The Powers That Be

Major Players on the Postwar World Stage

Below is a table of the various powers in the world around the middle of the twenty-first century. All of these entities are capable of wielding significant political power. There are, of course, many more nations, groups and corporations that are less important in determining the world order.

These world powers are available for character background; as patrons or enemies for characters or campaigns; or simply for local colour.
 
Nation-States
Supranational Groups
Multinational Corporations
The United States of America The United Nations GMF Holdings
The Chinese Federation The World Security Committee Intersoft 
The Russian Federation The Union of Europe Shell Energy 
Japan The Group of 26 Russifyuzhyon
Germany The Bloc of 6 Toshiyota 
Italy The Altai League Nidae 
India  Arab Free Trade Bloc Guoji Youli 
Korea NATO DBBSAG 
France SEATO Hitachi 
Taiwan NAFTA Nestle 
Indonesia OAS Matsushita 
England ¡¡ General Electric
Canada ¡¡ Mobil 
South Africa ¡¡ Eurogy 
Argentina ¡¡ Samsung 
Australia ¡¡ Chryse 

Nation-states: The power of individual nations is on the wane in the twenty-first century. There are several factors that account for this trend: the consolidation of supranational organizations, a process that began in the mid-twentieth century and continues today; the growing power of multinational corporations; the widespread devastation wrought during the War; and the assumption by the United Nations of many of the powers of the pre-War nation-states.

Supranational groups: Political organizations spanning several nations are no new thing, of course; however, in the mid-21st century many of them are considerable more powerful than even the greatest nations. Some, like the United Nations and the Group of 26, are instruments for political arbitration and trans-national security; others, like the Arab Free Trade Bloc, are economic zones; while a few, like the Union of Europe, have become something resembling huge nation-states themselves.

Multinational Corporations: Each of these corporations disposes of more political and economic power than an average nation. Most of them operate from headquarters in small Third World nations whose destinies they control. With revenues in the hundreds of billions of dollars, and employing millions of workers, they enjoy the advantages of existing in a global market without being subject to the laws of any one nation.

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