Yes, middle ages is more about society “style”. The main economy may be scavenging, which is very unproductive and prevent to return to manufacturing economy, as scavenging will give high quality objects for hundred of years. As a result, the skills for manufacturing will be lost.
Also a lot of weaponry will remain including knifes and guns (and even nukes), which may result in Long War or Somali-style world (I think that these notations are self evident). Such Long War in scavengers world will mean very long process of degradation and population decline, which is rising chances of total extinction. A lot of postapocaliptic fantasy is trying to model such world.
I think you’ve got a point about the loss of knowledge if people are scavenging for crucial items.
Population decline strikes me as hard to predict. My casual assumption is drastic decline during the disaster and soon after, followed by gradual increase as people move into abandoned land and grow food.
I also assume that people will be inventing new things to suit their current conditions.
Yes, middle ages is more about society “style”. The main economy may be scavenging, which is very unproductive and prevent to return to manufacturing economy, as scavenging will give high quality objects for hundred of years. As a result, the skills for manufacturing will be lost. Also a lot of weaponry will remain including knifes and guns (and even nukes), which may result in Long War or Somali-style world (I think that these notations are self evident). Such Long War in scavengers world will mean very long process of degradation and population decline, which is rising chances of total extinction. A lot of postapocaliptic fantasy is trying to model such world.
Some information may be here: The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Civilization in the Aftermath of a Cataclysm by Lewis Dartnell
http://www.amazon.com/The-Knowledge-Civilization-Aftermath-Cataclysm/dp/0143127047
A knife is a tool as well as a weapon.
I think you’ve got a point about the loss of knowledge if people are scavenging for crucial items.
Population decline strikes me as hard to predict. My casual assumption is drastic decline during the disaster and soon after, followed by gradual increase as people move into abandoned land and grow food.
I also assume that people will be inventing new things to suit their current conditions.