A Whole New World

Month 2 - Infrastructure

I've still not named my continents, so for now I'll just refer to the as West, East and South, and the islands in the middle just as Islands. I promise I will name them at some point. The opening of the book is the invasion of the islands by the East, the rest of the book is set 13 years later, I think it makes more sense to answer this from the point of view of the main body of the book so the islands will be controlled by the East.

Is this a Utopian, Dystopian, or something in between kind of world?

West - I would say rather neutral, things aren't great due to fighting a rather long war but not the dire either.

East - Fairly Dystopian, the war has a much bigger impact on the working class, conditions in factories are pretty awful, large percentage of output from farms is claimed by the state so very difficult for the farming communities to survive.

South - I guess dystopian, but more in a lawless way than you might normally associate with dystopian societies.

Islands - Although controlled by the East, it's mainly populated by the upper classes who have things a lot easier so less signs of dystopia although I'm sure some elements will sneak in.

What is the transportation system like? This includes things like roads, paths, vehicles, systems (like subways, trains, etc.). (Maybe you can add to your map!)

West - A lot of steam railways which is the main way people get around. A network of canals run across the middle of the continent helping to transport coal from the mines in the west to the rest of the continent. Airships are used both for military purposes and luxury travel.

East - Large railway network but mainly for transportation of goods, the movement of people is less common, although sometimes "volunteers" will be collected from the rural areas and taken to the cities to work in the factories in train cargo carriages. Very basic horse-drawn carts seen in the rural areas.

South - Very little in ways of organised transportation. Loads from the Iron mines and Coal mines are transported by barges down rivers to the coast. Some of the more warlord style character ride horses, other than that it's mainly walking down dirt roads to get around.

Islands - Even the main island isn't big enough to require transportation other then bicycles, traversing between the smaller islands requires rafts or small boats due to the shallow waters. The main island has both a large naval base and airship base as it's used for refuelling ships.

What businesses/jobs/trades are there? Are they class based/determinate of class?

West - fairly traditional, the prolonged war means there is a large military and everyone must do 2 years of national service (men typically in the armed forces, women on farms). Due to the war there are more opportunities for women than before with them taking the places of many men fighting in the armed forces. Positions requiring high levels of education are still predominantly held by men. Women are not allowed to fight in the armed forces nor do they hold officer commissions but can take up more admin roles, such as secretaries and in communications.

East - very few possibilities, there are factories, farms and mines. Outside of that those exciting opportunities there is the military and the government (which is pretty much the same thing). Conscription into the armed forces as well as conscription into the factories is common. State oppression means almost no social mobility.

South - There are mines, and jobs around their infrastructure such as working the barges. Small villages almost functioning as communes exist which means farm work and basic jobs. A lot of criminal gangs also exist, some almost semi-legitimate operating as security for the mining companies.

Islands - Split pretty much into government bureaucracy and the naval base. Small number of private citizens running shops offering services such as tutoring.

What kind of government is in place? What political entities exist? How does it function? Is it effective?

West - before the outbreak of war was a democratic government, in some ways it still is, although general elections no longer take place with a coalition government ruling, local elections held when necessary due to retirement/death. Highly intermingled with the military. Government is fairly effective in maintaining a semblance of normality whilst fighting a long war, but in terms of progressiveness it's fairly stalled.

East - totalitarian government, very controlling, it's one purpose is to keep the war effort going which it is surprisingly effective at. Governs through force and fear. In terms of gender equality within government it is actually much better than the west with women being able to hold high positions in both the government and the military. It's not a single leader but a triad, over the years the triad has changed members due to members retiring, but as only 1 retires at a time it keeps the government stable. Obviously doesn't refer to itself as totalitarian, instead refers to itself as "The Great Meritocracy" arguing that everyone appointed to a position is the best person for that position.

South - no organised government, the closest thing to it is the mining companies who employ enough people to have a reasonable level of control, the further a region is from a mine the less they care. Some people claim to rule regions, even referring to them as countries but it's not really legitimate. As mentioned above small villages are run as communes.

Islands - controlled by the East

What is the currency (or possibly there is a barter system)?

West - Based on the British imperial system - Pounds, shillings, pence, 12 pence in a shilling, 20 shillings in a pound, smallest coin is a hap'ney (half penny). For comparison a loaf of break is roughly 4 pence.

East - Franc - have half and quarter francs but no smaller denomination, notes contain Roman numerals (although obviously as the Romans didn't exist they wouldn't call them that) notes typically referred to by the numeral, so a 10 franc note referred to as an X, 50 as L, 100 as C, 500 as D, 1000 as M (note that V doesn't exist as smallest note is a 10). For comparison a loaf of bread is roughly 10 francs. Due to very sever rationing, in cities most food is actually bought with stamps, factory works paid mostly in stamps and small amount of money which is typically spent on alcohol/whores.

South - No currency, mainly a barter system with weapons holding fairly high value, gold also often used.

Islands - Same Francs as the east although prices tend to be higher, no rationing on the islands.

What is the economic climate like (is there a depression? is everyone flourishing? is there a huge gap between classes?)?

West - Economy is mainly stable, fairly large gap between working and middle class and then even bigger gap with the upper class.

East - Rationing has almost destroyed the economy, money having very little value in most places. The class system has broken down into the working class, the military, and the government (which includes military officers) with the government being the only ones with any real use for money.

South - Mining companies and their employees (excluding the miners) are the equivalent of an upper class, with miners making up the working class, the criminal gangs almost taking the role of middle class. The economy is very volatile, a lot of it is based on trading with the other nations.

Islands - Compared to everywhere else is very affluent area with a strong economy, although due to the small size it's rather fragile. Living on the main island requires fairly high positions within the government so no real distinction of classes. The inhabitants of the smaller islands don't really play a part in the economy nor do they travel to the main island as they aren't welcome.

What is the education system like?

West - Traditional education system, mandatory schooling up to the age of 16 state schools providing free education, then prep-school for those who are willing to pay for it or get scholarships to the age of 18, and then university (mostly via scholarships although it's possible to buy a place), only a tiny percentage of people go to university. Education system favours men with much lower numbers of girls staying on, although some specific finishing schools for girls to go to rather than prep-school.

East - State schooling up to the age of 13, mainly a form of indoctrination and selection for those to go to the factories. Private schools for those who can afford it go up to the age of 18, almost exclusively populated by the families of people in the government, and the families of the teachers who work there (who go for free).

South - No education system at all, villages will tend to educate the children of the village in an ad hoc way.

Islands - Not large enough to contain a school, uses a system of private tutors.

What societies are there? What social classes?

West - Upper class, landed and typically well educated, although education sometimes paid for rather than earnt through merit. A lot of pressure for maintaining gender divide, women expected to not work and raise families, some of the more acceptable occupations for women are teachers (although university lecturers are still predominantly male). Most of the politicians are upper class.
Middle class, again typically split on gender with women often having supporting jobs, eg shop owners will often be assisted by their wives, bankers often employ their wives as secretaries, nurses may be married to doctors and surgeons. The middle class have little influence, the upper class have power and working class has the much larger population.
Working class, unlike the upper and middle class working class the war has pretty much broken down the gender divide, women working in factories and on the farms. Working class men make up the non-officers in the armed forces, while upper and middle make up the officers.
Ethnic minorities, legally there is no distinction between the white citizens native to the continent and the black immigrants from the southern continent, a large effort is put into trying to show that there is no difference, scholarship places at prep-schools and universities etc. However, from a social point of view still a lot of segregation, for example the number of university scholarships is disproportionately high causing resentment.

East - Working class are the vast majority of the population, working in factories, farms, down mines, and making up the large armed forces. Generally kept under control by lack of food meaning they complain a lot but do nothing about it. Life in the armed forces are better than outside as a way to keep people wanting to be in the forces.
Ethnic minorities, legally immigrants have no rights, they are unable to buy property any granted property from the government are unable to bequeath the property to their descendants. Factories provide accommodation for all the workers but typically the black workers are in much worse conditions in shared barracks. Police brutality common.

South - Mining companies are the most influential class. The companies employ criminal gangs to provide security and slave labour for the mines, the gangs don't have any cohesion so don't really act like a class due to very different ideologies. The villages are also isolated so again not a real class.

Islands - The main island is populated by government/military officials and private citizens including shop owners, merchants, tutors. Too small a population for any real class structure or societies. Other islands populated by natives of the islands, they are generally persecuted by those on the main island leaving them to be isolated to their own islands.

What trade system is in place (between societies, countries, planets, etc.)?

East and West both trade with the South, South has a lot of mines both coal and iron, and the war means that neither the East or West are self sufficient in either. Trade is typically giving weapons and luxury goods to the south. Different mining companies have different allegiances with either the East and West, typically based on which is closest, some don't have any allegiance and will trade with both.

Islands don't really trade, but the goods are transported from the East on the many ships that stop at the Islands for refuelling.

Have there been any wars or friction between political entities?

Long war running between East and West, 50ish years of fighting.

West - At the outbreak of war the government formed a coalition government, but as the war has continued politicians were growing uneasy and some infighting began. The invasion of the islands re-unified the government but that is beginning to wear off. Main split is about the influence of the military on the government with some politicians wanting a stronger division.

East - Government is very unified in the war efforts, as it's a totalitarian government any dissent means the politician being imprisoned. When one of the triad is approaching retirement a lot of vying for the position.

South - The whole continent has been in turmoil for many years.

Islands - Was under control of the West, now under control of the east since the liberation/invasion (depending on your point of view). Most of the westerners were killed or arrested due to political/military ties small number of private citizens were allowed to remain, they typically shop keepers and similar roles. Government officials in constant fear of spies.

Anything else you can think of that falls into this category.

Not at the moment.

Notes on the map

Since month 1 I've changed the map a bit, moved the southern continent up and realised the scale of the islands was very wrong so now showing them in a magnified section. Have highlighted the main regions for agriculture, industry, military and the more populated regions. Added points of interest which may appear in the final piece. As the West continent has a tight grouping of mines I've added them on, both East and South are more littered with small mines so aren't included.