The world is populated by consumers rather than citizens. Technology breeds unlimited customized choices. The consumer is served by highly evolved companies, aggressively nimble and conscientious of the market's whims. Computers do increasing amounts of white-collar work. Politics means electronic voting.
Governments are virtual corporations, with their heavy lifting privatized to commercial ventures.
The have-nots are given spending vouchers. Southeast Asia and the coast of China manufacture most of Consumerland's goods, and consume almost half themselves. Latin America is their branch office. Japan gets richer and unhappier. Russia exports trouble in the form of neoreligious cultists and mafioso.