The Secession of California, 2099
The Secession of California
By the end of the 21st century, the United States faces internal fractures unlike any in its history. California, long a hub of cultural influence, technological innovation, and economic power, has declared its intention to secede from the Union in 2099. Rising tensions have been fueled by decades of disputes over climate policy, water rights, federal taxation, and technological regulation. The state’s booming economy – driven by renewable energy, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence – has often clashed with federal priorities, while the pressures of climate migration and resource scarcity have only deepened divides. At the same time, California’s growing international role – striking trade partnerships, setting global environmental standards, and housing the world’s largest tech conglomerates – has raised questions about whether it functions more as a sovereign power than a U.S. state. This committee begins at the moment of crisis: California’s declaration of secession has thrown the Union into turmoil. Will negotiations prevent a violent fracture, or will the dispute escalate into political and military confrontation? Delegates will contend with the balance between state autonomy and federal authority, the economic and security ramifications of secession, and the role of outside powers eager to shape California’s fate. In this near-future scenario, history provides no clear script – delegates themselves will determine whether California’s secession reshapes the American experiment or tears it apart.