The 5 Empires
In the 2nd Quarter of the 21st Century, Five Autocratic Empires Arise to Control Humanity and Oversee Planet Earth's Resources
In 2020, I conceived an idea for a dystopian novel predicting the evolution of humanity during the 21st century. The book’s prospective title was, and still is, “The 5 Empires.”
I created a map that defines the 5 empires. I created themes and plots for the book. I created timelines that show the creation and evolution of each of the 5 empires during the 21st century. I wrote a synopsis of the book.
When I sat back and looked at what I had created, I thought, “Nah, this is too far-fetched. No one is going to believe this could happen.”
So, I shelved the project.
Then, on January 20, 2025, the Trump 2.0 administration lit a match, igniting political, judicial, economic, social, and environmental firestorms in the United States and across the world.
Current events since January 20, 2025, and predictable subsequent events are eerily similar to the “far-fetched” events I postulated in my synopsis of “The 5 Empires”.
The following section of this post contains my most recent version of “The 5 Empires” synopsis and a world map showing the 5 empires.
Synopsis of “The 5 Empires”
During the 21st Century, climate change, technologies with potentially evil side-effects (AI, synthetic biology, quantum computing, and robotics), increasing human population, and global resource deprivation combine to cause a multi-faceted, worldwide apocalypse (i.e. The Apocalypse). The severity of The Apocalypse triggers the creation of competitive, authoritarian governments rather than global cooperation among liberal democratic republics. This fundamental change in world governance is fueled by the belief and empirical evidence that liberal democratic republics are inherently weak and "dither" when confronted by existential crises.
21st Century Evolution
Phase 1: 2025-2039 - Fall of Liberal Democratic Republics and the Rise of the Five Empires
Liberal democratic republics fail in a sudden “domino effect” as global anarchy spreads due to the realization that democratic republics are incapable of dealing with The Apocalypse.
Principal Techno-nations (China, US, Russia, India, & EU) exert their hi-tech, economic, political, and military powers to create continent-based empires (neo-colonialism):
The United States forms a federation with North, Central, and South American nation-states through coercive negotiation and invasion.
China acquires Taiwan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Southeast Asia, North and South Korea, Japan, and Far Eastern Siberia (in return for supporting Russia’s reclaiming of some former USSR territories).
Russia acquires Turkey and some of the original USSR republics. Russia cedes Far Eastern Siberia to China in return for China’s support of its reclaiming of former USSR territories.
India acquires Sri Lanka, but is surrounded by China, overpopulated, and more threatened by The Apocalypse. India remains independent but becomes a de facto vassal of China.
European Union cedes Turkey to Russia.
The Middle East and North Africa are abandoned by the 5 Empires due to the horrific effects of The Apocalypse on these regions.
Africa and the Middle East are plundered for their resources by the 5 Empires. Local governance is left to local despots.
The 5 Empires scramble to gain access to lands containing Earth’s remaining valuable resources.
The people populating the accessed lands are generally of no use to the 5 Empires. These people are expendable.
1-2 billion people die during this period due to the direct effects of The Apocalypse.
Population rises from 7 billion to 8.5 billion during this period, not nearly the 9 to 10 billion predicted in 2023.
Phase 2: 2040-2049 - Consolidation of Power
The 5 Empires consolidate their power by emulating the Chinese model of government (authoritarian market capitalism) or the Russian model of oligarchy. Their remaining human populations are tightly controlled through oppressive surveillance.
The world population declines to 6 billion.
Phase 3: 2050-2080 - Eugenics & Selective Extermination
The 5 Empires collude to systematically allow the ongoing effects of The Apocalypse to purge the minimally productive members of their empires. If you are not smart and/or useful to your empire, you die.
The world population is reduced by an additional 50% to 3 billion.
Exponential advances in Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, and synthetic biology in the 2nd quarter of the 21st century effectively replace the capabilities and work performed by the billions of humans who perished due to the effects of The Apocalypse during Phases 1, 2, and 3.
Phase 4: 2081-2100 - Tipping Point
During Phases 1 through 3, the 5 Empires avoid war due to self-interest and fear of mutually assured destruction.
With a world population reduced to approximately 3 billion humans by the 2080s, the next step in human evolution is:
Cooperation - Federation of the 5 Empires.
Extermination - Cyber/nuclear/AI world war leading to a collapse of civilization as we know it, and possible extermination by AI.
Or, a combination of the above.
2100+
What happens after 2100 depends on what happens during phases 1 through 4 to prevent, reverse, mitigate, or avert the effects The Apocalypse.
World Map of the 5 Empires
Nation-states existing at the beginning of the 21st century begin to gravitate towards and are eventually swallowed by the empire they believe will best help them weather the effects of The Apocalypse.
Conclusions
Given recent USA and world events, “The 5 Empires” synopsis predicting the creation of five autocratic empires seems not only possible but probable.
What do you think?