A lot of governments won’t survive in a world of $20 oil. : Slate is making its coronavirus coverage free for all readers. Subscribe to support our journalism. Start your free trial. The collapse of the oil market—which triggered the bizarre, if brief, sight of subzero futures prices this week—might unleash something more serious and enduring in certain regions of the world in the coming months: socioeconomic breakdowns, political disruptions, and shifts in the balance of power. Consider these statistics.