Can Australia become a super-power?

[mellie]

It depends on what your definition of a super-power is I guess... for me, it's not about missiles.

[Plough]

Your response was based on the premise that we will never be financial enough, or even populated enough to achieve world super-power status.

What year did the US become a world superpower, and what was their population at the time?

How were their finances?

The common mistake our nation makes when setting our standards and benchmarks even passing laws is comparing ourselves to other 'similar' western nations, their laws, their ways....as though we lack the confidence to set our own benchmarks/standards.

How can America be a true superpower when it cant even afford to pay for it's own army?

Obama wants them all to serve for free for three days. Or is this just another one of his tokenist publicity stunts?

This and without it's alliances would crash and burn, or have I spoken too soon?

A super-power should be autonomous, self sufficient and capable of taking care of itself...not just be about who has the biggest penis..oh, I mean missile.

Unfortunatley the definition of super power (in populist terms) is the country that can be the biggest bully and is able to back it up. The us is one, the combined russian states far less so now. China are are on the verge of if not already being a super power. They will out strip the US in the medium to long term.

You see apparently size does not count, unless it is the size of your nuclear arsenal.

[mellie]

Have you ever seen a piece of luminous-blue meat (ie, pork) glowing in the dark?

....glowing in the dark all by itself, not a reflection or optical illusion.

[mellie]

Australia can become what ever it wants... when it wants.

[Jovial Monk]

Australia is already a superpower—to the Pacific states, NZ and all those little island states.

Barring major and beneficial climate change so we can grow to hundreds of millions in population and the financial, industrial, scientific and nuclear clout that comes with that.

[Leftwinger]

Reasons
1 Lack of population
2 Lack of capital ( we would not be able to fund the investment)
3 We are Australian and so inherinatly we just dont give a shit

2 has inherintly no meaning from the point that the Australian government is fully sovereign in it's own, non-convertable floating fiat currency. It's spending may be constrained by politics, ideology or by availability of real resources but never by money. The Australian government's spending is the source of the abstract medium we call the $AUSD.

I's probably agree on the other points - (1) lack of availability of real resources, in this case manpower and (3) well, that one speaks for itself.

[Plough]

Reasons
1 Lack of population
2 Lack of capital ( we would not be able to fund the investment)
3 We are Australian and so inherinatly we just dont give a shit

2 has inherintly no meaning from the point that the Australian government is fully sovereign in it's own, non-convertable floating fiat currency. It's spending may be constrained by politics, ideology or by availability of real resources but never by money. The Australian government's spending is the source of the abstract medium we call the $AUSD.

I's probably agree on the other points - (1) lack of availability of real resources, in this case manpower and (3) well, that one speaks for itself.

My point with #2 was that to become a super power we would have to buy/manufacture all of the tools to do so. We dont have the finacial capital to buy everything(no matter how much money we print) and we dont have the people capital, in numbers or expertise to manufacture/make everything

[Leftwinger]

We dont have the finacial capital to buy everything

If something is for sale and $AUSD are accepted, the Australian government can buy it.

[Super Nova]

No it can not. A superpwer needs to be able to demonstrate the following in my mind.

1. The ability to influence (actually manipulate) world affairs including trade, policies in other countries ...etc
2. Have a strong military capability - to scare the shit out of those who do not comply
3. Have a strong technology capability - that is really invent the leading edge stuff, particularly military and ecconomic
4. Have a strong and influencial ecconomy - that is if they sneese the world gets a cold
5. Have financial controlly levers to manipulate the world

Now only China and the US really meet this standard

behond them are Russia, the EU and maybe one day India.

Many countries are ahead of Ausralia to meet this requirement.

Digging up the country to sell to China is not power.

I do not see Australia being a superpower. The 51st state of a superpower definitely.

[mellie]

Not a super power in the context you are referring ...though we could definitely hold our own, this and do so without being a UN/Israel/US door mat.





Obama the UN and Israel wanted a solution in the Middle East...

Refrigerated warheads just might deliver it.

Has Obama had his Small Pox shots?

I think it's time for change.

This is our nations last chance to stop being US meat muppets.


I can understand Indias, Russias and Chinas decision to abstain in the voting in the UN Security Council (UNSC) on March 18,2011, on the resolution authorising the enforcement of a No Fly Zone over Libya to prevent Libyan air stikes against anti-Muammar Gaddafi rebels and civilians and a humanitarian intervention not involving the use of ground troops.