Saturday, June 29, 2024

How fast Superpowers can Collapse

In early 1991, Soviet citizens voted on the New Union Treaty which proposed to reform-rather than dissolve-the USSR. 76% of Soviet voters ultimately supported maintaining the federal system of the Soviet Union, including a majority in nine of the 15 republics. A year later, however, the USSR didn’t exist.
 
 
In 2021, in the US an astonishing 66% of Southern Republicans and 50% of independents were in favor of secession. The West Coast also showed strong support for secession but of a different political flavor, this time being mostly supported by Democrats.