Could the twelve districts support the Capitol?
In the world of Panem the country is organised into twelve districts which support the capitol
There are in fact 13 but D13 is no longer under Capitol control
We see the Reaping in D12 which contains (by my estimate around 400 children), again by my estimate this would suggest a population of around 4000? We have no indication of how big the other districts are.
The capitol is seen to be very large and very lavish, resources are squandered and the people are very rich. Could such a small population in the districts feasibly support such a large and wasteful capitol?
Best Answer
Your assumption that the population of District 12 is around 4000 is wrong. The population is somewhere close to 9000-10,000 (source wikipedia). And according to the canon, District 5 is the smallest district. So we can safely assume that District 12 is not so little.
Moreover, you err in hypothesizing that small populations in the districts cannot feasibly support such a large and wasteful capitol. The population in many of the districts live in abject poverty (District 12 even close to starvation), only to churn the resources and support themselves and the Capitol. Each district specializes in something, for example, District 12 specializes in mining (mostly coal). Now coal is quite essential for production of electricity and other industries that run on a furnace.
Thats why, even though some of the districts are less populous, they contribute to the Capitol through their specialization.
Pictures about "Could the twelve districts support the Capitol?"
Which districts were loyal to the Capitol?
Out of all the districts, District 2 is the most loyal to the Capitol. Following the end of the First Rebellion and the destruction (in reality, secession) of District 13, the Capitol looked to District 2 as the new center of its military-industrial complex.How does the Capitol control the districts in The Hunger Games?
It demonstrates the Capitol's schadenfreude characteristics, brutality and willingness to use force/violence to control a group. The Capitol forces tributes to kill each other in ancient gladiatorial manner. The tributes are to fight one another to survive in a large arena and bring glory to their districts.Why does District 2 support the Capitol?
After the First Rebellion (74 years prior to the story's beginning), District 2 was rewarded with better treatment and living conditions for its citizens because of their loyalty to the Capitol.Why is District 12 important?
District 12's main industry is coal mining, but after the Second Rebellion, their main industry was converted to medicine. District 12 is the home of victors Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mallark, Haymitch Abernathy, and Lucy Gray Baird.History of Panem: Origin Story (Hunger Games Explained)
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