| It is 2027. What’s most noticeable is how much the world hasn’t changed over the past 20 years or so. No rockets flash across the urban sky, taking long-distance commuters to and from work. No robots do housework and other daily chores, as we were promised back in the 20th century. And while the Rolling Stones have finally called it a day, following Mick Jagger’s death in 2024, this has only left Nickelback to assume the crown of the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band.
In other, far more important ways, however, the world is very much different from that of the early 21st century. It’s difficult to pin down just when this change began, but as likely a moment as any was the U.S. presidential election of 2008. A year before, members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard had captured and held hostage 15 British sailors, accusing them of trespassing into Iranian waters. The British government strongly denied this, claiming they had been taken in Iraqi waters while acting under a U.N. mandate and that Iran’s action would only serve to isolate itself further in the realm of global opinion.
This was true, but – as it turned out – beside the point. The hostages were all eventually released, but only after it became clear that the West had been unable to take a united stand in response. And so it was, the following September, that Iran seized a U.S. warship patrolling the coast of Iraq, this time taking more than 700 American sailors hostage.
Against this backdrop, the Democrats swept to victory that November, their candidate arguing that the latest crisis was both a product of the former Bush regime’s misguided policy in the Middle East and a symptom of America’s perceived weakness in international affairs. If elected, the incumbent argued, he would spare no effort in rescuing the hostages and restoring U.S. influence.
For the next year, the U.S. – backed by U.N. condemnations of Iran – pursued a resolution through diplomatic channels. By October 2009, however, an impasse had been reached, and so America issued an ultimatum that unless all hostages were returned unharmed by December 24, military action would follow. Iran refused, and so on Christmas Day 2009, U.S. troops, supported by British, French and Israeli allies, invaded Iran.
In the Middle East Islamic opinion became inflamed. The immediate casualty was the American-backed government in Iraq, which was overthrown in January 2010. At the same time, a number of Arab nations protested what they viewed as a resurgent exercise of western imperialism.
The U.S.-led coalition ignored these protests and continued to advance on Tehran. In response, a hasty convening of OPEC imposed a drastic reduction in the production and export of oil, a measure aimed specifically at America and its allies in a repeat of the 1973 oil crisis.
The impact was immediate. Almost overnight, the price of oil went up five-fold, hitting western industry, transportation and communication severely. Within two years, unemployment in Britain and America rose to 1970s levels, and inflation neared 40 per cent. Perhaps hardest hit was the airline industry. As ticket prices rocketed to meet new fuel costs, long-distance flights became a luxury that few could afford.
In 2012, even as the war in Iran continued, North Korea took advantage of the latest crisis to launch its "war of re-unification" as it once more invaded South Korea. Predictably, the U.S. issued warnings that the invasion must cease and called on Japan to send troops to assist the South Koreans. Japan refused, and although the U.S. sent three aircraft carriers to the region it was clear to the whole world that this would not deter North Korea.
Thus on June 22, 2012, America declared its intent to launch a limited nuclear strike against North Korea. For six days, the world waited. Then, as the deadline approached, China brokered an agreement that Korea would indeed become reunited under terms and conditions set out by the Chinese government.
The U.S. opposed this solution, but it was isolated, and in July 2012 it formally revoked its nuclear threat. Concurrently, China announced a new economic and military agreement with India, heralding a new age of Asian dominance in global affairs. Representing more than 2.5 billion people, this pact was greater in scope than any empire the world had ever seen.
By 2020, it was clear the world had changed. Reeling under the impact of OPEC’s embargo, the U.S. economy was still the world’s largest, but was anchored by a national debt it could never hope to repay. In effect, it was bankrupt.
It wasn’t all about America. The death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2021, at the age of 95 prompted renewed calls for an end to the monarchy. Charles III reigned briefly for two years, but in 2023 agreed to abdicate in favour of his son William. Parliament refused to accept this gesture, however, and in 2025 declared the monarchy abolished.
Without its key figurehead, the British Commonwealth dissolved itself, declaring this the final act of liberation from the imperial bonds of the 19th century. Scotland took this opportunity to declare itself independent, with Wales soon following. The United Kingdom was dead.
In Canada, a resurgent Quebec autonomy movement seized the moment. Under the banner "Separate if Necessary, but Not Necessarily Separate," Quebec followed Scotland’s example. Constitutional lawyers scrambled to work out just what this meant, but finally agreed that since former Prime Minister Stephen Harper had already declared Quebec a nation in 2006, there was no more point in arguing the case.
On July 1, 2026, the province of Quebec was reborn as l’Amerique du Nord française. It’s still unclear whether a separate Quebec will survive. Indeed, it’s tough to say whether Canada or even the U.S. will be able to adjust to the realities of the new world, in which key decisions are being made in Delhi and Beijing. Time will tell. |
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