Difference between revisions of "Earth-Sphere Confederation"

From The Coursebooks Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Ideology)
(History)
Line 3: Line 3:
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
===Long Night===
 
===Long Night===
While most nations of the old Alliance were ruled at very low-levels by direct puppets of the emperor Samuel Fate, many regions developed independent, autocratic leaders who came to power by being more efficient than, yet totally subservient to, Fate. Such leaders had been common throughout the Long Night, and were even allowed to attain great wealth, so long as they lived by the tenets set forth by the emperor. This was one of the few areas in which technological and social regression or homeostasis was not the norm.
+
While most nations of the old Alliance were ruled at very low-levels by direct puppets of the emperor Samuel Fate, many regions developed independent, autocratic leaders who came to power by being more efficient than, yet totally subservient to that same Fate. Such leaders had been common throughout the Long Night, and were even allowed to attain great wealth, so long as they lived by the tenets set forth by the emperor. This was one of the few areas in which technological and social regression or homeostasis was not the norm.
  
The Long Night ended very apruptly, but these rulers were still left with a considerable amount of power. Along with the power came sudden complete autonomy. While most regions were quick to re-establish their pre-Long Night nations, these areas instead turned to the wealthy landowners who had ruled them under Samuel Fate. New nations were quickly established as different groups came together.
+
The Long Night ended abruptly, but these rulers were still left with a considerable amount of power. Along with the power came sudden complete autonomy. While most regions were quick to re-establish their former nations, these areas instead turned to the wealthy landowners who had ruled them under Samuel Fate. New nations were quickly established as different groups came together.
  
 
In the power vacuum that remained, those who were organized rose to power very quickly.
 
In the power vacuum that remained, those who were organized rose to power very quickly.
Line 12: Line 12:
 
When Samuel Fate was defeated at the Battle of the New Day, the newly-freed industrial worlds where his ships and weapons had previously been manufactured were quick to organize. These worlds in particular lacked any kind of leadership within the cities, but most had independent autocratic leaders in the countryside, who ruled over food-producing regions. Such leaders laid claim to the cities, cementing their power easily. The practice of slavery (and not the very loose [[Dragons#Use of Slavery|"you live here, you work for us"]] kind of slavery the dragons practice), was extremely common under Samuel Fate, and continued within the Fonfederacy.  
 
When Samuel Fate was defeated at the Battle of the New Day, the newly-freed industrial worlds where his ships and weapons had previously been manufactured were quick to organize. These worlds in particular lacked any kind of leadership within the cities, but most had independent autocratic leaders in the countryside, who ruled over food-producing regions. Such leaders laid claim to the cities, cementing their power easily. The practice of slavery (and not the very loose [[Dragons#Use of Slavery|"you live here, you work for us"]] kind of slavery the dragons practice), was extremely common under Samuel Fate, and continued within the Fonfederacy.  
  
While most of Samuel Fate's millitary equipment was initially rendered useless by his death, ConFed scientists were able to design work arounds and restore partial functionality within ten years: far faster than the largely disarmed [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] or newly-formed [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] could bring battle-ready fleets to the field.
+
While most of Samuel Fate's millitary equipment was initially rendered useless by his death, Confed scientists were able to design work arounds and restore partial functionality within ten years: far faster than the largely disarmed [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] or newly-formed [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] could bring battle-ready fleets to the field.
  
 
This gave the Confederacy, largely found in finite dimensions, considerable legitimacy. While there was talk of reforming the Alliance even in the early part of the age, most of the old member worlds that had regained their sovernty were forced to concede to the power of the confederation.  
 
This gave the Confederacy, largely found in finite dimensions, considerable legitimacy. While there was talk of reforming the Alliance even in the early part of the age, most of the old member worlds that had regained their sovernty were forced to concede to the power of the confederation.  
Line 28: Line 28:
 
The legitimacy of the Confederation was primarily centered around land holdings. Without these, their governments had to be severely restructured. Slavery was ended, and the various member worlds eventually joined the new [[New Day Alliance|Alliance]]. However, while the laws were changed to conform with the values of the Alliance, the confederate worlds retained a certain sense of identity, and often pushed for a return to the old ways; either by succession from the Alliance or by the Alliance granting former confederate member worlds the rights to dictate their own laws.  
 
The legitimacy of the Confederation was primarily centered around land holdings. Without these, their governments had to be severely restructured. Slavery was ended, and the various member worlds eventually joined the new [[New Day Alliance|Alliance]]. However, while the laws were changed to conform with the values of the Alliance, the confederate worlds retained a certain sense of identity, and often pushed for a return to the old ways; either by succession from the Alliance or by the Alliance granting former confederate member worlds the rights to dictate their own laws.  
  
It took several centuries, but in the early fifth century N.D., most of the former confederate member worlds staged a revolution, breaking away from the Alliance and putting new leaders into power. The coupe was well-planned and executed with a high degree of timing.
+
It took several centuries, but in the early fifth century N.D., most of the former confederate member worlds staged a revolution, breaking away from the Alliance and putting new leaders into power. The coup was well-planned and executed with a high degree of timing.
  
 
==Ideology==
 
==Ideology==

Revision as of 05:50, 5 September 2018

The Earth-Sphere Confederation, known largely just as "The Confederation" was the third major power to organize in the power-vacuum created by the death of Samuel Fate and the end of the Long Night. The Confederation was short-lived, lasting only about thirty years.

History

Long Night

While most nations of the old Alliance were ruled at very low-levels by direct puppets of the emperor Samuel Fate, many regions developed independent, autocratic leaders who came to power by being more efficient than, yet totally subservient to that same Fate. Such leaders had been common throughout the Long Night, and were even allowed to attain great wealth, so long as they lived by the tenets set forth by the emperor. This was one of the few areas in which technological and social regression or homeostasis was not the norm.

The Long Night ended abruptly, but these rulers were still left with a considerable amount of power. Along with the power came sudden complete autonomy. While most regions were quick to re-establish their former nations, these areas instead turned to the wealthy landowners who had ruled them under Samuel Fate. New nations were quickly established as different groups came together.

In the power vacuum that remained, those who were organized rose to power very quickly.

New Day

When Samuel Fate was defeated at the Battle of the New Day, the newly-freed industrial worlds where his ships and weapons had previously been manufactured were quick to organize. These worlds in particular lacked any kind of leadership within the cities, but most had independent autocratic leaders in the countryside, who ruled over food-producing regions. Such leaders laid claim to the cities, cementing their power easily. The practice of slavery (and not the very loose "you live here, you work for us" kind of slavery the dragons practice), was extremely common under Samuel Fate, and continued within the Fonfederacy.

While most of Samuel Fate's millitary equipment was initially rendered useless by his death, Confed scientists were able to design work arounds and restore partial functionality within ten years: far faster than the largely disarmed Gudersnipe Foundation or newly-formed Trans-Draconic Federation could bring battle-ready fleets to the field.

This gave the Confederacy, largely found in finite dimensions, considerable legitimacy. While there was talk of reforming the Alliance even in the early part of the age, most of the old member worlds that had regained their sovernty were forced to concede to the power of the confederation.

For a brief period, the Confederation was poised to gain control of much of the former known worlds. A string of sabotages coupled with terror-attacks from a powerful, unknown force, gave them pause until a sudden economic collapse weakened the empire beyond all hope of recovery.

Economic Collapse

Like many advanced civilizations, the Confederation relied on an electronic money system of fiat currency. In order to valuate their currency, they compared it to the buying power of similar amounts from the two other major powers. The Confederate Dollar was worth, initially, 1.73 GATE credits or 1 Wingbeat and 15 Talons.

A major stake in the legitimacy of the Confederation was the recognition of property ownership. Early in their history, these worlds had lain claim to land and mineral holdings which previously belonged to the Gudersnipe Foundation. Unable to face them militarily, the Foundation was eventually forced to concede these rights, in order to gain recognition for the few regions they did still have the ability to defend.

Then, in the late N.D. thirties, they electronic money system that was the backbone of the Confederation suffered a sudden, extreme collapse, rendering all of their currency, and associated property valuations, completely worthless. A land-grab ensued, as both the Foundation and the dragons rushed in to buy up all available assets, mostly at less than 1% of pre-collapse valuations. The confederacy was effectively destroyed.

Post Collapse and New Alliance Era

The legitimacy of the Confederation was primarily centered around land holdings. Without these, their governments had to be severely restructured. Slavery was ended, and the various member worlds eventually joined the new Alliance. However, while the laws were changed to conform with the values of the Alliance, the confederate worlds retained a certain sense of identity, and often pushed for a return to the old ways; either by succession from the Alliance or by the Alliance granting former confederate member worlds the rights to dictate their own laws.

It took several centuries, but in the early fifth century N.D., most of the former confederate member worlds staged a revolution, breaking away from the Alliance and putting new leaders into power. The coup was well-planned and executed with a high degree of timing.

Ideology

The Confederation was based heavily around the concepts of ownership, specifically that land can be owned and that it's owner has complete rights to it. Most of the member worlds also believe that slavery to some degree is a natural and inalienable right. For validation, many pointed to the dragons and their practice of enslaving humans living in their territory. The basic tenant was that if someone is living on your land, you have certain rights over them, and that if someone is born on your land, you own them.

There were a great many other social and political ideals at play, with many different member worlds holding different ideologies. The original basis of the confederacy was not that these independent nations shared any one ideology, but that their ideologies disagreed with the values of the Alliance; and that they wanted to maintain their ways of life.

Land Ownership

Confederates held that property rights were paramount, and that land ownership was absolute. A land owner had total power over his space, and his rights extended up into space and to the core of the planet. While the actual degree of this varied from world to world, most agreed that only land-owners had any rights in society. The more land an individual owned, the more "rights" they had, so leadership and political power were more heavily dependent on the size of estates than any other factor.

Further, most of their laws agreed that anyone living on land that an individual owned(but not owning it themselves), owed varying degrees of servitude to the owner. This meant that renting an apartment could lead to complete slavery, depending on the particular laws of the area.

Slavery

All of the Confederate worlds practiced slavery to some degree, and most had stratified levels to it.

  • Serfs - a serf was an ostensibly free person who only lived on your land. In some cases, serfs were not allowed to leave at all, though in others they could leave so long as they left all possessions behind. In most cases, the serf was only allowed to work for the owner of the land they lived on, being paid or provided for only according to the landowners will. This reduced most serfs to absolute slavery, but it was still regarded as an important legal distinction among the Confederate governments.
  • Indentured Servitude - seen mostly in cities and in particular industrial settings, an Indentured "servant" was typically paid a flat fee, usually at the start of the period, to work for a particular person or organization. The owner of the servant would then provide for the indentured to whatever degree they saw fit, sometimes requiring them to live off of the fee paid. Periods were usually around five years, but timeframes up to fifty years(usually for children sold by their parents) were common. There was some overlap with indentured servants and serfs, and it was not uncommon for a person to be sold initially as an indentured servant but be forced to become a serf, as they were now living on someone else's land.
  • Outright Slavery - while not as common as the above, individuals could be classified as outright slaves, legally the property of another. The rights of these slaves varied heavily from region to region. In general, anyone who was born on a specific plot of land was legally the property of the land owner. In some cases, this merely meant they could dictate whether or not that person moved, in others it gave them rights to sell the individual into indentured servitude. In the cases where actual ownership existed, that person legally belonged to the land owner to do with as they pleased.

Religion

While under the auspicies of Samuel Fate(who ordered himself to be worshiped as a god), most the known worlds came to follow Cardinalism. This became especially prevelant