Now here comes my contribution to your future scenarios:
- China's 'world domination'.
China is growing stronger as a country, and brutally controls its 'provinces' (such as Tibet, which is slowly devastated without any respect for human rights). Yet its economical strength increases, which can not be denied. Most interesting fact is that comunism there, despite its obviously totalitarian character, seems to be quite fruitful (at least when observed from abroad).
So, what do You think about sons of Mao pressing their red buttons one day? (Socrates, I await Your opinion).