*Most of the people who receive and read the messages I post are in their
sixties or older. You have already experienced a lot and seen a lot of
dire predictions of bad stuff in the future. You may or may not agree that
recent US and world developments have increased the likelihood of hard
times based on either natural events or events related to the stupidity or
evilness of governments.*
*Two very different people have recently predicted the breakup of the
United States. One was Edgar Steele, a conservative American lawyer. The
other was Igor Panarin, a Russian professor in an educational institution
for Russian government personnel. They did not know each other, but both
came to similar conclusions based on their understanding of the dynamics
involved.*
*Because of our ages, we may manage to live out our lives and die with
things still more or less as they are now---not particularly great but not
catastrophic. Or we could be around to experience the beginning of major
changes never seen before in the lifetimes of ourselves or even our
grandparents.*
*It is nearly impossible to be prepared for anything and everything that
could happen. But, on the other hand, it is not a good idea to just hope
for the best and do nothing. As a minimum, be AWARE of developments and as
ready and able as possible to react appropriately.*
[image: 3 Ways The United States Could Collapse Into Chaos]
<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/263319909452359867>
With an ongoing pandemic, increasing unemployment, and an ever-growing
amount of social unrest, 2021 is starting off as one of the more chaotic
years in decades. With so much chaos, the obvious question to ask is how
much is too much? How much can our institutions sustain before they begin
to fall apart?
For many, the idea of societal collapse may seem like an unimaginable
impossibility, but so too was the idea of mass shutdowns only a short time
ago. The truth is societies often have, and still can, collapse, and we are
fooling ourselves if we think that our specific little slice of history is
any different.
As an exercise, I want to look at the current state of the United States
and the three most likely ways it could collapse in the near future.
Table of Contents
- Understanding Crisis and Collapse
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-understanding-crisis-and-collapse>
- Cascading Failures
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-cascading-failures>
- Balkanization and Separation
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-balkanization-and-separation>
- 3 Possible Causes of the U.S. Collapse
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-3-possible-causes-of-the-u-s-collapse>
- 1. Another Pandemic and an Overbearing Response
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-1-another-pandemic-and-an-overbearing-response>
- 2. Social Unrest and Conflict
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-2-social-unrest-and-conflict>
- 3. Social Evolution
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-3-social-evolution>
- Potential Catalysts
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-potential-catalysts>
- Don’t Think it Can’t Happen
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/ways-the-united-states-could-collapse/?awt_a=50Z0&awt_l=5lyyy&awt_m=3jSVzgsYzG_jrZ0#h-don-t-think-it-can-t-happen>
Understanding Crisis and Collapse
It takes more than a single crisis to cause a collapse. The economy almost
collapsed in 2008, but eventually, our economy was able to slowly recover.
We’ve had massive terror attacks, cyber-attacks, oil embargoes, multiple
contested elections, even a Japanese sneak attack, but each time the nation
has bounced back just as (if not more) powerful than before.
The United States is a resilient creature, and it has shown the world that
it takes much more than a single wound to bring it down. However, each
crisis can feed off another and become compounding issues that lead to
catastrophe. The Soviet Union eventually collapsed due to a growing number
of failures that led to an untenable situation.
Small secession movements in the Balkan regions eventually led to major
unrest all over the Soviet Empire, a coup attempt was made, and client
states lost faith in the government. Their Empire was officially dissolved
in the following months.
To come even close to a similar failure, the United States would have to
endure a series of challenges that all culminated in a mass loss of faith
in the central government and large regions deciding they would be best
left to their own devices.
Begin to plan
<https://0ef6arsnxcdl0n9eokng77drfi.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=AUTO> and
prepare now for such an event. Stock food, supplies, and make contacts with
like-minded community members.
Cascading Failures
In order for a nation like the United States to fully collapse, it would
need to be the victim of cascading failures. This is a process where a
failure triggers further shortcomings in a system of interrelated,
interconnected parts.
For example, the power grid’s loss would eventually result in the loss of
the most water <http://sevin.waterfs.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=auto> and
wastewater systems, the loss of internet and telecommunication systems, and
the eventual halting of fuel pipelines. Once all of these systems have
failed, then no society will be able to function as it had—eventually, new
infrastructure will arise, and new borders will be drawn.
They believed that the lack of power would stop almost any form of modern
transportation—there would be no rapid transit and no elevators. Also, the
lack of power would cause difficulties in driving because of problems with
traffic signals. Shipping would be disrupted because ships could not be
unloaded at the port. Eliminating power would also cause water supply
distribution problems and fire hazards.”
– Strategic Attack of the National Electric Systems
<https://media.defense.gov/2017/Dec/29/2001861964/-1/-1/0/T_GRIFFITH_STRATEGIC_ATTACK.PDF>
by Thomas E. Griffith, Jr. Major, USAF
Civil strife, pandemics, as well as infrastructure failures can all be key
pressure points that eventually cause society to fracture when they become
prolonged issues. With enough fracturing, the base structure will finally
shatter.
Balkanization and Separation
The U.S., much like the Roman Empire of old, is too big for a single
dramatic collapse. Like the Romans, we will likely see a separation of
states within the U.S., and each region will fare differently. Inner-city
New York may turn into a dystopian hell hole, while Montana may look much
the same as it does today.
We have seen countless examples of powerful and expansive federations fall
apart and dissolve into warring factions. It happened with the Roman
Empire, the Mongols, The Chinese, honestly everywhere if you go back far
enough.
*Regardless of WHY the U.S. Collapses, balkanization is likely to be HOW it
collapses.*
The American Civil War almost precipitated this happening in North America
and the fact that such a large nation as the United States, with cultures
as different as those as you would find between Northern California,
Brooklyn, rural Texas, or Alabama, has been able to stay together as long
as it has, is relatively unique in world history.
[image: Map of United States with Six Territories]
It is safe to say that no matter what causes the US Collapse, the result
will be a continent made up of smaller regions that may be hostile or
uncooperative with one another.
I do see some unnerving parallels between the current American political
environment and those in the former Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia in
the 1990s. The combination of constitutional crises, nationalist
demagoguery, and weak institutions proved fatal to national unity in those
cases, spawning wars that tore countries apart and killed hundreds of
thousands of people.”
From Rhetoric, Violence, and Civil War: The Balkanization of America?
<https://www.fpri.org/article/2018/11/rhetoric-violence-and-civil-war-the-balkanization-of-america/>
by Colonel Robert E. Hamilton Associate Professor of Eurasian Studies at
the U.S. Army War College
3 Possible Causes of the U.S. Collapse
These are the most likely causes of collapse, or at least critical steps in
a cascading failure, facing the United States. For every single one of
these, you only have one natural response. BE BETTER PREPARED. In each
instance, the problem goes well beyond any one person.
The only thing we can do is prepare
<https://9ecfchujqg4w7z3qzogq7q5pdk.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=AUTO> and plan
to the best of our abilities. We already saw in 2020 how those who were
ready with supplies did much better than everyone else when the shelves
were hit with panic—and that was only a test run for what is possible.
1. Another Pandemic and an Overbearing Response
It is a common theory that the wave of plagues that struck the Roman Empire
were key factors that led to its eventual downfall. Plagues and pestilence
have wreaked untold damage on humanity over the ages, and we have seen that
the problems don’t stop with the disease itself. The loss of jobs and
resources due to the pandemics have been just as devastating to the long
term health of worldwide populations.
We are currently seeing a vaccine being utilized for COvid-19, but now we
know just what level of havoc is possible from diseases
<https://bea3amjfkk6r5x6m0p1dfm4kc4.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=AUTO> in the
modern age of international travel.
Should Covid-19 get much worse, or should another horrible disease arrive,
it will only take a few bad decisions from the government before you begin
to see cities and states go rogue. The idea of further lockdowns mandated
by the federal government, people knowing they won’t be employed for
another year, will begin to make many desperate.
With state and local governments already fomenting anger from the populace,
and radical groups being caught planning to abduct a governor
<https://apnews.com/article/gretchen-whitmer-michigan-indictments-coronavirus-pandemic-traverse-city-10f7e02c57004da9843f89650edd4510>,
I don’t need to elaborate much on how fractures can begin to form under
these continuing circumstances.
*The U.S. and Covid-19*
It doesn’t matter what side of these issues you are on, it is obvious just
how close to the edge some areas were brought by the pandemic. Add on top
of that the growing social issues and a floundering economy, and you have a
recipe for problems. Speaking of which…
2. Social Unrest and Conflict
Antifa, Proudboys, State Militias, and #hashtag movements have all shown in
the last year that our country is full of political factions with little to
no cultural commonalities with one another. Entire sections of our country
use different websites from one another, watch different news channels from
one another, and have very different beliefs about the history and
direction of this country as a whole.
Look at the comments section on social media of an Antifa member getting
knocked out, or a Trump Supporter getting pepper-sprayed, and you will
quickly see just how divided and violent much of the cultural subconscious
is currently. This isn’t new, we had similar social unrest in 1968, but
just because you overcame a hurdle once, doesn’t mean you will again.
Major civil conflicts in history have been started with much smaller
divides. *It is likely only the comforts of modern society that have kept
us from each other’s throats.*
3. Social Evolution
Another interesting perspective is one given by Dr. Steven Gimbel of
Gettysburg College
<https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/is-the-collapse-of-civilization-inevitable/>,
who looks at these issues from a sociological perspective. In his words…
The cultural tipping point is when a society has created too much
complexity; at that point, society can no longer afford it. Every previous
major civilization in human history in every corner of the world has
collapsed due to becoming overly complex; due to bureaucracy.”
At a certain point, it isn’t worth participating in the traditional
society. In many ways, the evolution of our society is what has spurred
much of the conflict.
Think about all this in the context of our modern age where everyone can
retreat into their own personal tribal space with like-minded people, where
we no longer need to interact with our local community at all.
This leads into a line of thought put forward by futurists
<https://www.govtech.com/magazines/GT-Special-Issue-Nov-2020-Heres-What-Government-Will-Look-Like-in-2030.html>.
As physical connections become less important and our digital ones supplant
them, our traditional physical borders may be another friction point.
So whether through political conflict, an overly complex bureaucracy, or
transcendence into a new way of living, our society will be hard-pressed to
maintain the same semblance of cohesion it currently has.
Potential Catalysts
While a dramatic economic collapse
<https://82e78gouse8tbtbkxbq1mivn74.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=AUTO> may be
possible, we have seen many weaker nations (as well as the U.S. itself)
bounce back from worse situations. Perhaps more likely are the great events
like war <https://ecb9elshxm4ofvcf893ctz2p3h.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=AUTO>
or Super-volcanoes that quickly annihilate those institutions that we have
in place.
A major war with a power like China would tax the U.S. and our culture in
ways we haven’t seen in the post-modern age. If nuclear weapons were used,
we could be living in the world of The Postman
<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119925/> faster than you think. While even
with a full nuclear war
<https://03eacdojm96sbyd5gp24m7-w18.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=AUTO>, we may
never be forced to travel with a Donkey and recite Shakespeare for food, it
still wouldn’t be very pretty should you survive at all.
Then there is the possibility of the Yellowstone supervolcano suddenly
going off
<https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-would-happen-if-a-supervolcano-eruption-occurred-again-yellowstone?qt-news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products>
and taking out the entire Western United States. Society would probably
look pretty different after that.
[image: Map of United States if Yellowstone Volcano Erupts]
Something we shouldn’t leave out, though I know many of you will roll your
eyes, is climate change. Regardless of whether you think humans are causing
it or not, it is a fact that the U.S. military has issued warnings
regarding the collapse of the U.S. by 2039
<https://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/implications-of-climate-change-for-us-army_army-war-college_2019.pdf>
due to climate change. The report makes a strong case, warning that
millions of people will have to relocate, increasing societal tension, and
that natural resources will diminish, causing international conflicts.
The report also happens to mention the long-term thinking of China
regarding both these issues, as well as their training. They emphasize that
China has spent the last twenty years especially preparing their soldiers
and officers for many roles they now hold, and “maybe the basis of large
asymmetries with broad implications for the U.S. Army, the U.S. I.C., the
DoD, and allies.”
Don’t Think it Can’t Happen
So whether we are facing more pandemics, social unrest, or a huge natural
disaster, there are many possible causes for a U.S. collapse. The last
thing I want to grab from that War College report was this piece of advice:
*Everything we believe about the world is provisional – ‘serving for the
time being.’ Adding the words ‘so far’ to assertions about reality reminds
us of this”*
*– Black Swan, Red Beard: Recognizing The Unexpected
<https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/articles/black_swan_red_beard/> by
Andrew A. Hill*
Make sure you have enough food
<https://urbansurvivalsite.com/beginners-guide-to-emergency-food-storage/>,
ammunition <https://urbansurvivalsite.com/make-ammunition-last-decades/>,
and other supplies to last a long time. We have already seen in this last
year just how hard-to-get some of this stuff can be. A lot of essential
supplies <https://amzn.to/2zjaNhh> disappeared overnight when the panic
first set in.
I know I’m preaching to the choir, but just because it seems like society
is stable and that chaos is something that happens far away, remember we
are the exception in human history. Humankind and the empires we build are
transient and none last forever. Prepare for the worst and you can only be
pleasantly surprised.
