Yes, Tank. This is Utopia. It doesn't always make sense or seem perfect (to me, anyway), but it's still the best, most logical version of Utopia that I've ever seen. ("That's wonderful, Mr. Kirk, but if there's no money at all and everyone does the jobs they feel like doing, then how can you have businesses which are open with any kind of reliability? For that matter, how do you get anyone to do the scutwork? It's not like you have robots to do it. Come to that...") It's also a very lighthearted version which means you don't have to take it completely seriously.
There's no crime, no pollution, no one left homeless or uncared-for, and the people are happy. It also fits the in-canon descriptions of Utopia, both Wells's sappy idealism and Tempus's utter boredom.
Looks like L&C's visit is going to improve matters, though. Whatever happens to them when they go back "home," they'll have had an impact on the future. Maybe Utopia has become too complacent and such, but L&C's presence (not to mention their absence elsewhen) is definitely stirring things up.
So, yeah. It's not a pefect representation (as noted above, I do have my nits to pick), but I don't know that one's possible. One of the things that struck me after reading Part One was how ambitious it is of CC to even try writing a story with Utopia as the setting (few have dared, and with good reason), and I, for one, have been very impressed with how she's managed to pull it off.
Paul, who, for some reason, is stuck on the idea that, in following with the Dilbert Principle, Andrus should be promoted to a nice cushy desk job with a title along the lines of "Captain, Ministry of Idealized Sociology, Helper And Protector." (Captain MISHAP for short.)
