Rate the G8 in order of importance

[Ben Kenobi]

Given your biggest allies, I'm surprised Canada isn't third and the UK second on that list.

France and Germany are useless, and Japan is a regional power.

[Lancer]

You're to US centric, though I applaud that btw.

This is from a world view. Powa! Economy! Who has it hangin!

[MRT144]

the list so far using a scoring system rewarding 8 pts to 1st, 7 to 2nd, so on and so forth.
country:total pts

us:48
UK:40
Germany:34
Russia:28
Japan:24
France:20
Italy:12
Canda:11

[Flubber]

I'm just not sure what "importance" means. You could do a straight list based on economic size-- but thats boring and could come from people just citing the GDP stats.

Is importance based on military?

I notice that most people are ranking Canada last and if this is a ranking of world influence, I can probably agree with that. But importance ? Does the fact that Canada has more natural resources than pretty much anyone else on the list ( Russia as an arguable exception) make any difference

[MRT144]

natural resources that are readibly exploitable? just having them doesnt mean anything if you're all watching hockey for 6 months of the year

[Ecthy]

Lancer, France has more military strength. Economy is only important as a means to generate military strength. FACT

[Barnabas]

The UK is to the USA what Portugal used to be to the UK, lapdog , and their military forces arent significantly better than the french ones, in fact I think France is slightly stronger.

Usa
-
-
-
Japan
-
-
The rest

....
---

Japan is clearly the number 2 in that list, and by the way , North Korea + the progress of China may force them to start really spending on their military soon

[Ecthy]

If it's economy we talk of then why not USA-Japan-Germany and then the rest? As Brachy said, why put UK above Germany at all?

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Ecthy
Lancer, France has more military strength. Economy is only important as a means to generate military strength. FACT

Well...there is that whole standard-of-living thingie that a lot of people consider to be important.

[Ecthy]

He asked fro the order of importance, not the order of average wealth. Beyond that I'll totally agree with you.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride
Japan is clearly the number 2 in that list, and by the way , North Korea + the progress of China may force them to start really spending on their military soon

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by Ecthy
If it's economy we talk of then why not USA-Japan-Germany and then the rest? As Brachy said, why put UK above Germany at all?

While Germany's total output certainly exceeds that of the UK, I'd argue the UK is more important economically (and vastly more important politically and militarily) than Germany. As a global financial center, London is only surpassed by New York. It is the hub, bar none, of currency trading, the British Pound is still a benchmark currency and the British have global economic interests and reach that outstrip everyone except the US. Alot of it, of course, is the result of their colonial heyday.

[Alexander I]

Originally posted by Lancer
Alexander, Russia so far down? They have europe by their energy balls. Your Japan is well place I think. If they ever get serious about their defense they should solidify that spot.

US
UK
Germany
Japan
Russia
France
Italy
Canada

I put Russia so far down because the mafia is still too powerful and their gov't too weak. Yes, they're bouncing back. In 20 years they could be more powerful than they ever were in the old USSR days. But as it stands, I think Germany has at least more power in the form of influence.

US - raw military power
UK - good military, more likeable than US right now
Germany - a good moderate, not as sullied or confused as France
Japan - on the up, an economic powerhouse, more so if they continue to strengthen their military
Russia - already discussed above
France - no longer respected, now just the "whiner of Europe"
Italy - a second rate power
Canada - a potential power, but currently not worth much without US and UK

That's my international politcs opinion. Oh, were China involved, I'd put them after UK and before Germany.

[Flubber]

Importance hmm- to me personally ??


1. Canada- I live here so things about Canada will always be the most important to me

2. US-- our neighbor and only a few miles south so a hugely important influence.

3. the rest


On a world scale

I'd put US number 1 and I think I would put Italy last

[Ecthy]

Kontiki, thanks.

Japan is a rich country, but htey're weak militarily and have hardly been following national interests abroad. What do you guys think makes them important as an actor? I can see how their geographical position makes them important as an ally to the US, but they hardly have any say in that regard.