The future that is outlined in the novel Unisave by Axel Madsen is dark, d e pressing, and discouraging.
The novel is set in the 22nd century at a time when the planet’s natural resources, its energy reserves, its agriculture, and its fresh water are depleted. Demographically the total population of Earth has surpassed the 24 billion mark. There is very little hope held out for the salvation of humanity. The planet has reached a tipping point beyond which there seems to be no hope. In a desperate attempt to stall the inevitable and perhaps reverse the slide toward total disaster, the United Nations has come up with several plans. One of the chief plans is established under the authority of an all-powerful global agency known as Unisave . This agency has been granted the authority to enforce a population control program that will affect everyone on Earth. There are several aspects to this program. First, the agency is equipped with the power to set quotas to control the number of children permitted to each couple. That, however, is the least strict of the new controls implemented by Unisave . Second, the agency has developed a compulsory sterilization program for some people under some circumstances. Third, it has ordered the use of drugs to suppress the sex drive urge among young people. Fourth, it has instituted a global program of electronic surveillance to prevent the violation of its strict anti-sex laws. Finally, it has mandated a program of compulsory gericide , which i n volves the systematic killing of the elderly.
Consider each of the following ethical and legal issues.

1. First, when the people of Oregon supported the so-called Death with Dignity Act, did they legalize gericide in Oregon? Explain.
2. Second, can the Supreme Court’s “compelling interest” standard be used to argue that the United States cannot cooperate with Unisave ? Explain.
3. Third, could that same standard be used to compel U.S. cooperation with Unisave ? Explain.
4. Fourth, can the due process standard that upheld the right to die in Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health be used to argue that the United States must cooperate with the gericide program? Why or why not?
5. Finally, in what way can the ruling in Gonzales, Attorney General v. Oregon be used to support the implementation of a gericide program? Explain.