“Naftástique!” in a nutshell – As world trade moves away from a global market, a number of regional trading blocs emerge. China, Europe and South America form their own clusters. The United States leads an effort to make North America a self- sufficient economic community.
A lack of significant technological advances, coupled with continued growth of the world’s population has pushed the ability of most nations to provide for their citizens. Basic commodities that today we take for granted have become scarce. Relationships among world powers are strained by prolonged and intense competition for raw materials and energy sources. Military and political tensions follow. Inward facing policies to protect dwindling resources bring with them significant tariffs and trade barriers, which entangle, slow down and fragment global trade.
China, the largest manufacture and consumption center in the world, forges a particularly intense alliance with Africa. Many African nations, rich in natural resources and desperate for investments and new technology, find a natural partner in the resource-starved and over-populated China. Intense trade of materials, technology and labor takes place inside this Sino-African economic bloc, with the Yuan as the de facto currency.
The United States forms its own bloc with Canada and Mexico called the North American Economic Community (NAEC). Complementing each other in natural resources, technological capabilities and workforce availability, the NAEC countries emerge as a very strong economic cluster. Commerce among NAEC nations increases tremendously, compensating for the loss of international trade. U.S. borders become almost seamless for freight to and from its neighbors. Widespread use of natural gas and coal, and heavy investment in renewable sources, have made the North American nations less dependent on foreign oil. While energy prices inside NAEC tend to be higher than the historical averages, they are also significantly less volatile than in the past.
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