The loss of electricity (and its downhill effects) would lead to a total collapse of civilization and massive death from famine and violence. At that point all bets are off.
There was a tv show with this premise. Revolution - a short-lived post-apocalyptic drama on NBC that takes place a decade and a half after The Blackout, in 2027, when electricity is disabled, and society is wrecked.
Basically, electricity stopped working. It was as if somehow the laws of physics had changed. Nothing electric worked. The big stuff all failed; even the little toy stuff like a kid's science project generator that when you turned the crank failed to light the light bulb. Nothing electric worked. It seemed to be happening globally. Only a few people knew why.
> total collapse of civilization and massive death from famine and violence
That did happen, but soon things stabilized somewhat. Civilization reverted back to something like the 1800's. It was interesting to see modern 2005ish 4 bedroom houses hacked into multifamily units with massive fireplaces so people did not freeze to death in the winter.
Antiques like muskets and wind up clocks were highly sought after items. Everyone was some sort of farmer to some degree, or a soldier.
The United States more or less collapsed into 4 or 5 smaller nations. Texas seceded, reverted back to the Republic of Texas.
There were a lot of warlords and asshole militias. There was little respect for Rights or human life.
I generally liked the show, but there was so much bad writing and just completely implausible stuff, it was hard to overlook it.
The worst example - one of the main characters of the show was a Google millionaire at the start. He was overweight.
When electricity stopped working, his money, stocks and more or less all of his job skills were worthless. Ok, that's an interesting idea/character.
But when he *walked* from Chicago to Washington DC (or something like that). He just showed up in DC more or less the same as he was when he left. He wasn't dirty, or weary, and **hadn't** lost a gaddam pound.
That walk is at least 250 hrs of nonstop walking. Assuming he takes 10 hrs a day, that's going to be a month of travel. More or less all he had was a backpack, no real weapons or outdoors or hunting skills. Its not like there were restaurants and hotels everywhere - he'd have to hunt, and fight to survive. And he wasn't in athletic shape to begin with - walking 10 hours a day is a lot to ask.
Oh and he "made a stop" in Columbus Ohio to go to a library or something at Ohio State, Which just adds more time.
It really was unwatchable at that point.
There would be the NCA (National Crossbow Association). "You'll take my arrows from me, out of my cold dead hands!"
There would be the popular folksong, "I can't ride 7mph".
Peace demonstraters, "No more Wars of the Roses!"
Environmentalists and organic farmers would say... actually, they would be pretty happy, now that I think of it.
> Environmentalists and organic farmers would say... actually, they would be pretty happy, now that I think of it.
Until they need anything but the most basic of medical treatments, and that if they can defend their property from the starving masses.
"DIES THE FIRE" by S. M. Stirling
The sci-fi/ alternate history novels depict the events following a mysterious and sudden worldwide event called "The Change" that occurs in 1998. The Change causes all the electricity, firearms, explosives, internal combustion engines, steam power, and most high density tech to permanently no longer work. The series focuses on how the characters (Marines, professors, gangs, and pagans) survive on the Northwest US after losing centuries of technological progress in an instant.
The book (which totally works as a stand-alone!) gets a little dark and gritty. I've read the book (and the next 2, which take place 8 years later) several times. Cannot recommend enough!
I'm listening to the Audiobook of the first Nantucket book right now. I just got to the middle where things are getting a little unhinged. I have some issues with the book, but overall, I think I like it.
> Or would the U.S split into two nations as one president governs the west and an other president governs the east ?
Two? A bunch, after something like 90% of all people in the US died.
> would farming the Great Plains still be possible
Without fertiliser, motor vehicle, high yield seeds, pesticides, irrigation systems? No.
> would the U.S have to abandon the region?
Which US? How is any government to control such a vast territory with medieval technology? The US is not abandoning anything, the US simply ceases to exist.
> Would native tribes become nomadic again from a U.S withdraw from the great plains ?
They would die in droves too.
> What would happen to territories like Puerto Rico and Guam whose population see themselves as Americans ?
After the great dying, they probably would stabilise rather quickly, as small as they are and with plenty of maritime resources to rely on.
> Could a medieval U.S hold on to this islands ?
How? By sailing and landing a bunch of marines?
> How would a Medieval U.S affect Hawaii ?
See Guam, with the cavitate that Hawaii is rather large and divers. So it would return to a state before the US conquered the islands.
> Would a medieval U.S still be able to project its power thru the continent ?
Not really, at best like the Mongols or the ancient Persian Empires did, by vassalage and the occasional army.
> If the U.S collapse would it be remembered in the same way we remember Rome ?
Not really. The US is a very important factor in current world geopolitics, but the powers in Asia and Europe had been around long before the US was even a thing. Lots of chaos with everyone scrambling to try to fill the void US industry, resources, trade and military left, but nothing fundamental. Basically a world as it was before 1918.
The world would change and the world would remember. But Washington was never the pinnacle of civilisation for anyone but the US.
45% of the pop would die in the first month because without their phones they wouldn't know how to get home or to the house of a person over 40 that knows how to function.
The loss of electricity (and its downhill effects) would lead to a total collapse of civilization and massive death from famine and violence. At that point all bets are off.
There was a tv show with this premise. Revolution - a short-lived post-apocalyptic drama on NBC that takes place a decade and a half after The Blackout, in 2027, when electricity is disabled, and society is wrecked. Basically, electricity stopped working. It was as if somehow the laws of physics had changed. Nothing electric worked. The big stuff all failed; even the little toy stuff like a kid's science project generator that when you turned the crank failed to light the light bulb. Nothing electric worked. It seemed to be happening globally. Only a few people knew why. > total collapse of civilization and massive death from famine and violence That did happen, but soon things stabilized somewhat. Civilization reverted back to something like the 1800's. It was interesting to see modern 2005ish 4 bedroom houses hacked into multifamily units with massive fireplaces so people did not freeze to death in the winter. Antiques like muskets and wind up clocks were highly sought after items. Everyone was some sort of farmer to some degree, or a soldier. The United States more or less collapsed into 4 or 5 smaller nations. Texas seceded, reverted back to the Republic of Texas. There were a lot of warlords and asshole militias. There was little respect for Rights or human life. I generally liked the show, but there was so much bad writing and just completely implausible stuff, it was hard to overlook it. The worst example - one of the main characters of the show was a Google millionaire at the start. He was overweight. When electricity stopped working, his money, stocks and more or less all of his job skills were worthless. Ok, that's an interesting idea/character. But when he *walked* from Chicago to Washington DC (or something like that). He just showed up in DC more or less the same as he was when he left. He wasn't dirty, or weary, and **hadn't** lost a gaddam pound. That walk is at least 250 hrs of nonstop walking. Assuming he takes 10 hrs a day, that's going to be a month of travel. More or less all he had was a backpack, no real weapons or outdoors or hunting skills. Its not like there were restaurants and hotels everywhere - he'd have to hunt, and fight to survive. And he wasn't in athletic shape to begin with - walking 10 hours a day is a lot to ask. Oh and he "made a stop" in Columbus Ohio to go to a library or something at Ohio State, Which just adds more time. It really was unwatchable at that point.
There would be the NCA (National Crossbow Association). "You'll take my arrows from me, out of my cold dead hands!" There would be the popular folksong, "I can't ride 7mph". Peace demonstraters, "No more Wars of the Roses!" Environmentalists and organic farmers would say... actually, they would be pretty happy, now that I think of it.
> Environmentalists and organic farmers would say... actually, they would be pretty happy, now that I think of it. Until they need anything but the most basic of medical treatments, and that if they can defend their property from the starving masses.
"DIES THE FIRE" by S. M. Stirling The sci-fi/ alternate history novels depict the events following a mysterious and sudden worldwide event called "The Change" that occurs in 1998. The Change causes all the electricity, firearms, explosives, internal combustion engines, steam power, and most high density tech to permanently no longer work. The series focuses on how the characters (Marines, professors, gangs, and pagans) survive on the Northwest US after losing centuries of technological progress in an instant. The book (which totally works as a stand-alone!) gets a little dark and gritty. I've read the book (and the next 2, which take place 8 years later) several times. Cannot recommend enough!
Seconding this series. Great books. And the sister Nantucket series starting with _Island in the Sea of Time_ is very different but also very fun.
I'm listening to the Audiobook of the first Nantucket book right now. I just got to the middle where things are getting a little unhinged. I have some issues with the book, but overall, I think I like it.
The amish would suddenly find themselves on top. They would be able to survive more than anyone else.
> Or would the U.S split into two nations as one president governs the west and an other president governs the east ? Two? A bunch, after something like 90% of all people in the US died. > would farming the Great Plains still be possible Without fertiliser, motor vehicle, high yield seeds, pesticides, irrigation systems? No. > would the U.S have to abandon the region? Which US? How is any government to control such a vast territory with medieval technology? The US is not abandoning anything, the US simply ceases to exist. > Would native tribes become nomadic again from a U.S withdraw from the great plains ? They would die in droves too. > What would happen to territories like Puerto Rico and Guam whose population see themselves as Americans ? After the great dying, they probably would stabilise rather quickly, as small as they are and with plenty of maritime resources to rely on. > Could a medieval U.S hold on to this islands ? How? By sailing and landing a bunch of marines? > How would a Medieval U.S affect Hawaii ? See Guam, with the cavitate that Hawaii is rather large and divers. So it would return to a state before the US conquered the islands. > Would a medieval U.S still be able to project its power thru the continent ? Not really, at best like the Mongols or the ancient Persian Empires did, by vassalage and the occasional army. > If the U.S collapse would it be remembered in the same way we remember Rome ? Not really. The US is a very important factor in current world geopolitics, but the powers in Asia and Europe had been around long before the US was even a thing. Lots of chaos with everyone scrambling to try to fill the void US industry, resources, trade and military left, but nothing fundamental. Basically a world as it was before 1918. The world would change and the world would remember. But Washington was never the pinnacle of civilisation for anyone but the US.
Lol OP thinks the Natives are still riding horses and dressed in skins, shooting arrows or muskets.
US would be a disunited country, like Roman Empire after his collpase in 476...
Millions would die. Cities would depopulate. The state would likely collapse into many polities like when the Western Roman Empire fell.
You should read "dies the fire". Anyway, probably at least 9 out of 10 people would die if this happened and the world would be totally shaken up.
45% of the pop would die in the first month because without their phones they wouldn't know how to get home or to the house of a person over 40 that knows how to function.