We all have our predictions of how the future will unfold. But please limit this topic to government and politics. There's other threads for technology and economics.
How will governments respond to PO?
Will PO lead to the creation of a police state or a more free society?
Will some new political ideology be invented or rejected?
Will PO exacerbate the rift between the haves & have nots?
Will PO lead to perpetual war?
Cube's prediction:
Liberalism as in the concept of government social welfare was a 20th century phenomenon. Liberal ideas may have been around for awhile but the fact is just about every liberal government program (welfare, foodstamps, social security retirement) didn't happen until the 20th century.
The 20th century was also the first time that humans were able to harness the benefits of cheap oil. Is it a coincidence that liberalism and cheap oil took place in the same century? I believe NO. I believe it was cheap oil that made liberalism possible.
Cheap oil made economic surplus possible and that in turn made funding for liberal programs possible. Cheap oil gave rise to the middle class and the only nations on this planet that has liberal welfare programs are nations with a large middle class. Coincidence? I think not. Actually there is an exception to this observation. Can anyone name it?
Liberals quite often like to demonize the oil industry, but where would the money to fund social programs come from if it weren't for the 100's of billions (maybe Trillion?) of tax dollars oil companies generate for governments? Furthermore how willing would the middle class be to pay taxes so someone else can get a welfare check or foodstamps if they themselves fall onto hard times? *exactly* A social welfare program works best when only a small percentage of society recives it and the majority pays for it. Once half the population wants the benefits there's not enough money to go around.
I think PO will lead to the end of social welfare programs.
In America there are 2 main political parties:
1) democrats - who are liberal
2) republicans - who are conservative
Once liberalism dies away I think it will be replaced by neo-conservatism.