This is an old revision of the document!
Table of Contents
THE EXOHUMAN ECONOMIC SYSTEM IN THE GAMMA AGE
The economic system of the ExoHumans on planet VOI 700 D in the Gamma Age is shaped primarily by the Peace Treaty of 2631, which imposes strict limitations on industrialization, resource usage, and economic autonomy.
Although ExoHumans brought theoretical knowledge from Earth, their ability to implement advanced economic models is hindered by severe energy shortages, environmental restrictions, and Native oversight. These constraints prevent large-scale production, forcing humans to rely on a centrally planned economy regulated by the Federal Confederation and enforced by the GAIA System.
This economic system, known as Communardism, was developed by the Communard Party after the Great War to ensure sustainability and peaceful coexistence with the Native Tribes. However, it remains controversial among ExoHumans, particularly the Individualists, who oppose its rigid structure and advocate for a return to free-market principles.
The Annual Plan
Unlike the free-market capitalism of the Beta Age, the Gamma Age economy is fully controlled by an Annual Plan, which determines all aspects of production, distribution, and labor allocation.
The Annual Plan is calculated by GAIA, the artificial intelligence responsible for governance and treaty compliance. Its key functions include:
- Energy Allocation: GAIA determines how limited energy resources are distributed among settlements. Industrial production is restricted to treaty-approved levels.
- Production Planning: GAIA specifies what goods and services are produced, ensuring no surplus or waste. Luxury goods are largely prohibited.
- Labor Distribution: GAIA assigns human workers based on economic priorities, preventing inefficient workforce allocation.
- Resource Management: GAIA ensures raw materials are used sustainably, preventing over-extraction and environmental damage.
Since energy is strictly controlled under treaty conditions, unapproved industries, experimental research, and large-scale automation are forbidden. Attempts to bypass these restrictions are punishable under the Civil Code.
Mandatory Labor Assignments: No Free Career Choice
The 14,000 working-age ExoHumans do not have the freedom to choose their professions. Instead, GAIA assigns each individual to an occupation based on the Annual Plan’s economic needs. This policy applies to both:
- Existing Workers: Every worker is reassigned yearly based on demand.
- Graduates: School graduates receive career assignments along with their certificates, which determines their path.
This lack of individual agency is a major source of frustration, especially among younger generations who hope for different careers. Many view GAIA’s selections as arbitrary and restrictive, but the Federal Confederation defends the system as necessary for survival.
Allotment Cards: The End of Currency & The Rise of Rationing
During the Beta Age, ExoHumans used the Kourou as currency, consisting of paper money and coins.
However, after the war, the Federal Confederation abolished the monetary system, replacing it with Allotment Cards issued by the Federal Allotment Agency (FAA).
How the Allotment System Works
- Every citizen receives an Allotment Card once per year.
- The card’s value is calculated based on available resources, energy levels, and GAIA’s economic planning.
- Goods are not purchased with money but are instead issued at Federal Allotment Centers in controlled amounts to prevent excess consumption.
This system is intended to eliminate waste and ensure total economic stability, but it has also erased financial independence.
The Shadow Economy and Black Markets
Many ExoHumans, particularly supporters of the Individualist Party, oppose the planned economy and long for the return of capitalist trade and private enterprise. As a result, a thriving black market has emerged, fueled by:
- Illegal Trade: Smuggled luxury goods, weapons, and personal services.
- Meat & Alcohol Sales: Many Communard policies prohibit resource-intensive food production, but black market traders defy these restrictions.
- The Old Currency (Kourou): Despite being banned, Kourou coins and paper bills are still used in underground transactions.
Black market activity is punishable under the Civil Code, with severe penalties for illegal trade, energy theft, and unauthorized business operations. Firetown is the center of black-market activity, particularly in gambling, prostitution, and smuggled technology.
Export and Import: The Trade Route and Trade with Native Tribes
In the Habitual Belt, there has been a Trade Route for many decades through which the Native Tribes exchange goods and commodities with each other. Since the people signed the peace treaty, they also use this route to trade with the Native Tribes.
The reservations of New Kourou, Hope and Morningstar are located directly on the ancient trade route. Firetown, on the other hand, is not connected to the ancient trade route. This is because the Natives only settle in the Habitual Belt and not on the freezing cold Dark Side.
The Humans, on the other hand, founded Firetown because it is near by their only copper mine. In order to be able to supply Firetown with goods and merchandise, the people built a fortified path before the war, which leads from New Kourou directly to Firetown and is called “Extended Trade Route”.Without breaks, it takes three days on a Hoo to complete the Extended Trade Route to Firetown.
Related Pages and Further Information
The Ages of the Exohuman history: