Dominion of Southern America - Updated July 1, 2018

[Glen]

What is the general public's opinion on abortion after the Population War?

Poor. There is definitely a stigma associated with it, and abortions in the second trimester are typically very restricted and in almost all cases illegal by the third trimester. Because of that abstinence and birth control are both heavily promoted for prevention and adoption is heavily supported for 'unwanted' pregnancies.

 

[Glen]

Growth of Tourism in the Dominion of Southern America

The development of air cooling technology opened up the Dominion of Southern America as a premiere tourist destination for Americans from the North as well as the British and others from the British Empire and around the World.

The initial destinations for tourists were the beaches and Everglades of the Province of East Florida, more beaches in the Caribbean Island Provinces (Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola were especially popular), the unique culture and life of the Province of Louisiana's New Orleans (especially during Mardi Gras, though Carnival in the Provinces of Cuba and Hispaniola vied with Louisiana in this area), and the kinee mecca of the Province of Albion on the west coast (as well as prime surfing, imported from Hawaii).

Adding to tourism was the increasing phenomenon of Yankee Birds, American retirees who would migrate during the cold months of the year from the USA to the DSA to flee the hardships of the cold. The butt of many jokes by the Southrons, none-the-less the American retiree community provided a significant economic stimulus to the Dominion's economy. They would prove especially important as an economic force in the Province of New Mexico.

By the end of the 20th century, Tourism (and Yankee Birds) joined the Kinetograph Industry, Oil, Cotton, and Sugar to form the Big Five industries of the Dominion of Southern America.

 

[FleetMac]

Looks like an update from your Butterfly-free DSA mini-TL worked its way into the main narrative, @Glen . Still, great to see that this is back, can't wait to see what's next (for the world, for the USA, and for the South)!

 

[Glen]

The members of the Human League sought to further international trade and development but many of the powers (and smaller nations) feared being taken advantage if they unilaterally reduced import tariffs between nations. During international negotiations negotiators struck upon a way to transition away from the patchwork of international tariffs towards an even playing field for all international commerce but in a way that would also help to provide for the first time an independent revenue stream for the missions of the Human League as an international organization. Thus the member nations of the Human League agreed to phase out their individual tariffs in favor of an international commerce tax that would be used to support the Human League. The development of this more streamlined means of international taxation led to even more hold out nations seeking admission into the Human League, rather than be faced with allowed continued tariff barriers on their goods being imported into the Human League trade sphere.

 

[Glen]

Looks like an update from your Butterfly-free DSA mini-TL worked its way into the main narrative, @Glen . Still, great to see that this is back, can't wait to see what's next (for the world, for the USA, and for the South)!

Yep - I always intended that this post on tourism would be a parallel sneak peak at a DSA post.

 

[Brady Kj]

It's a transnational organization for the promotion of peace between nations. Think of it as an international movement that has both political and governmental support.

That's funny. I could swear you answered this question a couple months ago.

 

[Glen]

That's funny. I could swear you answered this question a couple months ago.

Maybe we’re caught in a time loop!

 

[Mr. Orwell]

Praise the Lord it has restarted! Hopefully.

 

[Glen]

Praise the Lord it has restarted! Hopefully.

It has - real life keeps trying to interfere but the South Will Rise Again!

 

[Glen]

Rocketry advanced in the decades of the post-war period to the point that nations began to worry about the potential for the militarization of space and conflict over potential claims. Much as the Human League had moved to build on the international agreements governing the high seas, the international organization strove to establish a pathway for the peaceful development of space and allow for both access and keeping the peace. The International Space Access and Settlement Accords established ground rules for the free access to orbit for nations, ground rules for claiming territory (using criteria of both habitation and improvement to extraterrestrial space rather than just claims by exploration alone), requirements for providing aid to people in distress regardless of nationality, and the complete disarmament of space. At the insistence of Russia, whose nation had experienced the Tunguska Strike in 1908, it was also agreed that the Human League would be responsible for coordinating the search for earth orbit crossing asteroids and comets and developing defensive systems that could defeat such threats (though requiring the supervision and agreement of the Human League powers for their use).

Once ratified, many nations realized that if they did not start to develop colonies in space, others might, and so the race to colonize space was on!

 

[FleetMac]

YES! Finally we have a proper space-race! Although I'm not sure technology is near where it needs to be to actually begin manned flights yet, the first steps are now taken (especially cool is the development of anti-celestial impact methods). Great update!

 

[Glen]

Rocketry advanced in the decades of the post-war period to the point that nations began to worry about the potential for the militarization of space and conflict over potential claims. Much as the Human League had moved to build on the international agreements governing the high seas, the international organization strove to establish a pathway for the peaceful development of space and allow for both access and keeping the peace. The International Space Access and Settlement Accords established ground rules for the free access to orbit for nations, ground rules for claiming territory (using criteria of both habitation and improvement to extraterrestrial space rather than just claims by exploration alone), requirements for providing aid to people in distress regardless of nationality, and the complete disarmament of space. At the insistence of Russia, whose nation had experienced the Tunguska Strike in 1908, it was also agreed that the Human League would be responsible for coordinating the search for earth orbit crossing asteroids and comets and developing defensive systems that could defeat such threats (though requiring the supervision and agreement of the Human League powers for their use).

Once ratified, many nations realized that if they did not start to develop colonies in space, others might, and so the race to colonize space was on!

YES! Finally we have a proper space-race! Although I'm not sure technology is near where it needs to be to actually begin manned flights yet, the first steps are now taken (especially cool is the development of anti-celestial impact methods). Great update!

Thank you FleetMac! They are not anywhere near it at the signing of the treaty, but now they know that it is a race to get there.

 

[FleetMac]

I wonder who the big players will be? My money is the Anglosphere (I imagine the USA*, DSA and UK are coordinating to some degree or another, possibly all as one "party"), definitely the Russians, possibly the UPSA, the US of China, and maybe Germany. The Southron site could still well be Cape Canaveral, given its mainland access for ease of logistics (although in terms of an ideal site, somewhere in the West Indies would work better).

*If the Americans wanted to go it alone, I see two options for basing of launch sites. Wallops Island, VA would work if a site in-country is required (lots of launches out of there in OTL, plus being no less of a suitable location than OTL's Baikonur). If not, why not in their buddy Bahia's backyard, say outside of Salvador?

 

[jkarr]

BRITISH EMPIRE IN SPACE

 

[Sir Prizing]

Rocketry advanced in the decades of the post-war period to the point that nations began to worry about the potential for the militarization of space and conflict over potential claims. Much as the Human League had moved to build on the international agreements governing the high seas, the international organization strove to establish a pathway for the peaceful development of space and allow for both access and keeping the peace. The International Space Access and Settlement Accords established ground rules for the free access to orbit for nations, ground rules for claiming territory (using criteria of both habitation and improvement to extraterrestrial space rather than just claims by exploration alone), requirements for providing aid to people in distress regardless of nationality, and the complete disarmament of space. At the insistence of Russia, whose nation had experienced the Tunguska Strike in 1908, it was also agreed that the Human League would be responsible for coordinating the search for earth orbit crossing asteroids and comets and developing defensive systems that could defeat such threats (though requiring the supervision and agreement of the Human League powers for their use).

Once ratified, many nations realized that if they did not start to develop colonies in space, others might, and so the race to colonize space was on!

Great update!

By the way, what year was the treaty ratified?

 

[Glen]

I wonder who the big players will be? My money is the Anglosphere (I imagine the USA*, DSA and UK are coordinating to some degree or another, possibly all as one "party"),

Guaranteed that there will be an Anglo presence and that you will see the DSA playing a role in that.

definitely the Russians,

Correct - they always have loved space!

possibly the UPSA,

An intriguing possibility....

the US of China,

Oh we love those plucky Southern Chinese Liberals! It is certainly a distinct possibility...and you know the Chinese in the North don't like to be behind in anything when it comes to the USC...

and maybe Germany.

Oh they will be part of it for sure, as will some other nations not yet named...

The Southron site could still well be Cape Canaveral, given its mainland access for ease of logistics (although in terms of an ideal site, somewhere in the West Indies would work better).

The problem with the Caribbean Provinces of the DSA is that they have to have everything shipped or flown in, which does then make places like East Florida more appealing. Why would you think Cape Canaveral again?

*If the Americans wanted to go it alone, I see two options for basing of launch sites. Wallops Island, VA would work if a site in-country is required (lots of launches out of there in OTL, plus being no less of a suitable location than OTL's Baikonur).

What an interesting suggestion. Who launches out of Wallops?

If not, why not in their buddy Bahia's backyard, say outside of Salvador?

Ah Bahia, that might be interesting as well....

 

[Glen]

BRITISH EMPIRE IN SPACE

LOL - why do I hear this in the voice that does "PIGS IN SPACE!!!" Anyway, an interesting (word of the day) aside is that the fact that the British successfully claimed all of Antarctica ITTL is yet another reason that the Treaty for Outer Space of this timeline is different than OTL. There was no example of a 'hands off' international area on earth like there was with OTL Antarctica...

 

[Glen]

The final round of negotiations for the International Space Access and Settlement Accords were finished and signed in Saint Petersburg, Empire of Russia on the fiftieth anniversary of the Tunguska Strike on June 30, 1958.

 

[Glen]

Great update!

By the way, what year was the treaty ratified?

Thank you! Your question inspired a mini-update!!

 

[FleetMac]

Oh we love those plucky Southern Chinese Liberals! It is certainly a distinct possibility...and you know the Chinese in the North don't like to be behind in anything when it comes to the USC...

The problem with the Caribbean Provinces of the DSA is that they have to have everything shipped or flown in, which does then make places like East Florida more appealing. Why would you think Cape Canaveral again?

What an interesting suggestion. Who launches out of Wallops?

Ah Bahia, that might be interesting as well....

-Good point, might make for a "backyard brawl" in the Chinas for who gets to space first!

-My thinking is that the Royal Navy (and, if it forms, Royal Southron Navy) has the sea and airlift to offset that logistical hurdle, we ARE talking about The Andrew after all. That being said, I can't argue with using a mainland location since it does make things cheaper. I'm not married to the notion of Canaveral itself, although it provides a stand-off location from inhabited areas in the unfortunate event of a rocket going "ka-BOOM". I suppose the Everglades could work too, although not the Keys (too small of a terrestrial footprint, Canaveral is close enough to land and has enough dirt to build on, not to mention the speed boost it provides in getting a rocket into orbit AND, being sea adjacent, makes for easy recovery of failed liftoffs).

-The Wallops Flight Facility IOTL belongs to NASA for launching sounding rockets, as well as boosting NOAA assets into high altitude and/or low orbit. Lots of military rocket/missile testing for things like SAMS, ABMs, and ASATs if I recall as well.

-IJS, the US can use the space race as a way of proving their mettle on the world stage without nasty wars or foreign entanglements (which I wouldn't personally consider a joint space program as such, given its economic and scientific potential rather than setting any kind of permanent political tie, necessarily).