Are countries just relics of times gone by? A case for a new way of political organization.

To many people the title I chose would seem utterly absurd. Countries like the United States of America or the United Kingdom have been around for their functional forever and their construct-orbiting minds can not imagine a world in which these cornerstones of geopolitical experience would be absent. Unshackling our minds from the irons of the now allow us to move back to see empires and nations arise, develop, and disappear leaving only cultural legacies, distribution of people and ideas to linger on. Indeed the concept of a country is still relatively new within the timeframe of humanity existing for only the last few millennia (depending on location) compared to the 200,000 to 300,000 years of modern humans.

Even though it may be new, the country model may be outliving its usefulness. Countries were fantastic inventions to get people to come together in spite of insignificant regional differences and act in a way that brought a base level of security to the masses and a systemized state that allows for tax collection and militarized economics. The United States has been a country’s country. Most of its people today enjoy a better quality of life than times past and it uses its military to open markets and vanquish competition for its corporate ruling class.

So is there even a problem? Hell yes there is a problem. As globalization has taken hold we see that the very composition of our countries are in flux. Immigration brings not only new bodies but new ideas and new priorities. The collective will lessens and internal divisions and disagreements disable the political apparatus of the country. The rise of the me over the we adds to this as well.

The technology exists now to allow people to extensively interact with others across vast distances. We see the rise of cryptocurrencies which are not tied to any centralized government or bank perhaps signaling curtains for countryhood. How can our heterogeneity, selfishness, and cloud culture evolve into something different than what we have at present? Would it be something bigger and reminiscent of the European Union or maybe something smaller? Perhaps it will be something without defined borders and position. Think molecules of oxygen in the air, a part well mixed into the other.

I am curious to hear your thoughts on these questions, so please share your thoughts.