2050: A very different world

Fascinating Guardian article based on a report by the Chinese Academy Of Sciences, which looks at prospects for China's development by 2050.

The 'China Modernisation Report 2006' predicts that by 2050, 500m rural Chinese would have moved into the cities; that average incomes will have risen to more than 10 times their current levels; and that 750m Chinese will be able to afford cars and overseas travel.

All this is predicated on China maintaining its current growth rate of about 9% for the next 40+ years.

I'm hardly qualified to comment on all this, but if there's one thing I know its that the real world rarely moves or develops in straight lines.

Factors such as the rate of foreign investment; ever-increasing numbers of professional, engineering and scientific graduates; and, growing militancy amongst Chinese workers (and the possible if not yet realised, development of effective, free trade unions), could end up making these growth estimates meaningless.

The growing contradictions posed by China's booming economy, and its rigid political structures, are also unlikely to be left unresolved in the next four decades.

Whatever happens, the one certainty is that the consequences will not be confined to China itself. Life in 2050, whatever it holds, is likely to be very different than it is today.

Use the comments button to leave your sensible, and not so sensible, predictions for life in 2050...

Here's 3 from me:

China replaces the US as the world's most important super-power

Everton win the Champions League (entry to which will be open to the top 18 placed clubs in the Premiership by then!)