2100: New Countries from GURPS Transhuman Space

[Strategos' Risk]

GURPS is a pen-and-paper RPG series from Steve Jackson Games. In a nutshell, Transhuman Space takes place in a neither dystopian nor utopian 2100, where Earth has done some colonizing, but the real story is that an immense amount of bioengineering has been created, to the extent that obesity is nonexistent due to gene-modifications and there are actual David Brin-style Uplifts of animals. The movement of giving people superhuman abilities through bioengineering is called transhumanism; there’s a nascent movement today called that.

The political situation is as follows [I copied this from the site]:

Three nations (or groups of nations) are dominant and shape the politics on Earth (and beyond): The People's Republic of China (leader in military power and political influence), the European Union (leader in technology and sheer wealth), and the USA (trying hard to catch up to the other two after decades of withdrawal from world affairs).

Several other Powers are also gaining world-wide influence: India (in "danger" of going over to the nanosocialist camp after the next elections), the Pacific Rim Alliance (a military mutual defence pact dominated by Japan, Korea, and Australia), the Transpacific Socialist Alliance (an alliance of so-called "nanosocialist" nations and favorite villain of capitalists everywhere), the Islamic Caliphate (a group of Arabic nations united under a Caliph and dedicated to creating an "ideal" Islamic state), and the South African Coalition (a group of African nations dedicated to mutual economic development). The Duncanites, a loose group of transhumanists and libertarians mostly concentrated in the Main Belt, is also becoming increasingly influential in space.

Nanosocialism (the belief that only governments can make sure that the benefits of technology can be distributed in a way that benefits everyone - and that private individuals or organisations should not be allowed to "own" intellectual property and patents. This isn't so strange if you consider how hard it is for many of the poorest and most afflicted nations today to afford the AIDS treatments they need...)

Anyhow, I don’t have the GURPS book(s), but their site does have a calculator thing that lists all of the series’ countries. Some new countries formed were done so as part of the plot (Canada for some reason breaks up, and there is a war involving China at some point). If someone has the books, I’d really appreciate feedback.

Until then, can anyone help me think of reasons why any of these places might become countries of their own in the future? I’m thinking of any of these future nations are applicable for a different timeline.

In the United States’ Bloc

America Samoa
Marshall Islands
Northern Marianas

Do the island chains above have any reason to leave the U.S.?

In the Caribbean Union

Anguilla (currently British in 2005 in OTL)
Cayman Islands (currently British)
Guadaloupe (I’m not sure what this is referring to)
Turks and Caicos Islands (currently British)
Virgin Islands (currently American)

Is there any reason for these current British dependencies to leave the U.K.?

In the Chinese Bloc

There was a war between China and the Transpacific Socialist Alliance, which includes Vietnam and Myanmar. Would China be willing to “liberate” the following two ethnic enclaves, if there was a war in SE Asia?

Kachin
Shan Republic

In the European Union
Aruba
Bermuda
Brussels
Catalonia
Faroe Islands
Flanders
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gibraltar
Greenland
Koningsberg
Maritimes
Martinique
Mayotte
Montserrat
Netherlands Antilles
Newfoundland
Quebec
Reunion
Saint Helena
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Scotland
Wallis and Futuna
Wallonia

Of course, I guess some of the islands/possessions in the Americas and Africa might simply be included if the future EU allows autonomous zones of countries to be included, so some of these listed above are not independent nations.

I could talk about the interesting characteristics of the RPG’s EU (Central Asian ex-Soviet nations, like Azerbaijan and Georgia, are included), but I won’t.

Islamic Caliphate
Plastinian Enclaves Asia [Southwest] 14 million 11.7

What the heck is Plastinian?

Pacific Rim Alliance (led by Australia, against China and TPA in three-way cold war)
Alberta & British Columbia
Kanaky republic Oceania 310,000 8.6
Maluku Selantan Asia [Southeast] 3.9 million 10.4
New Guinea (apparently the whole island)
Solomon Islands Oceania 1.4 million 7.5

What’s Kanaky?

South African Coalition (A renaissance of sub-Saharan states)
Tanganyika Africa [East] 125 million 12.7

For some reason, Tanzania breaks up into Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Got any ideas why?

Unaffiliated Nations
Benin Africa [West] 27 million 12.1
Casamance Africa [West] 5.6 million 10.3
Cook Islands Oceania 25,000 3.0
Haut-Zaire Africa [Central] 43 million 9.7
Katanga Africa [Central] 24 million 8.9
Kivu Africa [Central] 46 million 9.8
Kongo Africa [Central] 190 million 11.9
Mekamui Oceania 380,000 8.8
Montreal America [North] 4.9 million 13.0
Nunavut
Sahrawi Republic Africa [North] 840,000 2.8
Sarawak and Sabah Asia
South Sudan
Zanzibar
Zulia America [South] 5.5 million 12.3

What’s Zulia? What’s Mekaumi? Why would Montreal secede?

[Bill Cameron]

Until then, can anyone help me think of reasons why any of these places might become countries of their own in the future? I’m thinking of any of these future nations are applicable for a different timeline.


SR,

I know someone who was in on the playtest of this stuff. SJG playtests most releases via it's web forum. Suffice it to say, he told me the nation creation and splitting you see in the game was done with equal amounts of "What Would Be Cool" and "AH Plausibility" in mind.

I'd asked him the same question you're posing for the same reasons. He enjoys AH too, but he also points out that the idea was to create an enjoyable game setting and not a history textbook of the next 100 years. A lot of the advances, especially in the biotech and space areas, are little more than speculation. By way of example, in 2100 Mars is partially terraformed and genetically modified human can already live on its surface without protective gear.

What the heck is Plastinian?

A typo. It's Palestininan. as in Palestinian Enclaves; i.e. Gaza and the West Bank. Israel still exists and the Enclaves are associates, but not full members, of the Islamic Caliphate. You'll note how the setting kept intact the real world phenomena of Islamic states always wailing about the plight of the Palestinians in the 'occupied territories' while treating Palestinians in their own countries as second-class citizens or worse.

What’s Kanaky?

A polity made up of Kanakas, an actual racial/cultural group in the southwest Pacific.

For some reason, Tanzania breaks up into Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Got any ideas why?

For pretty much the same reason Singapore and Malaysia split. Why should a potential lucrative, cosmopolitan, and (relatively) progressive island be saddled with a shithole mainland backwater? I've been to Tanzania. Shithole is a kind description.

Why would Montreal secede?

The Free City of Montreal and Canada's disintegration are one of the 'Interesting Game Setting' bits and not one of the 'Plausible AH' bits. My friend told me that because Mexico/Central America was always the anarchic nasty region of most near-future settings, they decided to turn the idea on its head and make poor, boring Canada the anarchic nasty region. There's is no other reason for it than it being 'cool'.

[Strategos' Risk]

Ah. Is Quebec a royal French state? I thought that's why it was in the EU.

[Bill Cameron]

Ah. Is Quebec a royal French state? I thought that's why it was in the EU.

No, and France isn't a monarchy either. Where'd you get that bit?

Quebec is in the EU as a run-of-the-mill member nation, just as are the other, former European colonies in the Western hemisphere.

Let's see, the EU is described as:

The Treaty of Warsaw in 2041 saw the balance of power in the European Union swing from national legislatures to direct democracy. Today, decision-making and legislation are largely handled by the European Parliament, which is run on cyberdemocratic lines.

and...

E.U. policies tend to be dominated by a large class of reasonably well-off elderly voters in four of the most powerful member states: France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

No monarchies there.

Oh, cyberdemocracy is a twist the old 'Government by Draftees' idea. The thinking is people randomly selected to do the job for a set period are better than those egotistical enough to run for office and all the campaign; ie. money, lobbyists, bribes, etc. problems that engenders. The twist in this case is that the draftee is assisted by AIs while on the job. Whether this is plausible if left to the reader.


Bill

[Venusian Si]

Bump! Thanks for posting this list of Nations! It seems really interesting.

[General Mung Beans]

Interesting list but way too many cliches and implausible things. Here's a short list:

1. There's as usual in FHs a united Islamic Caliphate despite that the Middle East is way too diverse too create a united state plus there are a lot of moderate states and neither America nor Isreal would be happy about it.
2. The world gets balkanized too much espescially Europe and Canada (I can understand Quebec but Alberta/British Colombia?!

[Emperor Qianlong]

Interesting list but way too many cliches and implausible things. Here's a short list:

1. There's as usual in FHs a united Islamic Caliphate despite that the Middle East is way too diverse too create a united state plus there are a lot of moderate states and neither America nor Isreal would be happy about it.
2. The world gets balkanized too much espescially Europe and Canada (I can understand Quebec but Alberta/British Colombia?!

1. If I remember correctly, the Caliphate includes only Sunni Arab states (except for Iraq, I think... that may be explained though by TS being effective Alternate History, and the Iraq War never occuring ITTL, and the country still being run by a repressive Sunni regime after a century, not quite plausible, but oh well...).

2. Balkanized Canada is sort of an in-joke of the setting, and most of the European ones are entirely plausible.

[Strategos' Risk]

The Islamic Caliphate

In 2000, the Arab nations suffered from a variety of factional divisions: city−dwellers against Bedouin, oil−wealthy nations against poor ones, Sunni against Shi'ites, Western allies against anti−Western states. The contradictions often limited Arab effectiveness in world affairs, as Arab states who were nominally allied against the West came to blows among themselves. The Gulf Wars of 1992 and 2006, the Egyptian−Libyan war of 2013, the constant struggle against Israel, all of these sapped the strength of the Arab states.

To be effective in the modern world, Arab civilization needed unity. The first promise of that unity came in the late 2030s, when a Muslim religious leader named Ali al−Rashid attained prominence in Saudi Arabia. Al−Rashid's teachings seemed contradictory at first hearing. He preached devotion to the puritanical Wahhabi sect, but also embraced science and technology as the key to Arab success. He denounced the evil and degeneracy of Western civilization, but also taught that the proper Arab response was to teach morality by example. Al−Rashid was blessed with great charisma and a fiery oratorical style that won many converts. By 2040 he was the most prominent Sunni religious leader in the world, and was being openly acclaimed as the Mahdi by millions of Arabs. He had no direct political power of his own, but in 2043 he made an alliance with the House of Saud. The combination proved irresistible. Over the next few years, the Saudis used al−Rashid's influence to strengthen their formal partnerships with other Islamic nations. During this period, they even managed a reconciliation with the anti−monarchist regimes in Iraq and Syria. Soon the Saudi alliance system took in all the Arab nations around the Persian Gulf. In 2049, the allies agreed to set up a permanent council (the Presidium of the Arab League) in the holy city of Medina. The new council would serve as a focal point for the coordination of foreign policy and economic development. Ali al−Rashid was named Chairman of the Presidium, a purely honorary position which nonetheless gave him a unique position of moral influence. Meanwhile, the House of Saud attained effective control of the new council through typically pragmatic statesmanship.

The first action of the new Presidium was to grant Ali al−Rashid a long−vacant title: that of Caliph. This made him a recognized successor or agent of Mohammed, the foremost religious and political leader in the Islamic world. Finally, the Arab states had a rallying point for constructive action in the world community, with the Caliph to provide moral leadership and hard−headed Saudi statesmen to manage the everyday business.

The Caliphate remains in existence today. It has not always been successful in preventing strife among Muslims, but it has done much to moderate Arab radicalism and promote Arab economic development. Many powerful Islamic nations remain outside the alliance, particularly Iran, Pakistan, and the Arab states of northern Africa. The Caliphate is outwardly cool to the West, but it can usually work with Western nations where its interests permit.

Canada
Ironically, after years of dispute over Quebecois separatism, Canadian unity finally foundered on another issue entirely. Disputes over taxes and environmental policy caused British Columbia to secede in 2033. Once the union had been broken, other provinces chose to elevate their own disputes with the central government into pretexts for secession. Even the autonomous region of Nunavut, far in the arctic north, began agitating for independence. By 2045 Canada had been whittled down to its core, with Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan the only provinces remaining in the union. The final dissolution of Canada was remarkably amicable, aside from a few disputes over the division of national property and the undeveloped northern territories. Today Canada maintains a friendly relationship with most of the splinter states. Canada is a prosperous Fifth Wave society, with strong economic ties to the United States.

Alberta and British Columbia
Two former Canadian provinces formed the Union of Alberta and British Columbia (sometimes called the "ABC Republic") in 2034. The Union is a prosperous Fifth Wave nation which trades extensively with Japan and other parts of Asia. It is a full member of the Pacific Rim Alliance; relations with Canada and the United States are occasionally strained.

Maritimes
The Maritime Union is composed of three former Canadian provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) all of whom seceded from Canada between 2038 and 2045. The unified nation was established in 2048 and has since joined the European Union. The Maritimes have a comfortable Fourth Wave economy, and are world leaders in fish−farming and other forms of pelagiculture.

Montreal
When the province of Quebec separated from Canada in 2036, the city of Montreal went with it at first. However, many citizens were uncomfortable with this position, and agitated for a plebiscite to determine the city's ultimate fate. In the end, the city chose neither continued union with Quebec nor a return to Canada. Instead, Montreal voted for the status of a "free city" with its own independent government and laws. At first, Quebec resisted this move and threatened to use force, but pressure from the United States and the rump Canadian state prevented violence. By 2041 Montreal had severed all political ties and was an independent city−state.

Today Montreal has a Fifth Wave standard of living and a booming economy. As an intermediary between the European Union and the rest of North America, the city has a considerable income from transshipment and other forms of foreign trade. The local banking, biotech and electronics industries are also important. Montreal's unique blend of Quebecois, Anglophone Canadian, and American traditions also makes it a major cultural center, with a vibrant artistic community and entertainment industry.

Newfoundland
Newfoundland seceded from Canada in 2039, later joining the European Union. The island republic is currently a prosperous Fourth Wave state, somewhat ahead of the nearby Maritime Union.

Nunavut
Nunavut is an unusual nation, dominated by Inuit culture and populated in large part by arctic−adapted parahumans. It has a healthy Fourth Wave economy, and its population and economy are both growing quickly. The Nunavut government is pursuing trade and diplomatic ties with other far−northern political entities, such as Alaska, Greenland, and Russia. The ultimate goal is an "Arctic League" devoted to the protection of the arctic environment and the indigenous cultures of the far north.

Quebec
Although it was for long the primary focus of secessionism in Canada, Quebec did not finally declare its independence until 2036, after Alberta and British Columbia had already seceded. After independence Quebec suffered through a period of instability and seemed likely to fragment further. After Montreal became a free city, the situation stabilized. Quebec currently has a healthy democratic government and a Fourth Wave economy. It has been a member of the European Union since the early 2050s, and has become closely tied to France in diplomatic affairs.



It's from the Fifth Wave sourcebook.

[General Mung Beans]

Intresting TL I'd say. But one thing I'd like to ask is why is the US still in a Fourth Wave economy along with the Canadian states while compartivly less advanced states such as Chile and South Africa are in the Fifth Wave?

[Qazaq2007]

GURPS is a pen-and-paper RPG series from Steve Jackson Games. In a nutshell, Transhuman Space takes place in a neither dystopian nor utopian 2100, where Earth has done some colonizing, but the real story is that an immense amount of bioengineering has been created, to the extent that obesity is nonexistent due to gene-modifications and there are actual David Brin-style Uplifts of animals. The movement of giving people superhuman abilities through bioengineering is called transhumanism; there’s a nascent movement today called that.

The political situation is as follows [I copied this from the site]:

Three nations (or groups of nations) are dominant and shape the politics on Earth (and beyond): The People's Republic of China (leader in military power and political influence), the European Union (leader in technology and sheer wealth), and the USA (trying hard to catch up to the other two after decades of withdrawal from world affairs).

Several other Powers are also gaining world-wide influence: India (in "danger" of going over to the nanosocialist camp after the next elections), the Pacific Rim Alliance (a military mutual defence pact dominated by Japan, Korea, and Australia), the Transpacific Socialist Alliance (an alliance of so-called "nanosocialist" nations and favorite villain of capitalists everywhere), the Islamic Caliphate (a group of Arabic nations united under a Caliph and dedicated to creating an "ideal" Islamic state), and the South African Coalition (a group of African nations dedicated to mutual economic development). The Duncanites, a loose group of transhumanists and libertarians mostly concentrated in the Main Belt, is also becoming increasingly influential in space.

Nanosocialism (the belief that only governments can make sure that the benefits of technology can be distributed in a way that benefits everyone - and that private individuals or organisations should not be allowed to "own" intellectual property and patents. This isn't so strange if you consider how hard it is for many of the poorest and most afflicted nations today to afford the AIDS treatments they need...)

Anyhow, I don’t have the GURPS book(s), but their site does have a calculator thing that lists all of the series’ countries. Some new countries formed were done so as part of the plot (Canada for some reason breaks up, and there is a war involving China at some point). If someone has the books, I’d really appreciate feedback.

Until then, can anyone help me think of reasons why any of these places might become countries of their own in the future? I’m thinking of any of these future nations are applicable for a different timeline.

In the United States’ Bloc

America Samoa
Marshall Islands
Northern Marianas

Do the island chains above have any reason to leave the U.S.?

In the Caribbean Union

Anguilla (currently British in 2005 in OTL)
Cayman Islands (currently British)
Guadaloupe (I’m not sure what this is referring to)
Turks and Caicos Islands (currently British)
Virgin Islands (currently American)

Is there any reason for these current British dependencies to leave the U.K.?

In the Chinese Bloc

There was a war between China and the Transpacific Socialist Alliance, which includes Vietnam and Myanmar. Would China be willing to “liberate” the following two ethnic enclaves, if there was a war in SE Asia?

Kachin
Shan Republic

In the European Union
Aruba
Bermuda
Brussels
Catalonia
Faroe Islands
Flanders
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gibraltar
Greenland
Koningsberg
Maritimes
Martinique
Mayotte
Montserrat
Netherlands Antilles
Newfoundland
Quebec
Reunion
Saint Helena
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Scotland
Wallis and Futuna
Wallonia

Of course, I guess some of the islands/possessions in the Americas and Africa might simply be included if the future EU allows autonomous zones of countries to be included, so some of these listed above are not independent nations.

I could talk about the interesting characteristics of the RPG’s EU (Central Asian ex-Soviet nations, like Azerbaijan and Georgia, are included), but I won’t.

Islamic Caliphate
Plastinian Enclaves Asia [Southwest] 14 million 11.7

What the heck is Plastinian?

Pacific Rim Alliance (led by Australia, against China and TPA in three-way cold war)
Alberta & British Columbia
Kanaky republic Oceania 310,000 8.6
Maluku Selantan Asia [Southeast] 3.9 million 10.4
New Guinea (apparently the whole island)
Solomon Islands Oceania 1.4 million 7.5

What’s Kanaky?

South African Coalition (A renaissance of sub-Saharan states)
Tanganyika Africa [East] 125 million 12.7

For some reason, Tanzania breaks up into Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Got any ideas why?

Unaffiliated Nations
Benin Africa [West] 27 million 12.1
Casamance Africa [West] 5.6 million 10.3
Cook Islands Oceania 25,000 3.0
Haut-Zaire Africa [Central] 43 million 9.7
Katanga Africa [Central] 24 million 8.9
Kivu Africa [Central] 46 million 9.8
Kongo Africa [Central] 190 million 11.9
Mekamui Oceania 380,000 8.8
Montreal America [North] 4.9 million 13.0
Nunavut
Sahrawi Republic Africa [North] 840,000 2.8
Sarawak and Sabah Asia
South Sudan
Zanzibar
Zulia America [South] 5.5 million 12.3

What’s Zulia? What’s Mekaumi? Why would Montreal secede?
BTW, The Marshall Islands are already an independent nation in free association w/ the USA, IOTL. As for the Kanakis, they are an ethnic group that lives on New Caledonia in the SW Pacific Ocean, and Zulia is a state in western Venezuela, surrounding Lake Maracaibo.

[Venusian Si]

Intresting TL I'd say. But one thing I'd like to ask is why is the US still in a Fourth Wave economy along with the Canadian states while compartivly less advanced states such as Chile and South Africa are in the Fifth Wave?

Well, in terms of Technology the United States and Canada are both Fifth Wave Nations. Still, the U.S. and the Canadas are not as economically prosperous when compared to Western Europe, South Africa, and Chile, because Global Politics, Free Trade, and Immigration, hasn't been as nice to the U.S. and Canada. (Hoped that Helped:o)