A model for a sitX settlement

Let’s say the world spirals out of control, the worldwide economy collapses, continued war and energy shortages along with food shortages plus massive natural disasters turns our stable world into a Mad Max world where lawlessness and anarchy reign. Let’s say all effective government has collapsed and all that is left of them are hidden underground in bunkers and there only concern is there continued survival. Meaning no one is going to help you or yours, we will all be on our own. So what do you do?

Step one: Prepare, more than likely if our civilization does indeed fall, how will we live after? I think there will be 3 main groups of people.
The Surviors


1 Will be the survivors of the government and there collective families living in underground bunkers they will be the smallest groups, they will hold on to the old ways using technology and force to obtain the resources they need to survive, they will most likely enslave groups or settlements around there vicinity in order to continue there way of life. These groups will be well educated for generation to come because of the safety there education levels and technology give them.


2 Nomadic wanderers, those that go from place to place scavenging off what remains of the old world, taking by force what they can when the opportunity arrives. This group will be the least educated of the three, there constant movement both for resources and to avoid danger will not give them the time it takes to educate a population.

3 Small farming settlements will pop up all over the place; these are where most of the survivors of our old world will live after our fall. Each settlement will be different each will use a varying degree of technology and have different degrees of educational levels, however it’s in these settlements that the true power of the people will lie, with some preparation before the fall, I’m saying you could plan out a successful settlement now with a few supplies that after the fall would be invaluable.

Since most of us do not have the resources to construct and to supply a underground bunker complex, what are we going to do? I think the key to surviving and to thriving after a fall is knowledge and unobtainable items. By unobtainable I mean the resources needed to rebuild a society that we can no longer get. I mean Spices and medicinal herbs and fruits and vegetables.

There are many things we all could be stocking up on, I believe the most important items are Books [the how to kind] Basic construction, how to make flour, how to preserve food, how to garden, how to irrigate, how to sew, how to basket weave, basic medical books, how to use medicinal herbs, ect..ect..

I believe that if your really sure that a fall is going to happen, what do you think the value of a orange will be years after the fact? What do you think the value of garlic, oregano, or fennel seeds will be, or just the value of pepper? Stocking up on organic seeds of all varieties would be a huge benefit for one of the new settlements, with a huge variety of foods and spices and medicinal herbs, this settlement could trade for whatever it may need.

The last items needed would be tools of all shapes and sizes, hammers, nails, saws, levels, all of the tools needed to build a settlement by hand, you would need to build houses, sawmills, flour mills, bakeries, defensive structures.

Location

I would choose a large hill, with a water source a spring or a well, this will allow a good defensive position and with water all other things needed could be obtained. All of these new settlements will be agriculture based so you need to plan accordingly. Take a drive around where you live and scout out possible location now so you have an idea where to go.

Reality

If our civilization does fall there is going to be mass death, our older population cannot survive without proper medical care and this system would surely collapse. There will be many displaced people wandering around aimlessly without any hope or since of direction.

So lets say this has occurred and you and your family and your friends and there family and some others you have picked up along the way have gathered together and you have supplies like I have suggested, then what do you do? Where do you go?

Plan now and be ready to act

I would love to hear from other members their plan of action.

Well for a start...... I live on an Island already.

Population is approximately 100,000 out of tourist season. Approximately 50/60% are over 65 years old.

It is mainly rural villages with a few large towns, no cities. Large agriculture and market garden base. Very little industry. Mostly a tourist service economy. Largest employer is the NHS with one hospital and several outlying units.

No military as such, just a platoon of Territorial Army Volunteers (Infantry) and no military bases. There are several old fortifications and castles - tourist attractions.

At the present time, crime is virtually non-existent, though we have 3 prisons on the Island. We are unlucky if we have A Murder in a year. Rape is virtually unheard of as are muggings. No gangs as such, just youngsters hanging around Maccie D's. I have no fear of walking around late at night.

Plenty of nice high ground. Plenty of woodland, uplands, fields and beaches. There are small boats and yachts galore and several harbours and marinas.

So what do you reckon?

[edit on 4/7/08 by Wotan]

[edit on 4/7/08 by Wotan]

reply to post by Wotan


Sounds good but I wonder about the prison population, if they are let loose your crime rates will rise dramatically.

Desperate people will resort to desperate measures in order to survive.

I think the defensive closed monastary/parish church settlements of medieval times would be a good social model to look at as a starting point..

humans just as insects and animals are bound by nature to form heirarchical groups...someone has to take the reins and lead, inspire hope, and manage resources for the better of all and not just the greed of the few

True, the crime rate may go up slightly, it would depend on the situation. When we have had jailbreaks, they have always been caught whilst still on the Island. HMP Parkhurst is no longer the maximum security prison it used to be, its mostly 'nonces' that are kept on the Island now.

You would want to build some specialized buildings in your settlement, these would include a flour mill for making flour and corn meal, it would need to be situated on a small stream so a waterwheel could power the grinding process. A sawmill for obvious reasons. A series of greenhouses for growing tropical fruits and veggies also for very controlled crops.

Your irrigation system would need to be well thought out and utilize a series of cistern's to hold x amounts of water, and you need to be able to control what gets watered and when. A book on how the Romans moved water would come in handy

I agree with the old style monastery's but maybe something larger or more spacious, with a agriculture based society you would need room to expand and for fields and livestock. A walled defensive structure would come in handy. A book on the walls that protected Constantinople would come in handy here, they were almost earthquake proof.

Your settlement would need a vast library and a educational system.

reply to post by LDragonFire


I'm in a location that ticks all those boxes...the birthplace of the mill-industrial revolution...there are water-wheel races and mill remains all down the river, a canal system thats fed from the moors so water (and bulk transport) is no issue (in fact too much rain is summat of a problem) a good few large canal-cisterns and reservoirs up in the hills, a fair number of small engineering and fabrication firms, and the university with its libraries and toolshops...no way i'm bugging out!

[edit on 4-7-2008 by citizen smith]