AN: I do not own Les Miserablés or JCA. I only borrow character and story lines.
To set the stage...
In 1911, the demons vanquished by the sorcerers were released from the netherworld because the Pan Ku Box was accidentally destroyed. After 12 years of fighting, Mankind became resigned to their fate of being ruled over. Each demon took its own domain to rule.
Shendu: China, Korea, Japan, most eastern part of Russia
Tchang Zu: North America
Po Kong: Asian sub-continent
Xiao Fung: South America
Hsi Wu: The Skies, Australia
Tso Lan: The Moon, rest of Asia (i.e. Middle East and former Soviet Union)
Dai Gui: Africa
Bai Tsa: The Seven Seas, Europe
Extensive bureaucracies were created to control the humans. This allowed the government to have a semblence of democracy even though the government was a dictatorship.
This changed in 1952 when the demons' "spheres of influence" experienced what would be known as the Great Decline. The Great Decline lasted for 10 years and then Blessed Years came (1963 to 1969) – prosperity reigned.
1970 once again brought about a decline in the economy. This decline is still in force as the story begins.