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The Edict
"All citizens stand by. This is an edict from WorldGov. In the interest of balancing the population, and preserving the food supply, the birth of any baby is forbidden for the next thirty years. Any man and woman who conceive and have a child during that period will be put to death by the State. Any child conceived will be considered an outlaw child, and will also be liquidated. There will be constant surveillance by StatePol and a large reward in extra calories for any citizen who reports the presence of an outlaw child. That is all."
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 9, 2020
-Mucho tópico, algún momento curioso, tonos liberales en unas cosas y tonos reaccionarios en otras.-
Género. Ciencia ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Edicto siglo XXI (publicación original: The Edict, 1971) nos permite asistir a la decisión del gobierno mundial, que trata de hacer frente a la superpoblación, la carestía de alimentos y la longevidad de los ciudadanos de la Tierra, que consiste en prohibir el nacimiento de niños durante los próximos treinta años, bajo pena de muerte y sin ninguna clase de excepciones (salvo los concebidos antes del edicto). Conoceremos, unos años después, a dos parejas de amigos y vecinos que afrontan a su manera las implicaciones del edicto, de la sociedad transformada y de los recursos suministrados para ello por el gobierno mundial.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
Género. Ciencia ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Edicto siglo XXI (publicación original: The Edict, 1971) nos permite asistir a la decisión del gobierno mundial, que trata de hacer frente a la superpoblación, la carestía de alimentos y la longevidad de los ciudadanos de la Tierra, que consiste en prohibir el nacimiento de niños durante los próximos treinta años, bajo pena de muerte y sin ninguna clase de excepciones (salvo los concebidos antes del edicto). Conoceremos, unos años después, a dos parejas de amigos y vecinos que afrontan a su manera las implicaciones del edicto, de la sociedad transformada y de los recursos suministrados para ello por el gobierno mundial.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
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August 11, 2010Check out this review at Smash Attack Reads! http://smashattackreads.blogspot.com/...
Synopsis (from book jacket):
The Edict is a novel of heart-stopping suspense and brilliant imagination that conjures up an all-too-believable future – a time when the uncontrolled growth of the human population has pushed the world to the brink of total disaster.
The earth’s resources have been strained to the utmost, and in many parts of the world open cannibalism and food riots are commonplace. Seeking a solution to the crisis, the leaders of the WorldGov meet in emergency session. Their computers spin through billions of facts, and the reports are more than disquieting – they are chilling. Further growth of the population is unthinkable, and the leaders finally settle on the only possible solutions, which is soon announced by the World Gov satellite.
“All citizens stand by,” it intones. “This is an edict from WorldGov. In the interest of balancing the population, and preserving the food supply, the birth of any baby is forbidden for the next thirty years. Any man and woman who conceive and have a child during that period will be put to death by the State. Any child conceived will be considered an outlaw child, and will also be liquidated. There will be constant surveillance by StatePol and a large reward in extra calories for any citizen who reports the presence of an outlaw child. That is all.”
To give the world some semblance of normalcy, realistic mechanical babies are devised to pacify the maternal instincts of 10 billion women. But to Carole Evans, the very idea of accepting one of the robot infants is abhorrent. She wants and needs a real child, and this slowly becomes an obsession…
Let me set the tone: I don’t think we ever know the year when this story takes place. However, the technology is far more advanced than what we presently have. Regardless, the world has become one big shithole, to put it mildly. There was a major pollution and food crisis. People live on top of one another in the pockets of the world that are safe from radiation. Life expectancy has reached 150 due to cures for cancer, disease and the like, and births are rampant. All flora and fauna are extinct (except for special museums) and people pretty much live off plankton and algae. I think the typical calorie ration is about 650 calories per day, and it fluctuates. There is a major announcement made at 11 PM every night as to the calorie ration for the next day. Machines and robots have replaced most jobs, so WorldGov created opportunities for people to do something, like move bricks back and forth on a sidewalk, so they feel important and don’t go insane with boredom. Suicides happen regularly and WorldGov makes it very easy for the older population to off themselves by providing a euthanasia of sorts. The less mouths to feed, the better, right? Marriage has disappeared because the main reason for its existence has been lost. People still have steady partners, but sex knows no boundaries in this world and the meaning of swingers is put to an entirely new use.
And thus, the setting for a very interesting look into the human psyche and how we handle prohibition of a basic human right and a biological need.
In order for this scenario to work, they’ve brainwashed women into thinking these life-like robot children are real. Carole tied to make this situation work for her, but she is absolutely horrified at the thought of having a robot for a child. She needs to have a baby, a real baby. She lures Russ into the decision, and the rest of the story is a suspenseful ride as the constant threat of discovery hangs over their heads. The end will produce a tear or 2, but I’ll let you decide if it’s happy or sad ones.
This world in The Edict is pretty damn sad, but there is a silver lining through the smog. It’s an engrossing dystopian plot that challenges the reader to think about how they would feel in Carole and Russ’ situation…how it would feel to have the most important and primal human right…eliminated. I first read this book about 15 years ago. My mother introduced me to it and we loved to sit around and talk about it. I bought the book for my husband for his birthday last year and I decided to pick it up again. I am glad that I did. It is still as good as I remember. This book is out of print, but you can likely find a copy in your library, or a cheap used copy online.
Synopsis (from book jacket):
The Edict is a novel of heart-stopping suspense and brilliant imagination that conjures up an all-too-believable future – a time when the uncontrolled growth of the human population has pushed the world to the brink of total disaster.
The earth’s resources have been strained to the utmost, and in many parts of the world open cannibalism and food riots are commonplace. Seeking a solution to the crisis, the leaders of the WorldGov meet in emergency session. Their computers spin through billions of facts, and the reports are more than disquieting – they are chilling. Further growth of the population is unthinkable, and the leaders finally settle on the only possible solutions, which is soon announced by the World Gov satellite.
“All citizens stand by,” it intones. “This is an edict from WorldGov. In the interest of balancing the population, and preserving the food supply, the birth of any baby is forbidden for the next thirty years. Any man and woman who conceive and have a child during that period will be put to death by the State. Any child conceived will be considered an outlaw child, and will also be liquidated. There will be constant surveillance by StatePol and a large reward in extra calories for any citizen who reports the presence of an outlaw child. That is all.”
To give the world some semblance of normalcy, realistic mechanical babies are devised to pacify the maternal instincts of 10 billion women. But to Carole Evans, the very idea of accepting one of the robot infants is abhorrent. She wants and needs a real child, and this slowly becomes an obsession…
Let me set the tone: I don’t think we ever know the year when this story takes place. However, the technology is far more advanced than what we presently have. Regardless, the world has become one big shithole, to put it mildly. There was a major pollution and food crisis. People live on top of one another in the pockets of the world that are safe from radiation. Life expectancy has reached 150 due to cures for cancer, disease and the like, and births are rampant. All flora and fauna are extinct (except for special museums) and people pretty much live off plankton and algae. I think the typical calorie ration is about 650 calories per day, and it fluctuates. There is a major announcement made at 11 PM every night as to the calorie ration for the next day. Machines and robots have replaced most jobs, so WorldGov created opportunities for people to do something, like move bricks back and forth on a sidewalk, so they feel important and don’t go insane with boredom. Suicides happen regularly and WorldGov makes it very easy for the older population to off themselves by providing a euthanasia of sorts. The less mouths to feed, the better, right? Marriage has disappeared because the main reason for its existence has been lost. People still have steady partners, but sex knows no boundaries in this world and the meaning of swingers is put to an entirely new use.
And thus, the setting for a very interesting look into the human psyche and how we handle prohibition of a basic human right and a biological need.
In order for this scenario to work, they’ve brainwashed women into thinking these life-like robot children are real. Carole tied to make this situation work for her, but she is absolutely horrified at the thought of having a robot for a child. She needs to have a baby, a real baby. She lures Russ into the decision, and the rest of the story is a suspenseful ride as the constant threat of discovery hangs over their heads. The end will produce a tear or 2, but I’ll let you decide if it’s happy or sad ones.
This world in The Edict is pretty damn sad, but there is a silver lining through the smog. It’s an engrossing dystopian plot that challenges the reader to think about how they would feel in Carole and Russ’ situation…how it would feel to have the most important and primal human right…eliminated. I first read this book about 15 years ago. My mother introduced me to it and we loved to sit around and talk about it. I bought the book for my husband for his birthday last year and I decided to pick it up again. I am glad that I did. It is still as good as I remember. This book is out of print, but you can likely find a copy in your library, or a cheap used copy online.
May 8, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. It definitely has the dated feel of its time, but still manages to combine a genuinely creepy idea with some surprisingly nuanced characters. Libertarians only wish Rand's novels were as well-written and thrilling as this book.
abandoned
July 1, 2018"I want a baby."
"The earth is overpopulated. Standing room only. People are literally starving because we've outbred our capacity for food production. You can't have a baby. Nobody can have a baby."
"But I want a baby."
"No. Here, have a robot baby like everyone else if you want one that bad."
"Fuck you and the planet and your oppressive laws attempting to alleviate the suffering of all mankind, imma pretend I'm on birth control and secretly get pregnant without my husband's knowledge or consent even though it means the death penalty for him too if I get caught because it's my biological need as a woman! I WANT a baby!"
"The earth is overpopulated. Standing room only. People are literally starving because we've outbred our capacity for food production. You can't have a baby. Nobody can have a baby."
"But I want a baby."
"No. Here, have a robot baby like everyone else if you want one that bad."
"Fuck you and the planet and your oppressive laws attempting to alleviate the suffering of all mankind, imma pretend I'm on birth control and secretly get pregnant without my husband's knowledge or consent even though it means the death penalty for him too if I get caught because it's my biological need as a woman! I WANT a baby!"
January 6, 2018
I bought this book because I thought that it was the basis for the movie, "Z.P.G.: Zero Population Growth". Actually, it's the reverse; this book was written based upon the script of the movie and the movie itself. If you want the fear of G-d put into you about overpopulation, watch the actual film, "Z.P.G.: Zero Population Growth". This derivative novel puts its source to shame; it's that bad. The film appropriately scares the living daylights out of you, but this book just plods along. Unless you actually find it for free in a library somewhere, or you can borrow from someone, skip it.
March 14, 2014
Dropped it half way through. Authors who use the overpopulated planet setup seem to always cover the same ground, starvation (coupled with mysterious processed food items) and criminalized child birth. These are obvious extrapolations and grounds for unexciting reading. There are some interesting and dark psychological moments here and there, but overall the prose is amateurish and the plotting stagnant.
May 14, 2018
“Edicto Siglo XXI” es una de esas novelas de ciencia ficción clásica con una importante carga de crítica política y social (fué publicada originalmente en 1972), cercana a otras novelas como “1984” (George Orwell, 1950), “¡Hagan sitio! ¡Hagan sitio!" (Harry Harrison, 1966), “Fahrenheit 451” (Ray Bradbury, 1953) o “Un mundo feliz” (Aldous Huxley, 1932) donde los autores escogen una ficción cercana y realista, convirtiendo la hipótsesis del futuro en un escenario que al lector le parece casi presente (o un presente cercano). Aquí el conflicto deviene de la superpoblación, en el momento en que los (nuevos) gobiernos globales dictan un edicto donde prohiben el nacimiento de nuevos niños durante los siguientes treinta años.
Lo curioso de la propuesta de Max Ehrlich es que no se limita a usar esta premisa como excusa para construir un thriller futurístico (donde la rebelión individual es el leitmotiv) sino que, de forma satélite nos lanza otras interesantes ideas entre las que se cuentan el caso de utilizar las calorías que consumimos a modo de moneda, la imposición del amor libre, la venta de robots-bebé para suplir las carencias emocionales de las mujeres a las que se les niega la maternidad, que los avances médicos hagan que la esperanza de vida se alargue más allá de los cien años (de ahí la superpoblación) o la muerte programada como una fiesta final y voluntaria. Todas esas ideas son propias de la novela social más que de la ciencia ficción, de ahí que la novela se convierta en una interesante ficción sobre el lugar hacia el que nos encaminamos como sociedad, o donde el autor, en 1972, creía que íbamos.
El estilo de “Edicto Siglo XXI” es el propio de la novela de la época, no es gran literatura sino literatura funciona obviando descripciones o emociones innecesarias, convirtiendo la novela en algo fácil de leer (apenas trescientas páginas). Puede que a algunos les parezca que tanto el estilo como el contenido de esta novela huela a “antiguo” y quizás sea así, pero casi toda la novela de ciencia ficción envejece bastante mal, sobre todo cuando la completas con multitud de detalles tecnológicos que has imaginado que sucederán pero que, a los pocos años, ya son caducos. De todas formas, como ejercicio de nostalgia, también de reflexión, podemos asegurar que esta serie B de las novelas de ciencia ficción social funciona perfectamente, tiene personalidad y los tiempos están bien medidos.
En 1972 se adaptó esta novela al cine con irregulares resultados. Por un lado, el guion era una adaptación ejemplar de la obra de Max Ehrlich pero por otro lado a principios de los setenta la tecnología cinematográfica no disponía de los medios necesarios para trasladar una historia tan compleja al terreno visual. Además, la dirección y el diseño de producción son desastrosos. Podéis encontrar la película en varias plataformas de video de Internet bajo el título de “Edicto Siglo XXI, prohibido tener hijos”.
Lo curioso de la propuesta de Max Ehrlich es que no se limita a usar esta premisa como excusa para construir un thriller futurístico (donde la rebelión individual es el leitmotiv) sino que, de forma satélite nos lanza otras interesantes ideas entre las que se cuentan el caso de utilizar las calorías que consumimos a modo de moneda, la imposición del amor libre, la venta de robots-bebé para suplir las carencias emocionales de las mujeres a las que se les niega la maternidad, que los avances médicos hagan que la esperanza de vida se alargue más allá de los cien años (de ahí la superpoblación) o la muerte programada como una fiesta final y voluntaria. Todas esas ideas son propias de la novela social más que de la ciencia ficción, de ahí que la novela se convierta en una interesante ficción sobre el lugar hacia el que nos encaminamos como sociedad, o donde el autor, en 1972, creía que íbamos.
El estilo de “Edicto Siglo XXI” es el propio de la novela de la época, no es gran literatura sino literatura funciona obviando descripciones o emociones innecesarias, convirtiendo la novela en algo fácil de leer (apenas trescientas páginas). Puede que a algunos les parezca que tanto el estilo como el contenido de esta novela huela a “antiguo” y quizás sea así, pero casi toda la novela de ciencia ficción envejece bastante mal, sobre todo cuando la completas con multitud de detalles tecnológicos que has imaginado que sucederán pero que, a los pocos años, ya son caducos. De todas formas, como ejercicio de nostalgia, también de reflexión, podemos asegurar que esta serie B de las novelas de ciencia ficción social funciona perfectamente, tiene personalidad y los tiempos están bien medidos.
En 1972 se adaptó esta novela al cine con irregulares resultados. Por un lado, el guion era una adaptación ejemplar de la obra de Max Ehrlich pero por otro lado a principios de los setenta la tecnología cinematográfica no disponía de los medios necesarios para trasladar una historia tan compleja al terreno visual. Además, la dirección y el diseño de producción son desastrosos. Podéis encontrar la película en varias plataformas de video de Internet bajo el título de “Edicto Siglo XXI, prohibido tener hijos”.
June 21, 2020
El libro tiene escritura sencilla y agil, al inicio cuando va mostrando el sistema de gobierno, de cómo se comportan las personas y demás aspectos del futuro, es desarrollado de manera interesante y muy entretenida.
En lo personal, no me gustó cómo fue desarrollado el personaje de Carol, al inicio se le doto de bastantes cualidades y de energía , pero en la mitad se volvió totalmente insoportable..., y ya para el final es prácticamente irrelevante.
El desenlace es inesperado, y es entendible el deseo de libertad y de vivir que tenían los personajes , pero me deja el mal sabor de boca por el egoísmo con que actuaron.
En lo personal, no me gustó cómo fue desarrollado el personaje de Carol, al inicio se le doto de bastantes cualidades y de energía , pero en la mitad se volvió totalmente insoportable..., y ya para el final es prácticamente irrelevante.
El desenlace es inesperado, y es entendible el deseo de libertad y de vivir que tenían los personajes , pero me deja el mal sabor de boca por el egoísmo con que actuaron.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2020
Max Ehrlich nunca tuvo el don de adivinar el futuro con meridiana nítidez; pero sí de hacernos reflexionar de todos los caminos que nos pueden consucir a uno o a otro.
Leer su obra es estar dispuesto a analizar tanto el Mundo que te rodea como tu papel en él que, por insignificante que sea, te hará comprender si eres complice, constructor o rebelde de las realidades que te tocan vivir.
Leer su obra es estar dispuesto a analizar tanto el Mundo que te rodea como tu papel en él que, por insignificante que sea, te hará comprender si eres complice, constructor o rebelde de las realidades que te tocan vivir.
December 16, 2018
Extreme overpopulation in the world depicted in this book adapted (from a play) leads to a moratorium on having children.Written in the 1970's it compares favorably with P.D.James Children of Men or Harry Harrison's Make Room! Make Room!
July 6, 2020
Una distopía que nadie queremos vivir, un mundo no muy lejano...
September 5, 2022
A good overpopulation dystopia. I enjoyed this quite a lot, and I found some of the observations rather prescient for the early 70’s.
September 5, 2022
Me gustó muchísimo
July 30, 2024
Onvervalste SF uit mijn jeugd! Heerlijk om te herlezen. Om weer te constateren dat zoveel van toen nu helaas terug te zien in de maatschappij. Ik hoop dat we nooit 150 hoeven te worden.
September 29, 2025
I see the appeal but to me it was too much baby talk and I am not quite in that stage of life yet. Interesting book but not my favorite. Besides I don't like sci-fi.
November 1, 2025
Buena premisa, buena trama, ejecución extraña. I kind of liked it but at the same time I didn't.
March 15, 2016
I picked this up because of the author. I usually do not like dystopian future novels which seems to be its own genre now. There was a note at the beginning of the book stating that it was based on the screenplay for ZPG (Zero Population Growth) written by the author and fellow author Frank Defelitta (writer of Audrey Rose, Entity, Golgotha Falls).
I read the book and watched the movie a few days later. It is definitely not a "tie in" in the traditional sense. The movie was, by far, a travesty. There was so much potential from the source material and it is a film that is dire need for a reboot. That being said, the book was great.
In all dystopian books, we have irrevocably screwed up our planet, and there is a drastic measure taken to either help, change, or stave off inevitability. Here the plot is to put a moratorium on procreation. Having a baby is a crime, and the punishment is death. Food is scarce, resources almost non-existent, and the population has grown to a critical mass. There is only one thing to do...
Interesting premise as well as thought provoking. The explanations for why things are the pay they are are somewhat plausible and we still seem to be heading in the direction of doom, so to speak. The ending is not what I would have expected and can open up a whole new world if it was fleshed out. I enjoyed this book and its views and theories. This is a solid writer.
I read the book and watched the movie a few days later. It is definitely not a "tie in" in the traditional sense. The movie was, by far, a travesty. There was so much potential from the source material and it is a film that is dire need for a reboot. That being said, the book was great.
In all dystopian books, we have irrevocably screwed up our planet, and there is a drastic measure taken to either help, change, or stave off inevitability. Here the plot is to put a moratorium on procreation. Having a baby is a crime, and the punishment is death. Food is scarce, resources almost non-existent, and the population has grown to a critical mass. There is only one thing to do...
Interesting premise as well as thought provoking. The explanations for why things are the pay they are are somewhat plausible and we still seem to be heading in the direction of doom, so to speak. The ending is not what I would have expected and can open up a whole new world if it was fleshed out. I enjoyed this book and its views and theories. This is a solid writer.
December 11, 2025
(25 September, 2025)
A very sensible, and increasingly more likely, edict has the whole world in a tizzy. Despite the shortage of food, Ehrlich makes world population control a bad thing for some reason. Carole and Russ, who are impossibly selfish and think nothing of the state of affairs, want a baby. If they get caught it means death to them and their little extra mouth to feed . That's the gist of it, hooray (I guess).
Even as one might excuse it for being written in 1971, this is extremely sexist: all women want a baby, all men don't care - sure, yep, totally fucking reasonable! All that pales in comparison to Edna: she is in a position of power and keeps two sex slaves (one of which is her husband), forcing them to sleep with her whenever and wherever she wants.
A good premise, poorly rendered, with very little commentary on society as a whole. A few quick scribbles on how they got there in the set-up and then... nothing.
A very sensible, and increasingly more likely, edict has the whole world in a tizzy. Despite the shortage of food, Ehrlich makes world population control a bad thing for some reason. Carole and Russ, who are impossibly selfish and think nothing of the state of affairs, want a baby. If they get caught it means death to them and their little extra mouth to feed . That's the gist of it, hooray (I guess).
Even as one might excuse it for being written in 1971, this is extremely sexist: all women want a baby, all men don't care - sure, yep, totally fucking reasonable! All that pales in comparison to Edna: she is in a position of power and keeps two sex slaves (one of which is her husband), forcing them to sleep with her whenever and wherever she wants.
A good premise, poorly rendered, with very little commentary on society as a whole. A few quick scribbles on how they got there in the set-up and then... nothing.
March 7, 2016
Me agradó bastante leer una distopia que no acabará en sangre y vacío, vamos, que es uno de esos libros con una conciencia interesante acerca de la contaminación pero al mismo tiempo, es un breve amigo que te acompaña hasta que lo acabas de conocer.
Este libro lo leí en el transporte publico y cuando lo termine, sentí ganas de seguir sumergida en la historia pero al mismo tiempo, no le encontraba sentido a imaginarme algo después del final porque con ese final quede satisfecha y decir eso de una distopia no es cualquier cosa.
La trama de la historia es fácil de asimilar porque el ambiente que vive la pareja protagonista es algo típico en las relaciones destructivas de hoy en día, es decir, ¿hasta que punto serías capaz de arriesgar tu propia integridad con tal de liberarte de la culpa que te impone tu pareja por años?
Este libro lo leí en el transporte publico y cuando lo termine, sentí ganas de seguir sumergida en la historia pero al mismo tiempo, no le encontraba sentido a imaginarme algo después del final porque con ese final quede satisfecha y decir eso de una distopia no es cualquier cosa.
La trama de la historia es fácil de asimilar porque el ambiente que vive la pareja protagonista es algo típico en las relaciones destructivas de hoy en día, es decir, ¿hasta que punto serías capaz de arriesgar tu propia integridad con tal de liberarte de la culpa que te impone tu pareja por años?
February 24, 2021
Quedé impactada, es el primer libro distópico que leí.
Un futuro en el que la vida se ha vuelto difícil para todos y las leyes son radicales. Las pocas ciudades habitables tienen sobre-población, el espacio para vivir es muy reducido, las especies animales y vegetales quedaron extintas. Para evitar la “locura” en quienes desean un hijo, se crean robots de varias edades que son enviados con las familias. La verdadera aventura empieza cuando una pareja decide romper las reglas.
Un futuro en el que la vida se ha vuelto difícil para todos y las leyes son radicales. Las pocas ciudades habitables tienen sobre-población, el espacio para vivir es muy reducido, las especies animales y vegetales quedaron extintas. Para evitar la “locura” en quienes desean un hijo, se crean robots de varias edades que son enviados con las familias. La verdadera aventura empieza cuando una pareja decide romper las reglas.
July 3, 2012
One of the best distopian stories I've ever read.
Terryfing and nauseating in its simplicity. It has that "aged" feel and some of the sci-fi elements are laughable, but for the most part, it's a great story with compelling characters.
Terryfing and nauseating in its simplicity. It has that "aged" feel and some of the sci-fi elements are laughable, but for the most part, it's a great story with compelling characters.
February 4, 2017
One of the oldest & most beloved books in my collection. I remember being a pre-teen & visualizing the story in my head as I read this book. So memorable to me, I can still see my imagination of this book in my head. Recommend highly.
November 12, 2008
Science fiction. Not believable, seemed simplistic.
November 22, 2015
I could actually see our world coming to this. Food will become just as scarce as farm land.
February 1, 2023
A pleasurable read.
Great dystopian imagery.
Great dystopian imagery.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews