World Sketch: Earth 7005
My world is about 5,000 years in the future of earth. During the twentieth
century with the creation of a very technical world, a division began between
the classes.
As the education for the upper classes began to improve in quality and
availability, education for the lower classes began to decay in both quality
and availability.
Over time this became a great schism as the divide to gradually grow.
Condition of Earth and Space Stations:
Due to global warming and the melting of the glaciers the earth has a much
smaller amount of land than is currently available. Also because of pollution
and over
crowding is almost entirely urban and dirty. The upper class
live and mainly work on space ships orbiting just outside the
earth’s atmosphere. Only those who
are in direct control of (government/military/supervision) and/or care of
(education/medical/religion) work and occasionally live on earth.
The Ruling Class:
The ruling class believes that they remain in control for the benefit of
society at the whole, and that control and care of the lower class is their
obligation and duty.
From birth until the age of twenty one members of this society are educated,
trained, and confined to space stations where they are born. They are educated
in
advanced math science, mathematics, applied technology, societal structures,
and the arts. At the age of twenty one they are reviewed by the Panel of
Greater
Society that will determine their future status. They are ranked on 1)
intelligence 2) academic success 3) innovativeness 4) work ethic 5)
understanding and
support for their societal structure.
If someone of the upper class is found to have good work ethic and believe
in the societal structure they become a member of the support subclass where
they
work manual labor jobs on the space stations. Those who are found to meet
standards for all criteria they become full fledge members of the ruling class
and their
education is continued throughout their life times. Those who do not show work
ethic or threaten societal dogma are killed for the “greater good”
of society.
The Underclass:
Members of the underclass are basically blue collar workers of the state in
a socialistic type economy structure. The state does provide for hard workers
basic
needs of housing, shelter, clothing, health care, and limited recreation. They
are more of a suppressed class than a slave class. From the age of birth until
sixteen
they are offered training in basic math, language, and various trades. At the
age of sixteen those who show ambition are given the chance to advance in
society.
The same Panel of Greater Society reviews potential candidates. Some are chosen
to receive further slightly more advanced education so that they may become
first level supervisors in businesses and factories. Select few are given the
opportunity to advance to the upper class, by moving to the space stations
where they
are trained with upper class youth until they reach the age twenty one where
they are then reviewed again.
Politics: The lower class does not involve themselves with
politics, basically accepting the system as it comes. The upper class itself is
controlled by an internal
republic.
Religion: Generally a fancy of the underclass. All clergy
are members of the upper class, who basically use variations of classic
religions to justify the structure
of society as good and nobel.
Rewards and Punishments: Members of the underclass are
rewarded for hard work with extra time of and chances to participate in sports
and games with other
community members. Those who do not work at all are not given food. Those who
work a moderate amount are given a moderate amount.
Crime: The upper class monitors closely the behavior of all
members of society through cameras and hidden microphones. For those who commit
crime, justice
is swift and certain and tailored to fit the crime. Operating on the classical
principal crime is generally very low.
Family: In both classes nuclear families are most common.
In the lower class nuclear families often form tightly knit pseudo extended
families. The ruling class
practices strict intermarriage, but is generally not a big issue. Women
generally are a part of the working community with children and home being mainly
cared
for by support subclass maids.