Kaung: WOULD LOSE ECONOMIES OF SCALE--trade --comparative advantage--if whole world went back to low tech--viruses would still continue to evolve.
AI Overview
If the entire U.S. became Amish, the country would lose its global economic and military power due to the rejection of modern technology and industrialization
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The economy would shift to local, small-scale, non-industrialized "cottage" industries, and the political structure would be highly decentralized, with government functions likely handled at a local, church-based level rather than a federal one. Infrastructure, such as roads, would likely deteriorate without a modern tax base, and there would be a massive shift in social structure to a more community- and family-focused life.
Economic and industrial collapse
End of industrialization: The U.S. economy would collapse as it relies on modern technology. Power grids would fail, and industrial and manufacturing sectors would cease to exist.
Shift to local economy: The economy would become localized, with a focus on agriculture and small, non-industrial "cottage" industries. Transportation would revert to horse-drawn and foot travel.
Infrastructure failure: Roads would deteriorate as there would be no gas taxes to fund maintenance. Power and internet services would disappear, though some limited infrastructure may be maintained by local efforts.
Political and social restructuring
Decentralized governance: The federal government would likely disappear, replaced by a highly decentralized system of local governance, possibly organized around church districts.
Community-focused life: Social and community life would be centered around the church and family, with an emphasis on mutual aid like barn-raisings and support for the elderly.
Education: The formal education system would end, with schooling limited to the eighth grade, as is the Amish standard.
Environmental and technological changes
Nature reclaims urban areas: Without maintenance, cities would be quickly reclaimed by nature.
Reversion to older technology: The nation would return to older technologies for farming, cooking, and daily life, such as the steel plow, manual washing machines, and wood stoves.
Impact on environment: The lack of industrial pollution would likely lead to significant environmental improvements in the long term, with a cleaner atmosphere and water.
What would remain unchanged
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ocal variations: It's important to note that many Amish communities have their own unique interpretations of the "Ordnung" (rules), so it's unlikely that the entire country would adopt a single, uniform way of life.
Some industries would persist: Some niche industries, such as horse-drawn buggy manufacturing, blacksmithing, and food preservation techniques like canning, would likely flourish and expand.
What if US was majority Amish? : r/HistoryWhatIf - Reddit
Aug 28, 2016 — If everybody in the USA was like that one small segment of the Amish, it would farms everywhere, with the regional sma...
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