User blog comment:JERealize/What lies beyond Panem?/@comment-86.131.228.164-20140706182410

Personally, what iv'e allways imagined is that the rest of the world also suffered catasrophic geological and environmental uphevals similar to those in North America described in The Hunger Games: the floods, earthquakes, hurricanes,  volcanic disasters, droughts, etc... And in turn these led to socio-political upheval across the entire world, the collapse of international diplomacy and cooperation and the collapse of the organised nation-state, that is, until everything settled down again, leading to the rise of many new nations different from the ones before in their location: tribes, city-states, etc... one of these being the Nation of Panem where the United States stood before (I mean, come on, Panem can't possibly be the ONLY surviving society).

Now I've allways imagined this, because of the immense turmoil that the world suffered and the disorder and collapse that followed, I believe that when nations rose again (but not hundreds like today where all landmasses are covered by states and borders, but more like countries far and wide in between, separated by vast uncolonized wilderness, stagnant uncivilized lands) they were so afraid of the disorder and collapse that had happened in their near past that many of these new societies were highly feudal/centralised/totalitarian like panem, it gives them a safe feeling that they are in control, and that social upheval will happen no more with an iron fist. Which just about sums up the ideology of Panem's politics.

As for the other countries or societies, I believe that after time these must have come into contact with each other, they must be aware that they cant possibly be the only ones left, no, they must've come into contact with eachother, a few might even have diplomatic relations and trade, although not many, as most of these nations - like Panem - have too much of a self-concerning personality, whereby they are afraid of or uninterested in having foreign relations when they are too busy keeping to themselves, much like America did in the 19th Century with its policies of Isolationism, believeing that Isolation was their key to avoiding conflict and achieving prosperity.

I believe that Panem is aware of these other nations, and maybe even is one of or the most developed and powerful nation (I mean, in the novels we see that The Capitol can and does exercise quite the military mucle) however the reason why Katniss or any other character in the novel doesn't show any knowledge of anything outside of Panem, (and barely anything outside of their own Districts) is because the Capitold does not want them to know that there is an 'out there' where they can escape the brutal hegemony of the Capitol. However, and again, this is a juicy personal belief, I think that the people of the Capitol are too self obsessed and in love with their spectacular city that it is too irresistible not to show it off, but I mean it in a way that just showing it off on television to the impoverished districts isn't enough to satisfy their ego, no, they want to feel like the best in Panem (they) is the best elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprise one bit if the Capitol frequently invites foreign officials to dazzle them with their immense extravagance. I bet President Snow has a lot of friends outside of the Capitol (yet not in the districts) and that they too might enjoy watching the seasons of The Hunger Games... Imagine that. Panem's export to th world: the best reality TV on earth; The Hunger Games - and they all love it.