The Yukon Confederacy of Judson's book is a neo-feudal, clan based society. Its social mores are reminiscent of Victorian Age England (with the national flag being the Union Jack), with strong echoes of the Puritan settlers of New England. The economy of the Yukon Confederacy is almost entirely based on feudal agriculture, though there is some light industry devoted entirely to military production. The technology is steam-based, though far in advance of the technology of the Industrial Age (approximately equivalent to technology from the 1950s), with great advances in chemicals and biological engineering over modern-day science. The Confederacy is governed by provincial Lords, who are theoretically elected to serve in the Senate in Cumberland, their capital city, but in practice often pass their position to their children. The highest post is held by the Consul. The dominant and official religion is the Unified Yukon Church, a Protestant denomination; Catholic, Jewish and various Evangelical denominations exist as barely tolerated minorities.