Office of Morality here, I would like to remind you that this world is the epitome of Civilization and the Americans are trusted freinds. Also Didn't I see you volunteer? I hope I have not caught a cowardly deserter here
"What Madness Is This?" Volume I: The Union Forever
- Thread starter Napoleon53
- Start date
Of course not sir! I helped seize Berlin and then I got leave sir! Also, I'm sure you mean the Office of Public Virtue sir! Every true Carolinian knows that!
The Yankees are amazing sir, but their embrace of the Africans is against Carolinian principles! Hark the Sound!
This is now what I'm picturing as the theme song for Zap Zephyr: 21st Century Pinnacle Man. Lol
That's honestly amazing. It's also really weirdly militaristic for an outlaw's anthem, which I guess is what makes it perfect! Speaking of songs for Pinnacle Men
This seems like a perfect pop anthem for the Union during its post WWII boom.
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Ah,yes I am a good Virtues man. I would like to remind you that a good Virtue too is that a man minds his own business, if the Americans have a different opinion on the racial status of the negro, we are not to judge. You understand? (Brandishes billy club)
Two things. Firstly, the more I think about it, the more the image of a Hawaiian shirt clad 50's dad belting out Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Summer with his wife and kids in their Colonel Ford as they make the drive from Grand Panama to Philadelphia while guzzling cocaine filled Sweet Victory makes me laugh.
Secondly, the 1950's era boom is going to be friggin ridiculous. The Better population of the Union probably won't be much higher than the OTL US's population of 150 million ish. Maybe 175 million at most. However, they're going to have all the resources and land of North America, Central America, the Caribbean, part of Africa, and probably a chunk of South America too. Then you factor in the sizable (but severely reduced) population of Inferiors doing all the nasty work for essentially free, and their economic domination of the other Fascist powers. Honestly, a natural economic collapse is probably reasonable at some point, simply because I'm pretty sure the Union economy is going to overheat on its own richness and hyper-consumerism. The Union could literally be destroyed by its own success.
Secondly, the 1950's era boom is going to be friggin ridiculous. The Better population of the Union probably won't be much higher than the OTL US's population of 150 million ish. Maybe 175 million at most. However, they're going to have all the resources and land of North America, Central America, the Caribbean, part of Africa, and probably a chunk of South America too. Then you factor in the sizable (but severely reduced) population of Inferiors doing all the nasty work for essentially free, and their economic domination of the other Fascist powers. Honestly, a natural economic collapse is probably reasonable at some point, simply because I'm pretty sure the Union economy is going to overheat on its own richness and hyper-consumerism. The Union could literally be destroyed by its own success.
wait until the 80s come in, megacorporations clans everywhere, all lead by Regan himself.
Just finished the chapter and I have to say poor Germania, it's ripped itself to pieces for very petty reasons. Oh well at least we have the Berlin Free State out of it which I expect will be like Weimar Berlin on steroids (gay bars on every corner, entire areas of weird artist buildings, drug salesmen owning stalls, political groups beating the shit out of each everyday). Also I can see the Illumanists being like;
"Well all these destroyed houses means we can rebuild...in Modern style...ha, ha." Cue Bauhaus buildings everywhere.
I can see the Netherlands being buddies with Finland over Kapp and his government, the Netherlands has an awkward relationship with the Fascists. Maybe we get a small Protestant Captialist alliance lead primarily by the Dutch, essentially a non-aligned style alliance. The Netherlands is probably rather confused by what's happening.
"Well all these destroyed houses means we can rebuild...in Modern style...ha, ha." Cue Bauhaus buildings everywhere.
I can see the Netherlands being buddies with Finland over Kapp and his government, the Netherlands has an awkward relationship with the Fascists. Maybe we get a small Protestant Captialist alliance lead primarily by the Dutch, essentially a non-aligned style alliance. The Netherlands is probably rather confused by what's happening.
When there is just the threat of collapse, Steele would likely just start another war in order to eat up the surplus production. I can imagine them trying to form a "Core" Union of North America, British Isles, Australia, and Japan, while just turning the rest of the world into a massive inferior ghetto/Generalplan Ost colonization type situation where all surplus production/population are used up in keeping the inferiors down. A nation always at war
See, here's the tricky bits.
A.) Steele will die and be replaced by Oswald who is absolutely batshit and wants the whole world to worship him.
B.) You have to find a target that doesn't take up too many resources. Eating into surplus is one thing. But another total war that cuts into the creature comforts of an America that, knowing TTL, is going to be much more consumerist than even OTL, but in the worst way possible, would probably piss people off. Violently.
"Sure there's a war on, but goddammit I NEED MY TURBOCHARGED COLONEL FORD THAT GETS 5 MPG SO I CAN BUY A 4TH TV AND SOME NEW PATIO FURNITURE AT THE MALL!" *murderous rage*
That would be pretty damn difficult to pull off.
Loving this convo.
The Union is a parody of the OTL USA's worst attributes. And I'm surprised no one has had the same train of thought as I did about the "permenant warfare." It doesn't have to be WWIII to keep the economy going. It could be some irradiated hellhole on Continent X that features a "continued counter-insurgency operation to find, capture, and execute terrorists or turn their country into a parking lot. (Again)."
"In other news, Samuel P. Bush IV announced continued success in the South American quarantine strip, with the aeroforce delivering freedom at mach 2. Today's news was brought to you by FIRE-BREATHER, America's favorite cocaine cigarette."
The Union is a parody of the OTL USA's worst attributes. And I'm surprised no one has had the same train of thought as I did about the "permenant warfare." It doesn't have to be WWIII to keep the economy going. It could be some irradiated hellhole on Continent X that features a "continued counter-insurgency operation to find, capture, and execute terrorists or turn their country into a parking lot. (Again)."
"In other news, Samuel P. Bush IV announced continued success in the South American quarantine strip, with the aeroforce delivering freedom at mach 2. Today's news was brought to you by FIRE-BREATHER, America's favorite cocaine cigarette."
"Good Evening, I'm Walter von Braun, and this is Union News. Tonight's top story, President Oswald has announced a slight tax bump to pay for the Ongoing Victory in Indochina. The President assures the nation that this tax bump "Will not affect the American Way of Life in any way, shape, or form. Jehovah has blessed us with the highest standard of living on Earth, as befits the people of the New Jerusalem, and my Administration vows to keep it that way."
Honestly, when you put it that way, it could work so long as no one who buys into the Union's line too hard seizes power. The Military-Industrial Complex grinds through just enough resources and wealth to keep the economy from overheating, plus the Banking Clan could behave similarly to the Fed and raise interest rates if inflation looks too dicey. As the population expands, the economic situation stabilizes, and the Union expands slightly more to get the resources to keep the war going.
"A world cane-not long enduah half-free, and half-slayve. Futhermoah, we must safeguard our own freedoms and right to pursue happiness and prawperty, unlike in the days of my rather pinch-penny predecessoah. I knew Joe Steele. Ladies and gentlemen, I am no Joe Steele. Freedom and prawperty forever!"
It's a bit off topic but has anyone ever read East of West? I'm trying to project Union society and current aesthetics into a similar sci-fi future and it's pretty wild. Cyberpunk megacorps where everyone still wears tophats! AFC churches the size of city blocks and thirty stories tall! The entirety of the federal government inside a huge ass tower! Some bull "long-lost apocalyptic Burr prophecies" being enacted by high ranking true believers to end the world! It would definitely be ASB but there's a lot of fun to be had.
That statement from Napo almost has me wondering... What if the endgame for TTL isn't nuclear war, or Fascist world domination, but instead the modern world distorted through a funhouse mirror.
The New United States is a hyperpower, which is always fighting some little war somewhere to keep jingoism high, and the economy humming. Domestically, the average Yankee is distracted by patriotism, consumerism, and "spreading his Pinnacle Fluids," among other things, and firmly believes in both Fascism and in his own freedom. The Free World is similar, and practically a bunch of Yankee colonies under different flags.
Russia is recovering from the collapse of its Illuminist People's Union, and is spreading its influence in Central Asia once again under a Putin-esque mix of Kolchak and Viktor. This Has Been Noted in Philadelphia.
China is a Beutelist/Illuminist state in name only, while in practice embracing corporatist totalitarianism. Their growing power is Philly's biggest concern, and if anything is going to cause a nuclear war, it's that.
The Middle East is in an eternal three way war between expansionist Greater Israel, which is practically a state of the Union, Sunni Jabal Shammar, and Shia Persia. The "War on Jihadist Terror" has been an exceptional way for the Union to drain excess resources and energy.
Africa is filled with murderous Yankee backed Strong Men who like to war with each other over resources. All Hail the Pinnacle Race!
Continental Europe is mostly part of the Free World now, although there are undercurrents of anti-Americanism which range from justified to biting the hand that feeds you. Former Illuminist Eastern Europe is a warzone between America and Russia.
A world worthy of destruction, but perhaps unable to receive it. The domination of global governments by cynics means that policy is just rational enough to prevent a disaster. Almost 1984-ish in a sense, but much more Stepford than 1984's bellicose totalitarianism.
The New United States is a hyperpower, which is always fighting some little war somewhere to keep jingoism high, and the economy humming. Domestically, the average Yankee is distracted by patriotism, consumerism, and "spreading his Pinnacle Fluids," among other things, and firmly believes in both Fascism and in his own freedom. The Free World is similar, and practically a bunch of Yankee colonies under different flags.
Russia is recovering from the collapse of its Illuminist People's Union, and is spreading its influence in Central Asia once again under a Putin-esque mix of Kolchak and Viktor. This Has Been Noted in Philadelphia.
China is a Beutelist/Illuminist state in name only, while in practice embracing corporatist totalitarianism. Their growing power is Philly's biggest concern, and if anything is going to cause a nuclear war, it's that.
The Middle East is in an eternal three way war between expansionist Greater Israel, which is practically a state of the Union, Sunni Jabal Shammar, and Shia Persia. The "War on Jihadist Terror" has been an exceptional way for the Union to drain excess resources and energy.
Africa is filled with murderous Yankee backed Strong Men who like to war with each other over resources. All Hail the Pinnacle Race!
Continental Europe is mostly part of the Free World now, although there are undercurrents of anti-Americanism which range from justified to biting the hand that feeds you. Former Illuminist Eastern Europe is a warzone between America and Russia.
A world worthy of destruction, but perhaps unable to receive it. The domination of global governments by cynics means that policy is just rational enough to prevent a disaster. Almost 1984-ish in a sense, but much more Stepford than 1984's bellicose totalitarianism.
Damn, if you put it like that, our world seems quite dystopian yet only a step behind the Madnessverse.
I would say the difference between TTL and OTL in that sense is reasoning and of course the actual brutality of the world.
For example, the US OTL has been fighting the War on Terror "forever" because of a lack of strategic vision and willpower, combined with an unrealistic view of what it can achieve. ITTL, it would be because the Union government is trying to stop the economy from exploding and keep the public focused on an external enemy to drum up patriotism.
The results are similar, but the reasoning is vastly different. IOTL, the US has its flaws, as TTL most certainly shows. However, most everyone, even most of our leaders have always bought into what we said to one degree or another. We might be stupid or selfish about it a decent portion of the time, but that is the nature of the human race. ITTL, the American project is built on said stupidity and selfishness, and held together by the cynicism of the dictators who rule. That's the difference between this dystopia and the normal world imo.
In JEB! we trust! There's a whole room somewhere filled with Mission Accomplished banners