(Book) Raqqos and Emmigration

Raqqos and its lack of emmigration:

Compared to settlements in the Centrelands, the city of Raqqos is a compact city severly limited in space by the confines of the island upon which it is situated. Compared to Centrelands dwellings, Raqqosian houses are small and even many of those members of society who are wealthy, on average richer than affluent Centrelanders, posses far smaller houses than would be expected from the frame of mind of, say, a Pembletonian. It might be expected that, given the opportunity, affluent Raqqosians may wish to move offshore, where their wealth would place them among the upper economic-tiers of the "Eastern" societies and that would permit them greater explotation of their wealth and ability to purhcase more extensive property than is possible on Raqqos. It is therefore important to examine why Raqqos has not experienced a great deal of emmigration along with the increasingly extensive economic intergration with the East that has occured over the past few hundred years. In fact, the reasons behind this lack of emmigration can be fairly easily and concisely explained, though there are a number of deeper social or economic reasons that cannot be summarised so easily and that will thus be absent from this brief examination. Nevertheless, the key points as to why Raqqos has a distinct lack of overall emmigration are as follows:

Firstly, in Raqqos, personal wealth is tightly controlled by the state - all personal funds are  "on the books", but actual gold and precious gemstones are centrally stored and controlled. Purchases made in-state are easy, but to purchase goods abroad requires extensive paperwork and permissions for the transfer of gold required to make such transactions. The exception to this is jewellery and general manafactured goods that contain high-value materials, a loophole utilised by a handful of Raqqosians to transfer wealth offshore. Instead, Individuals are encouraged to seek material goods rather than the larger lands offered abroad. The Consulate have succesfully helped restrict emigration from the main island through these controls on wealth.

Secondly, there is a greater degree of social welfare provided by the phenomenally rich state compared to the "Eastern" states, and other state benefits are conferred to various different classes and ranks to encourage loyalty and contentment towards the consulate. Education is a benefit provided to all Raqqosians, something unheard of across the known world and, coupled with diverse apprenticeship and knowledge sharing opportunities, educational benefits grealty encourage Raqqosians to stay on the island of Raqqos. These education opportunites also promote the innovative and socially mobile society that features foremost in Raqqosian values.

Lastly, the outside world is seen as an unknown; whilst foreigns shores boast lands far vaster than the small island of Raqqos, status, wealth and racial acceptance are put in jeopardy in the Centrelands and futher abroad  - you put your entire economic and social life at risk and may fail to integrate in the "outside world". This is less applicable to the poorest in society and the consulate has recently been quite enthusiastic about settling these citizens offshore (for example in Rubellium) to avoid overcrowding and unrest in the poorer sections of society, who are seen to have less value (if you are able to produce something good for society, you will have money, as is the Raqqosian mentality and intention of its social and economic system).

For these reasons, it is somewhat easier to understand how Raqqos has retained the vast majority of its citizens, rather than experiencing mass emmigration that, as discussed in the opening paragraph, one might expect from present economic factors.

Robert Emmington, Socio-economic political researcher, University of Pembelton, Watchtower College