Mankind has completed more than 2,011 years of its existence since the birth of Lord Jesus Christ. Man came to this earth—through the process of natural evolution—nearly one million years ago.
Today, he is the undisputed master of this part of the universe. He has come a long way and has many more miles to go. Let us see what the future holds for him in this new era.
In the twenty-first century, the main feature of this world would be the excess of human populace. We are more than six billion in number and this number is growing at a geometric pace (n many parts of the world.
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The excess of human populace would put unbearable burden on the natural resources of the world. Germs-free foods, pure water, shelter, medicines, costly life-saving equipment, education, transportation and civic amenities would be costly and scarce.
A large number of people would vie for limited resources. This struggle would be more prominent in Asia and Africa. Political upheavals, strife, violence on a large scale, murder and arson would be witnessed. These engagements may also lead to major wars, which would consequently lead to the reduction of population in these two continents.
The excess of population would also lead to exploitation of natural resources of the earth.
Thus, the planet would face serious problems in its wind cycles, climatic transitions and natural water bodies. Many rivers would face the threat of drying up in the wake of exploitation of the habitats near their origins.
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Forest covers would deplete at a faster rate, thus making several wild animals and plants extinct. The tiger and leopard may become extinct within twenty-five years from now, if they are not protected from poachers and wild skin traffickers. These climatic variations would also affect crop production and natural water cycles.
Thus, rains may not fall in time. If at all they fall, they will be acid rains because of excessive emission of sulphur dioxide and other noxious gases by vehicles and factories the world over.
Poverty levels would be reduced in the developing nations. But most of the Least Developed Nations (LDCs) would not be able to align themselves with the commonly adopted economic policies. Thus, poverty levels would be increased in these nations.
This phenomenon would lead to wars, internal chaos and bloodshed. Ultimately, these nations would realise the need to align their economics with the global economy. Thus, they will be ‘reborn’ and start their journeys afresh in the economic jungle of the world. Many developing nations—such as China, India, Indonesia, etc.—will become developed by 2050 AD.
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India will emerge as a regional superpower in Asia. However, China would dominate her in economic and strategic fields. The new centre of the world power would be China and nations like Korea, Vietnam, Myanmar and Pakistan would be her satellites.
Russia would not be able to support the Chinese openly because she needs Western economic assistance. Therefore she would remain in a dilemma. She would have to woo the Americans as well as the Chinese to remain afloat in the turbulent oceans of global polity.
Many strategic treaties would be signed against her wishes and in most of them she would be at the receiving end. However, her relations with the West would improve and her nuclear arsenal would not pose much threat to Europe or America.
Democratic governments would be allowed to carry on the tasks of development, global orientation and social reforms. Europe would become a single nation and also the most prosperous market of the new century. It will compete with China, India, the USA and some nations of South America in the arena of global trade. Britain will try to maintain her own (different) identity.
She may not join the EU at all, as is evident from her denial in the context of joining the Euro Currency system.
Sports stars would break new records. Man would concentrate on his education, health, mental satisfaction and leisure. Internet would be used freely and for all the vital activities. The ICE age (the era of Information, Communication and Entertainment) has already arrived.
Every home in the West will have Internet connection. Business activities, leisure and information exchange will be the chief features of technology. There will be development of art forms like painting, sculpture making, music and others. Indian arts and crafts will steal the limelight and will be revered the world over.
Western influences will dominate the East and Eastern thoughts will shake the ideologies of the West. But the synergistic effects of the confluence of the two (different) thoughts would lead to the emergence of a new era of spiritualism. The youth will be busy in drugs, alcohol and other acts of over indulgence.
Thus, only the elders and veterans will think seriously about religion, life, death and spiritualism.
Science and technologies will open up new horizons. Cures for deadly diseases will be found. Aircraft will fly at the speed of MACH10 or higher. Men will have many space stations and colonies. Settlement of human populaces on the Mars cannot be ruled out.
New planets and solar systems will be identified but research programmes designed to explore them will be costly as well as time-consuming. Efficiency of humans will increase. But they will work like cogs in machines. Computerisation will be nearly one hundred per cent. Consumers of the world will be mesmerised by the amazing variety of foods, FMCGs, flying cars and other products. Service-based economies will have maximum GDP growth rates—nearly 10- 11 per cent.
Manufacturing-based economies will continue to have GDP growth rates between 5-8 per cent. Manufacturing- based economies will “heat up” quite often or face recession. This phenomenon would affect all the economies of the world, mostly in a negative manner.
In sum, there will be all-round development of the human race in the hundred years to come. But we may suffer on the environmental front. The leaders of the world will find solution to most of the economic, social, and environmental and human problems.
Science, engineering, computerisation, medicine, spiritualisation and other arts and crafts would also reach the pinnacles of perfection, within 50 to 60 years from now.