World consolidation into a few Mega States?

[celedhring]

There was a drive towards unification in Europe, Germany and Italy being the most recent cases, but also France and Spain. If anything that slowed once the big nation-states in Europe were formed and the resulting politics of balance of power prevented any kind of further integration.

[Siege]

So, Austria-Hungary remains the best example of a multi-cultural State?

[Tonitrus]

So, Austria-Hungary remains the best example of a multi-cultural State?

Nah, the Roman Empire.

Actually, maybe the Mongols were better at handling their subjects.

[Ed Anger]

So, Austria-Hungary remains the best example of a multi-cultural State?

Nah, the Roman Empire.

Actually, maybe the Mongols were better at handling their subjects.

I Timur

[Solmyr]

So, Austria-Hungary remains the best example of a multi-cultural State?

Nah, the Roman Empire.

Actually, maybe the Mongols were better at handling their subjects.

I Timur

He was lame.

[Tonitrus]

So, Austria-Hungary remains the best example of a multi-cultural State?

Nah, the Roman Empire.

Actually, maybe the Mongols were better at handling their subjects.

I Timur

You'll make Sulla jealous! 

[Ed Anger]

So, Austria-Hungary remains the best example of a multi-cultural State?

Nah, the Roman Empire.

Actually, maybe the Mongols were better at handling their subjects.

I Timur

You'll make Sulla jealous! 

Sulla would appreciate mounds of skulls.

Yeah. I'm getting a genocide boner.

[Admiral Yi]

Genocide-genocide or fake PC genocide?

[crazy canuck]

So what's it going to be Megastates or Citystates?

[Tonitrus]

Megacities.

[Syt]

[DontSayBanana]

You know, I'm glad that picture has a river in it.  I was just thinking about it, and I just realized that water travel, not air travel, is more likely to become more prevalent in a worldwide city.  In fact, in most of the media representation of congested air traffic in a crowded future city, it strikes me that the traffic pattern is behaving more like that of canals layered on top of each other.

[Siege]

What? Water travel in the future?
What are you smoking?
Are you in Colorado?

Water as a medium is slower than air travel.
The evolution of transportation have been from water to ground to air.
Next step will be virtual travel.

[Neil]

Next step will be virtual travel.

We're already there.

[Ed Anger]

Yep

http://youtu.be/4JkIs37a2JE