Paradise

With zero crime, abundant resources and a halcyon-like civilization, this world truly lives up to its name.

Parallel History

In 1798, Reverend Thomas Malthus, a 19th century English economist, published the widely influential Essay on the Principle of Population which warned that mankind would be condemned to misery and poverty because the rate of population growth would increase faster than the rate of food supply. Taking Malthus’ theory seriously, Paradise managed to keep the world population down to 500,000,000, which is roughly 10% of Earth Prime’s world population. San Francisco has less than 100,000 citizens and feels more like a small town than a major metropolitan city. This has been made possible through heavy emphasis on birth control and a Lottery system that may seem barbaric to an off-worlder but is rather sensible.

The Lottery itself is like an ATM, except you request money from it. The more you ask for, the higher the chance that you’ll be chosen to participate in a euthanasia program that rewards the beneficiaries of those who choose to “make way.”

With Birth Control in soda form and a heavy emphasis on population control, this world might seem idyllic, but beware — Right to Life movements have swept the nation to fight the Lottery system. While the death is humane, protestors believe that population can be controlled through other methods. United States President Jocelyn Elders disagrees.

The Zimmerman Telegraph

No World Wars, ergo, no telegraph sent.