Superpowers?

Which countries should be Superpowers?  This is very subjective of course.  More is involved than just pure GDP.  Still, it is an interesting benchmark:  Here is the current breakdown:

EU: $16TL

US:  $15TL

Commonwealth:  $10TL

China:  $7TL

Japan:  $5TL

Russia:  $1.8TL

Is Russia even a serious contender anymore?  They are an empty shell of their former cold war glory.  Perhaps.  Actually, records are starting to show that maybe they never were the threat we thought of them as.  Communist dictatorships are known for lots of bluff and bluster.

Speaking of which, today we have China.  Certainly strong in some ways.  Overestimated in others.  They claim a $7TL GDP but they are also know for lots of cheating and distortion.  What is it really?  Like the old USSR, I suspect that history will show they weren’t quite as big as they like us to think.  Unfortunately, it may take a war to find out.

Japan, yes they have had their share of economic woes but their respectable GDP is much more credible.  Yes, not much of a military now, but they have the technology.  All they need is the will and that is rising.

Who said the British Empire is dead?!  Maybe they are not so obvious now but they are alive and well.  Definitely a force to be reckoned with.  No wonder they don’t need the EU.

The EU makes for an impressive economic block.  –assuming the whole thing doesn’t unravel tommorrow.   For now, they look good on paper at least.  Could they really combine and fight effectively as a cohesive military/industrial power?  Questionable but what the heck.  Makes for an interesting game.

Honorable mention goes to Brazil at $2.5TL.   Yes, ahead of Russia and even the UK!!  Who knew?  Impressive economic numbers.  Can they actually field and project military power?  They have lots of growing potential.

Mexico, S. Korea, Indonesia, and Turkey close in around $1TL.    Everyone else?  Fuhgeddaboudit.