"Of these five men one is a sentar (biologist), one an ambad
(psychologist), one a kalto (chemist), one a kantum (physicist),
and one a korgan (soldier). This quintumvirate is called Sanjong
(literally, five-king), and the fitness of its members to serve is
determined by examinations similar to that which was given you. These
examinations are held every two years. Any citizen may take them; any
citizen may become one of the Sanjong. It is the highest honor to which
a citizen of Havatoo may win, and he may only achieve it through actual
merit."
"And these men make the laws and administer justice," I remarked.
* * * * *
Ero Shan shook his head. "There are no laws in Havatoo," he replied.
"During the many generations since Mankar we have bred a race of
rational people who know the difference between right and wrong, and
for such no rules of behavior are necessary. The Sanjong merely guides."
"Do you have any difficulty in finding the proper men to form the
Sanjong?" I asked.
"None whatever. There are thousands of men in Havatoo capable of
serving with honor and distinction. There is a tendency to breed
Sanjongs among five of the six classes into which the people of Havatoo
are naturally divided.
"When you become more familiar with the city you will discover that
the semicircular area facing the Central Laboratories is divided into
five sections. The section next to the river and above the Central
Laboratories is called Kantum. Here reside the physicists. There are
no caste distinctions between the physicists and any of the other five
classes, but because they all live in the same district and because
their interests are alike there is a greater tendency for them to
associate with one another than with members of other classes. The
result is that they more often mate with their own kind--the laws
of heredity do the rest, and the breed of physicists in Havatoo is
constantly improving.
"The next district is Kalto; here live the chemists. The center
district is Korgan, the district in which I dwell. It is reserved
for the warrior class. Next comes Ambad, the section where the
psychologists live; and, last, Sentar, for the biologists, lies along
the water front and down the river from the Central Laboratories.
"Havatoo is laid out like the half of a wagon wheel, with the Central
Laboratories at the hub. The main sections of the city are bounded by
four concentric semicircles. Inside the first is the civic center,
where the Central Laboratories are situated; this I have called the
hub. Between this and the next semicircle lie the five sub districts
I have just described. Between this and the third semicircle lies the
largest district, called Yorgan; here dwell the common people. And in
the fourth section, a narrow strip just inside the outer wall, are the
shops, markets, and factories."
"It is all most interesting," I said, "and to me the most interesting
part of it is that the city is governed without laws."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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