The Fixed Period (Trollope 1990), Anthony Trollope's science–fiction novel, was published in 1881 but set a century later, on the imaginary island of Britannula, somewhere off New Zealand. The constitution of Britannula, originally a British colony but now a prosperous little republic, provides compulsory euthanasia for all of its citizens on reaching the age of 67½ — Trollope's own age when he wrote the novel. The euthanasia measure, together with the abolition of capital punishment, was freely voted in by the island's first republican parliament. Two arguments carried the day: euthanasia would relieve those who had lived out their ‘fixed period’ of active life from having to suffer the miseries and indignities of old age; and it would relieve their families and the republic of the cost of maintaining them.

The euthanasia measure was passed, however, at a time when none of Britannula's citizens, all settlers, was aged much above 30. Thirty years later, the first of them to reach his allotted span is about to be ‘deposited’ at the ‘College’ where he will enjoy 12 months' preparation for euthanasia. But he is as fit as a fiddle and most unwilling to go — as are the next few citizens in line. The President of the republic, Mr Neverbend, is all his name suggests and insists that the law, which they all agreed to, must be upheld.