The actual system is deep and arcane, and designed to conceal the actual process of selection. Too, the choices we are given are never satisfactory; generally there are only two choices, both wealthy noblemen of identical species, race, and breed.
The candidates spend the year leading up to the election doing two things. First, in order to obtain votes from those who hate the current duke, they make it clear that they are nothing like him, his exact opposite. Second, in order to obtain votes from those who like the current duke, they proclaim how they support his positions and will continue and strengthen all of his policies. Under most circumstances you'd need magic just to tell which is which.
This election is somewhat different. One of the candidates is an Orren-equivalent, constantly re-evaluating his own opinions and leaping from topic to topic, unable to focus long enough to make his points clear on any subject. This is the candidate supported by most of the intelligent citizenry, although just about none of them actually like him. I hadn't realized it was possible for an Orren-equivalent to be boring, but somehow the intellectual candidate has managed it.
The other candidate is the current duke, a Khtsoyis-equivalent whose campaign is stage-managed by his advisors. Their slogan is "Vote for us, or somethin' might HAPPEN to you." A surprising number of citizens support him because of his strong defensive stance against the cyarr-equivalent; this is a good and wise stance to have, as he has been fighting an unprovoked war against them for two years and they are sure to retaliate soon.
All in all, I think a hereditary system might be a better one for the office of duke. After all, the reason we give our dukes so much power is that they can at least pretend to have the mandate of the citizenry; a duke who no one chose has no mandate, and thus should, in theory, be limited in power. The city-state of Britannia, one branch over in my world, has a similar system; the legeriators have the power, they choose one of their own as leader, and the dukes merely sit in their palace, wave, and be inspirational.
It is the prestige, the power, and the wealth that drives men (never women, "by tradition") to seek the office of duke, and those who seek prestige, power, and wealth above all else are unfit to serve in any real office. Perhaps the manufacture of a false office that seems to offer these things, but in reality offers nothing but pomp and circumstance, might be the most intelligent and effective system.
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Date: 2004-11-02 09:54 am (UTC)The actual system is deep and arcane, and designed to conceal the actual process of selection. Too, the choices we are given are never satisfactory; generally there are only two choices, both wealthy noblemen of identical species, race, and breed.
The candidates spend the year leading up to the election doing two things. First, in order to obtain votes from those who hate the current duke, they make it clear that they are nothing like him, his exact opposite. Second, in order to obtain votes from those who like the current duke, they proclaim how they support his positions and will continue and strengthen all of his policies. Under most circumstances you'd need magic just to tell which is which.
This election is somewhat different. One of the candidates is an Orren-equivalent, constantly re-evaluating his own opinions and leaping from topic to topic, unable to focus long enough to make his points clear on any subject. This is the candidate supported by most of the intelligent citizenry, although just about none of them actually like him. I hadn't realized it was possible for an Orren-equivalent to be boring, but somehow the intellectual candidate has managed it.
The other candidate is the current duke, a Khtsoyis-equivalent whose campaign is stage-managed by his advisors. Their slogan is "Vote for us, or somethin' might HAPPEN to you." A surprising number of citizens support him because of his strong defensive stance against the cyarr-equivalent; this is a good and wise stance to have, as he has been fighting an unprovoked war against them for two years and they are sure to retaliate soon.
All in all, I think a hereditary system might be a better one for the office of duke. After all, the reason we give our dukes so much power is that they can at least pretend to have the mandate of the citizenry; a duke who no one chose has no mandate, and thus should, in theory, be limited in power. The city-state of Britannia, one branch over in my world, has a similar system; the legeriators have the power, they choose one of their own as leader, and the dukes merely sit in their palace, wave, and be inspirational.
It is the prestige, the power, and the wealth that drives men (never women, "by tradition") to seek the office of duke, and those who seek prestige, power, and wealth above all else are unfit to serve in any real office. Perhaps the manufacture of a false office that seems to offer these things, but in reality offers nothing but pomp and circumstance, might be the most intelligent and effective system.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-02 10:08 am (UTC)