Trulag
Trulag (Трулаг) is a term invented for the sci-fi utopia "Tartaria".
The description below is prepared to avoid contradictions between different parts (“spoilers”) of this utopia. These parts are intended to assemble into a coherent narrative.
Articles “rulag” and “Constitution of Tartaria” are planned as technical documents. These articles are necessary to avoid confusion in the main narrative.
Plot
Trulag is a national (federal) organization in Tartaria dedicated to the management and adaptation of refugees.
Tartaria accepts all refugees.
Most refugees, upon arrival, are distributed to one of the Trulags for adaptation to life in Tartaria.
The caste system of society
Equality of rights is neither declared nor assumed in Tartaria.
The population is divided into four distinct castes. The administration (Federal Junta, Coordinators, appointed officials, and elected judges) attempts to prevent overlap between them.
1. Citizens of Tartaria
This is the highest and most respected caste.
Citizenship is granted by a court decision, usually as a formal procedure.
A necessary and sufficient condition is the expectation that the person:
- will obey Tartarian laws
- will follow local customs
Typically required:
- knowledge of Basic English
- at least one useful skill or profession
Often, a candidate must previously be the property of a citizen.
Citizens are divided into:
- taxpayers (participate in referendums and elections of coordinators)
- non-taxpayers (participate only in judicial elections)
2. Residents, guests, visitors
A resident is a person who has a source of income in Tartaria but does not have citizenship.
A guest is a person invited by a resident or citizen who supports their stay.
A visitor is a person with external income who pays their own expenses.
They do not participate in elections.
3. Refugees
A refugee is a person who:
- has not violated Tartarian law
- wants to stay
- has no income
Refugees form the main population of Trulags.
4. Property (slaves, zeks)
Humans can be property in Tartaria.
This includes:
- criminals (by court decision)
- children (before citizenship)
- individuals who sell their freedom
Ownership may requires license (except for a mother and her baby).
Mistreatment is punished not to defend the slave, but to protect society from unrest.
Put in
To enter a Trulag, a refugee must declare willingness to follow Tartarian laws and customs.
Also eligible:
- unemployed citizens (citizenship becomes “suspended”)
- released prisoners without employment
Disabled persons may also be placed in Trulags.
Total monitoring
There is no privacy in Tartaria.
Cameras are installed everywhere, including homes and toilets.
Everyone carries a transmitting device.
All the records are stored in national and federal libraries and are publicly accessible.
Monitoring is especially strict in Trulags and even stricter in prisons.
Limited freedom
Refugees may leave Trulag only with special permission.
Permission is granted if the administration believes the refugee understands the law.
Living conditions
Trulags operate at zero profitability.
Living conditions are minimal due to low productivity of unskilled labor.
Temperature is maintained between 25°C and 35°C so that clothing is not required.
Personal clothing is not maintained, but work clothing is provided when necessary.
Air quality is maintained.
Each refugee has about one cubic meter of personal space.
Conditions depend on performance:
- poor work → overcrowded spaces
- good work → improved accommodation
Food: No dietary accommodations are provided. If a refugee refuses food, they remain hungry.
Cannibalism is not prohibited under certain non-violent conditions.
Staff eat the same food as refugees.
Smoking and drugs are strictly prohibited.
Sharashka
New refugees are placed in mixed groups:
- different languages
- different religions
- different cultures
- different genders
- different ages
Ideally, even two refugees with the same native language other than English are not supposed to happen in the same group.
Purpose:
- enforce adaptation
- prevent group isolation
They perform various types of labor:
- cleanup
- agriculture
- construction
- repair of machinery
- basic programming
Often, refugees perform work that could be automated.
Education
All refugees must learn:
- Basic English
- mathematics
- Tartarian law
- history
They must also master at least one profession.
Most of their time is spent on work and study.
Put out
A refugee may:
- leave Tartaria voluntarily
- apply for employment (it is default)
- become a resident after a probation period
The normal path is:
Refugee → Resident → Citizen
Discipline
Lying and misinformation are treated as fraud.
The system prevents hazing and informal hierarchies.
Staff are armed and trained to suppress unrest immediately.
Cruelty
Hazardous work (such as radioactive cleanup) exists.
Preference is given to using slaves or convicts rather than refugees.
Refugees are considered valuable as future citizens.
Attribution
This article was edited with assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI), 2026.
References
Keywords
«Constitution of Tartaria», «Tartaria», «Tartaria Guide for Newcomers», «Trulag»,