SOCIETY

People tend to be fairly conservative, but also believe in their empires, their leaders, and in progress - the power of science to make a better future. They accept that there is a basic code of civilised behaviour that under-pins society (though the details of this may vary depending on where they come from) and have faith in the necessity of material progress. They tend to be patriotic, with pride in their nation, and civic pride in the places they live, so there is far less graffiti and fewer run-down areas than in the real world.

Monarchy world is quite poor on human rights. All nations still have the death penalty, and sentences of hard labour are still handed down for some crimes. The drafting of labour from the populace - a process that has evolved out of the use of forced labour - is considered an entirely justifiable thing to use for 'necessary' projects.

In general, Monarchy World has fewer personal freedoms than the real world, but has more discipline and responsibility.

Clothing styles, and fashion in general, tend to be rather more conservative and old-fashioned-seeming than the real world. For example, the shortest skirts come only barely above the knee. However, most western clothing will have at least some Chinese and/or Russian influence, with similar foreign influences being present in Chinese and Russian clothing. Chinese clothing styles are much more widespread than in the real world. [These tend to be a sashed tunic and jacket and round conical hats. The clothing colour indicates ones rank - purple, vermilion, green and turquoise is for officials; yellow is for the Emperor alone; black is for commoners; white is for mourning. The shape and colour of ones caps and scarves indicates ones profession; only Buddhist monks go bareheaded. The upper classes tend to have long fingernails.]

There is a long tradition of a scholarly, scientifically-literate educated nobility which has, over time, trickled down to all levels of society, leading to there being more scientists and so on per head of population than in the real world. Significant amounts of scientific progress derive from the efforts of amateur scientists, who meet in clubs and societies across the civilised world.

The Chinese people are as technologically literate and advanced as any other in the world, China having been among the most advanced nations of the world for hundreds of years, longer than any other nation on Earth.

Likewise, because of the lack of an equivalent to the real world's third world, the general level of education around Monarchy World is much higher than in the real world, and the vast majority of people are at least somewhat technologically literate.

Because of more cross-cultural exchanges, and the rebellious periods after WWII and WWIII the three Great Powers each have a fair number of adherents of one another's religions (so there are Russian Orthodox churches and Confucian temples in Britain, Anglican and Russian Orthodox churches in China, and so on).

Foot-binding is still practised in China though more and more it is being replace by foot-cutting, done surgically after birth, long before a female baby learns how to walk. Drug-based means of achieving the same effect are also being developed. Both of these are considered much more civilised than old-style foot-binding. Some Chinese colonies use it less than the homeland. Foot-binding is also practised by a small number of sinophile westerners.

All the Great Powers and most other states have compulsory National Service for everyone. These days it does include non-military activities too (for example, on large engineering projects and the like). All nations have active border controls, and visas are usually required. Most nations have internal checkpoints, mainly for foreigners but also to keep an eye on their own citizens.

Although there was an increase in sexual freedom after WWII, there has not been a sexual revolution in Monarchy World. The nuclear family is still the standard way of life, with the birth of children out of wedlock being frowned upon. However, there are considerably more liberal view regarding sex before marriage.

There are no commercial television or radio stations in the Great Powers - they are all government funded and government controlled. However, there are commercial stations in the NEU and some of the other smaller nations.

The cinema industries of the Great Powers tend to be quite controlled, and used for propaganda and educational (or indoctrinational) purposes. European cinema is the most varied and there is good south American material too. The British film industries are concentrated in the London area and on the south coast with local cinema industries in some of the colonies, particularly India and America.

Both cinema and television in the Great Powers are used mainly for news, sports and light entertainment [they are both very bland and biased by real-world standards]. Although war films are fairly popular, films focusing on the exploits of scientists and engineers and their struggles against adversity, such as those involved in the various national space programmes or in major engineering projects such as the Bering Strait Bridge, are a significantly more popular genre.

Go to the Monarchy World Timeline, or the Politics, World, Technology or Differences Pages.

Back to the Monarchy World Home Page.

Copyright © Tony Jones, 2005. This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.