Limes inferior
Limes inferior (Latin for lower limit) is a social science fiction dystopian novel written in 1982 by the Polish author Janusz A. Zajdel. Limes inferior, one of Zajdel's best known works, is a dystopia showing a grim vision of a future society resulting from a merger of the two systems competing at the time - communism and capitalism. It is a seemingly free society, which is in fact tightly controlled through a system of electronic biometric ID cards (Keys), censored media and other forms of social control. It was recognized as the best science fiction novel in Poland in 1982. credit
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11people
2013–2026years
62% recommend38% neutral
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What Hacker News says
- I really recommend Limes Inferior written by Andrzej Zajdel. I hope it is possible to read it in English. It describes a dystopian state that is currently coming to us.
- Solaris is such a unique concept. From Polish authors I've really enjoyed Limes Inferior by J. Zajdel. The concept of means of payment spoke to me, when I had my own wondering about workless future and digital currencies.
- Please read Limes Inferior written by Andrzej Zajdel to learn what are Republicans and other right-winged afraid of.
- I love dystopian novels and have recently finished reading Limes inferior[1] by J. Zajdel. Policies implemented in the story (written in 1982!) and their similarity to present day politics are frightening! SPOILER ALERT: I'm describing the currency system from the novel.
Currencies were replaces by points stored on a device called the Key (= modern smartphone). There are red, green, and yellow points.
Red points are the simplest: all people are equal, so everyone gets the same number of red points per month, doesn't matter their skills, employment status, health, etc. That monthly allowance is enough to survive. It's like basic minimum income.
Green points are similar to red points, except they're paid out based on intellectual ability. A smarter person will always get more green points, irrespective of employment status. They were necessary because "all people are equal" is actually false.
Yellow points are most similar to a monthly salary. You can get the only by working. The higher your position in the hierarchy, the more yellow points you get every month.
Not all points are created equal, despite the official 1:1 fixed exchange rate. Quality goods are available only for yellow points, with other colors capable of buying substandard goods. That opened door to a host of black market activities for chameleons (who act as currency exchanges).
A central computing system, called _Syskom_, is used to track citizens' moves. Despite claims of objectivity, it's rules are often manipulated for policy goals.
A simplified example: some working people want to go up the hierarchy by faking their credentials. Criminals, called lifters, who can help them are often found in various bars. Those bars have slot machines allowing you to win hundreds of yellow points (an average salary is ~ 10 yellow pts). There's a non-zero chance that a winner, often drunk, will be approached by a lifter at a bar and hire him.
What does the government to catch more lifters? Increase the likelihood of winning at a slot machine and keep track of where the prize flows. "You pay 300 yellow points and you get a lifter" as they phrase it.
- Any discussion of basic income should at least mention the excellent novel by Janusz Zajdel, "Limes Inferior" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limes_inferior). I think he very accurately portrays a system where everyone is guaranteed basic income (along with some other interesting and mostly terrifying concepts).
It is true (and sad, I think) that many people, given basic income, will do nothing to improve themselves or their surroundings. But I still think basic income is an idea worth pursuing.
- And just to get at the topic of anti-establishement satire in poish literature, the prime example has always been Janusz Zajdel. Especially his late two most aacknowledged works, "Limes Inferior" and "Pardyzja" primarily depict totalitarian, dystopian systems and the means of people to game them. It is a great shame that he has been taken by cancer at a relatively young age because the world view he presented in his books was darker and more bitter compared to Lem.
