The idea of tiny nation-states, given current technical development, is unfeasible. I don't have much time to get into it and I'm rushing, so excuse the lack of detail.

The number one limiting factor (given nanotech) would still be food. Food is too expensive for most real-world nanotechnological predictions to synthesize, so it'd likely still be grown as we do it. Good so far, except for this--what would happen to all these little nation-states?

Look at the Great Plains and the Corn Belt of North America. It's huge, wide-open land that can support a large population. However, these days, that population doesn't live there. It lives in urbanized areas, mostly on the East and West coasts. Postulate for a moment that nation-states form from a fragmented United States. That population is still on the East and West coasts, and it doesn't control the food sources. Someone else (an enterprising schmuck from Nebraska, perhaps?) does. That group controls everything. You can't invade them; they'll destroy the food sources. You are forced to pay their prices, and they basically take over.

Economically, I just don't see a way for it to work. There's not enough farmland to go around if things fragment. Hell, Maine, where I live, couldn't support the 1.2 million people who live here on its own resources, that's for sure, and the same goes far more for cities and suburban areas such as those.

There are other factors that limit this, too. For example, there's a lot of military power in the United States, and it wouldn't exactly be divided up equally. But I'm out of time, so maybe I'll touch on that later.

For inspiration, may I suggest the great micro country sci fi classic, Vanishing Point, by James Blish. It has a lot of well thought out ramification structures of a micro world. it takes into account the food problem, as well as complete culture on the micro level. It's also a helluva old time radio drama, and these old sci fis, like x-1 and other old shows, are an amazing reseaerch source of the best of the best. Since the recordings are audio for radio drama, you can listen to them while you are working.

Adventuredesign

Quote:Original post by Edward Ropple
The number one limiting factor (given nanotech) would still be food. Food is too expensive for most real-world nanotechnological predictions to synthesize, so it'd likely still be grown as we do it. Good so far, except for this--what would happen to all these little nation-states?

In the final world (2105), most food comes from space. But before that, I'm seeing mixes of synthetic bases drawn from soil and the sea, as well as (by mid-21st century) widespread use of GMOs and cloning.

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Look at the Great Plains and the Corn Belt of North America. It's huge, wide-open land that can support a large population. However, these days, that population doesn't live there. It lives in urbanized areas, mostly on the East and West coasts. Postulate for a moment that nation-states form from a fragmented United States.

In this world, the Eastern Seaboard has been heavily damaged by nanotech WMD, and the upper regions of the US & Canada (and the rest of the world) are experiencing debilitating effects from climate change.

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That population is still on the East and West coasts, and it doesn't control the food sources. Someone else (an enterprising schmuck from Nebraska, perhaps?) does. That group controls everything. You can't invade them; they'll destroy the food sources. You are forced to pay their prices, and they basically take over.

But what do they need? They can't eat that food without petroleum resources, and by mid-2150 the US and several first world states only have a fragmentary alternative energy infrastructure (varies by country).

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There are other factors that limit this, too. For example, there's a lot of military power in the United States, and it wouldn't exactly be divided up equally.

Right, I don't expect it to be equal. It will cluster around the best civil organizers and strongmen.

Quote:Original post by adventuredesign
For inspiration, may I suggest the great micro country sci fi classic, Vanishing Point, by James Blish. It has a lot of well thought out ramification structures of a micro world. it takes into account the food problem, as well as complete culture on the micro level. It's also a helluva old time radio drama, and these old sci fis, like x-1 and other old shows, are an amazing reseaerch source of the best of the best. Since the recordings are audio for radio drama, you can listen to them while you are working.

Nice, I'll look for this. Thx for the ref!

Quote:Original post by Spoonbender
hmm, maybe I'm just being too critical

Yup, that's it. [lol][lol][lol]

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Maybe it's time you make a thread asking for suggestions for the overall timeline, like "Construct a logical and coherent history that can explain how my nanotech-crazed and fractured world came to exist"
[wink]

If you're having trouble with THIS timeline, wait 'til you see how I plan to still keep this tied to galactic events! [grin]

Quote:Original post by Wavinator

Quote:Original post by adventuredesign
For inspiration, may I suggest the great micro country sci fi classic, Vanishing Point, by James Blish. It has a lot of well thought out ramification structures of a micro world. it takes into account the food problem, as well as complete culture on the micro level. It's also a helluva old time radio drama, and these old sci fis, like x-1 and other old shows, are an amazing reseaerch source of the best of the best. Since the recordings are audio for radio drama, you can listen to them while you are working.

Nice, I'll look for this. Thx for the ref!

Just wait for the part when.... heheheh

Happy 4th

Adventuredesign