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Chronology of the Psychotechnic Future History

"This is only a bare outline of a much more complex thing; the dates given are not to be taken too seriously, for that would take the scheme out of the range of science-fiction prediction and into the realm of fantasy and prophecy, which is not one I care to inhabit."
— Poul Anderson, "History of the Future"[HF]


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A chronological complilation of future historical events from the stories and novels of Poul Anderson's Psychotechnic future history.

Century
20th - 21st - 22nd - 23rd - 24th - 25th - 26th
27th - 28th - 29th - 30th - 31st - 32nd

20th Century

Events

1950-80

World War III: Defeat of Soviets; civil wars in Europe; the Great Jehad; expeditions to Mars and Venus; Conference of Rio; African nations gain autonomy. [HF]
Technology: Hydrogen-lithium reaction; cybernetics; lunar bases; needle gun; robot files; improved psychiatry; interplanetary colonization; human exogensis; airboat; early psychotechnology; petroleum synthesis; rover bomb. [HF]
Sociology: socialism in America; post war period of chaos; period of recovery; UN greatly strengthened; religious fanaticism; privacy laws; USA constitutional amendments. [HF]

1958

World War III. [CPS]

1964

"Marius" (published June 1957). [CPS]

1965

First Conference of Rio makes UN world government. [CPS]

1975

Psychotechnic Institute established. [CPS]
Expeditions to Mars and Venus, then colonization. [CPS]

1980-2010

UN suppresses Brazil-Argentine War; extensive reclamation on Earth; anti-UN junta suppressed; attempt at dictatorship stopped. [HF]
Technology: Improved spaceships; oceanic colonies; automatic factories; general field theory; shock and paralysis beams; outdoor air conditioning; longevity; ecological-unit spaceship. [HF]
Sociology: growth of Psychotechnic Institutes; population control. [HF]


21st Century

2004

"UN Man" (published January 1953, as "Un-Man"). [CPS]

2009

"The Sensitive Man" (published January 1954). [CPS]
Second Industrial Revolution. [CPS]

2010-40

Abolition of national armies; University of Luna founded; outer-planet expeditions; Second Conference of Rio; Venusian break with UN. [HF]
Technology: Sun-power; synthetic virus; hyperbolic orbits; psychosomatics; air transformation; flying homes; power-beaming; superdielectics; food synthetics. [HF]
Sociology: The Second Industrial Revolution; further steps toward full world government. [HF]
("House in the Sky," planned Winter 1955). [HF]

2035

Second Conference of Rio. [CPS]
Venusian break with UN. [CPS]

2040-70

Currency reform; suppression of Venusian nationalists; Ganymede colonized. [HF]
Technology: Small atomic motors; space warcraft; interplanetary radio; machine consciousness; frictonless motors; electric blaster. [HF]
Sociology: UN space navy; Planetary Engineering Corps; Basic Language invented. [HF]

2051

"The Big Rain" (published October 1954). [CPS]
New America is chief city of Venus. [BR]

2055

Planetary Engineering Corps founded. [CPS]

2070

The New Enlightenment. [CPS]

2070-2100

Growing discontent on Earth due to failure to solve problems of Second Industrial Revolution; anti-robot riots. [HF]
Technology: Military robots; artificial regeneration; automatic spacecraft; asteroid colonies; anthropoid robot. [HF]
Sociology: The New Enlightenment; Order of Planetary Engineers; The Encyclopedic Foundation. [HF]
("Wolf," planned Winter 1955). [HF]

2080

Corps becomes Order of Planetary Engineers. [CPS]


22nd Century

2100-30

Convention of Luna; Venus made habitable; the Humanist Manifesto; Space ark to Centauri. [HF]
Technology: Space liner service; Molar potential barrier; traveling reclamation outfit; synthetic nonproto-plasmic life; minimal spaceships. [HF]
Sociology: Solar Union founded; growth of clan system on Venus; Pancosmic religion begins. [HF]

2105

Solar Union founded. [CPS]

2120

"Quixote and the Windmil" (published November 1950). [CPS]

2125

Humanist Manifesto published. [CPS]

2126

First STL ship launched. [CPS]

2130

Beginnings of Cosmic religion. [CPS]

2130-90

Sociology: period of worsening conditions on Earth, leading to a great interplanetary emigration and development; slow decline of Scientific progress, but much engineering work. [HF]

2130-60

120-year voyage, a device to get rid of malcontents; revelations of government corruption; Mars made habitable. [HF]
Technology: Interplanetary power-beam designed; neural regeneration; nuclear damping fields. [HF]

2140

"Holmgang" (published Summer 1955, as "Out of the Iron Womb!"). [CPS]

2160-90

Abortive Humanist revolution. [HF]

2170

Humanist Revolt; Psychotechnic Institute outlawed. [CPS]

2180

"Cold Victory" (published May 1957). [CPS]

2190-2220

Jovian dictatorship overthrown. [HF]


23rd Century

2200

"What Shall It Profit?" (published June 1955). [CPS]

2205

"The Troublemakers" (published September 1953). [HF][CPS]

2220

"The Snows of Ganymede" (published Winter 1955). [CPS]

2270

"Brake" (published August 1957). [CPS]


24th Century

2300-2600

The Second Dark Ages. [CPS]


28th Century

2784

Hyperdrive invented. [CPS]


29th Century

2815

"Gypsy" (published January 1950). [HF][CPS]
Nomad culture develops. [CPS]

2875

"Star Ship" (published Fall 1950). [HF][CPS]

2900

Sellar Union and Coordination Service founded. [CPS]


30th Century

3000

"The Acolytes" (published February 1951). [CPS]
"The Green Thumb" (published February 1953). [CPS]


31st Century

3100

"Virgin Planet" (published January 1957). [CPS]


32nd Century

3110

"Teucan" (published July 1954). [CPS]

3115

"The Pirate" (published October 1968). [CPS]

3120

Star Ways (published 1956). [HF][CPS]

3150

"Entity" (published June 1949; may not be a Psychotechnic story). [HF]

3175

"Symmetry" (published December 1954, as "The Stranger Was Himself"). [HF]


32nd Century

3200-4000+

The Third Dark Ages. [CPS]

?

"The Chapter Ends" (published January 1954). [CPS]


Chronology sources:

[BR] "The Big Rain," Poul Anderson, in Astounding Science Fiction, Vol. 54, No. 2, October 1954, pp. 8-67.
[HF] "History of the Future," Poul Anderson, in Startling Stories, Vol. 32, No.3, Winter 1955, pp. 28-29.
[CPS] "A Chronology of the Psychotechnic Series," Sandra Miesel, in Starship, Sandra Miesel, ed., New York: Pinnacle/TOR, 1982, pp. 283-284.


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