Marcus Vale, Government Candidate : Social Credits 2,147 - Green Status

The hall was full. Not just full.

Capacity-Optimised.

That was the official term the Government used when every available seat had been allocated. When every housing apartment had the maximum amount of people in it. When every labour farm had the maximum amount of workers on it.

Marcus Vale stood behind the podium and looked out over the crowd. Thousands of people stared back at him. His Colour-Bracelet was clearly visible beneath the bright lights.

GREEN

2,147 SOCIAL CREDITS

Behind him, the enormous Government display showed his campaign information.

MARCUS VALE

SOCIAL CREDITS: 2,147

STATUS: GREEN

GOVERNMENT ELIGIBLE

Marcus waited for the applause to die down. It took longer than he expected. That was good.

He smiled. "My fellow citizens."

The room became quiet.

"Today, we stand together at the beginning of something very important."

Another ripple of applause.

"Not a beginning of division."

He paused.

"A beginning of Collective Betterment."

The applause came again.

Marcus nodded. "Collective Betterment is not about one person."

He spread his hands.

"It is about all of us."

A woman near the front nodded enthusiastically.

Marcus smiled at her. "Our society has achieved something previous generations could only have imagined."

He gestured toward his bracelet. "We measure contribution."

He gestured toward the crowd. "We recognise contribution."

Then he pointed toward the screen behind him. "And we reward contribution."

The screen changed. A list of statistics appeared.

SOCIAL PRODUCTIVITY — INCREASED

PUBLIC COMPLIANCE — INCREASED

CIVIC PARTICIPATION — INCREASED

RESOURCE EFFICIENCY — INCREASED

Marcus waited. "These are not simply numbers." He smiled. "They are evidence."

The crowd applauded.

Marcus had been campaigning for several months now. He had learned exactly what people wanted to hear. Not promises. Promises were unreliable. The Government had improved that system years ago. Instead of asking candidates what they intended to do, citizens could examine their Contribution Record.

Marcus's was excellent.

His latest Social Credit total was printed on every new campaign document, updated daily. It appeared beside his name on Government terminals. It was displayed at every public appearance. And, most importantly, it was displayed directly on his wrist.

2,147.

There were people in the hall with scores of 80.

Some had 150.

A few had reached 300.

Almost nobody had reached 1,000.

Marcus had more than twice the minimum required to stand for Government.

That mattered. People understood numbers. Numbers did not make promises. Numbers did not forget. Numbers did not lie. At least, that was what the Government said.

Marcus leaned toward the microphone.

"I did not come here today to ask you to trust me."

The audience became very quiet.

"I came here to ask you to trust the System."

That earned him his biggest applause yet.

He waited. "The System does not ask where you were born."

Applause.

"It does not ask who your parents were."

More applause.

"It does not ask whether you are rich or poor."

The applause grew louder.

"It asks only one question."

Marcus held up his wrist. "What have you contributed?"

The crowd erupted.

Marcus smiled. He had delivered the line exactly as it had been approved by the Campaign Communications Department.

The screen behind him changed again.

CONTRIBUTE. PARTICIPATE. PROGRESS.

The words remained there as Marcus continued. "I have contributed."

Applause.

"I have participated."

More applause.

"And I have progressed."

The crowd rose to its feet.

Marcus looked out across the hall. Thousands of green and yellow bracelets moved through the air as people applauded. It was an impressive sight. "Together," he said, raising his voice above the noise, "we can continue our programme of Social Advancement."

The audience cheered.

"We can improve Civic Efficiency."

More cheering.

"We can expand Community Productivity."

The applause became deafening.

"And we can ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to achieve their own Status Potential." Marcus stepped back from the podium.

The applause continued.

His Colour-Bracelet remained bright green.

2,147.

A Government candidate. A high-status citizen. A man who had clearly demonstrated his commitment to society. At least, according to the number on his wrist.

Marcus raised his hand. "Thank you."

The crowd continued applauding. He smiled for the cameras. And for the next thirty seconds, Marcus Vale stood exactly where every successful Government candidate was supposed to stand.

Beneath the lights.

Before the people.

And surrounded by the numbers that proved he belonged there.