No one knows when our most illustrious city was born. That knowledge has been long lost to us. Perhaps we ourselves destroyed it. Progress has never been afraid to do away with the past when necessary. Perhaps it was lost to a more mundane reality. There is much forgotten with the turning of the page, and we forget far too easily, or perhaps such knowledge never existed at all. Progress has and always will exist. A beacon of fire to the unending darkness.
You must understand, Man had found his height. The Laws themselves buckled under our intellect, and humanity finally found the freedom it craved. We know somewhere during this epoch; the foundations of Progress were laid. A city with no rival on any world made by Man. There were no riches hidden from us, no pleasure or comfort denied. It seemed science had finally delivered Man to his long-deserved salvation.
But I digress, you are not here to listen to events long past. Our history, unfortunately, has always been rather boring. Instead, if you have seen these letters, I wish to extend greetings. Dear Reader, if this vision I have outlined seems pleasing to you, I invite you to come to Progress. The city always has room for more. If not, I ask that you continue reading, regardless.
The writing of these letters came at great personal cost and secreting them away from Progress even more so. Allow me a small vanity of knowing that it was not for nothing. But enough of my personal feelings, you are here to listen to the tales of this marvelous city.
To start, ours is not a city of law. Or rather, no one enforces laws. Or rather, no one knows what laws to enforce, what laws can and should be applied, and what laws are unjust. Every man does what is right in his own mind. You might think this would cause chaos. Not at all.
This is a city of plenty, a bountiful abundance for each of its citizens. If we so wished, we could line the streets with gold and give the poor far more than cakes to eat. Of course, if there were such a thing as poverty in Progress.
From each according to his own need and to each according to his desire. What is given is what is taken, and who can take the most is allotted his rightful due. Through this method, we have eradicated the inequality that our ancestors had strived so hard against. Each and every person is given exactly as he deserves through his own desire.
You disbelieve? As often said in Progress, woe to those who cannot place their faith in the great machines which provide for this city. Leviathans of steel and iron. Our every whim is catered by the creations of those who built this place. Come to Progress and see the miracle of Man, and you will hear of miracles contained within these letters. Of that, I assure you.