Qilai! Qilai! - A History of Modern China and The World

[Asami]

Qilai! Qilai!
A History of Modern China and the World

Liu Yandong (Democratic League)
February 2008 - February 2014
Part II: The New Stability
"The Iron Lady"
​

The remainder of Liu Yandong's tenure as Chairwoman were uneventful, surprisingly. After the chaos of the Orange Revolution and the ensuing peace crisis, the world settled back into a malaise. New power blocs began to take shape, as the Levantine Confederation banded together with over a dozen African regimes to form the Neutrality Compact, a group of nations adhering to stay away from Europe, China, America and the Soviet Union's pockets. As a result, they were relatively trusted amongst nations to be impartial, and uphold some level of decency. Similarly, shortly before the EF agreement took place in Europe, the Nordic Council was formed between Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which rejected union with Europe, and instead piloted their own way. Denmark was happy to do so, as it meant no longer being fearful of Germany invading Jylland.

Despite the abject fear of an incoming war, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy and Luxembourg all unified together at midnight on January 1, 2010. Tunisia and Morocco, being disenfranchised from the European alliance by the growing chaos at home, and the bidding of the leftists in the state, opted instead to join into the Levantine Confederation and their growing alliance as full members of the Confederation. So as Europe created a new 'normalcy' that seemed to be willing to stand the test of time, the remainder of Europe continued her inevitable march towards progress.

But China, China was still in the throes of an economic boom worth salivating over. The new Pan-Pacific economy was a juggernaut, and China was, by 2010, just shy of American levels of development in the more "core regions". In the outremer, such as Mongolia, Turkestan, and Tibet... not so much. The government was having issues getting essential services out into that part of the country. Chinese engineers began to experiment with early drone technology that would aid in delivering goods to the isolated regions of China, but the progress was not as quick as they would have liked. China soon utilized the assistance of their client states in Nepal, Bhutan, Bengal and Hindustan to get materials and goods up into the mountains of Tibet, and got Soviet aid to help deliver goods to the Turkestani in Xinjiang. The humanitarian situation in China there after improved, and the quality of life went up again.

That was not to say it was completely fine. The Mongols were always restless, as were the Turks--those two ethnic groups, more so than any other, wanted their independence back from Beijing, whom had them captive and by the balls. Beijing was absolutely adamant in not allowing either state to go free. For the first time since the 19th century, China had been whole again. Every territory that had belonged to the late Qing Dynasty had been returned to Chinese control--from Taiwan, to Mongolia, to Hong Kong and Macau. China was prosperous and happy, and Liu was satisfied with that development. It had not stopped many Communist Party bureaucrats from complaining that this was not what Comrade Mao had envisioned for China, but nobody took Maoism seriously anymore. After Madame Mao's catastrophic reign, and the overwhelming benefits that 'Deng Xiaoping Thought' had created for China in the 20th and 21st centuries, nobody gave a shit about Maoism.

A series of powerful typhoons battered China's coastline in early 2012, forcing the Chinese president to institute emergency relief packages for the flooded coastal provinces. While China had avoided horrendous construction projects, there were numerous dams and dykes across the Yangtze Valley that, if left unchecked and unmaintained, could spell disaster. In late 2012, Liu created the National Board for Infrastructure Integrity, and assigned several high profile academics, engineers and architects to the board to begin investigating all of China's roadways, dykes, dams, trainways and ports, to ensure that nothing catastrophic would take place.

From March 2009 to February 2014, Chinese people have begun to refer to it as 'The New Stability'. In the post-European unification age, many people were anxious of the growing feelings of cold war between the Populist power, and the Democratic powers. However, Liu had navigated China into a climate where she had no enemies on her flanks, and was literally surrounded by comrades in arms. In a meeting in early 2013, Chairwoman Liu, Prime Minister Tadatomo Yoshida of Japan, and President Kim Jong-il were photographed laughing and enjoying each other's presence. The image went viral on the internet, showing how, in less than a century, some of the most horrendous wounds of war could be healed with a little time, faith and trust. Liu was delighted by the image's popularity, and said that 'in an era where things can become so uncertain so fast, to learn to trust again, and to learn to care for one another is a major step in the right direction to give our children a world worth living in.'

She departed office in February 2014. China's economy was slowing down as it was reaching the 'point of normalcy' where no more major excessive growth could be mustered, but China remained a robust economy for years to come, and she had faith that the man who would succeed her would do the office great justice. That man was Jiang Weiwei, a political activist and artist from Beijing. Many were nervous, as the man had little experience in running much of anything, but were willing to take a chance on a man whom up till now, had a relatively clean record. However, the limelight of public office was a cruel beast, and nobody knew what lay in the man's closet.

Jiang Weiwei, the next Chairman of the People's Republic of China
Member of the Revolutionary Kuomintang​

 

[Gonzo]

SENPAI NOTICED ME

​

 

[FiendslayerPrime1976]

Great set of updates Sakura! I have to say this is shaping up to be one of my favorite alternate history timelines - looking forward to seeing how it all turns out at the end!

(One note - In the index Culture - UHF and Event - The Man in the Blue House are both numbered XLIII - is this a mistake or a continuation of the chapter?)

 

[Asami]

Qilai! Qilai!
A History of Modern China and the World

Jiang Weiwei (Revolutionary Kuomintang)
February 2014 - January 2017
​

Jiang Weiwei inherited a powderkeg, in a sense. While China's economy was slowing down, it seemed fit to continue to grow for years to come. However... sometimes, things are not meant to last. In March 2014, the United States subprime housing bubble, and the DotCom bubble burst, sending the American and Chinese economies into a state of absolute shock, as billions were shed seemingly overnight. The Chinese government had to act immediately to stem the tide of the recession that was now surging through out the world. Jiang ordered the closure of all Chinese banks, and the immediate investigation into the major banks and lenders that had been responsible for the creation of this crisis. The closure of the banks across China did not play well for Jiang, and there was some protest over people not being able to access their money in a timely fashion.

In the United States, President James Hill of the Democratic Party had managed to grip on with his might, but the economy was in free-fall and showing no signs of slowing down. Elected in 2012 after defeating Hillary Williams in her final attempt at the White House, he had come into office at literally the worst time, just like Chairman Jiang. Unwilling to simply forgive the big banks whom had caused this disaster, President Hill gave a scathing speech and called for immediate investigations into the matters of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Bank of America, CitiGroup, Chase Bank, and even the United States Federal Treasury.

U.S. President James Hill addressing Congress
​

However, President Hill faced a new kind of opposition. Taking advantage of the shuttering of banks, and the anemic near-collapse of the American and Chinese stock exchanges, the Patriotic Movement used the opportunity to tout how the foolish dogma of the Democrats and Republicans, and their Chinese and Soviet communist allies had doomed capitalism in America, and unless 'real solutions' were put into place, it would never improve. Several 'Conservatives' in Congress whom had largely been pushed out of the frame by moderates, liberals and progressives, were moved enough to defect parties, giving the Patriotic Movement an unprecedented 37 seats in the Senate, and 186 House Seats as well. The Democrats maintained a majority, but both them and the Republicans were hurting. Growing discontent within the party ranks was causing further fraction, as Conservatives unconvinced by Populism looked to split their own way, Socialists and Communists were heavily learning towards departing the mainstream parties, and pushed for change.

President Hill was soon regretting the bill he had pushed for on the campaign trail. The United States had passed a bill in 2013 changing the electoral system. Instead of mandating a winner-take-all system like had been in place for generations, the United States adopted a proportional voting system, which meant that the third parties now had a fighting chance, and with that, it seemed as if the Big Tent parties were fit to come crumbling down. By 2015, the system was a number of spinning cogs flying off of the handle, and Hill was facing unbelievable opposition at home, from within his own party, more so than anything. A young woman named Koharu Toyama, age 18, was beginning to take shape as the leader of a grassroots movement of liberal and socialist young Americans. After the death of her Congressman in May 2015, the girl announced her intention to run for Congress, literally days after turning 18. Her campaign, which was ran out of her father's garage in the small Florida suburban town, she gained local attention as dozens of students from her college and high school came to help her in their endeavors. She ran for the Democratic nomination for the seat, and faced opposition, but the media power seemed to favor her and her 'underdog' story. When the run-off election came, she defeated her Patriotic Movement and Republican adversaries 41-39-20. America's youngest Congresswoman had grand ideas for the Republic, and wouldn't be content to sit and do nothing. She was out for blood.

In China, Jiang had his own fair share of problems. He was not able to deflect the blame on the housing and economic crisis on the other parties, but instead, he was saddled with it, with many people lampooning the idea of electing an artist as Chairman. Many people even bothered to compare Jiang to Hitler-- "failed artist, economic downturn... authoritarian despots?"--which faced some criticism across China and other nations. Despite the best efforts of Jiang, the economy did not improve going into 2015, and the Tripartite Powers and their interests were soon threatened in June 2015, when what was supposed to be a pop culture event, turned into a nightmare...​

 

[Master Xion]

Qilai! Qilai!
A History of Modern China and the World

Jiang Weiwei (Revolutionary Kuomintang)
February 2014 - January 2017
​

Jiang Weiwei inherited a powderkeg, in a sense. While China's economy was slowing down, it seemed fit to continue to grow for years to come. However... sometimes, things are not meant to last. In March 2014, the United States subprime housing bubble, and the DotCom bubble burst, sending the American and Chinese economies into a state of absolute shock, as billions were shed seemingly overnight. The Chinese government had to act immediately to stem the tide of the recession that was now surging through out the world. Jiang ordered the closure of all Chinese banks, and the immediate investigation into the major banks and lenders that had been responsible for the creation of this crisis. The closure of the banks across China did not play well for Jiang, and there was some protest over people not being able to access their money in a timely fashion.

In the United States, President James Hill of the Democratic Party had managed to grip on with his might, but the economy was in free-fall and showing no signs of slowing down. Elected in 2012 after defeating Hillary Williams in her final attempt at the White House, he had come into office at literally the worst time, just like Chairman Jiang. Unwilling to simply forgive the big banks whom had caused this disaster, President Hill gave a scathing speech and called for immediate investigations into the matters of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Bank of America, CitiGroup, Chase Bank, and even the United States Federal Treasury.

U.S. President James Hill addressing Congress
​

However, President Hill faced a new kind of opposition. Taking advantage of the shuttering of banks, and the anemic near-collapse of the American and Chinese stock exchanges, the Patriotic Movement used the opportunity to tout how the foolish dogma of the Democrats and Republicans, and their Chinese and Soviet communist allies had doomed capitalism in America, and unless 'real solutions' were put into place, it would never improve. Several 'Conservatives' in Congress whom had largely been pushed out of the frame by moderates, liberals and progressives, were moved enough to defect parties, giving the Patriotic Movement an unprecedented 37 seats in the Senate, and 186 House Seats as well. The Democrats maintained a majority, but both them and the Republicans were hurting. Growing discontent within the party ranks was causing further fraction, as Conservatives unconvinced by Populism looked to split their own way, Socialists and Communists were heavily learning towards departing the mainstream parties, and pushed for change.

President Hill was soon regretting the bill he had pushed for on the campaign trail. The United States had passed a bill in 2013 changing the electoral system. Instead of mandating a winner-take-all system like had been in place for generations, the United States adopted a proportional voting system, which meant that the third parties now had a fighting chance, and with that, it seemed as if the Big Tent parties were fit to come crumbling down. By 2015, the system was a number of spinning cogs flying off of the handle, and Hill was facing unbelievable opposition at home, from within his own party, more so than anything. A young woman named Asami Tachibana, age 18, was beginning to take shape as the leader of a grassroots movement of liberal and socialist young Americans. After the death of her Congressman in May 2015, the girl announced her intention to run for Congress, literally days after turning 18. Her campaign, which was ran out of her father's garage in the small Florida suburban town, she gained local attention as dozens of students from her college and high school came to help her in their endeavors. She ran for the Democratic nomination for the seat, and faced opposition, but the media power seemed to favor her and her 'underdog' story. When the run-off election came, she defeated her Patriotic Movement and Republican adversaries 41-39-20. America's youngest Congresswoman had grand ideas for the Republic, and wouldn't be content to sit and do nothing. She was out for blood.

In China, Jiang had his own fair share of problems. He was not able to deflect the blame on the housing and economic crisis on the other parties, but instead, he was saddled with it, with many people lampooning the idea of electing an artist as Chairman. Many people even bothered to compare Jiang to Hitler-- "failed artist, economic downturn... authoritarian despots?"--which faced some criticism across China and other nations. Despite the best efforts of Jiang, the economy did not improve going into 2015, and the Tripartite Powers and their interests were soon threatened in June 2015, when what was supposed to be a pop culture event, turned into a nightmare...​

So James Hill is this TL's Rick Perry?

 

[Asami]

Qilai! Qilai!
The History of Modern China and the World

Event: The Top Gear War
June 11, 2015 - October 15, 2015
​

What began as a cultural goodwill campaign undertaken by the BBC Television Network and by and large, the Alliance, began when Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and Matt LeBlanc of Top Gear hosted one of their annual specials in Patagonia. The goal of the two-part season finale was that they would drive nearly 2,000 miles in high-powered V8 motor vehicles to Terra del Fuego. However, at the time, despite the best attempts by the British government, anti-British and anti-American sentiment was heavy and rife through out the country. The Argentine economy was even worse off than any other nation in the European Federation's alliance, and the ruling military junta frequently utilized their existing claims over the Falklands Islands and the anti-American sentiment to distract people from the economy.

After two-three days of filming in Patagonia, the Top Gear crew was attacked in the dead of night by populist militants. Clarkson, Hammond and LeBlanc were kidnapped, severely beaten, and their bloodied faces were broadcast on Argentine State TV with a message demanding that the British withdraw from the Falklands or the three would be executed. The militants claimed they were acting in the name of 'Greater Argentina' and the 'peoples of the Falklands living under the British yoke'. Whilst it had never come to a physical war between Britain and Argentina over the status of the islands, Britain was, understandably outraged. As was the United States. In a private summit, President Hill and Prime Minister Martin McGann (Conservative from North Tyneside) affirmed to each other the need to end this decisively.

The UK announced that she would not capitulate to such demands, and that if the three presenters were not handed over to British authority, or to a neighboring power's jurisdiction immediately, Britain would have no choice but to protect her, and her allies citizens from bodily harm. To capitalize on the situation, the Argentine government ordered the invasion of the Falklands. On June 11, 2015, Argentine bombers and ships pounded Port Stanley through the night, forcing the city to capitulate. The city fell, and the islands were quickly occupied by Argentina. However, American bombers soon began to launch raids on Buenos Aires from Brazilian territory, demanding that Argentina withdraw from the Falklands.

British dispatched a carrier from the homeland, and sailed south to liberate their territory from foreign occupation. On the Falklands, Argentine occupation was brutal. In the first ten days, over 3,600 Britons were executed by the ruling military governor, and Argentine squatters were brought onto the island to force the Britons off. A resistance organized, and 760 of the Argentine squatters were killed, and 346 Argentine soldiers were as well. The resistance continued to put up a heavy fight as the Alliance moved to strategically strangle Argentina and put her out of it for her crimes. At the same end, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay all launched their own invasions of Argentina, looking to get a chunk of territory from the South American dictatorship, which had cast it's lot in with Europe.

The European Federation was not dumb, however. They knew that if they entered the war, it would probably go nuclear, or at the very least, they would be fighting a conventional war to rival that of World War II. So, the war remained limited to Latin America. Buenos Aires was pounded day and night by American planes, whilst the British, entering into the scene, began to pound the Argentine navy into the dust. With ships bleeding heavily, the Argentines mobilized ships woefully out of date. the General Belgrano, a carrier from the 1980s, was fielded against the British, whom made quick work. 67 minutes after engaging a British ship, the Belgrano was sitting at the bottom of the South Atlantic.

Despite the aerial and naval supremacy of the Alliance, the war took sixteen weeks to wage, as the SpecOps of the US and UK were busy combing the Argentine country-side for the three Top Gear presenters, whilst awaiting that time to invade Buenos Aires and bring down the regime that was acting out of turn.

To make matters worse, on August 3, 2015, a nuclear explosion was detected in the rural areas of Patagonia. Argentina announced that 'through the victorious struggle of the revolutionary armed forces, we have achieved in harnessing the atomic bomb. American and British imperialists should cower before our might.' -- both James Hill and Martin McGann began to seriously consider the Kargil Option--the annihilation of Argentina as a nation, following what the Indians and Pakistanis had done to each other 16 years prior. However, Argentina's 'one-pump chump' was just that-- a ruse and a ploy to intimidate their enemies. Richard Hammond was the first presenter found. He was found, half-buried alive, with two bullet wounds in his chest, in the middle of nowhere. Matt LeBlanc was found in the basement of a hospital, with several large welts on his skin, and severe burns on his arms and legs. Jeremy Clarkson was not found until October 14th, when he was found in a Buenos Aires prison cell, having been tortured numerous times over.

Buenos Aires fell to the Alliance invasion force on October 15, 2015, and the government of Argentina was forced to surrender. Argentina temporarily lost her independence, as the US, UK and her allies set up an occupational regime in the country to weed out pro-junta forces. Whilst democracy was promised by mid-2016, Argentina had been an example of what would happen if one trifled with the Alliance. With the world armed to the hilt in the face of the Islamic Caliphate, it was not expected that any nation would roll over to the senseless violence of kidnapping innocent people, and their torture. Whilst nukes had not been used, the fact that they were entertained was a very sobering moment for the Americans, Soviets, Chinese, British and Europeans, whom reconsidered the trigger-happy mentality.

Top Gear went on hiatus for two-and-a-half years, and did not resume until January 2018, due to the psychological healing required for the three presenters.​

 

[Knightmare]

Well, Argentia played stupid games, they won stupid prizes.

 

[Asami]

Qilai! Qilai!
A History of Modern China and the World

Jiang Weiwei (Revolutionary Kuomintang)
February 2014 - January 2017
Part II
​

The Top Gear War was mostly a western matter, and China provided little input into the situation at hand. However, whilst the West had a handy distraction from the abject chaos of the collapsing economy, China had no such respite. Jiang was raked over the coals for weeks, if not months, as the economy failed to get any better. Pressured by the people, Jiang had allowed for the banks to reopen, but with the condition that customers could only withdraw a certain number of yuan per day until the economic crisis had passed. China's economic downturn had ravaged the markets across Asia, and many people found themselves without homes, jobs and means of living. The throes of a national recall were begin to precipitate across China, but nobody could agree on the terms in which he would be removed from office.

To Jiang's benefit, the economy improved slightly in the winter of 2015, as the Chinese Central Treasury did a number of course-correction measures to improve the financial state of the economy. However, it did little to stem the tide, and the economy's brief swelling soon fell back over by the early months of 2016. In order to stimulate the economy, Jiang revived a number of 'national labour board' ideas proposed under prior Chairmen, and submitted it to the Central Committee for consideration. His bills passed, but their effect was negligible, if nothing more than to provide for the construction of highways, railways and power lines into rural areas that had none. Jiang found himself slowly encircled without allies, and as the unstable peace resumed some form of normality for the hopefully last time, his leadership was shattered by a revelation across the Pacific.

James Hill lost. He'd lost the Presidency despite his victory in the Top Gear War, and despite his best efforts to keep the economy afloat. He had his electoral ass handed to him not even by the Republican candidate, Governor Brant Stacey of New York. No, for the first time in American history, a third-party had taken the White House. Lee Randall Hawking of the Patriotic Movement was named President-Elect in a horrendous upset that shocked the world. President Hill's attempt to hold the White House was damaged by the emergence of an large bloc of voters whom abstained to vote for Hill, or, out of frustration over economic stagnation, had gone for Hawking or a number of third-party 'unknown' candidates, like local independents or regional independents.

President-Elect Lee Randall Hawking, America's first Populist president.
​

The election of Lee Hawking damaged the American economy's recovery, and sent it back into another minor spiral. It had recovered by early December 2016, but his campaign promises to 'toughen up on China and the Soviet Union', and to 'rebuild our friendship with Europe, whom fought by us in World War II', and to, 'end the hand-outs to foreign countries' had scared almost everyone whom wasn't Bruxelles, which was, to most people's imagination, grinning ear-to-ear and throwing celebrations in the halls of power. However, President Hawking had an enemy immediately out of the gate. Koharu Toyama, the precocious Congresswoman from Florida.

Congresswoman Toyama, 2016
​

She did not wait long before pouncing on the President-Elect for his 'irresponsible dereliction of American duty towards our allies', and vowed to 'fight every measure, every proposal he had in Congress until he gives up this charade of stripping American freedoms in the name of his European paymasters'. Hawking's election sent fears straight through China's political spine, and made the Central Committee all the more restless at the idea of the weak and addled Jiang squaring off against this crypto-fascist American president, the first unfriendly one to darken the White House in several decades.

As a result, in December 2016, a large group of Chinese politicians submitted a Vote of No Confidence against Chairman Jiang. The vote was horrendously one-sided, and he was unanimously evicted from power on a de facto basis. De jure, he was still Chairman, and would be in this gray position until January 2017, when his Deputy would take office, replacing him. Disgraced, he departed the Central Committee hall that day, and returned to his home, where he lived a life of political exile, his short time as China's most powerful man, at an end.

On January 1, 2017, Wen Jiabao took office as Chairman of the People's Republic of China. An economist by trade, and a man whom had the skill to help China's economic woes, but not the power, now had that power. He vowed to rebuild China's wailing economy, and pledged tough responses to the American aggression, should it arise. However, he spoke that he 'hoped the Americans do not allow this man to ruin a generation or two of friendship. We need each other, now more than ever.'

As the sun rose on 2017, and as Hawking took the stage in D.C. to be inaugurated, the world was silent, and awaiting the promised dawn from this recession.​

 

[Knightmare]

Gods damn it Hawking.

 

[Master Xion]

So how long until Tachibana suffers an "accident"?

 

[Knightmare]

So how long until Tachibana suffers an "accident"?

Not happening. Youngest Congressman, seems ideal for being a martyr?

 

[XFE]

Jiang Wei Wei as President?!
Also, have there been ethnic tensions in a Soviet Union that is gradually being ethnically dominated by Central Asians?
Btw, the TTL claim that China has recovered all its lost lands isn't strictly true, you know.

 

[Master Xion]

Not happening. Youngest Congressman, seems ideal for being a martyr?

That depends on how smart, or dumb this Hawking dude is.

 

[Knightmare]

That depends on how smart, or dumb this Hawking dude is.

Well, given what he's been saying, I ain't betting on intelligence.

 

[Asami]

Qilai! Qilai!
A History of Modern China and the World

EPILOGUE
​

The United States

President Hawking's leadership was stone-walled at every opportunity by opportunistic liberals, progressives and more centrist conservatives. America's first Populist President never finished his first term of office, as he was shot twice in the head by a foreign assassin. Nobody was ever formally accused, and the assassin was never caught. Whomever it was, was very clever. Hawking's death in 2020 allowed for his presidency to fall in the hands of his Vice President, Lavern Hartell. Lavern Hartell was more moderate than his old boss, but was still a populist. Despite flagging poll numbers, Hartell secured his own term of office in 2020, allowing him to serve the fullness of his term into 2025. This was only caused by the complete collapse of the Democratic and Republican parties. The liberal and socialist factions had splintered off of the party and created the Farmer-Labor Party, reviving an old World War II/Early Post-War political faction that seemed to be set to usurp the Democrats. Both parties suffered the loss of moderate Conservatives, whom believed that in this new age, it was time to form their own party to have their voice heard.

And so, in 2020, Hartell secured re-election against Sebastian Braddock of Minnesota (Democratic), Mark Bullard of Texas (Conservative Alliance), Marvin Baird of Vermont (Republican), Alicia Joye Gibson of Louisiana (Democratic-Farmer-Labor). However, a scant four years later, the other parties bit back. After the Democrat and Republican remnants had merged together in 2021, and the Conservatives had merged with the Patriotic Movement (under the idea of pressuring them to move back to center by overwhelming their numbers, maybe), and Farmer-Labor had suffered a schism between the more moderate liberals and the die-hard leftists, the stage seemed right for the surge of Liberalism.

Thus, in 2024, the peppy young Congresswoman from Florida took her seat in the White House, scoring a landslide against her opponents for the Liberal Party that she helped create. Koharu Toyama, as of 2029, is the incumbent President of the United States, and was re-elected in 2028 with an even greater political mandate than in 2024. Populism had been discredited, if only for the moment. She has survived three assassination attempts since her inauguration.
​

European Federation

The global bogeyman, and the oft-repeated internet conspiracy theory hotbed, many people believe Europe is responsible for lots of bad things that go on in the world. Populist terrorism, demonstrations, assassinations, et al.-- you name it, they're probably behind it. The institution of democracy has largely faded from memory in the EF by 2029, as it grows increasingly right-wing and one-party-stateish. Spain and Portugal's fascist machines have worked wonders in turning France more fascist, and the EF rails constantly against social degenerates, foreigners, and the denigration of European culture outside of Europe. There are entire generations of people whom have never gone to see the Eiffel Tower, as nobody dares to visit the EF, for fear of death or abduction by government agents.
​

The Soviet Union

One of the most liberal and free-loving democracies on Earth. Steve Jobs governed as General Secretary until his death in 2018, at which time he was succeeded by Catherine Poklonskaya as General Secretary. She is the first female leader of the Soviet Union, and has governed since Jobs' demise. She is currently 49 years old, and seems to have no signs of slowing down. After their annexation of the Baltic in 2009, riots are still common place, but the Livonian SSR and Lithuanian SSR are about 80% pacified, with some room for improvement.
​

China

China's history in the last 80 years has been one of fantastic ascendance. From a nation of peasant communists in 1949, to one of the few superpowerful nations of the world in 2029, China has blossomed and turned herself into a shining example of a nation worth emulating. While there are always flaws, China is at peace with itself, and content. The line of democratic transition did not stop, and the idea of democracy has blossomed full-tilt. Beijing is a clear, pristine city, and shines as an example of East Asian economy, progress and justice. Tokyo and Seoul are closely tied to Beijing, and the three major Asian nations have an unbelievable amount of clout. The Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere has taken shape, but in a different way than those Japanese conquerors of 90 years ago envisioned.​

And now, in 2029, the dawn has risen. The future seems bright, and for once, peace has prevailed. A lull settles across the world, and 'vigilance and noble intentions' is the statement by which democracy lives by. While life is never perfect, the world is about the best as it has ever been. For China, and for the world... there is truly a marvelous century ahead.

But in Beijing, they know what the truth is. It is truly a Chinese century. Without China, the world would be so different. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, it will remain China's century.

(Author's note: Please ignore the lyrics that mention Mao Tse-tung. He is a non-entity in 21st century China)

THE END

起来！不愿做奴隶的人们！
把我们的血肉，筑成我们新的长城！
中华民族到了最危险的时候，
每个人被迫着发出最后的吼声。
起来！起来！起来！
我们万众一心，
冒着敌人的炮火，前进！
冒着敌人的炮火，前进！
前进！前进！进！
​

 

[Knightmare]

Wow. I mean.... Woww. Europe has gone to hell. Admittedly, France having riots is bar the course, but still.

 

[Deleted member 87099]

I've got to say that I really enjoyed this. Excellent work, @Sakura_F !

 

[Master Xion]

Love the update, but it's not over is it?

 

[Asami]

Love the update, but it's not over is it?

I am afraid so. We have come to the end of our tale. But cry not, my friend. The journey was a long and proud one. The peoples of China have come out victorious over imperialism, and the world over has been illuminated!

 

[Asami]

The World, 2029