Cryocolonialism ▨
Geopoliflicks series

2033 — Taking advantage of the economic and social crisis that plunges China into unprecedented austerity and protectionism, Mongolia frees itself from the hegemony of its declining neighbour, while Taiwan formalizes its separatist ambitions by declaring independence. Relying on the rare earths from Mongolia’s abundant mines, the two countries denounce the agreements briefly concluded with the European Union and the North American Union and, together with India and Vietnam, establish a tetra-consortium primarily dedicated to the production of electronic equipment.

2047 — To meet growing demand, the four “Motaivi” multiply their production capacity and expand joint ventures. Their trade surpluses soar, and social and health developments raise the standard of living for their citizens. Despite repeated warnings from numerous environmental NGOs and protests from certain groups within society, Mongolia intensifies rare earth extraction, reopening, notably, the Khalzan Buregtei deposit, which had been closed in 2042 following severe environmental contamination. The number of cancers, particularly among children, explodes in the Myangad soum.

2056 — Mongolia invests heavily in medical infrastructure to offset the impact of overactive mining on its population. As a pioneer in cellular cryoregulation, it develops advanced techniques and equipment for placing cancerous tumours in stasis. India, a partner whose population is also threatened by irreversible pollution, provides substantial funding for these innovations. In parallel, the tetra-consortium acquires astronautical equipment from NASA and ESA, agencies closed by Western totalitarian regimes. The Motaivi launch a joint space programme.

2068 — The tetra-consortium establishes a standardization of resource access to make cryostasis available to as many people as possible. Free access is offered to children from underprivileged families, who, in return, must make themselves available to the Ministry of Scientific Hope before reaching their 30th birthday: the “Wards of Progress”. Seeking an opportunity to escape a drained and feverish Earth through space exploration, and to avoid conflict with nations claiming Enceladus and Titan, the Motaivi send cohorts of cryogenically preserved Wards to Proxima Centauri using the Direct Fusion Drive, finalized in 2061. It is the dawn of cryocolonialism.