Random stories: The number world prelude

It is the year 2146. The world economy is in very bad state. The biggest economies have already formed economic groupings. The era of union of biggest economies has brought only revival that lasts less than a decade.

Hunger and survival brought down some of the nationalistic barriers. Both fiscal and monetary tools were used, and the unimaginable political unions that went beyond treaties and allies actually happened. When Taiwan return to China arms and a East Asia Economy bloc consisting of Japan, a unified Korea and China and Taiwan is formed, it was a poster boy to the world. With so much historical conflicts, these countries actually formed a union and created a powerful council to oversee law in the economic bloc. It was the first to reap the benefits, it's economy pull the world out of recessions and the constraints of lack of energy and commodities. Earth is depleted quicker than most would thought. The all mighty answer of technology did not offer a solution this time round. It is the union of countries and the ruthless effecient allocation of resources based in competitive advantage that bring back hope. Economy of scale, zero wastage, renewable cycles of production to consumption are all key themes that he enlarged economic blogs explored. It lifted hundreds of millions lives. 

However, the revival also brought the problem of depleting resources more acute, energy sources while aplenty, could not be harvested at a scale that is economic viable. A number of technological breakthroughs that promise  hope, is just what it is, just hope. 

The drive on efficiency lead to a  productivity revolution. Everyone went on a frenzy to find the most effecient way to utilize resources. How to allocate the least resources to projects of greatest impact. Councils become very powerful. Less productive people are ostracized.

The council decide to not just automated production systems but also humans. Humans are grouped according to their productivity, and the less productive receive less, and were treated with less respect.

Competition was introduced to gauge productivity and people can be promoted or demoted in their various productivity groups.

Productivity took a leap that no one thought possible! It was the ingredient that technology advancement needed. The inflection point that allowed the breakthrough in energy harvestment. Human hunger fuel by fear and ego bruised by competition provide the spark for humans to give all they have got on their assigned tasks. 

The 3 councils in the world, decided then that the world that we once know it, is within reach again. They agree that productivity revolution is the fifth revolution in modern human history, that will solve the ills of human race. They could return to the world of abundance and perhaps even consumerism wastage if they can drive productivity even higher. They insert data chips into humans that could measure their productivity, their man hours. These could be tracked. With zealous and ambitions, the announced a series of new laws and the start of a new Era. The first five years Era,  they promised the human hope and more...and that promise need only 5 years of everyone' productivity... 

To be continued...