

The Ministry of Distribution plays a critical role in the Infrastructural Economy , albeit one which outsiders would underestimate the significance of. Headed by Transition Of Mobile Macrofauna From Marine To Terrestrial Environments-402122 (Transition) It is the conduit through which the goods that are collected, produced or procured by the Infrastructural Government are disseminated within the state. This is done through a variety of ways which includes large scale offices that handle bulk orders, but includes a large of other outlets which handle these transactions at a more personal level. By 37 IA these included mail order catalogs, specialty dealers, restaurants and in Dalatyr the three story tall Proto-Omnium. These typical of the more common rural variants of Infrastructural stores.





The Village Store is a basic outlet set up in small villages and hamlets of less than 500 people. Made with vernacular architecture and manned by a single clerk and odd job man, it sells basic items (canned food, sugar, nails, ceramics, flour, sugar, salt, spirits, nails, thread, seed stock, etc) to local farmers, woodsmen, local artisans and other such locals as well as serving as a local post office. These shops were the norm around Dalatyr and were fairly common in several other regions around infrastructure, but with the onset of the Escort War the construction of new stores had stopped and a few had been closed down, though plans exist to either reopen them or have them replaced if possible.







Hubtowns are those settlements which have been selected to serve as local administrative and economic Hubs for surrounding agricultural and forestry regions. They are home to schools, local government offices, storage, medical facilities, markets, local craftsmen, small scale rural industry (mills, sawmills, sugar production, etc.) and one or more Ministry of Distribution stores. While many of the older ones were rough affairs similar to to more recent Village Stores, many of the newer ones are larger purpose built structures which are made of wood, brick and prefabricated components. These provide a much wider range of items and operate on the basis that they'd get customers who operate more in the cash economy or are purchasing substantial items which are worth committing a day to go into town to get. This one has an attached bakery providing bread. Others have icehouses for storing meat in the summer months.







Ministry of Distribution stores exist alongside local markets as well as privately run stores. Some of which have contracts from the Ministry of Distribution to sell some State Industry produced goods. Even so, MoD stores provide an important role in Infrastructure. Most notably the shops (and the Ministry as a whole) serves as a foundation for the Currency. When stuff is available for Credits at MoD stores people are willing to work in Infrastructural Factories, on Infrastructural construction projects, sell their produce and livestock to the Infrastructural Government and more to get said Credits. Others not employed by the Infrastructural Government are willing to provide goods and services to people for Credits and to pay their employees in them. The Second Reason is stability, since a lot of of people regularly buy stuff through the Ministry of Distribution it disincentives people to attempt to break down the system since basically everyone profits from it. The rise in standards of living also reinforces this. Thirdly they serve to gauge consumption and help the Central Committee better plan it's efforts in regards to consumer goods so it does not waste effort making items that few people want or can afford at the expense of not making items which people need or are otherwise in high demand. Ministry of Distribution agents also keep records of prices in markets and other stores for this purpose.

