Does the United States still exist in the 23rd century?

[Citiprime]

I don't think there's exactly a canon answer to this, but I was curious based on the way Pike and Spock discuss the United States in the first episode. The way Pike asks Spock if he's aware of the United States implies it existed in the past tense. And one would think that if it still existed, the question would be silly, since Spock and everyone would know what the United States is based on the fact Starfleet is headquartered in San Francisco.

Enterprise implies the United Kingdom still exists within United Earth, since Malcolm Reed's family is said to have wanted him to serve in the Royal Navy. So it would be possible for the US to exist with United Earth too. We also know that the individual states still exist since Kirk is from Iowa and Riker is from Alaska.

The furthest out that Trek has stated the US will still be around is 2079 (i.e., the same year as Q's court of post-apocalyptic horrors), since TNG's "The Royale" shows a NASA space craft whose occupant is wearing a uniform with a US flag that has 52 stars, with Data stating the flag represents a time period from 2033 to 2079.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

In the TNG episode "Attached," Picard & Beverly are having one of their usual chit-chats:

PICARD: Every member of the Federation entered as a unified world, and that unity said something about them. That they had resolved certain social and political differences and they were now ready to become part of a larger community.
CRUSHER: By all indications, the Kes are a very unified, very progressive people.
PICARD: But the Prytt are not. They are reclusive to the point of xenophobia.
CRUSHER: Well, think about Earth. What if one of the old nation states, say Australia, had decided not to join the World Government in 2150? Would that have disqualified us as a Federation member?

So the phrase "old nation states" seems to indicate that things have changed with regards to sovereignty and all that, but that doesn't wipe states off the map. It just reorganizes their roles within the World Government. Regarding Pike's question to Spock, it seems reasonable to ask someone that who hadn't grown up on Earth, even if they're aware of a city or two.

 

[Nerys Myk]

There very well may be a political entity called "The United States". There seems to be an Iowa.

 

[Mudd]

It's possible that the United States was succeeded by one or more nations or alliances after the "Second Civil War," and that one or more of those still exist in Pike's time. Given the trends in our national politics - and I mean long-term trends - that's as likely as not.

 

[JoaquinSlowly]

There very well may be a political entity called "The United States". There seems to be an Iowa.

And Riker is from Alaska.

 

[Mudd]

Iowa, Alaska, Montana - all may be independent or loosely-allied members of some kind of state other than our current one. Each state in the U.S. already has its own governmental structure and bureaucracy.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Lots of references to states in the US, but none of the United States of America, nor any background flags.

Since seeing NYC get nuked (although I'm pretty sure we see 2150's NYC in ENT), my headcanon is that The Orville universe splits off because WWIII doesn't happen. NYC becomes Planetary Union Central, but in Trek San Francisco becomes Federation Headquarters.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

There very well may be a political entity called "The United States". There seems to be an Iowa.

I guess the question is, would the US still have it's own local leader under a United Earth? A Governor maybe?

 

[Ottens]

Maybe the USA splinters after the Second Civil War and individual states become members of a "United Earth" federation alongside countries like Australia and the United Kingdom?

 

[Mudd]

I guess the question is, would the US still have it's own local leader under a United Earth?

Not if it doesn't exist.

 

[Nerys Myk]

It's possible that the United States was succeeded by one or more nations or alliances after the "Second Civil War," and that one or more of those still exist in Pike's time. Given the trends in our national politics - and I mean long-term trends - that's as likely as not.

Maybe the Eastern Coalition from First Contact is the Eastern portion of North America.

 

[Tuskin38]

I think one of the novels had a United States President, but he was just a figurehead.

But no, in the TV canon it hasn't been stated.

Iowa, Alaska, Montana - all may be independent or loosely-allied members of some kind of state other than our current one. Each state in the U.S. already has its own governmental structure and bureaucracy.

They could also just be region names and not political entities.

Like France and Canada have also been mentioned

 

[DEWLine]

We've also had references in several novels to a "United States of North America", as I recall, but that hasn't been locked down officially.

 

[Captain Jollydark]

Of course no. The United States won't exist at the end of this century. The Dunning-Kruger effect dooms us all.

 

[Sci]

The closest thing I can think to this is that in ENT "Affliction/Divergence," there's an okudagram with an on-screen address that includes the words "United States." But what does that mean? The U.S. as it is currently constituted in real life? A rump U.S. that does not include areas that might have seceded?

Another question a supposedly progressive, positive depiction of a better future needs to contend with is the question of Native American sovereignty. There's a movement for Native American Nations, called Land Back, to reclaim some or all of the lands that were conquered by European powers and then by the U.S. during the 1500s-1800s. Maybe the United States still exists, but it's much smaller than it is today because it has ceded significant territory back to the Nations it conquered and oppressed. A map of 23rd Century North America might include the Republic of Lakota, the Cherokee Commonwealth, the State of Aztlán, and/or other Native American governments that are co-equal with the United States under the United Earth government.

 

[Jedi Marso]

I think it probably exists but more as a geographic reference than anything else- it is clearly not a sovereign nation any longer, now that there is a 'United Earth.' If anything, it is probably the equivalent of the city or local government in terms of its power to govern.

 

[Markonian]

Let's say Earth is truly politically united - the state of United Earth.
It would still need subnational entities to provide its populace with accessible bureaucracy.
Towns, counties, states, nations, continental unions - from large to small may still exist. The "United States" would be a useful polity in such a system.

 

[Ottens]

Let's say Earth is truly politically united - the state of United Earth.
It would still need subnational entities to provide its populace with accessible bureaucracy.
Towns, counties, states, nations, continental unions - from large to small may still exist. The "United States" would be a useful polity in such a system.

Would it, though?

Here in Europe we already have a bit of tension in the EU between large member states like Germany and France and the many smaller ones. I think one of the reasons the UN hasn't been more effective is that large and powerful nations like the US have one vote just like Paraguay and Qatar.

If you were designing a world government, might it not be more useful if the United States broke up into 50 independent countries, many of which would, on their own, still be more populous and more economically developed than dozens of countries outside North America?

 

[The Wormhole]

I imagine all the countries that exist today are still around in Trek's future. They just have a lot less autonomy in a united world and probably operate something like states/provinces do within countries today.

 

[Citiprime]

Another question a supposedly progressive, positive depiction of a better future needs to contend with is the question of Native American sovereignty. There's a movement for Native American Nations, called Land Back, to reclaim some or all of the lands that were conquered by European powers and then by the U.S. during the 1500s-1800s. Maybe the United States still exists, but it's much smaller than it is today because it has ceded significant territory back to the Nations it conquered and oppressed. A map of 23rd Century North America might include the Republic of Lakota, the Cherokee Commonwealth, the State of Aztlán, and/or other Native American governments that are co-equal with the United States under the United Earth government.

If United Earth had something similar to this as policy, it doesn't fit with Chakotay's people relocating to a colony near the Cardassian border to "preserve their cultural identity." They would have reclaimed their lands on Earth and not resettled.