Howling:51st century Earth political structure

In "The Talons of Weng-Chiang", Magnus Greel comes from the year 5000, where he was the Minister of Justice of the Supreme Alliance on Earth, and started a war with the rival Icelandic Alliance. Why is Earth divided into opposing national alliances at this stage in its history? Other stories set before that timeframe have presented Earth as being united under a global goverment. What could've happened to make it revert to such an archaic mode of politics? 82.2.136.93 21:14, August 11, 2011 (UTC)