A2 Standings and Empire Economy
The economy of the New Ascendant Alchemic Empire operates in a manner much unlike many civilizations of the far past, and indeed even unlike more recent predecessors with access to the same economy-shaping technology. Much of this change can be attributed to the top-down artificial nature of the civilization, but there is something to be said for culture as well.
Standings
Though there is a low actual cost to live a not awful life, government mandates all citizens must submit a bi-annual report proving their working status to the empire, or otherwise qualify for an exemption.
Exemptions largely include mental health issues and disabilities. Citizens who do not meet the standards are disqualified from many public services (usually considered luxury like mail, trains, etc. without approval of their assigned work counselor, or other approval from a government social agency
Citizen ratings are public[1], and come in four tiers: First Standing, Second Standing, Third Standing, and Fourth Standing. Without standing exists, but is usually reserved for those who are criminals or have otherwise violated the system of government.
Higher tiers exist for specific high-level government officials, such as city lords, or the truly powerful alchemists who work heavily. These people are Named, and as such are above the typical systems of standing. Named persons are specially evaluated, and often have longer evaluation periods, especially for those whose work extends over long periods of time.
Government workers, soldiers, those in specific long-term positions like surveyors are granted exemption from the usual 2-year period evaluation timeframe. People with specific jobs that necessitate long-term or largely invisible progress are also often granted evaluation extensions or delays. Government workers and soldiers are often granted standing holds, which allow them to retain a higher standing even if they fail an evaluation period, only to be remanded downward if consecutive evaluation failures occur.
Benefits of a Standing
A general benefit of a higher station exists in how it changes how others interact with you, such as prospective employers, family, or partners. Higher standings get all the benefits of a lower standing, and if fulfilling these would conflict then the higher standing gets priority
First Standing
Ability to reserve cars on trains
Run for/hold higher public offices
Second Standing
Large package mailing
Run for/hold public office
Right to petition public officials
Reserved use of public spaces for events with advance request (parks, plazas, etc.)
Third Standing
Priority access to train networks
Mail network access
Custom alchemical manufactory request privileges[2]
Fourth Standing
Use of public amenities (water fountain, elevator, food from manufactories, lux charging, etc.)
Empire Economy
The empire is not a favor-barter economy, even if it does sometimes involve that for larger, undesirable tasks. Rather, it is a first-come-first-serve free economy, where people work just if someone asks them to.
One of the reasons why people get artificial abilities is because it enables the to work much less to earn a higher standing value easier, and encourages others to come to them to ask for work, not for them to seek it out.
One of the reasons why people work beyond the requirements of First Standing or Named status is because the more self-valuable you are above First Standing, the more valuable it is for others to make luxuries for you (by a small amount, but it is distinctly more efficient if you make luxuries and are looking for the best client), leading to receiving more and more free luxuries and luxury service.
Generic Work Crediting
Most generic resource extraction and manufacturing work is rewarded for standing by delivery to a person or use approved by a government coordinator (city lords, large manufacturing groups, grocery stores in the case of exotic foodstuffs, etc.). People can also provide resources or manufactured goods to unapproved persons, but if that person happens to do nothing, or little with the resources and/or is not likely to, then no standing is gained.
Government coordinators give public approvals to important people, large groups, or small groups which apply for approval, but people can also apply for a meeting with a coordinator for case-by-case or contract-based approval between single parties (parties includes small groups). Workers claim shares of publicly approved persons or groups via either pre-requisition with the group, or if the person or group opts to, via a public resource/manufacturing job board.
Government job boards take some time to process (bells, days, weeks, depending on size/area of group or person request) but guarantee sole shareholder, whereas private share requisitions can work anyway. In case of overlapping or pre-taken shares, workers are still rewarded standing for the period they remained unaware, and if a private group caused it they are reduced in standing, and can even have approval revoked.