I – HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
THE AGE OF CORRECTION
The Famine ended the old world through hunger rather than war or collapse.
Overpopulation exhausted resources, fractured governments, and forced a redefinition of morality.
Correction began with the conversion of major criminals. As the crisis deepened, it expanded to lesser offenders and ultimately restored food stability.
The Lottery was introduced later as a demographic maintenance system.
Modern society is stable, prosperous, and publicly supportive of the system.
Correction is understood not as punishment, but as necessary stewardship of civilization.

LIVESTOCK REPLACEMENT
Traditional livestock rapidly declined following the Famine.
Cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry, and other former livestock species are now protected.
Killing such an animal carries the death penalty.
Human livestock replaced traditional animal agriculture during the later years of the Famine.
Meatboys and Meatgirls now provide the primary food supply.
Prison populations also contribute to meat production.
The Lottery ensures a consistent supply.

THE SURVIVOR GENERATION
The generation that experienced the Famine firsthand remains a defining cultural influence within modern System society.
These individuals witnessed the collapse of the pre-Correction world. Crop failures, livestock death, ration riots, and widespread starvation shaped their understanding of survival and governance. Entire towns were abandoned during this period, and large regions of the world remain sparsely inhabited due to the long-term consequences of the crisis.
Members of the Survivor Generation were among the first citizens to accept the necessity of Conversion as a survival measure. Many participated directly in the early normalization of the system and helped stabilize the social order during the transition from famine conditions to modern civilization.
Younger citizens often view these individuals with a mixture of respect and unease. Survivors rarely speak openly about the worst years of the crisis. Observers sometimes describe a quiet emotional distance among this generation, reflecting the psychological burden carried by those who witnessed the collapse of the old world.
Despite this, Survivor Generation citizens remain some of the strongest supporters of the Correction system. Their lived experience reinforces a widely held belief:
Civilization survived because hard decisions were made.