Diana Hughes

HON101

 

Political Structure of Planet X7B35 (working name)

 

Background information

X7B35’s political structure stems from a series of tragedies during the planet’s early colonization that forced the population to come together in order to best utilize everyone’s skills.  Therefore, the population of the planet can be divided into three basic “parties”: the Guilds, comprised of individuals with skills in metallurgy, weaving, farming and animal husbandry, medicine, mechanics, and other areas, who live in communal Guildhalls with others of their skill sets; the Admin, comprised of individuals with skills in organization, government, foreign relations, and the social sciences, with members both in centralized areas and dispersed among the population; and the Keepers, whose members make up the police force and navy of the planet, and are charged with maintaining law and order and protecting the population against threat.  A series of plagues in the planet’s recent past have decimated its population; X7B35 has perhaps 100,000 citizens. 

 

Politics

Naturally, most of the activity we call “politics” is handled by the Admin; however, a council of all the Guildmasters, ranking Admins, and police and naval leaders convenes monthly to discuss matters of planetary importance and to make grand policy decisions.  The Admin is then left to codify these grand purposes into practical, usable laws.  Declarations of war and taxation methods are examples of topics discussed in this monthly council.  Within the Guilds, the rank of Guildmaster is reached when one has reached a certain level of expertise, as recognized by other Masters and one’s peers.  A long apprenticeship teaches one the skills one needs, and ideally, anyone of a certain talent and age can become a Guildmaster.  Various milestones and skill sets must be reached, but the rank of Master is reached by general agreement.  Ascendancy within the Admin is decidedly more organized.  One must pay one’s dues by working in lower ranking positions in every Admin department, and then be nominated by a board of one’s peers and superiors to a mid-level position.  High-ranking positions, of which there are very few, are filled in elections held every ten years (or more often, should office holders step down or pass away), in which all members of the Admin vote.  There is no single ranking Admin, but rather, a ranking person in each of several fields, including foreign relations, taxation policy, lawmaking, and social sciences.  Within the police and navy, rank is based on seniority and service record, as well as leadership skills.  Promotions are bestowed by those in higher positions, with the highest positions being determined in a series of trials, called the Tests, which determine a candidate’s suitability as a leader, administrator, and warrior.

 

Religion on X7B35

 

Citizens on X7B35 tend to be pragmatic and secular, a result of their early difficulties.  People have had to focus on survival, and simply do not have the time or energy to waste pondering the mysteries of the universe, or pacifying some unseen deity.  As a result, religion on X7B35 is not formalized in any sense of the word.  The right to practice freely is protected in the planet’s charter, but most do not avail themselves of this privilege.  There are some observances and festivals throughout the year, but these are simply holdovers from the faiths brought over with the planet’s original colonists.  Solstices are always recognized with a celebration, as is the anniversary of the birth of the universe.  The date of this last event is generally accepted, though no one knows how it was originally determined.   There is a general consensus that all aspects of reality are somehow interrelated, and that actions therefore always have consequences (though we can’t always see them), but X7B35’s inhabitants have not gone so far as to personify this interconnectedness in the form of a supreme being.  There have been contacts with other worlds and their religions, and if anything, these contacts have only served to prevent the development of a planetary religion or the revival of an old one.  X7B35 is suspicious of organized religion, and doubtful of its benefits or virtues.  Individuals try to respect the universe and to act in such a way as to not “mess” with it, and assume that in return, the universe will leave them well enough alone.

 

Social Structure of X7B35

 

The culture of X7B35 is reminiscent of the early rough-and-ready, community-based, practical American and Australian societies on Old Earth.  Everyone is expected to contribute as best they can, take only what is needed, and work for the betterment of the community as a whole.  Laziness, selfishness, and frivolity are among the most egregious sins in this culture.

 

Family

Marriage, when it occurs at all, is at best informal.  As there is little religion on X7B35, there is no marriage ceremony to speak of.  A couple may legally bind themselves to each other for inheritance and child custody purposes, but most do not bother to formalize their attachments.  Mores regarding promiscuity are virtually non-existent; if anything, people on X7B35 simply shrug and comment that at least the person in question will contribute generously to the next generation.

 

Because X7B35’s population is so small, the bearing and raising of children is of supreme importance.  Many were lost early in the colonial endeavor, and there were not all that many to begin with, so the gene pool is carefully monitored.  All adults are expected to produce at least one child by their 25th year.  The method of conception is up to the individuals involved; while natural conception is of course preferred, in vitro is available as an alternative.  While everyone is expected to reproduce, becoming a parent is another matter entirely.  Most choose to form traditional family units, with two parents and two or more children, but those who cannot or do not wish to be parents can turn their children over to foster families.  In any case, child-rearing is very much a community effort; the children of a Keeper are watched over by other Keepers, the Smith Guildmaster’s children play with all the other Smiths’ children, and so on.  In this way, communities become extended families, thus binding the society more tightly together. 

 

Education

Education on X7B35 occurs in two stages.  In the first, children receive instruction in basic skills (reading, writing, mathematics, geography, history) from professional traveling teachers (‘Structors, as members of the Teachers’ Guild are called).  These ‘Structors travel from community to community, and will generally stay for a month or two at a time before moving on.  When a child reaches the age of 10, education becomes more formal.  He or she is taken to the Teachers’ Guild for a battery of tests to determine their strengths and weaknesses, inherent skills, and relative intelligence levels.  Based on the results of these tests, the child is sent to a Guild, the Admin, or the Keepers, to become an apprentice and learn a trade.  The length of the apprenticeship depends on the child in question and on his/her profession, but generally one is an apprentice for 8-10 years.  From there, the individual is free to assume a position in their organization, or pursue further study with the goal of becoming a Master of their craft.

 

Art

The art on X7B35 is largely musical, informal, and untrained.  Music is played at parties, special occasions, and anywhere that more than a handful of people are gathered for any length of time.  Musically talented individuals are of course respected, but they are still expected to contribute to the society in other ways.  Often, this takes the form of becoming a ‘Structor, and using music as a tool to aid in teaching difficult or otherwise boring material.  While some visual artists exist, they also find practical ways to implement their talents (weavers and potters come to mind).  Recently, there has been a movement to create an Artists’ Guild, so that X7B35 can begin to develop its own unique culture.  Allowing talented individuals to concentrate on being creative would be a benefit for all, as their efforts could be shared with the masses and provide a welcome diversion from the tedium of day-to-day survival.  However, many argue that such a Guild would be a frivolous waste of otherwise useful individuals, and that the arts should remain a hobby, as they are now.

 

Cuisine

The cuisine on X7B35 is surprisingly rich and varied.  The original colonists brought breeding stock of virtually every fruit, vegetable, and spice they could, and found more among the indigenous plant life.  Coffee, garlic, and rice were among the foodstuffs that could not adapt to the new environment, but other items, like bisma (a tea-like brewed beverage tasting faintly of chocolate and cinnamon), terin (a starchy tuber with a flavor like celery), and guarus (sharp, tangy fruit) have been added to the list of delectable edibles.  Meat, both from domesticated species brought by the colonists and wild game, is an important part of the diet, but always served in small portions.  A typical meal is mostly vegetable, with small pieces of spiced meat mixed in, reminiscent of Old Earth’s Asian cuisines.  Bread is usually served with the main dish, with fruit as a dessert.  Alcohol is certainly brewed and served, though few abuse it.  Wine is the most popular, with each region possessing its own variety of grape and fermenting process; homemade whiskey and hooch are also popular.  Controlled substances other than alcohol are not available, and even if they were, it is unlikely that the population would take to their use.

 

Communication

Communication happens between the Guilds, Keepers, and Admin on an as-necessary basis, mostly in the process of doing business and keeping the society going.  During apprenticeship (and even beyond), children maintain regular contact with their native communities; such correspondences are highly regarded, and generally displayed for the entire community to read.  The methods of communication have degenerated somewhat from the technology originally available to the colonists; common citizens generally write letters, while those of higher rank still have access to and make regular use of video-telephone type technology.  There is no animosity regarding this technological disparity; most assume that if something isn’t important enough to take the time to write down, then it’s probably not important enough to bother sending across any sort of distance.

 

Economics

The economic system on X7B35 is essentially a barter system, with some modifications. People trade goods and services to acquire the things they need or want, with the Guildhalls at an obvious advantage in this respect.  If a Guildmember has particular skill in his craft, his products are more sought after, and thus he has greater trading power than someone whose skills are less.  Because the Admin and Keepers do not produce goods, but are still a vital part of the society, the Guilds tithe a small percentage of their products to these groups.  In this way, the Admin and the Keepers receive the supplies they need to continue doing their work, and are more inclined to consider the needs of the Guilds in their decisions.  Should an Admin member or Keeper decide he wants a luxury item, he must either trade the surplus of his share of the tithe, or find some marketable skill of his own.  Among the Admin, this is generally their access to communication, and more importantly, their ability to use communication technology.  Among the Keepers, this generally means hunting.  It is common knowledge that the Keepers are the best shots on the planet, and thus they are able to make a brisk trade in meat, furs, feathers, and horns.  There are no real constrictions on the market as a whole, other than the requirements of the tithe.  However, in such a close-knit society, word gets around fast if a particular individual makes crooked deals, or sells inferior merchandise.