Written for the University of Cambridge's Sociology library by Professor Alfred Steiner This essay is public information to be read at leisure. It remains the Intellectual property of the author and the University. Please reference accordingly.
Introduction to the Great Houses
Politics has played a major role in human culture and lifestyle for over three thousand years, during this time, various systems of government and ideology have come and gone. This essay is not an attempt to find out which is better or worse, it is simple an attempt to identify and examine the current types of governance one can find in Sirius today. The great Houses, it should be noted, will not be the sole source of information. Various other groups, many of whom are fully independent of the houses, employ a variety of governance systems and it is necessary that we examine these systems in the same way as the Houses.
Liberty
The house of Liberty is the oldest house in Sirius. It's population is large and it is often considered to be the center of culture throughout the houses. It is home to some of the largest and most successful corporations, Liberty itself has the largest GDP of all the houses, twice that of Bretonia, 2.5 times that of Kusari and 3.8 times that of Rheinland. However, like every society throughout history, it is not without it's problems. Income inequality is vast, the prison population is larger (per capita) than any other House, healthcare is often unaffordable for most, crime and addiction run rife through it's society. The causes of this somewhat sorry state of affairs are many and there is no single cause for which all of Liberty's problems can be placed upon.
However, one may identify a primary cause, in it's system of government. Almost since it's founding, Liberty has employed a pro capitalist approach. Given that the sleeper ship Liberty found itself in the most desirable position following it's flight from Sol, this is hardly surprising. In its early years, Liberty expanded and prospered economically, vast mineral deposits and mineral rich asteroid fields were abundant in the area which is now the center of Liberty. Yet over the years, this extraordinary economic growth has slowed considerably, due in no small part to the most accessible mineral deposits running dry. This, coupled with the infamous 'Texas incident', a series of Wars, the Rheinlandic nationalization of the trade lanes and a rapid increase in shipping raids, has led to a downturn in economic prosperity and, unsurprisingly, an increase in unemployment and crime.
Liberty's minimum wage has traditionally been low, especially when compared to the other great houses. In it's early years, this was not considered a problem as economic growth usually meant that employment was high and living costs were reasonable. Frims and corporations paid their employees well as they had the means to do so, and saw it as a way of securing a future source of employment. No one wishes to employ a sick workforce after all. However, in the current age, Liberty's fortunes are far from prosperous. Economic downturns have left thousands unemployed and millions living below the poverty line on substandard minimum wage without the ability to rise above it. Liberty still enjoys its position as the most economically rich house, however without a change in policy and with the current conflict with Gallia bearing down on Liberty, It is clear that nothing good will come of the current system if it does not change with the times.
When looking at the system of government however, Liberty employs a Federal presidential constitutional Republic, where each planet is represented in both the Liberty Senate and in the Liberty House of Representatives. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives make up what is known as the Congress of Liberty, where the Senate forms the 'Upper chamber'' and the House of Representatives forms the ''Lower Chamber''. Each planet is entitled to Six senators (all of which are elected by popular vote) and, as a minimum, four Representative (although more are possible) which are also elected by popular vote. The highest political and military post is the Office of the President of the Republic of Liberty. All Liberty Citizens who currently live in Liberty and are over the age of eighteen years are eligible to vote in all Liberty Elections. The systems that currently make up the realm of Liberty are:
All systems are, in some way, shape or form, represented in the Liberty Government. Most systems have a governor who retain sovereign police power, are not subordinate to the federal authorities except by laws provided by the enumerated powers section of the federal constitution, and serve as the political and ceremonial head of the system that they are elected to. All Governors are voted in by popular vote and serve set term lengths, often they belong to established political parties. All planets and systems hold a number of 'points' that hold value in the Electoral College which in turn directly affects the outcome of the Liberty Presidential elections.
The governing document of Liberty is the Liberty constitution which is, in point of fact, the ancient document called 'The Constitution of the United States of America'. This document, aside from having major historical importance, outlines the rights and Liberty's of all Citizens of the House of Liberty. This includes but is not limited to:
-The Right to free speech
-The Right to bear arms
-The Right to protest
-The Right to remain silent
-The Right to Freedom of worship
-The Right to Liberty
-The Right to life
-The Right to the pursuit of Happiness
-The Right to a trial by jury.
-The Right to run for elected office.
-The Right to apply for federal employment.
The Liberty Legal system is based around this and other documents and the common phrase 'pleading the fifth' is derived from the fifth amendment (the right to remain silent). One may observe that the Liberty Constitution is so entrenched in the Libertonian Psyche that any perceived threat or encroachment on the Constitution (which is considered more or less the living embodiment of 'Liberty') is met with stiff opposition. To outsiders, the Liberty political system is confusing and considered archaic by outside observers, such observations are usually ignored by most Libertonians who find that the system works well for them.
All Libertonian Citizens have the right to serve in the Liberty Navy, Liberty Security Force or the Liberty police and most veterans and active members are treated quite well by the general population, with discounts at general stores, shopping centers and monetary benefits, and applications to the Navy and Army remain high, especially in the Liberty Navy secondary fleet.
Liberty also has a history of abundance and, in some case, overindulgence. Food quality remains some of the unhealthiest in Sirius but is cheap and easily accessible, with some of the most successful inter-house fast food chains beginning in Liberty, for example Sunbucks. Liberty healthcare remains a controversial topic, as most Libertonian citizens cannot afford full health insurance, as such some of the most basic diseases are still common in most of Libertonian society. Attempts to create a new socialist style of healthcare insurance have been met with strong opposition, with many commentators pointing out the vast expenses in healthcare.
All in all, Liberty remains a bastion of capitalism and Culture in Sirius, yet it is not without it's problems and, with war ever encroaching on Liberty's borders, the Future of Liberty's economy and way of life remain under threat, perhaps more so than at any other point in it's 800 year history. The recent tensions in Rheinland and the strain of supporting Bretonia is beginning to leave cracks in the Liberty system, Crime and corruption remain high in Liberty and, with a mass draft of all able bodied citizens looking more likely by the day, the question of: What kind of Liberty will be left behind after the war? remains.
Rheinland has always had an unfortunate tradition of hardship, from the beginning of the colony to the present day, Rheinland has been marred by economic downturns, wars, domestic problems and raids from various outsider groups. This has, in turn, coloured the Rheinland psyche, leading to the famed Rheinlandic stubbornness that is the hallmark of those with Germanic blood, as well as other traits. Despite these problems, Rheinland has struggled on, unwilling to back down even against hopeless odds.
The sleeper ship Rheinland was the second to arrive following the exodus from Sol, finding itself in the Sirius Sector in 2 A.S. In 3 A.S the colony of Rheinland was established on the frozen planet of New Berlin. Over the years the house colonized more suitable planets such as Stuttgart and Hamburg.
The Imperial era was one marked by prosperity and, ultimately, disaster. For a time economic growth was rapid, as was outward expansion, with Lorenz Von Rohe's expedition charting dozens of systems in the Omegas and near Omicrons. The construction of The Ring proved Rheinland's industrial might to the other houses, and although the minerals in the New Berlin system were fast becoming exhausted, new regions such as Dresden, ensured that Rheinland's economic future was secure. Another aspect of the Imperial era was that various workers unions held considerable sway over the early corporations.
It was the Eighty Years War that ultimately destroyed the Rheinland economy as well as the political infrastructure on which the previous 600 years was built on. The so called Popular Revolution happened on Von Rohe's Day, 672 A.S. It resulted in mass strikes, riots and eventually the collapse of Imperial Rheinland. After the period of transition, the new Federal Republic of Rheinland was born. With it's economy in ruins, it's Military all but obliterated and rebellions rife throughout Rheinland, the new government was faced with far more problems than anticipated.
The 'Nomad wars' further served to damage Rheinland's military strength and reputation, with military incursions into both Liberty and Bretonia as well as an all out invasion of Kusari via Sigma-13. The events of the Nomad war severely damaged Rheinland's reputation and saw it isolated diplomatically by the other houses, a situation that is only just beginning to thaw. Rumors still persist about Rheinland military vessels attacking lone transports deep in the Omegas and Sigmas, however thus fair, no valid evidence of Rheinland involvement has been gathered, or shared with the University.
At present, Rheinland is the weakest house economically, with a series of crippling wars behind it, withering terrorist attacks and a noncompetitive economy. Her fortunes are further damaged by the fact that Planet Nuremberg is scheduled to be evacuated due to an incoming Dark matter storm. Likewise, New Berlin's sun is old and is expected to die at the end of the century. Coupled with the recent outbreak of war in the Sigmas (The Second Sigma war) and the loss of the Dresden system in all but name, it is unlikely that Rheinland's fortunes are going to improve any time soon.
The Rheinland political system is a Federal parliamentary republic (Bundesparlamentarische Republik) with executive power rests with the Chancellor, while the Reichstag is a collection of representatives from all planets and systems within Rheinland space, and rules with legislative power. As such, Rheinland's government is centralized around the planet New Berlin, with most important decisions required to be ratified by the Chancellor before actually being put into effect.
Each system regarded as part of the Republic has a governor elected to oversee it's economy and, in times of war, defence. In the case of systems with a habitable planet, a governor is generally chosen from the local population, while systems with no population centers will be ruled by a government elected governor who will maintain office on New Berlin. Governors have the right to submit reforms to the Chancellor's office for consideration, thus giving him higher legislative power over the individual planets.
The systems that currently make up the realm of Rheinland are:
Hamburg
Bremen
Köln (Koeln) (Dependency)
Stuttgart
New Berlin (Capital)
Frankfurt
München (Munich)
Dresden (Partial/Contested)
Omega-7 (Dependency)
Omega-3 (shared border/Limited (Minority))
Sigma-15 (Disputed/Contested/Occupied)
Rheinlanders have a strong sense of loyalty to their own, unwilling to abandon their home even as the cracks become evermore apparent. It is to be understood that although Rheinlanders may be aloof or reserved in their thoughts and opinions they are not a hostile people, as some have claimed in the past. As mentioned before, the hardships faced by Rheinland and her people throughout it's history has left its mark on society. It is worth noting that Rheinlanders and Libertonians do not always see eye to eye, especially due to the recent but brief outbreak of war in 817 A.S.
Rheinlanders are not prone to overindulgence as a society, instead preferring to reuse what they can. The hardships and risks the house has experienced has also left it's mark on it's Military fleet, which prefer heavily armored ships to nimbler ones. As has been demonstrated by the Military, Rheinland has the unusual ability to bounce back from disaster. And while there have been periods of extreme violence in Rheinland, the fact that they still remain unified is a testament to the Rheinland people.
As can be seen, Rheinland remains a shadow of it's past glory, yet her people and government refuse to be broken. Through wars, economic crisis's and domestic threats, Rheinland struggles onward. Yet one must ask if the lessons of the past have been headed at all, Rheinland has reached a point of disaster once more, war has come to Rheinland at a time when she can ill afford to make mistakes.
Kusari has always been a reasonably quiet house in terms of politics and inter-house affairs. For the better part of it's early history Kusari found itself in a fairly favorable position in economic terms. New Tokyo was a habitable planet that allowed the Kusari people to expand quickly and develop new technological marvels. The early history of Kusari has not been well preserved, or if it has, is not easily accessible by the public. One of the most significant events that is widely known is the overthrow of the Hideyoshi shogunate in 321 A.S. The Royal Guards of the shogun fled north and eventually founded what is now the 'Blood Dragon' movement. The coup resulted in Samura becoming one of the largest and most successful Kusari corporations, due to it's influence in Imperial politics. It has also resulted in a fierce rivalry between them and Kishiro technologies which has been known to escalate into violence from time to time.
Another significant event is the publishing of Golden Chrysanthemum in Bloom by the well known poet Yuyu Matsuda in 642 A.S. Her work (as well as her death after a failed assassination attempt) lead to the now wide spread feminist movement ''The Golden Chrysanthemum's'' which is reported to have been founded sometime in 649 A.S.
However, in recent years Kusari has become a place of increasing activity, the aftermath of the Tau conflict left Kusari in a state of shock. It's military either destroyed or trapped in Bretonia, it's Emperor dead and a new, highly militarized house next door left the House in a delicate position. It was only a matter of months before the Imperial regime was ousted by a new Republican Government, throwing the house into a civil war. While the Imperial navy in Bretonia entered into a ceasefire agreement and turned it's attention to returning home, the Kusari-Gallia relations were building. As it currently stands, the University has little knowledge over the affairs between Kusari and Gallia. However, due to a lack of any major conflict between them, it is safe to assume that relations between the two houses are peaceful, if nothing else.
Kusari is, as mentioned, a divided house, with Kyushu and Tau-29 under Imperial control where as the rest of Kusari is under republic/government control. Until recently, Kusari was a form of mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy, based partly on the Bretonian model. In theory, the Emperor of Kusari was the supreme leader, and the Cabinet, whose Prime Minister would be elected by a Privy Council, were his followers. In practice however, the Emperor was head of state but the Prime Minister was the actual head of government with a Shogun leading the Military forces. Following the surprise attack of Gallia on both the Imperial Kusari Navy and the Royal Bretonian Navy, Kusari abandoned it's status as a Monarchy and became a parliamentary republic in 819 A.S.
To outsiders Kusari might look like a single, unified House, standing together in all matters. But in the House itself, the reality is quite different. As mentioned before, much of the house is divided between the influence of the two great keiretsu (corporations): Samura Industries and Kishiro Technologies. These two companies compete with each other fiercely, often to the point of an indirect war. While Kishiro prefers economic competition, Samura (being the larger of the two) utilizes it's influence among the local gangs to physically impede it's rivals' growth, frequently sending attack parties against it's shipping. Kishiro on the other hand struck a deal with the Gas Miners Guild (disgruntled over Samura's ever growing prices) for exclusive distribution of H-Fuel, as well as taking several contracts with the Kusari Naval Forces. Kusari is also in the grasp of the Hogosha, who control much of it's middle structure through bribery. The House is known to openly endorse political organisations that resort to terrorism against foreign shipping when the state police aren't paying attention.
Systems that currently make up the House of Kusari are:
New Tokyo (Capital)
Shikoku
Honshu,
Hokkaido
Hiroshima
Kyushu (Contested)
Tohoku (Territory (Contested))
Nagano (Territory)
Tottori (Territory)
Tau-29 (Dependency (Contested))
Kusari maintains a cautious approach when dealing with foreigners and treats all non native Kusari citizens with extreme suspicion, especially those looking to meddle in the local affairs. As such this has resulted in a highly independent society who are prone to being more isolationist than the other three great houses. Individual attitudes vary per person although Kusarian's are generally viewed as cold and borderline xenophobic, although there is evidence of change in government circles. Rheinland and Kusari have maintained a tight alliance for at least four century's, if only because of their united mistrust or dislike of Liberty. Kusarian's also maintain a strict code of honour that defines their society at various levels, from politics to gender roles. Bushidō (武士道 or "The way of warriors" is defined as: An ancient Japanese collective term for the many codes of honour and ideals that dictated the samurai way of life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry in Britain and other western nations
An early author and diplomat, Nitobe Inazō, described Bushidō: "The code of moral principles which the samurai were required or instructed to observe ... More frequently it is a code unuttered and unwritten ... It was an organic growth of decades and centuries of military career. In order to become a samurai this code has to be mastered."-Nitobe Inazō (date unknown).
Kusari remains one of the most technologically advanced houses in Sirius, historically making major advances in shipbuilding, engineering, microbiology, communications and transportation. It's business spreads throughout the sector and even the criminal underworld. One may go so far as to argue that the shipbuilding industry was born in Kusari, with the Yokohama Shipyard being the first of it's kind in Sirius (construction finishing in 50 A.S). Access to raw materials and gasses are still widely open to Kusari industry and production remains high, particularly in the shipbuilding industry with some of the most modern vessels due to be launched within the next decade.
As can be seen, Kusari has had a long, proud history of production and independence, the last few years have seen the older traditional systems of governance and social exchange to the breaking point which has lead to Kusari standing at a crossroads. Kusari, unlike the other three houses has the ability to decide it's own fate, although some believe that it is only a matter of time before crisis finds its way into her borders. With a seriously depleted Military, Kusari is in a vulnerable position.
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