doesn't wash dishes. they sell securities.

also, think of how much is imported into america. if that were cut off, foreign businesses would fail, and the nations would then fall into subsequent circles of, well, unending depression. until a new nation rose and began trade again. (~50-100 years maybe)

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            ...life is good...
...mai ho oni i ka wai lana malie...