The Great Collapse proved Marx at least partially right. Capitalism, and Liberal Democracies choked on the contradictions of their own success and war machinery --particularly biological warfare. Simultaneously collapsing markets and labor-forces created multiple contractions in THE world spanning economy, with poorer countries suffering disproportionate losses.
In the so-called developed world conditions of nearly total depopulation prevailed in the hardest hit areas. More prosperous places, muddled through in cyber-punk dystopias. In many poorer countries --particullarly those already prone to civil strife, the conditions that followed the limited exchange of weapons of mass destruction in areas of the first world would be paradisical1. In many less developed countries war was often reduced to a hellish combination of machete and pathogen, until people were just too sparse to catch cold or bother much to interfere with neighbors. Jackals and wolves returned --much like in Europe during the Plague.
Even so, the "Collapse" was partial and "chaos" relative. The Catholic Church and its ilk can weather much worse. Inter-Governmental organizations --especially the U.N. and E.C. continued to limp along. Many liberal governments --in Japan, North America and more fortunate European countries kept more than a semblance of representative government.
Furthermore, the Collapse was severe, but short. Within fifty years civilization prevailed, but it returned in an old form. The IGOs became the institutional basis for the return to health. Cognizant of the excesses that led to the collapse --greed, unchecked population growth, and hatred --the nascent Bureaucracy moved to insure that never again would human-kind bid the horsemen return for the same reasons. Only a few countries remained outside of the Bureaucracy --including the United States and Switzerland. But, by the end of the Bureaucracy's 140 years, the independence of all but a few enclaves (the most famous being the colony on Venus) were, de facto, part of the world government.
Though no friend of liberty, and rabid and effective in surpressing dissent, few wanted under the Bureaucracy. In fact, the Bureaucracy substantially caused its own demise by 30 BxY, after passing the Probationary Laws. By that time Earth's population was far from dearth and want. By then there was enormous support for (a cautious) return to old liberties.
1. The original draft appeared as a letter sent to the Brin and Benford fan e-mail list. The conditions I had in mind for the hardest hit areas of the developed world were like those described in David Brin's The Postman. Trent.
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