Glen
Moderator
The Malthusians take no prisoners and have taken to using *sarin and *tabun on the battlefield. Suddenly this war isn't fun anymore.
The Malthusian leadership sees it as fighting for the very fate of mankind - if the planet is on the verge of collapse due to excess population, why would you let live MORE people, especially ones willing to fight to let the world go to hell?
Given the stakes, they believe anything to be justified.
Right. This war degenerated from "both sides likely have legitimate ideas and it's an interestingly two-sided war, rather than standard liberal-capitalist order vs evil radical ideology as usual" to "standard liberal-capitalist order vs INCARNATION OF EVIL" really, really quickly.
I'll admit that having the Malthusians acting in this way does slightly take away from their appeal as characters because (in the context of this timeline and arguably real life) it is very hard to disagree with their argument that the world is heading for a population disaster unless something is done. It is rather like Bane in The Dark Knight Rises - he looked like a terrifying villain until they had him just using radical politics to gain power and then just became a caricature. Maybe this is something specific to the French and German Malthusists, brought on by their long period as underground conspirators rather than being in power for a long time.
teg
Speaking of which, I wonder if any equivalents to animation and the comic format arose ITTL. I do not know if Glen touched on it, so feel free to correct me. Given how OTL comic books and animation where used as propaganda material, I wonder if something similar could arise to serve a similar purpose against the Malthusian ideology during the Population War.
Glen
Moderator
Yes, just like IOTL when World War I degenerated into standard liberal-capitalist order vs INCARNATION OF EVIL in 1914 with the initiation of gas warfare....
Glen
Moderator
In fact, one might argue OTL degenerated more evilly and rapidly than TTL - chemical warfare was forbidden by international convention IOTL and they started within 2 months of the onset of the war using it, whereas no accords had been made on chemical warfare ITTL at the time of the Population War and the Malthusian forces waited months longer before deploing than OTL.
Glen
Moderator
The Malthusians are thinking of it this way - the Malthusian Clubs have been warning of imminent disaster for decades, while the classical liberal governments ignored in their self-delusional beliefs that they could grow endlessly without consequences. In the past several years, since Malthusian governments started to assume international leadership positions, they have increasingly warned that the world must stand together against the oncoming crisis. Despite several entreaties from the International Malthusian Congress Britain still sought to hold onto Malthusian led India and saw the tragedy of the Olympics attack as a thinly veiled excuse to launch aggressive war against a leading Malthusian nation. The Malthusian Powers tried to end the war before it even started with their quick, decisive strike to knock out Britain and bring France and Germany under rational leadership. When that failed, they warned the world not to worsen the crisis and to join them, and when the British and their Loyalist German allies proved too stubborn to dislodge, they used every means at their disposal to again try to end the war quickly. At least, that's the way the Malthusians see it...
Glen
Moderator
Funny you should ask...you may assume that political cartoons are as plentiful ITTL as IOTL...animation as well. Comic books are...interesting...
On the upside, now we know how British Australia will end up with the two French bits.
Also, wonder how much of the Ottomans will end up getting carved up this time.
Also, wonder how much of the Ottomans will end up getting carved up this time.
