In the science fiction of Cordwainer Smith, the Instrumentality of Mankind refers to two things: Smith's personal future history and universe, and the central government of humanity within that fictional universe. The Instrumentality of Mankind is also the title of a paperback collection of short stories by Cordwainer Smith published in 1979. (This collection is now superseded by the later book The Rediscovery of Man, which collects all of Smith's short stories.) Source: Wikipedia (en)