Я, Робот
The Evitable Conflict
DoesCapitalCitylookasifthehumanracewererunningoutofinitiative?"
AndCapitalCitystretchedoutingoldengloryunderagoldensun,-thenewestandyoungestcreationofHomometropolis.
TheEuropeanRegion
a-Area:4,000,000squaremiles
b-Population:300,000,000
c-Capital:Geneva
TheEuropeanRegionwasananomalyinseveralways.Inarea,itwasfarthesmallest;notonefifththesizeoftheTropicRegioninarea,andnotonefifththesizeoftheEasternRegioninpopulation.Geographically,itwasonlysomewhatsimilartopre-AtomicEurope,sinceitexcludedwhathadoncebeenEuropeanRussiaandwhathadoncebeentheBritishIsles,whileitincludedtheMediterraneancoastsofAfricaandAsia,and,inaqueerjumpacrosstheAtlantic,Argentina,Chile,andUruguayaswell.
Norwasitlikelytoimproveitsrelativestatusvis-a-vistheotherregionsofEarth,exceptforwhatvigortheSouthAmericanprovinceslentit.OfalltheRegions,italoneshowedapositivepopulationdeclineoverthepasthalfcentury.Italonehadnotseriouslyexpandeditsproductivefacilities,orofferedanythingradicallynewtohumanculture.
"Europe,"saidMadameSzegeczowska,inhersoftFrench,"isessentiallyaneconomicappendageoftheNorthernRegion.Weknowit,anditdoesn’tmatter."
Andasthoughinresignedacceptanceofalackofindividuality,therewasnomapofEuropeonthewalloftheMadameCo-ordinator’soffice.
"Andyet,"pointedoutByerley,"youhaveaMachineofyourown,andyouarecertainlyundernoeconomicpressurefromacrosstheocean."
