Government of the Republic

Rictavius · 2013-04-12, 11:54 AM

(Note this is an open thread on the Idea of the Terran Republic's government, ideas are welcomes and weird bereaus even more).

Generally the Terran Republic of Auraxis' government has always been considered dictatorial, which can not be denied due to it's past. But thinking about the language that comes out of the propaganda and the desire to add more realistic complexity.

I consider the Republic's government a situation of competing government policies and factional infighting, the facades of democracies were never thrown away as some considered. The concept of a universal suffarage and voting are still accepted, in fact it's due to the fear of instablility by the general public that led to the dimished rights that the citizens face currently.

But then, I do not consider it's a type "big brother" 1984ish set up. Rather what you can call the 3rd Reich or Soviet Union, if you are comfortable with the state and show loyality you will not be bothered by the state. On the other hand if the average man were to question the status quo, he would either be technically "executed" (more forcibly drafted into the army), intimidated or harassed by the secret apparati of the state.

The 'Status Quo' however is a facade of a senatorial democracy, there has been no record an executive president since the reign of Commander Waterson who was in all rights a dictator. In fact it can be considered that the Senators of this senate consist of different factions; you have reformers and traditionalists on the political spectrum at the same time you have those who firm "democrats" and militarists who feel about the intriusion of the Republic's military into civilian governance.

The 'Generals' I feel are the king makers of any government's success in the Republic, whoever they hint as more favourable by them, would succeed in an election and their powerbase is quite entrenched and do not find anyone who would compromise their position as favourable.

As well I believe the secret police should be called the 'Internal Services'.

Well thats my assessment. Whats yours?

Sonny · 2013-04-14, 03:14 AM

Hi Rictavius,
Interesting topic to think about, thanks for bringing it up!

I imagine too that the Terran government would work something like the third Reich or the Soviet Union. I think too that there would be some 'facade' of democracy, e.g. a congress or a senate. However, I think that this congress would have no real power, which in fact would rest wholly with an unelected 'council' of mysterious men from the military or the elite echelons of society. So although the people may have 'universal suffrage' and no race of people is actively discrimated against, the elections are still a sham, and so the citizens of the Terran Republic have no political influence through voting.

I can imagine that there would be different 'factions' within the political system but their impact would be limited to issues like how much aid to distributed to areas of Terran society impacted by the war, or where to increase industrial production and stuff like that. But no one openly questions the central tenets of Terran society: that the Terran Republic is the only true and just form of government of humanity, that the Terran Republic will ultimately be victorious and that the War must continue until the Terran Republic is victorious. Any congressman who questions one of these assumptions gets publicly denounced and worse arrested.

I imagine that when the great war started, years before the 'present day' of Planetside 2, the Terran Council invoked a 'state of emergency'. All civilian industrial production and the workers were turned towards the war effort. Children were compelled to join in with Terran 'youth clubs' and, unless they were highly intelligent and suitable for work within the Civil Service at home, conscripted to go to war at the age of 17/18.

Because there was a 'slow bleed' of traitors towards the New Conglomerate and the Vanu Sovereignty near the start of the war, the Terran Council encouraged a society of suspicion and watchfulness. Neighbours were encouraged denounce each other to the Authorities if they hear a strange comment or witnessed odd behaviour. All citizens were expected to attend weekly rallies in every town to openly proclaim their loyalty to the Republic. Traitors are arrested, and humiliated in public or they are sent to far-flung prison camps to pay for their crimes.

In the heartland of the Terran Republic, the people sacrifice their freedoms willingly. The Terrans have been the Government of humanity for many hundreds of years - The people feel like they are defending the very bedrock of civilisation. Much like those may have felt defending the Roman Empire in the years before its fall. Without the Terran Republic, there would be only anarchy, chaos and endless war.

Sonny

Rictavius · 2013-04-15, 01:19 PM

I gave it a think. You can't have a continuous state of emergency without causing mass public resentment. Also I think (however wrong my ship is and prone to torpedoing) the War with the other factions aren't so much a total war (in the cities) but a war of suppressing guerilla activities. But these things in the eyes of government eyes are wishy-washy.

I agree with the conscription concept, what other way to maintain a large standing army, in the end something to spark some deep primal anger in the population, if you look at history this can occur with reverberating shockwaves of violence.

But like all video game fan fic it's highyly speculative :P.

Rictavius · 2013-04-15, 01:37 PM

(for a quick kick XD)

Subject: Internal supervision - Director General ********* - Internal Services - Public Order Division.

Report: Due to everpressing strains on the urban communities, this reports find damning evidence in the increase of psychological disorder in 'malcontents', who have abused their exemption status of the Conscript Act, paragraph 12. , subsection 1. garenteeing exemption of military service as 'Students'. As well the use of paraphenallia that are distress to the serenity of the public's order; clothing, use of language and hostility and agitation towards authority figures. (note: we are reporting the same issues inside the Army's bereau, high risk assessment).

This is a clip taken by a survellance officer, at one this "Free gatherings", understandably these are cover for 'radical democrats' and possible inserrectionists.

Vitrolict anti-government propaganda being used, stress immediate termination of these activities.

Sonny · 2013-04-16, 04:27 AM

Haha I love the Sabbath reference

. I also love the idea that a radical student movement could still survive in the TR!

In answer to your other point, I guess how willing people will be to accept a state of emergency depends on how distant the war is for the Terran people.

Do you think it is like Vietnam for the US in the 60s/70s, where the young are sent off to a pointless war in a far away land with no apparent progress for year upon year? If the Terran Republic are experiencing a situation like this then I agree with you, the people would not accept a state of emergency for long and protests will multiply and eventually force the government to be more lenient.

Or do you think the war is more like the civil war in Columbia in the 80s-early 2000s? Where the fighting takes place in distant areas of the country (in the jungles and hinterlands) but the people of the towns and cities are sometimes targeted by kidnappings, bombings, murder or arrest? In this situation, I think the people will accept some restriction of their freedom over a long time period because the threat of the rebels taking over will be worse than the current government. Even if that means they are not completely 'free'.

On the extreme end of the scale, maybe present-day Damascus, Syria. Every day is permeated by the sounds of distant airstrikes and mortar rounds. Bombings within the city become more and more frequent. The front line shifts inexorably closer to the homeland every day. In this situation, the loyalists accept great restrictions on their freedoms to stay safe and to maintain the status quo, whether that be by curfews, mass arrests of 'dissidents' or the suspension of elections. Whether this situation could continue into the long term (i.e. decades), I'm not sure, I don't have an example.

In my head, the Terran Republic is experiencing a war somewhere between the second and third example here. The war is not directly threatening the integrity of the state, but the distant sounds of battle can be heard in their cities and rebel attacks within the cities themselves sometimes occur. Just enough to make a scared populace who will generally fall into line with the will of their leaders, even if that means accepting conscription, arrests of neighbours and friends and sham elections. What do you think?

Sonny

Rictavius · 2013-04-16, 05:34 AM

Okays, stressing the size of the planet and the idea of off-world colonies (which I STRONGLY believe exist).

The three different kinds of scenarios would exist depending to their location to high risk areas on the planet, I doubt the N.C have total control of the countryside so the areas which are wilderness would have the hotspot of N.C activities or Vanu seclusion. I think the borderline cities would be follow scenario No. 2 and 3 and maybe some which are horribly war damaged like a 'stalingrad'.

While in the heartland would be a blissful "paradise". Now off-world colonies , I think they exist around Auraxis (and the mistake of aesthetics) with so many planet and planetoids close by , choke full of minerals. Who wouldn't resist exploitation (looking at you Nanite Systems).

Sonny · 2013-04-16, 06:21 AM

Hi Rictavius,
More interesting ideas! I like the idea of the centre of Terran society living in a 'bubble' where the war never touches them. Do you think this would be a place where only the rich or the powerful could live, insulated from any effect of the war going on around them?

Also the idea of having a wide variety of Terran peoples from the homeland to the frontlines gives a lot of possibilities for a wide range of Terran Republic governments. For example, in the centre (bubble) the government could be a benevolent, soft-handed oligarchy or even a democracy, oblivious to the problems outside. In the communities a bit further out, the Government could be a bit more heavy handed as attacks from outside and rising rebellious sentiments from within result in the need for occasional crackdowns. The towns on the borderlands could operate a bit like the 'wild west', which are governed by TR-approved 'Sheriffs' who keep the people under a tight leash in order to stop them rebelling and going over to the other side.

The possibility of other planets is really cool too, I hope they explore this possibility (e.g. space combat) in-game soon.

I think we need threads about the government of the Vanu Sovereignty and the New Conglomerate too, because how their society operates is equally as unclear as for the Terran Republic.

Sonny

Rictavius · 2013-05-19, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by Sonny

Hi Rictavius,
More interesting ideas! I like the idea of the centre of Terran society living in a 'bubble' where the war never touches them. Do you think this would be a place where only the rich or the powerful could live, insulated from any effect of the war going on around them?

Also the idea of having a wide variety of Terran peoples from the homeland to the frontlines gives a lot of possibilities for a wide range of Terran Republic governments. For example, in the centre (bubble) the government could be a benevolent, soft-handed oligarchy or even a democracy, oblivious to the problems outside. In the communities a bit further out, the Government could be a bit more heavy handed as attacks from outside and rising rebellious sentiments from within result in the need for occasional crackdowns. The towns on the borderlands could operate a bit like the 'wild west', which are governed by TR-approved 'Sheriffs' who keep the people under a tight leash in order to stop them rebelling and going over to the other side.

The possibility of other planets is really cool too, I hope they explore this possibility (e.g. space combat) in-game soon.

I think we need threads about the government of the Vanu Sovereignty and the New Conglomerate too, because how their society operates is equally as unclear as for the Terran Republic.

Sonny

Well im busy. How about you have a go at the N.C :P