Robert Heinlein wrote along these lines in a few of his novels. Farnham's Freehold comes to mind.
Remember the 'lifeboat exercise' used for so many years? (a) I do remember one lieutenant declaring " I'll just take them all into the shelter.". My response: "Congratulations Lieutenant, you just killed them all.". I found sergeants to be much more pragmatic and practical, shoot the LT and take command before he kill us all.
(a) "The lifeboat exercise" was a psychological question like " You have one nuclear war shelter with a maximum capacity of 10 people. You have the following list of 15 people. Whom do you choose?
1. Paul, Doctor, veteran of three wars, second major: degreed mechanical engineer, married with two children.
2. Janet, nurse, scholar, athlete, married to #1.
3...
4...
....
10. Lance, artist and poet, homosexual, has AIDS
11...
15. Joe Biden
So, WHOM do you select to rebuild society -vs- looking like you are very liberal to the leftists in the group psych session?