Episode 112 — The Participation Fee for the Future

Facing the concept of "Social Security"—something no one in this world had ever heard of—Gustav’s face was a mixture of hope and bewilderment. I rubbed my aching lower back and pointed a finger toward the ceiling while staying leaned back in my recliner.

"Listen, Gustav. Don’t get it twisted. Social security isn't some benevolent 'gift' from the Lord. It’s a 'contract' that every citizen signs to protect their future self."

"…A contract? A contract with whom?"

"With themselves, and with society as a whole. Gustav, remember the bakery example. What happens if the only baker in town collapses from illness? The shop closes, and the family starves. But it’s not just their problem—no one in town can eat bread anymore. That’s a personal tragedy, sure, but it’s also a system-level error for the society."

I pointed to a stray breadcrumb on the table.

"But if everyone contributes a tiny amount every month—say, a single copper coin—then even if someone collapses, the pool covers their medical costs and keeps their family fed. The baker can rest easy, and once they’re better, they can get back to baking delicious bread. You spread the risk to maintain the uptime of the entire system. That’s the true nature of 'Social Security'—mutual aid scaled up to an industrial level."

"…Systematizing mutual aid. I see. Instead of relying on individual goodwill, you make the mechanism handle it."

Argo’s eyes sharpened behind his glasses as he scribbled "Organized Mutual Support" onto his parchment. However, I decided to pour a little cold water on their excitement.

"There’s one big problem, though. From the citizens' perspective, money is still vanishing from their pockets. They’ll almost certainly see this collection as a 'despicable new tax' invented by the Lord and hold it against you."

Gustav gasped. To the people of this world, any collection by a public authority was viewed as plunder intended to fatten the Lord’s pockets. But then, as if remembering something, Gustav looked up.

"…Wait! Mr. Zect, couldn't we use the same logic we used for the 'Water Fees'? Back then, the citizens didn't feel like they were paying for the water itself; they accepted it as the price for 'Convenience'—being liberated from the drudgery of carrying heavy buckets. If we explain this as a 'Participation Fee' to be liberated from the anxiety of future illness or old age, they should accept it!"

"Fast learner, Gustav. Exactly. You can’t afford to mess this up. A tax is 'money to run the Lord’s government.' But an insurance premium is 'money to protect your own future.' They might look similar, but the destination of those data packets is completely different. A tax is an obligation, but social security is an investment to secure a right."

"A 'Participation Fee' for the future, not a tax… That way, they won't see it as a tribute to the Lord, but as a source of pride—a personal fund for their own sake."

Gustav repeated the words as if savoring them. I took the discussion one step further into the actual implementation.

"Now, about how to collect this participation fee... there are three main models. First, the 'Flat-rate Model' where everyone pays the same amount. It’s simple, but it’s too heavy for the poor. Second, the 'Income-proportional Model' where the amount changes based on earnings. It’s fair, but the administrative cost of tracking everyone’s income is massive."

(Even in the modern world, this is a never-ending debate. But for Felsen’s current environment, a 'Hybrid Model' is the way to go.)

"So, I’m proposing a Hybrid Model. Everyone pays a basic, flat participation fee. In exchange, a fixed percentage is automatically deducted from the Gara-Mon Factory’s profit distribution and funneled into the fund. This minimizes the immediate pain of taking money from their wallets. As the factory’s productivity goes up, the individual burden goes down. If things go well, the individual cost might eventually hit zero."

"…I see. At first, you make them pay a little out of pocket so they feel like they’re 'participating.' Then, you supplement the rest with industrial profits, eventually leading to a completely free system…"

"…What do you think, Gustav? Think the people would be willing to sign that contract?"

The hesitation vanished from Gustav’s face, replaced by the thrill of creating a new era.

"Yes. The citizens will accept this. Not a tax, but a participation fee to reserve their own future. I will begin the formal review immediately to establish this as the new 'Logic' of Felsen!"

I watched Gustav and Argo rush off, clutching the specifications. I leaned my recliner back as far as it would go.

"Phew... I think I just got one step closer to a world where I can be bedridden with a cold and no one can complain about it..."

"Mrrp. (You're always in bed anyway.)"

Tama let out a yawn in response to my monologue. The Felsen Social Security System—the world’s first "Future Reservation System"—was about to move from abstract numbers to a living reality.

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