"North America, 2300", © 1988, 1998-2005 by
Timothy B. Brown, originally appeared in
_Challenge_ #33 (pages 38 - 41).
Text-entry by: Chris Snively.
Converted to HTML by:
Steve C.
Where North America, specifically the United States, was at one time the focus of world domination and power, the changing political climate of the last 300 years has repositioned the area's importance. Where it once enjoyed the stature of a superpower, North America is now simply in the mainstream of many industrial nations. The days of the superpowers ended with the nuclear exchange, so now both nations and individuals sleep easier in a world of competitive industrial nations. Of course the geography of the area and deep seated political allegiances still give North America a competitive edge over many other areas of the planet. The Western Hemisphere, once the exclusive swimming pool of the United States, is no longer a safe haven for only one industrial nation - South America has emerged as a powerful region, finally coming into its own in the world community. But the traditional partnership between Canada and America lives on, and the two nations enjoy domination of at least the northern half of the hemisphere.
United States of America
Demographics
Population: 211,540,000 Urban: 85% Rural: 15% Literacy: 100% College
Education: 89% Life Expectancy: 92.1 male, 94.5 female. Largest Cities:
Chicago (2,340,000), New York (2,255,000), San Francisco (2,087,000).
Economics
Industrial Capacity: 17 Rudell Units. Agricultural Output: 107%, net
exporter of grain. Mineral Production: 77%, net importer of metals and
radioactives, principally from off world. Power Production: 112%, net
exporter of power (mostly to L4 and Mars) Solar 80% Atomic 12% Mineral
8%. Principal Trading Partners: Canada, Nigeria, Great Britain, France.
Transportation
Surface Transportation: A nationwide airfilm network provides steady
passenger and freight service between virtually all cities, supplemented
by both intercity air and tunnel service. Personal transportation is
confined to an out-of-date highway system and to modern air corridor
regulation.
Interface Transportation: Much of America's interface freight needs are served by contract to Libreville-Gateway. There are numerous slingshots, most near Denver, Boulder, and Wheeling, to serve other freight needs. For passenger service, virtually all cities have regular spaceplane flights. Shuttle systems are in operation in both Miami and Honolulu for passenger/freight operation.
History:
After obtaining independence from Great Britain in the late 18th century,
America struggled as a new colonial power to both guard itself and
dominate the other nations in the hemisphere. Eighty years into its
history, however, it was already torn over issues of slavery and states'
rights, and forced into a bloody civil war - a conflict which nearly
shattered the young nation. During the latter half of the 19th and all of
the 20th, America was in complete control of affairs in the Western
Hemisphere and a dominant force in world events. America projected its
will and military might in many conflicts, including all three world wars.
America's superpower status was ended by the Third World War. The nation
was plunged into another civil war in the midst of famine and desolation.
During this time America lost both Texas and the Southwest. Chaos reigned
for 20 years before some semblance of federal authority was reestablished.
Extensive public work programs were instituted to rebuild the nation and its
confidence, so that by the end of the century it had settled into its new
role as an equal among competitive industrial nations under the umbrella of
the French Peace. America became embroiled in war with Mexico over Texan
independence (2099-2103) and then in supporting Californians against Mexico
in a civil war (2103-2106). Mexican and American rivalry has lived on from
these troubled times to the present. America's own space program began in
earnest in the mid-22nd century, in close cooperation with Australia. Its
fair industrial power combined with its superb advanced education did much to
allow America to dominate an entire arm of human exploration and eventually,
colonization. A colony was established at Mu Herculis in 2215 and on Ellis
in 2229. America has traditionally had a large presence in space, both in
the Sol system with L4 and Mars outposts, and in interstellar space. America
has spent most of the 23rd century consolidating its continental nation and
its off-world assets. Ellis was made a state of the Union on July 4th, 2276,
the quinticentennial of the United States.
24th Century America
Americans' traditional notions of America as the greatest nation on Earth
and America as defenders of democracy in the world ended in the nuclear
exchange and ensuing famine of the 21st century. A new direction of
national effort and will dedicated itself toward the rebuilding of the
nation from scratch. The everyday struggle to survive put notions of
world domination out of the American mindset. A surge of nationalism and
isolationalism swept the country, easing the pain of a people taking a
step backward in world ranking. In 2300, America is a strong industrial
and technological nation which provides a comfortable living for its
terrestrial population. The trend in population movement has been from
rural to urban, but the overall size of cities has come sharply down,
mainly for two reasons. First, the paranoia of postwar America hit home
for some time as people avoided radiation areas even after they were safe
to revisit or settle. Second, the speed of transportation has made
commuting even 200 or more kilometers to work and back quite common. The
typical American household is quite comfortable, most homes being computer
moderated at all times. Government-sponsored entertainment, ranging from
video broadcasts to theater and musical touring companies, keep the
citizenry entertained. In America, cities measure themselves very often
by both their sporting teams and their entertainment facilities. Most
cities have complete arenas or concert halls as a central element of their
individual character. Technology has allowed the American work force to
be significantly reduced. A person can expect to begin a career after a
lengthy specialized education, perhaps at age 28. Retirement is common
around the age of 50, at which time social services will at least support
a family at a fair level. Most families have a single income. Off-world
migration is greatly encouraged by the government. Special monetary
incentives are offered to families or individuals who will permanently
emigrate to one of the American colony worlds. Overall, response has
been good, and many hundreds of families emigrate every month, but the
government is running into the problem of how to convince comfortable
people to leave for a less comfortable life elsewhere.
Canada
Demographics
Population: 28,243,000 Urban: 76%, Rural: 24% Literacy: 100% College
Education: 98% Life Expectancy: 93.0 male, 97.6 female. Largest Cities:
Toronto (2,850,000), Montreal (2,760,000), Vancouver (2,367,000)
Economics
Industrial Capacity: 2 Rudell Units Agricultural Output: 106%, net
exporter of grain. Mineral Output: 104%, net exporter of metals and
radioactives. Power Production: 80%, net importer of power, Solar: 50%
Atomic: 45% Mineral: 5%. Principal Trading Partners: America, Great
Britain, France, Japan.
Transportation
Surface Transportation: An extensive road network and standard rail
net crisscross the country, reaching up into the rich oil fields of the
Northwest Territories. Airfilm lines have been established between
Montreal and Toronto and between Toronto and Ottawa. Individual aircraft
and all-terrain vehicles are commonplace in remote Canada.
History: A close ally of America through the 20th century, Canada avoided much of the destruction of the Third World War and capitalized on its survival through the 21st century. It built up its own industrial base while America faltered, and then established itself for a time as the leader of North America, at least until America managed to get back on its feet around 2100. A national effort began in the 22nd century to make Canada the higher education center of the world. A tremendous effort was put into motion at that time to attract great thinkers to Canada to teach, to build facilities which would draw students from around the world, and to build a worldwide reputation for superb education and positive results. Canada correctly recognized the economic potential in being a leader in education. Other nations eventually began sending students, as a matter of national policy, to Canada, not wanting to be left behind in the thinking of the age. By the end of the century Canada had achieved its goal and remains the uncontested master of higher education on Earth. Canada's Northwest Territories yielded a tremendous find of petrochemicals in the 22nd century, turning the area into something of a boomtown. Cities were erected, and wells and pipelines built. However, as the worldwide need for oil products declined over the next century, the area has cut back production drastically, and the entire area remains something of an embarrassment to the Canadian people. A latecomer to the interstellar space race, Canada didn't even launch its first stutterwarp-capable ship until 2190. It established an outpost on DM+19 5116 and DM+15 4733 and established its first colony world, Doris, in the DM+20 5046 system in 2273. That area of space has, in fact become known as the Canadian Finger. The colonization of Doris is a national imperative, according to the government. With the help of the frontier spirit which still lives in Western Canada, the migration effort to Doris has been quite successful. The Canadians have also established an enclave on the Sung homeworld.
24th Century Canada
As the champions of advanced education and so-called liberal thinking, the
Canadians have obtained themselves a unique and interesting national
character. Canadians, for the most part, view themselves and their state
as the main proponents of world peace and ecological safety. Canada is
one of the greatest supporters of the North American Research League, of
which members and administrators have close ties to the universities and
government of Canada. Canada's level of actual employment is rather high
for the industrial nations of Earth, with remarkably few people on public
welfare. The timber industry is the chief employer in the West, oil
drilling and refining in the North (though this has dwindled greatly from
its heyday), agriculture in the Midlands, and education and government in
the populous southern portions of Quebec and Ontario. So much of the
population is productive, in fact, that standard measures of Canada's
economic health belie its strength. Doris is a center of pride for the
Canadian people. Presently, its population is very small and is based on
families transferred on the company level to the new industrial branches
being started there. The government hopes to encourage another wave of
settlers to arrive at Doris in the next couple of years, Tremendous
incentives are offered to families which emigrate and to companies which
encourage employees to transfer to Doris.
Texas
Demographics
Population: 12,655,000 Urban: 78% Rural: 22% Literacy: 99% College
Education: 77% Life Expectancy: 89.7 male, 93.4 female Largest Cities:
Houston (2,350,000), Dallas (2,077,000), Galveston (1,850,000)
Economics
Industrial Capacity: 1 Rudell Unit Agricultural Output: 95%, net importer
of grain, net exporter of animal products. Mineral Production: 100%, net
exporter of oil. Power Production: 70%, net importer of power Solar: 0%
Atomic: 40% Mineral: 60%. Principal Trading Partners: America, Brazil,
Ukraine.
Transportation
Surface Transportation: A heavy road network, built in the early 23rd
century, links all major cities. Personal aircraft are uncommon, though
many types of all-terrain vehicles are common in the arid western regions
of the country.
Interface Transportation: Both Houston and Dallas have state-owned spaceplane service to orbit, but both are also stopovers for American and Chinese space plane services. Texas has no state-owned heavy-lift capacity, using either facilities in America or at Libreville-Gateway.
History: Texas was wrested from America by Mexico in 1999, a time when America itself was involved in tremendous civil disorder. With America unable to hold onto the Southwest, Mexico annexed the areas and retained them, making them new Hispanic territories during the 21st century. However, in 2099, Texas rebelled against this rule, fighting for and winning its independence from Mexico, while at the same time avoiding political and economic domination by America. Texas won its independence in 2099, making it a separate nation for the first time since 1845. Political strife and social pressures put a heavy strain on the new nation of Texas from its conception. Hispanic factions rallied to attempt to bring Texas back into the Mexican fold, occupying and terrorizing much of western Texas for decades. Oilmen saw advantages in becoming an American state again and put political pressure on the new government. But even with these pressures, no one faction could get into power a pro-Mexican or pro-America n government, so Texas has remained independent to the present day. A brief military coup was attempted by pro-Mexican radicals in 2230. Three hoverborne regiments seized access into and out of Austin, the capital, in a attempt to flush out and replace the government. In great Texan tradition, however, the populace took up arms and effectively eliminated the rebellion's army units before loyal troops could arrive. The Civil Defense of Austin is celebrated every March 23 throughout Texas, an event which reinforces the individual's right to bear arms.
24th Century Texas
The Texas of 2300 is in the many ways the same as it was in the days when
it was an American state. The oil economy plays havoc with the whole
country's economy, taking finances on a continuous roller coaster of good
times and bad. The Eastern Seaboard is still fair agricultural land, and
the West is still home to some traditional cattle ranches. However, these
ranches are being put out of business by larger operations using automated
herding techniques and long-term "harvesting" approaches to animal handing.
The seaport of Galveston has become something of boomtown - the gateway to
trade with the rest of the world, exporting oil and beef and importing
necessities from South American and Africa. Due to the heavy influence from
the Hispanic portion of the population and the many years of Mexican rule,
Texan architecture has shifted from traditional Western skylines to flat,
low to the ground buildings geared to take advantage of as much solar energy
as possible. Most homes are of a mock adobe style, always at least passively
solar, reducing necessary energy production on the national level. The
energy figures given above do not reflect this abundant energy resource.
Texas' reach for the stars has been something of a lackluster effort on the
part of previous governments to keep pace with other industrial powers.
However, the country's own economy cannot support a grand effort in space,
and many Texans view continued expansion in space as a terrible long-term
mistake. Present-day elections are very often won or lost or the issue of
further expansion off-planet.
Mexico
Demographics
Population: 124,347,000 Urban: 68% Rural: 32% Literacy: 96% College
Education: 68% Life Expectancy: 89.5 male, 93.3 female. Largest Cities:
Mexico City (5,344,000), Los Angeles (3,430,000), San Salvador (2,754,000)
Economics
Industrial Capacity: 12 Rudell Units Agricultural Output: 78%, net
importer of grain and animal products. Mineral Production: 76%, net
importer of metals, net exporter of oil. Power Production: 100%, Solar:
78%, Atomic: 0%, Mineral 22% Principal Trading Partners: Argentina,
Venezuela, Azania.
Transportation
Surface Transportation: Mexico suffers from an inadequate internal
transportation net. The road system exists but is in serious need of
repairs. Standard railroad service between major cities exists, but the
overall reliability of Mexican railways is substandard.
Interface Transportation: Mexico City has interface spaceplane service, but only stopover flights from America and Japan. Mexico's only state-owned interface capabilities are under military jurisdiction, located in the Yucatan.
History: Mexico's poor economic health in the 20th century was not significantly altered by the Third World War, and the nation found itself in fairly good shape among the devastated countries around it. Most importantly, its northern neighbor, America, was particularly off its feet, and Mexico took advantage, moving on Texas in 1999 and the rest of the Southwest in 2025. These new areas added greatly to Mexico's wealth and helped to solidify the army's place in establishing foreign policy. In 2099, Texas rebelled against Mexican rule and managed to break free. American support to the Texans is reputed to have turned the tide in their favor. However, the Texas rebellion coincided with an important power play against Guatemala in the south, which kept most of Mexico's armed forces away. The Mexican governments of the 22nd century are characterized by wily military leaders controlling foreign policy in a blatant campaign to topple Central American nations. The technique used time and time again is to appeal to the Hispanic roots of the nation, support unrest there, and then move in with the military to overthrow the government. The isolationist policies of America at the time prevented its intervention, so Mexico was free to do as it pleased in Central America. Cases in point are the dates in which the Central American nations fell to Mexico; Guatemala in 2103, Belize in 2105, Honduras in 2117, El Salvador in 2123, Nicaragua in 2140, Costa Rica in 2145, Cuba in 2148 and Panama in 2161. Only in the cases of Nicaragua and Panama were military clashes necessary for Mexican domination. Each toppled country, in turn, has gained statehood in the United Mexican States. The military rule of Mexico coincided with a military expansionist period in Argentina's history. The two nations together planned to dominate Central and South America, and to assert themselves as viable industrial nations in the 22nd century and beyond. The first test came with the Alpha Centauri War (2162), which eventually led to the Melbourne Accords, vital to the expansion of both Mexico and Argentina. Mexico's off-world possessions include a colony on Kwantung, where the newer Mexican colonies are sharing both their culture and world with the older Manchurian settlers, and a very successful colony on Montaña, in a cooperation with their traditional Argentinan allies. Both worlds are along what has become known as the Latin Finger.
24th-Century Mexico: Mexico's national identity is characterized by the military. National service is required for two years of all citizens, many of whom can expect to serve off-world in marine units or with Mexico's space navy. The military presence is so pervasive that Mexico is the opposite of Canada in regard to peace - the Mexican viewpoint is that the military is a tool toward an end, no matter what the end might be. Another element molding Mexico's national character is the thrusting of many different Hispanic groups and cultures together. The intermixing of cultures and ideas has been surprisingly tolerated and encouraged by the various administrations. The results of this intermixing of cultures have been better overall education and an easing of the political strife which would be expected among fallen states. For instance, Salvadorans are not only allowed to keep their national heritage and customs, but are also encouraged to share them with the general Mexican population. The government hopes this will build harmony among it's people, and thus far the plan is working. Unfortunately, the cost of a military society has cut deeply into the economy. Mexicans do not enjoy many of the advantages of 24th century living. Indeed, many still live in abject poverty in the slums around Mexico City and Los Angeles. Economic reform is in order, and many groups are involved in pressing for those changes. However, revolution is something which is pretty much out of the question. Even those who are poverty stricken are very much in love with their country, and families can remember days which were not nearly as good as the present. Mexico has made a steady climb out of the so-called Third World, and the population appreciates and supports it.
Note on Rudell Units: Jurgen Rudell (2120 - 2189) was an economist who was born in Hanover and renowned for his work with industrial capacity and forecasting. His chief contribution for future generations was the creation of the Rudell unit, a measuring system designed to measure one nation's industrial output against another's in order to calculate balances of trade. Though the applications Rudell intended are universally considered out of date today, the Rudell unit is still common parlance among economists and governments. In short, one Rudell unit represents 1,000,000 well-education individuals directly involved in the hands on manufacture of industrial goods, including machinery, public works, and general construction.