Francoism in Action
The West Pacific - November 3, 2005
Many people think that Francoism is a form of government, which it is not. Francoism is a tool of analysis used to explain why things happen the way they do. It is a model that shows the course of NS feeder governments, and it explains the conflict that occurs in the feeder regions. This article will apply the Francoism model to the situation in the West Pacific so that the readers may better understand Francoism, what happened in the West, and how to prevent instability and strife.
Background: On November 3, 2005, a faction of government of the West Pacific declared that the constitution was dissolved, and that martial law would be in effect. The region would be run by “the core” until a democratic constitutional convention could be held. In the interim, the s8 forums, home to the West, were shut down and all government activity was moved to the s14 forums, home of the West Pacific Dominion. Dilber (Former Prime Minister), Berphamore (former Delegate) and Eli aka Wickedly Evil People (Current Regent), asked the world to help out the Dominion from power and called for a return to constitutional rule. The Alliance Defense Network, Nasicouria, and the Allied States of EuroIslanders were the only regions to have established embassies on s14, and all were calling for peace and good relations with the Dominion. After intense debate on the ASE forums, the ASE retracted their support of the Dominion, and stated that they would fight to re-instate the Constitutionalists. The RLA also threw their support behind Dilber, Berphamore, and Eli. ADN director Pope Hope stated that the Alliance would protect the West from any foreign troops, implying she would back the Dominion should RLA or Pacific forces support Eli.
Lanier, retired West Pacific hero and r00t of s8, was contacted and he restored the s8 forums from lockdown. The human outcry and political pressure from outside the region and inside lead the Dominion to dissolve. Biyah, Prime Minister, left for Nasicouria. ZetaOne, Former Delegate, retired. Minineenee, current delegate, resigned from the UN. At the time of this writing, the ranking cabinet member is Dilber (Secretary of Defense) and he will most likely head the government until elections can be called to replace the cabinet.
The Failure of Democracy: When James Madison wrote the Constitution of the United States of America, he did so with the knowledge that every other democracy had failed, and tyranny rose up. He made the executive so weak that General Washington had to get senate approval to use his chamber pot.
My, how times have changed. Now American presidents can conduct wars if they call it a “Police Action,” (or don’t tell anyone they’re doing it). Thomas Jefferson himself noted that the tree of liberty would have to be refreshed with the blood of tyrants and patriots. Democracies are a cycle of boom and bust, freedom and tyranny, chaos and stagnation.
It was stagnation that created the think-tank. Several high ranking members of the West Pacific government congregated to discuss the lack of activity in the region. Some called for a change of government using mechanisms provided by the constitution, while others called for a change from outside of the constitution. However, more people felt that the problem with the West was the constitution itself. In researching the “why,” I found the following quote from the last leader of The Core: (Source)
As with any feeder region in NS that has a constitution, the leaders could sense that something was wrong. The region could not change to meet the needs of the citizenry because the ruling cadre was bound by a dead document. Democracies focus on the procedures of government rather than the outcomes of governments. To many democrats, democracy is an end. The West had its democracy, but the products of their government were diminishing. As more procedures and protocols were added to the government, many felt burdened by them. It was more important to get the necessary votes and legislation than to actually do something. This is why “the Core” moved to the new forums. They kept calling for a clean slate. Very few new nations could walk into the West and figure out the labyrinth of government and process that had been created. This was the seed of thought that lead to the core and the dissolution of the constitution: The West had become clogged with bureaucracy, and a new government free of the stifling procedure was needed.Shashoria wrote: The Constitution was an incredible document, touting years of work by some of the most talented of people. Yet we were becoming trapped in our own constitution, if you would. Much of it had been perfected to the point where we would make enourmous issues out of small things that no one would mention again once an amendment made it to the table. Our evolution had stopped short of what we truly aspired it to be.
Unfortunately, the process to change the government was ALSO choked with bureaucracy. While The Pacific changes yearly to ensure that the Republic is properly serving the residents of The Pacific, The West had not had a spring cleaning since the second constitutional convention. The only way to “save” the West from the bureaucrats was to erase it all in one fell swoop. No vote. No legislation. No debate. No procedure. No protocol. Just action.
The Userite Influence and the Corruption of the Intent
So, in the eyes of the leaders, the West was stagnating due to the constitution and layers of bureaucracy those years of democracy had piled on (which is the eventual fate of all feeder democracies according to Francoism). So, to create a new government, the leaders would consolidate power among a core cadre that would protect the region as it shifted from its current form to its new form: A tabla rasa free from bureaucracy. However, for this step to succeed, the ruling cadre must put the region first. If the ruling cadre acts for the Userites or themselves, the ruling cadre will cease to be Feederites, and become Userites. This will create conflict with the feederite class, and lead to the downfall of the ruling cadre.
The Core, however, did not put the region first. According to Francoism, the Userites only see the feeder regions as a resource. To them, Feederites are human charcoal to fuel the furnaces of their industry. For all of their talk and treaties, the Userites care not of democracy, but of power. Thus, when the Feederites of the West Pacific looked to the Dominion boards, they saw three embassies: The Alliance Defense Network, Nasicouria, and the Allied States of EuroIslanders. These Userite regions had been Allies of the West. They had promised to uphold and defend the West against those who would overthrow the constitution. When the constitution was overthrown and the Feederites looked to their allies to save them, they could not believe their eyes. The Director of the ADN, Pope Hope, a woman who swore to uphold and protect democracy, was siding with the Core. EuroSoviets was hoping for good relations between the ASE and the Dominion. It was then when this truth of Francoism was revealed to the West: The Userites care nothing of the governments of the Feeders, so long as they can continue to exploit the Feeders for their own purposes.
The ADN fought ALSO when the North’s government was overthrown, but did not fight the Dominion when the West’s government was overthrown? The difference: The North left the ADN, while the West’s first act was to state their membership and eternal friendship with the Alliance. At that point, in the eyes of the masses, they quit being Pacificans, and started being Userites. Conflict between the Core and the region was inevitable.
How the Userites Picked Sides: The Francoism model suggests that Userites are in competition with one another over the resources of the feeders. ES’s early attempts at garnering influence in the Dominion quickly failed, and thus, the region realized that if the ADN were to gain complete control of the West, it would place them at a disadvantage for resources. This is why (after a tearful plea from Berphamore and Dilber) the ASE and RLA vowed to take up arms against the Dominion: They would rather have an independent West than an ADN-occupied West.
After the Dominion folded and power returned to the constitutional government, Dilber requested all foreign troops and UN nations to endorse the Regent (which, interestingly enough, the Dominion called for as well just before folding). After the ADN realized they had lost their Userite influence, they imediantely began to backpeddle, sending in troops after the war was over. The Alliance then stated how it was difficult to choose a side (the constitutionalists, or the Dominion offering the region on a platter) and expressed how they came to the aid of the region after this “internal matter” had been settled. The Alliance, though they lost complete control of the region, worked to ensure that the constitutionalist would still export their industry, culture, and resources to the Alliance.
How Userites Took Control of the West’s Democracy: A question, however, is “were the members of the Core always Userites?” For this, we must consider that the second failing of democracy, besides stagnation, is that it rewards Userites, and places them in control of the feeders. Elections inherently are about self: Vote for ME, I can lead you. Thus, the Userites who wish to have the power and the glory of a feeder region under their control are drawn to these elections. It is difficult for a Francoist or a true Feederite to win an election, because instead of marketing themselves and handing out teddy bear hugs, they are working hard for the betterment of the region.
Outside influences are also rampant in democracy. Userites see democracy as the easiest method of control. Powerful interest groups will aid candidates that support their Userite interest, in exchange for exporting the products of the feeder. Userites will apply for citizenship, and stack voter rolls in their favor. Userites will endorse candidates and governments if they promise to continue the exportation of resources (see TWP: The Dominion). In extreme cases, Userites will move UN nations into a region for “security,” “police actions,” or “to level the playing field.” (See TWP: Berphamore v. Norion / ADN). This is why some elected members of the West Pacific Government seized power. They were Userites who rose through the democracy and were exporting the production of the West Pacific to the ADN. Since the democracy was slowing down production, they needed a new form of government to increase productivity and the amount of resources they could export to their Userite masters. The true feederites in the region rebelled against their Userite masters, and through feeder solidarity, were able to retake control of the region.
The Support of our Fellow Feederites: With these events unfolding and the threat of purges to occur, the feederites rallied together to help drive the userites from power. The Pacific News Network was the first to break the story to the world, and was the first to point out that the Core was a Userite coalition. While there is a list of conduct that makes a person a Francoist, the first and foremost definition is one who places their Pacific above themselves and others. Many government officials were invited to the core, but rejected becoming a Userite. Eli, Moo-cows with Guns, Berphamore, and Dilber all inspired the Feederites. They showed the world that they would not bow to the Userites, and would keep the West Pacific in the hands of the Feederites. This helped to create solidarity between the West and the other Pacifics, who, in the spirit of Pacific brotherhood, brought pressure to the Core and the Userites, which eventually lead to its downfall. Currently, the constitution is restored, and the feederite cabinet members and assembly will pick up the pieces of their region.
Lessons for the TWP Government: Francoism teaches us that Feeder regions must be focused on the ends, and Democracy is not an ends. An ends is an active region that produces industry, culture, and thought. What happened is that the government felt that the process of the region was destroying the production of the region. The failings were that the Dominion chose to give the production of the region to the Userites: Namely, themselves (the “chosen”) and the ADN.
Now, contrary to popular belief, Francoism does not call for an end to democracy. Again, it is a model for which to view the world. Francoism, however, wants the Feederites to recognize the failings of democracy. Democracy makes the region’s process more important than the products, which destroys production. The ruling cadre will then try and free the region of the bureaucracy, and replace it with an outcome oriented government. However, if the ruling cadre attempts to sell the products of the region to Userites, or tries to horde the products for themselves, the ruling cadre then, by definition, becomes Userites. Feederites and Userites are in conflict, and the Feederites will rise up and oust the Userites.
To prevent this cycle of exploitation and conflict, I make the following recommendations to the West, that they may end their conflicts.
1) Have an outcome-orientated government: Focus your resources not on the process, but on the product. Create cadres where like-minded citizens of similar skills work to improve the industry, thought, and culture of the region.
2) Place the region above all else: The top priority for every West Pacifican should be the region. Not external alliances, not themselves, but the region. Greatness comes from the collective, not the individual, and when every achievement is shared by all, all will strive for achievement.
3) Keep feeder resources in the feeders: Do not share your resources with the Userites, who view you only as a tool for imperialism. Use your industry to support your own people. Let the West shine brightly as a beacon of industry, thought, and culture. When you realize the surplus you have when you do not export your resources, you will see truly how active your region is.
4) Recognize the failings of democracy, and account for them: Democracies strive to slow the production of your region by focusing on the process. Like a computer surfing the internet, it will become gunked with cookies and spyware until it crawls like a Commodore 64. You need to reformat your hard drive every now and then to keep it up to speed. Have mechanisms that allow for your government to meet the changing needs of your region. The Pacific is not governed by an unchangeable constitution, but by a simple bill and a simple ideal. Have a mandatory constitutional convention every year. Write sunset clauses in your legislation. Do not allow the process get in the way of your progress.
Also, remember that democracy will always leave yourself open to Userite subversion. Do not vote for the candidate who promises to export your labor and resources. Do not vote for the candidate with the best marketing who gives out bear hugs. Support those that put the West Pacific first, and support those who are best at their job. Reward the most productive among you with places where their imbune others with their work ethic. Remember, when you are able to keep the riches that are currently being exported, you will see truely how active and productive the West Pacific is.
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Written by Sir Paul
Republished from the University of The Pacific