History Literature / JenniferGovernment

Often compared with the {{dystopia}} novel ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''Jennifer Government'' explores the opposite premise - a dystopia wherein the state has ''too little'' power, [[NotSoDifferent allowing the unchecked abuse of power by non-state actors]]. Taxation was abolished long ago, which one character points to as the beginning of serious problems since it removed people from any sort of investment in the larger society, and almost all government services (including law enforcement and road repair) have been privatized[[note]] The usual first-world percentage of GDP tied up in government taxation and spending is 40-60%, the bulk of this going towards education and keeping citizens alive and well. Pre-modern/liberal/libertarian states which spent on the level of the USA in the book, such as the real-life USA in 1850 or Qing and Republican China, never mobilised more than 4% of GDP outside wartime. Such states sometimes find themselves ''unable'' to tax more money even when they want to and so have to resort to making/'printing' money even in peacetime. [[/note]] The Government only has the power to investigate crimes against private property and life, and only the funding to help those who can pay.

* AlliterativeName: Pearson Police

** On the positive side, Buy [[spoiler:gets a meaningful life with Jennifer, having struggled in doing the right thing throughout the book]].

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* ClassicalAntiHero: Hack, a likeable loser with no real place in the corporate world in which he lives.

[[quoteright:280:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/JenniferGovernmentBookCover_6582.JPG]]

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/JenniferGovernmentBookCover_6582.JPG

Often compared with the {{dystopia}} novel ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''Jennifer Government'' explores the opposite premise - a dystopia wherein the state has ''too little'' power, [[NotSoDifferent allowing the unchecked abuse of power by non-state actors]]. Taxation was abolished long ago, which one character points to as the beginning of serious problems since it removed people from any sort of investment in the larger society, and almost all government services (including law enforcement and road repair) have been privatized[[note]] The usual first-world percentage of GDP tied up in government taxation and spending is 40-60%, the bulk of this going towards education and keeping citizens alive and well. Pre-modern/liberal/libertarian states which spend on the level of the USA in the book, such as the real-life USA in 1850 or Guomindang-era China, never mobilise less than 5% of GDP outside wartime. Such states often resort to constantly making/'printing' money even in peacetime. [[/note]] The Government only has the power to investigate crimes against private property and life, and only the funding to help those who can pay.

* {{Fauxshadowing}}: The second half of the novel was intended to be more action-packed, before focus groups universally decried the change in town. Nonetheless, some unused setup remains - an entire chapter is dedicated to John arranging for the NRA to have artillery set up across LA, but pointed at office buildings. Later, specific reference is made to such weapons being pointed at Reebok, a TA company. Ultimately, only one missile ever goes off and it doesn't appear to be connected to any of this.

* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:John Nike gets killed in the end by the sharp Nike swoosh handles on the doors.]]

* SexForSolace: Buy blames himself for the death of the girl who was killed for the shoes that he helped her buy. He goes out [[DrowningMySorrows to try and wash away the guilt]], and winds up going home with Sandy John-Hancock. The next day he recognizes that he will probably never call her again, which is a pity since she actually seemed rather nice, and he later hooks up with Jennifer herself.

* HighTimesFuture: Drugs have been legalized and you can get them at the supermarkets.

The story begins when CorruptCorporateExecutive John Nike signs employee Hack Nike up for a new guerilla marketing scheme, [[MurderIsTheBestSolution killing a dozen customers that buy the latest model of their shoes]] to raise street cred. After Hack outsources the kill to NRA via [[LawEnforcementInc the privatised police]], the Government gets involved. The investigation is led by Jennifer Government, a single mother / secret agent who seems to have a personal stake in solving the case. Another story thread follows Hack's self-employed girlfriend, Violet (later Violet [=ExxonMobil=]) getting caught up in the war between US Alliance and Team Advantage, two "Customer Loyalty" programs that are effectively competing with each other and the government for control of the nation, and Hack getting involved with a group of anti-capitalist activists.

* Fauxshadowing: The second half of the novel was intended to be more action-packed, before focus groups universally decried the change in town. Nonetheless, some unused setup remains - an entire chapter is dedicated to John arranging for the NRA to have artillery set up across LA, but pointed at office buildings. Later, specific reference is made to such weapons being pointed at Reebok, a TA company. Ultimately, only one missile ever goes off and it doesn't appear to be connected to any of this.

* GroinAttack

* Jerkass: Both Johns, Violet, Holly, and many minor characters.

''Jennifer Government'' is a 2003 novel by Max Barry, a [[{{Dystopia}} Dystopic]] tale of a corporate run world. Set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, the United States has become a globe-spanning corporate empire including the western hemisphere (except Cuba), the British Isles, South Africa, India, Japan and Australia, a recent acquisition where most of the book takes place. A map provided in the book identifies some countries as "affiliates" and others as "socialist" and "fragmented markets." Taxation is a thing of the past, people take the surnames of their employer company, and business is basically above the law since so few laws remain.

Often compared with the {{dystopia}} novel ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''Jennifer Government'' flips the basic premise on its head by looking at a world where the state has too ''little'' power. Taxation was abolished long ago, which one character points to as the beginning of serious problems since it removed people from any sort of investment in the larger society, and almost all government services (including law enforcement and road repair) have been privatized. The Government only has the power to investigate crimes against private property and life, and only the funding to help those who can pay.

''JenniferGovernment'' is a 2003 novel by Max Barry, a [[{{Dystopia}} Dystopic]] tale of a corporate run world. Set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, the United States has become a globe-spanning corporate empire including the western hemisphere (except Cuba), the British Isles, South Africa, India, Japan and Australia, a recent acquisition where most of the book takes place. A map provided in the book identifies some countries as "affiliates" and others as "socialist" and "fragmented markets." Taxation is a thing of the past, people take the surnames of their employer company, and business is basically above the law since so few laws remain.

Often compared with the {{dystopia}} novel ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''Jennifer Government'' flips the basic premise on its head by looking at a world where the state has too ''little'' power. Taxation was abolished long ago, which one character points to as the beginning of serious problems since it removed people from any sort of investment in the larger society, and almost all government services (Including law enforcement and road repair) have been privatized. The Government only has the power to investigate crimes against private property and life, and only the funding to help those who can pay.

The book suffers in some places from [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters too many characters]], and the presence of [[OneDegreeOfSeparation several intertwining storylines]] means that a lot of characters do not get the screen time they deserve. Strong points include Barry's comedic wit and the book's complete indifference towards being sued for any of the monstrous things its (named) corporate entities do. Consider the fact that the primary story is about Nike ''contracting a man to kill children'' and you realize that Barry has some serious pelotas a-swingin'.

* LawEnforcementInc: The Police, and NRA, though both are closer to mercenary services. The NRA even has a private airforce and tanks. ''Tanks!'' Not just knockoffs or ancient Russian Surplus, either- the M1A Abrams is specifically named, though it could well be obsolete by the time the book takes place.

* SwitchingPOV: The five main protagonists (Jennifer, Hack, Buy, Billy and Violet), the main antagonist (VP John Nike) and [[SacrificialLamb Hayley McDonalds]] are all POV characters, with the perspective changing with each chapter. There's also a single chapter with an NRA pilot codenamed Jackpot, for no apparent reason than to give a direct look at [[spoiler:the assassination of the Government's leadership

** Elise, Jennifer and Calvin's boss, is the exception. After she tells Jennifer the latter is going to London, she's never heard from again.

* RefugeInAudacity: Nike killing their customers in the novel is such an extreme thing to do that most likely it's what keeps the real Nike from suing Barry. It's just too extreme to believe.

* {{Deconstruction}}: The novel deconstructs the {{dystopia}} fiction genre by flipping its idea of totalitarianism, and exploring the flaws of a society where there is no authority to force accountability for those who have power. That is, in fact, [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]], when John Nike thinks about how almost all the books writen before the establishment of the current order predict a future dominated by a powerful evil government and considers it an utterly implausible vision.

* PrivatelyOwnedSociety

* SwitchingPOV: The five main protagonists (Jennifer, Hack, Buy, Billy and Violet), the main antagonist (VP John Nike) and [[SacrificialLamb Hayley McDonalds]] are all POV characters, with the perspective changing with each chapter.

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: At one point, there is a reference to one of the main characters working on the '96 Pepsi campaign, so WordOfGod is there is an element of AlternateHistory in there as well.

* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Buy, who cannot forgive himself for accidentally participating in Hayley's death.]] Luckily, he cannot use the gun, and, after phoning Jennifer for advice, she stops him.

* EponymousHero: It's not obvious until you realise the naming convention used in this world (i.e. everyone takes their employer's name as their surname), but Jennifer Government is this.

* SacrificialLamb: Hayley [=McDonald=].

* ActionMom: The titular Jennifer, Government agent and single mother.

* RefugeInAudacity: Nike killing their customers is such an extreme thing to do that most likely it's what keeps them from suing Barry. It's just too extreme to believe.