Currently the civic Slavery is the top choice in the second category. Only one civic allows using population for production; Despotic Rule, which is not researched until roughly the third quarter of the game. I personally think that adding this ability to Slavery would make for a more interesting early game. The only issues are that this would give an ability to a starting civic (something not in the normal game) and that it would give two civics the same ability (which I don't think is a big deal).

So, here are the questions:

1. Should Slavery enable using population for production?

2. Should Despotic Rule retain the ability or lose it?

I don't see a problem with any of the starting civics having an ability. They do in the several other mods I've seen.

Despotic Rule should be changed to something else.

Here are my thoughts on Despotic Rule:

1. Retain the hurry ability
2. Move from Chivalry to Claims to Authority
3. Reduce the unhealthiness from -2 to -1

As it is now, I don't think it's a very effective civic, and think these changes should help that out.