Society

Abstractly, the NCR represents progress; while disorganized wastelanders and tribes rely on subsistence farming and face hardship in their daily lives, citizens of the NCR gained access to what's essentially wasteland luxuries: A steady economy, healthcare, laws and organized government, not to mention the largest military. At its peak, every citizen of the Republic had a decent chance at living a life that's more than just survival. The sheer size of the Republic also resulted in a very diverse population, from affluent merchants and highly educated inhabitants of NCR's urban centers, through hardy soldiers and settlers expanding its borders, to farmers and ranchers responsible for its economic might.

That economic power was one of the key factors in the transformation of society between 2241 and 2281. As survival ceased being a major concern for the vast majority of NCR citizens, the problem of collective welfare has been largely superseded by concerns about individual prosperity. People providing services free of charge are now rarities, with skilled workers routinely charging for their services, from tailors to surgeons. Moreover, after over 80 years of scavenging, the wastelands of New California have been largely picked clean of salvageable goods. NCR citizens who can still make a living exclusively by scavenging and hunting are an uncommon sight. The combination of these cultural and economic factors led to the rebirth of wage labor; most citizens have to seek an employer at a mill, factory or farm and work to earn their keep and earn money necessary to survive. These jobs may be easy to find in one of the many mills and farms in New California, but citizens seeking to start their own farms or businesses may face challenges due to unequal market power and outsized influence of large competitors.

The citizens themselves held a variety of opinions on these developments. While many praised the economic strength hammered out in the furnaces of the wasteland, many others decried the loss of communal spirit. Some even cursed the selfishness of other citizens, usually while pursuing goals just as selfish. One thing was common, the belief that opportunity has largely dried up at home and real fortunes awaited further east. This became an objective fact after the destruction of Shady Sands, which forced the NCR to retreat from New California, with the heartland becoming once more a lawless expanse, and even the coveted Black Armor of the NCR veteran Rangers became just part of a salvager's equipment. However, the dream of the NCR remained alive, especially in the minds of the youngest New Californians, who desired more than just digging through the dirt.

Founded on principles of freedom and liberty, the Republic has been putting these into practice over the years. The most important achievement was the banning of slavery in NCR territories, thanks to concerted efforts of influential politicians and the Rangers. One exception was penal labor, which remained on the books and undermined this grand achievement.