Medieval Stasis: Difference between revisions

 

May feature in a [[Feudal Future]] -- even if the technology is far advanced. Compare [[Modern Stasis]]. A related trope is [[Sci Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale]], which is this trope applied to distances rather than time. Also compare to [[Muggles Do It Better]], where in settings that separate the supernatural and the mundane world, the supernatural is locked in a medieval stasis while the mundane continues to advance. If parts of the world are stuck in Medieval Stasis and others have jetpacks, see [[Schizo Tech]].

 

== Anime & Manga ==

* In Yulia Latynina's ''Wei Empire'' cycle, the basic political, social and economical structure of the empire has been preserved for about 2,500 years... or so the official sources of Weians say, and some of the {{spoiler|Earth}} characters are somewhat skeptical of this, apparently with good cause. In any case, though the same order was preserved for at least the last few centuries, it did not exactly exist without interruptions, so it's more of a persistent cyclical thing. As for technology, it is again clearly shown to have progressed from bronze weapons made 2,000 years ago to advanced steel, early gunpowder {{spoiler|and friggin' ''poison gas'' thanks to a certain mad scientist}}; it is also pointed out as some point that the Wei Empire, much like the Roman Empire in real history, had failed to take advantage of numerous potential technological breakthroughs that could've led to an industrial revolution because it had no need of it and because some of its past rulers were ardent technophobes. In any case, the plot of the last novel has to do with the rapid and rather ugly breakdown of this stasis in the aftermath of {{spoiler|the contact with "men from the stars" who have recently discovered and infiltrated the empire}}.

* Such a stasis is also arguably the main theme and plot point of another Yulia Latynina novel: ''Inhuman'', which is set in the [[Dystopia|dystopian]] interstellar Empire of Humans where, according to one of the characters, no technological advances were made for the last several centuries. {{spoiler|The, uh, antagonists (both sides involved are villains by most measures), effectively an alien conspiracy masquerading as a government conspiracy, want to [[Utopia Justifies the Means|remedy]] this.}}

** It's also stated in the books that their slow technological development is at least in part on purpose. When something new is invented or discovered, it is introduced into their society over the course of decades or centuries, so they can study it's impact on society.

** In the final book, one hundred years later the Lizards are only just beginning to consider what the difference in advancement might mean to their future when the first earth FTL ship arrives in orbit of their Homeworld. The Lizards didn't think FTL was possible and haven't thought about it, or even considered it, in their 50,000 year history.

** And then Bernard reinvents the catapult. Which turns into a WMD when loaded with lots of small fire orbs ''children'' can make with little effort. A WMD in a world with [[Person of Mass Destruction|Races of Mass Destruction]]. This is when the Alerans realize their Medieval Stasis is breaking.

*** According to [[Word of God]], this will eventually be averted. The author has stated that if he ever writes a book set in the same world again, it'll take place roughly 200 years in the future, and technology will be a kind of magical steampunk. ''Furypunk,'' he calls it.

** Averted in a later spinoff, which states a thousand or so years later, the world is a rather advanced [[Magitek]] civilization.

* Discussed in ''Ascending'' of [[The League of Peoples Verse]], where races that were "uplifted" by the League of Peoples hundreds or even thousands of years before humanity have no significant technological advantage over them. Having been handed everything they could ever need by [[Sufficiently Advanced Alien|sufficiently advanced aliens]], their own industries and cultures stagnated. What's worse, the League technology was all of the [[Black Box]] variety: they didn't understand the first thing about the technology they were using, and thus couldn't make any further scientific progress. The result: a long downward slide into [[Creative Sterility]]. This is a fate that threatens humanity as well.

* The ''[[Heralds of Valdemar]]'' series is a case of medieval stasis enabled by the use of [[Functional Magic]] to supply many of the conveniences that would otherwise be provided by technology. However, three thousand years with no notable scientific advancement is a bit much, and a very subtle (i.e., blink and you'll miss it) justification is provided in that the [[Powers That Be]] have been carefully orchestrating history in order to set the stage to avert the return of a world-shattering magical Cataclysm. As this imperative wanes, it can be seen in the ''Mage Storms'' trilogy that Valdemar, by far the most progressive nation from a cultural standpoint, has begun to support a cadre of artificers who are rapidly moving toward late Renaissance and even steam technology. Also, apparently, nobody's figured out gunpowder.

* Justified in the novel ''[[Terminal World]]'' by Alastair Reynolds, where the world is divided into technology-limiting "Zones", one of which runs on [[Steampunk]] in which advanced technology often doesn't work. Science is unknown, and no advancements have taken place for almost 5000 years, except for technologies adapted to specific zones. Ricasso, an important character who wishes to understand the world (he notes that they can replicate TVs, flintlock pistols, revolvers, energy-discharge weapons, and [[Cool Train|steam locomotives]] but they really have no idea how they work) pokes fun at this.

* Inverted in R.A. Lafferty's "Slow Tuesday Night", in which brain-enhancements that speed up all decision-making processes have become universal. This accelerates the pace of human activity so drastically that it takes 15 minutes to make and lose a fortune, two minutes to read the hot new (for the hour) [[Doorstopper]], and half an hour (on average) to marry, honeymoon, lose interest and divorce.

* Enforced by laws known simply as Protocol in the ''[[Incarceron]]'' series by Catherine Fisher. It's undoubtedly a [[Crap Saccharine World]], as one character in [[La Résistance]] says about their Era that it condemns their best minds to work only on sterile reproductions of the past. It's excusable in a world where most knowledge was destroyed earlier, but enforced and anti-intellectual? Not right man.

 

== Theater ==

 

 

*** According to the descriptions in the book ''2920, The Last Year of the First Era'' (found in ''Morrowind'' and ''Oblivion''), the technology of that date was pretty much the same as it is in the games. ''Oblivion'' is set at the end of the third era (after its main quest, era 4 begins), which is 1,330 years after the events described in the book, so technology was stagnant for at least 1,330 years, maybe more. Seeing as man and mer only existed for ~7,000 years, this actually makes it worse because it means that they were in stasis for at least 20% of their existance. On the other hand, ''2920'' is fiction, so it might simply be in-universe [[Anachronism Stew]].

** Tamriel has not been politically stagnant, if the backstory is any indication. Every game has dealt with a period after Tiber Septim founded the Cyrodiilic empire, but there have been a lot of things going on before and after that, including invasions, attempts at secession, and literal climate change (Cyrodiil). And then there's Orsinium which, prior to the events that concluded ''Daggerfall'', was frequently destroyed and rebuilt.

** But particularly [[Egregious]] in ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'', where, [[After the End|after 1,000 years after the War of the Magi]], civilization has rediscovered steam engines and "...high technology reigns." However, one [[Fridge Logic|soon realizes]] that 80% of the world is locked in [[Medieval Stasis]] with a Victorian skin, as the only signs of any sort of technology are Narshe (steam and coal), Figaro Castle (but not South Figaro), and the Empire's [[Magitek]]. It's redundant for Setzer to claim that the Falcon is the fastest airship in the world -- {{spoiler|after the Blackjack's destruction,}} it is the ''only'' ship in the world.

*** While it's the only [[Zeppelins From Another World|true Airship]], the Empire also has a rather under-utilized airforce of more advanced craft.

*** The reasons airship technology is no longer possible in the future is because the Moogles (who in Ivalice games are technological pioneers) {{spoiler|[[Player Punch|went extinct. All the other races too]].}}

* Apparently, in the 4,000-ish years {{spoiler|between ''[[Tales of Symphonia (Video Game)|Tales of Symphonia]]'' and}} ''[[Tales of Phantasia (Video Game)|Tales of Phantasia]]'', the technology went from ''[[Magitek|robots]]'' to [[Medieval European Fantasy]]. [[And Man Grew Proud|A great magitek war]] (and the destruction of the civilization of Thor by a meteor) was to blame for it, apparently.

** And the ones who AREN'T affected by the constant mana changes, the desians and renegades, have nicely advanced technology, as well, with the Human Ranches of the former and {{spoiler|rheiards}} of the latter. {{spoiler|Tethe'alla, having been the dominant one for some time, also has more advanced technology to a point, though not quite on par with the Desians.}}

* The ''[[Legacy of Kain]]'' games jump around by millennia, but always stay firmly stuck in vague middle ages with very little technology thrown in. However, the world of Nosgoth is in a permanent state of biological and spiritual decay, so advancement might be hampered.

 

== Webcomics ==

* In ''[http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/floyd/floydwelcome.html Floyd]'' by Aaron Williams, at one point "ten thousand years" are mentioned, with an even ''longer'' history prior. This is longer, in the real world, than written history has actually existed (though this may be an [[After the End]] situation as well).

* ''[[Nodwick]]'' also suggests that a time travelers mistake knocked society back to a medievel level from which it never recovered, magic is there but used by very few, which contributes to the problem.