TO THE IMMEDIATE NORTH of Averon, is a country called Dorset. Most of the inhabitants of Dorset live clustered along the southern border of Dorset, which is also the northern border of Averon. The country of Dorset has a history of independence from Averon. However, problems have begun to mount for Dorset.
I get two delegations from Dorset. The first delegation has a problem (maybe two problems) that they think that I caused and they’re madder than hell.
A member of the Dorset delegation gets up and addresses me, in the language of Pors. She’s madder than hell, because I’m corrupting the youth of her area of Dorset and she wants it stopped. She wants the teaching of the Galactic language to Dorset school children stopped, right now. She goes on for a while.
I listen to her tirade (at least the translated version of same).
I then patiently point out, “I have nothing to do with the teaching of Galactic, or any other language, for that matter, to the children of Dorset. Yes, there are people in Averon, who sell packaged lessons that facilitate the teaching of the Galactic language to children of school age and also the teaching of the Galactic language to people of any age beyond infancy, for that matter. However, I have nothing to do with the Averonian people selling the Galactic language packages, save for providing normal government services to them and collecting taxes from them.”
The same member of the Dorset delegation then snaps some angry words at me, in the language of Pors. My Pors translator doesn’t bother to translate the woman’s words, which is probably just as well, particularly since I’m quite certain that she isn’t that well informed about my ancestry or personal habits. The bitch finally runs down.
A member of the Dorset delegation then gets up and addresses me, in the language of Hessland. He’s madder than hell, because I’m corrupting the youth of his area of Dorset and he wants it stopped. He wants the teaching of the Galactic language to Dorset school children stopped, right now. The anus goes on for a while, but finally runs down.
I listen to his tirade. (I don’t need what he says translated, as the language of Hessland is very similar to the Averonian language that I can use).
I listen and then again patiently point out, “Again, I have nothing to do with the teaching of Galactic, or any other language, for that matter, to the children of Dorset. Yes, there are people in Averon, who sell packaged lessons that facilitate the teaching of the Galactic language to children of school age and also the teaching of the Galactic language to people of any age beyond infancy, for that matter. However, I have nothing to do with the Averonian people selling the Galactic language packages, save for providing normal government services to them and collecting taxes from them.”
I then politely suggest that, if any citizen of Dorset doesn’t like the teaching of the Galactic language to other citizens of Dorset, that the aggrieved party write a careful description of why said aggrieved party is unhappy with said teachings, fold the paper six times and shove it up the lower end of their alimentary canal.
For whatever reason, my suggestion doesn’t go over too well with the people from Dorset.
I then point out, “The citizens of various regions of Dorset have been in a state of near war for the last couple of centuries, because those who speak the language of Pors and these who speak the language of Hessland each don’t want the other to use their choice of language, but instead they want the other side to switch over to the speaker’s choice of language. That’s obviously not going to happen. Now, many of the ambitious young of Dorset want to learn the Galactic language, because the Galactic language is rapidly becoming the only language used in technology. Thus, we have a third language added to the mix.”
“If you of Dorset wish to use the language of Pors or the language of Hessland, you can do that and go about raising your rutabagas, or whatever. If you want to join the technological revolution that’s sweeping Corin, you’ll learn Galactic. That’s not my decision, but the decision of those who want to learn the technology of the universe that’s quickly becoming the technology of Corin.”
The same woman as before then gets up and tells me, “This Galactic language of yours is robbing the Pors speaking inhabitants of Dorset of their heritage.”
“The Galactic language is not mine. The Galactic language is widely used throughout the galaxy. If a world engages in interstellar trade, that world uses Galactic for at least trade purposes. Interstellar trade is now enhancing the lives of many of the citizens of Corin. Your Pors speakers can continue to exclusively use the language of Pors, if they wish and if you can survive doing that. Similarly, the Hessland speakers can continue to exclusively use the language of Hessland, if they wish and if they can survive doing that. However, the science and technology of Corin is rapidly being conducted almost exclusively in the Galactic language. Those who join the technology revolution can expect to reap major dividends, if past experience is any clue. Those who shun the technology revolution don’t need to worry. They can always find work cleaning the toilets of those who do join the technology revolution.”
For whatever reason, I again seem to have offended the Dorset people. A few, fire breathing speeches then follow. I might have been overwhelmed by the fire of such rhetoric, but the Hessland speakers and the Pors speakers then fall to squabbling among themselves.
After a while, I have the first delegation from Dorset ushered out of my hearing room (and good riddance.) I then have the second delegation from Dorset ushered in.
The second group from Dorset has a more serous problem. The head of the group gets up and says, “We are having a serious problem with our agriculture. The grains that we grow are becoming less and less competitive in the world market. Your Averonian farmers are producing yields that we can’t match. As a result of the high Averonian yields, world prices are down to levels that make our farming only marginally profitable.”
I lecture, “Averon is my Kingdom. I have obtained improved grains, for my Averonian farmers, mainly from other worlds. The other worlds have often been raising the same kind of grains that we raise in Averon, only they have been raising their grains for thousand of years longer than have the farmers of Averon and their grains are superior. I have provided the farmers of Averon, my subjects, with the superior grains and they’re doing well. I can provide Dorset with different grains, superior to what your farmers now grow and suited to your Dorset climates. The grains that I reference are grown in other world climates, much like those in grain growing regions of Dorset. I can also provide Dorset with industrial products that will increase the income of your country. However, Dorset is not one of my Kingdoms and I don’t involve myself with other than my own Kingdoms, as I have enough problems with my own Kingdoms and I only collect taxes from my own Kingdoms.”
The head of the Dorset delegation sighs and says, “Then, we either become one of your Kingdoms, or we go bankrupt.”
“A bit over simplified, but yes.”
