Democratic Deficit in the Minmatar Republic

Fiction Portal Intergalactic Summit
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At present there is a democratic deficit in our Republic. The last elections for a Prime Minister was over 9 years ago and the process was a travesty of Democracy in which the outcome was predetermined and rigged in favor of Maleatu Shakor, who continues to lead an authoritarian regime at present and defacto “Prime Minister for life” of the Minmatar Republic.

https://community.eveonline.com/news/news-channels/eve-online-news/shakor-is-named-as-presidential-candidate-elections-prepared.-1/ This article is evidence that the major political movers within the Republic fixed up the results to ensure Shakor was the sole candidate…

https://community.eveonline.com/news/news-channels/world-news/maleatu-shakor-elected-prime-minister-of-minmatar-republic/ And this article was about the election outcome, in which Shakor was elected.

At present there are currently no scheduled future elections to my knowledge, to which as a citizen of the Minmatar Republic, I find despicable, considering our established tradition of being freedom fighters and a people willing to stand up to tyranny and injustice.

I acknowledge the brave and courageous nature of our Prime Minister and his credential’s as a revolutionary and fighter, but does this really grant him a free pass to be the unquestioned dictator for life in the Minmatar Republic?

Some may argue that with the ongoing war against the Amarr Empire and their allies the Caldari State, that it somehow justifies Shakor’s authoritarianism; and that increasing security acts and measures that curtail the liberties and gain’s of the liberation are necessary for the sake of the ongoing war effort. To this I say rubbish!

It is time for a new democratic movement to foster some political pluralism and perhaps a much overdue election for a new Prime Minister of the Minmatar Republic. A genuinely free election with more than one candidate on offer.

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The Republic’s rejection of parliamentary democratic rule has been its surest step towards progress in years.

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That is your opinion based I suppose on your definition of ‘progress’

However I find it hard to share you view when the blood of the miners and workers continue to oil the war hungry, capitalist isk machine…

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The absence of Faith in God creates the conditions for idols to arise.

We are not criticizing Matari self determination. We believe in it, quite strongly. You can choose to believe us, or not.

If pantheons and paganism are the spiritual inclinations of choice, then so be it… but what stage of self determinism is dictatorship really?

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lol democracy

if you believe that billions of people are smart and rational enough to make a proper choice regarding who they’re voting for, then you’re a part of the stupid masses not understanding that democracy, on a scale like this, does not work. the one who wins will be the one with the best looks, the best smiles and the best marketing campaign.

don’t be ridiculous. all elections are rigged, one wa or another. don’t ask for idiots to decide the fate of everyone.

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It’s about more then just democracy, there is systemic corruption in the current establishment. The Brutor Tribe Treasury in Ren’s and the Brutor Tribe Bureau station in Ivar are currently engaging in the slave trade.

As I write this, the Market app shows there are 15 slaves for sale at the Tribe Treasury station, while a further 13 slaves are for sale at the Brutor Tribe Bureau in Ivar. Concord have done not lifted a finger to prevent this disgusting trade from re-entering the Republic.

It’s also interesting to note that Maleatu Shakor is part of the Brutor Tribe, its shocking that he is allowing this to continue under his watch and needs to be investigated.

As for your argument against democracy, I’m afraid I don’t share such contempt for the masses as you do, so I disagree. If a government is performing poorly and leaving society worse off then they found it, I think it’s imperitive the people have an ability to review the government’s performance and if needed, fire the government and select a new one. The best function of that is periodic elections.

And yes there are hugely powerful interests that hijack democracies and use their limitless funds manipulating people into supporting particular agenda’s that may not be in the peoples own interests, but fall for it anyway. The best way to combat that is a free and open media who can investigate entities and shine transparency on any injustice.

In a dictatorship there is only silence, secrecy, fear, conformity and more than likely a shadowy cabal planning out the lives of you and everyone around you. I mean, if you really chummy with the oppressors (cough cough Ammatar Mandate*) then maybe dictatorship is good for you

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Well, it doesn’t matter if you share it. It’s still true. you not understanding that democracy, on such a big scale, isn’t working for the people, is a problem. that’s likely why we have this situation in the first place. to prevent delusional lunatics like you from ruining it for the rest of us.

you’re delusional, thinking this is ever going to be a thing. please stop being so detached from reality. thanks. #

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SCC market places are entirely free capsuleer markets as specified by CONCORD, and capsuleers’ independence means they can put up orders of whatever, wherever they want. That is CONCORD’s fault, and the Republic doesn’t have the power to restrict it short of withdrawing from CONCORD. Every empire suffers from this.

Anyway, as for Shakor, you’re not likely to convince anyone. The Republic loves him. And supposedly, what power he had is in the hands of the Tribal Council now, as declared in YC116.

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Not everyone.

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Ah thanks, I wasn’t aware of those reforms Samira. Though it’s concerning that the slave trade is still a thing in some parts of Minmatar Space.

Fully automated-direct-democratic-luxury-space communism is the future, what are you on about…

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While those reform’s did democratize the political order, parliament is now largely a consultative role, and despite the division of the office of Sanmatar and Prime Minister, it appears the Tribal Council have entrenched his position in both offices. He may not have voting rights but he has considerable political clout.

With proponents of democracy shouted down and ostracized and the ideals rapidly fallen out of favor, this is a cycle all too familiar with societies that start going through a stage of closing down. And here I was hoping that in my lifetime I would experience life in a society that was opening up, politically, intellectually, culturally and well the economy is already pretty open (as evidenced by the ongoing slave trade…)

Anyway it’s unpopular to criticize a dictator, so I spose I’ll zip it for now. Don’t want the RSS to hunt me down

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Democracy is overrated, the last time the Republic did things democratically, their government was filled top to bottom with Amarrian spies.

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Keep up with the times. The Republic is not a Parliamentary Democracy anymore. There is no public voting. If your community group, usually your Clan, make a collective decision that someone among them is going to be the head and the voice of the Clan, he becomes the head and voice of the Clan. This is repeated at every level up until the Tribal Assembly.

The next Sanmatar will be appointed into office by Tribal Chiefs in the Assembly, and he or she will be one among their number.

Far as I know, there isn’t a term limit for the position of Chiefs or Sanmatar. Either they are deceased, disposed of, or retired, then a new Chief or Sanmatar will be appointed.

You also seem unaware that the only real power the position of Sanmatar is that of Executive Power, and the moment he uses it, his position of Sanmatar is forfeit as soon as the crisis necessitating the use of Executive Power is dealt with. If you have any issues with how the Republic is run, go after the Tribal Chiefs of the Tribal Assembly. They are each responsible for the decisions made for their individual Tribes and, collectively, responsible for Republic-wide decisions. Write angry mails or something.

Yes, you can totally write angry mails, though if it’s the issue with how a Clan is run, it’s best to send that mail to the Clan head directly or, if that didn’t change anything, send it further up the chain to the Greater Clan (if that is how your Clan is run) all the way up to the Tribal Chief. If it’s an Inter-Tribal issue, address that mail to the relevant Republic bodies such as, say, the Parliament or the law enforcement or something. If they can’t solve the issue, you can expect them to kick it up the chain, even up to the Tribal Assembly if that’s what it takes.

It’s also a very, very short chain, so there is no excuse. Like between two to four steps. There really isn’t an excuse. If it’s a problem, the relevant authorities will have it dealt with. Eventually. Depends on how far away you are from the core worlds. If they can’t handle it, and if the problem causes enough outrage, you don’t even need to wait for the authorities. Members of your Clan will probably go and have it dealt with themselves. Yes, this is actually allowed.

I mentioned how swiftly any serious inter-Clan or Tribe issue is going to be resolved is going to depend on your distance from the core worlds. That means, if you call a backwater, like say, Skarkon II, home, you are really shite out of luck. If this is your situation, you can only rely on community leader, Clan chief and an appointed mediator to get the issue resolved. That, or mob justice.

That is how the Republic is run now.

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We do not have a ‘Prime Minister’ running things. We have a Sanmatar. After Shakor’s election to the Prime Ministership, the government was reorganized. The fetid corruption of the Gallente-spawned ‘Parliament’ as a body of actual power was thankfully eliminated. Afterwards, we chose a form of government that is ours, and not some foreign power’s attempt to graft their anarchic mob rule onto the Tribes.

When and if the Tribal Council decides that it is time for a new Sanmatar, they will install one. Until then, if you have an issue with the way our people govern ourselves, I suggest you ask whatever form of leadership your Clan has to take the matter up with Acassa Midular, Chief of our Tribe.

As for the slaves on the market… unfortunately, the Secure Commerce Commission controls what goods are and are not legal trade items among capsuleers. As a division of CONCORD, it is limited in what protections it can enforce by CONCORD’s ruling council, and it seems that the Empire has consistently blocked attempts by the other nations to have slave-trading outlawed at SCC stations.

There is, however, currently a petition circulating to the Empress on behalf of a number of Amarr loyalists that asks her to act to eliminate capsuleer slave trade within the Empire. Presumably, this would entail the Empire supporting efforts to eliminate slaves as an SCC-tradable commodity, as capsuleer trade within the Empire is SCC-regulated, not a matter of Imperial law.

Might I suggest supporting it?

I’ll also point out that democracy was determined to be performing poorly and leaving society worse off, which is why when Sanmatar Shakor called for an Assembly of the Seven Tribes in order to determine the direction of governance in the Republic, Parliament, the representatives of ‘the people’, applauded. Even they knew we were better off without them running anything.

The Sanmatar has no authority except to act as the voice and executor of the Council’s will, and a moderator if needed during their debates. Shakor is the Council’s public-facing representative, and their servant, not a dictator. He serves at their whim.

I’m sure you mean this as a step toward improving our peoples’ government and making it more responsive to our needs, but returning us to the corruption and incompetence of Gallente rule-by-clamour… is madness.

If anything, Kam, our current system is far more responsive to the people. As Elmund points out, the distance between you and the Council is between two and four steps. If you see a problem, and the people of your Clan agree with you, your Clan’s leadership (however you choose it) takes the problem to the Chief. If your Chief decides your concerns are valid, they’ll address them. If it’s an internal issue, the Tribe deals with it. If not, congratulations, you’re at the level of ‘dealing with the Council’.

That’s not ‘closing down’. That’s ‘getting hundreds of bickering bureaucrats out of the peoples’ way’.

and @yellow_parasol - where’s my billion ISK?

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It was certainly a banner day when the Matari finally came out from behind the form of government that had been imposed on them by their ‘allies’ in the Federation. A form of government unsuited to the needs of the Matari and largely unrepresentative of their ideals.

I’m not saying that I would choose a Tribal Council form of government for myself, I believe our own form of government in the State is as near perfect for my people as any of the systems we’ve tried over the centuries, but I do think it is supported by the Matari people and it does seem to come out of the peculiarities of their own culture.

Personally, I find the idea of ruling by Family to be quite charming - and since it seems to be less contentious than the old Republic, why not?

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Right, because the last time a liberal democratic leader ran the Minmatar Republic, it ended really well.

Does nobody remember the absolute disaster that was Karin Midular?

It’s an inconvenient fact, but Shakor’s actions probably saved the Republic.

Say what you want about Shakor. At least he doesn’t have a paranoid meltdown and basically ragequit at the worst possible time.

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“absolute disaster”?

Midular was one of the few sane Minmatar to hold a position of authority since the Rebellion, and they repaid her well, in full.

Okay, if they want a tribal warchief in place of a reasonable peacemaker woman to rule them… They got what they want now.

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To my limited understanding of our political system we are a Republic. And Republics are not democracies like you would think. You as an individual do not vote for your leaders, but your city, tribe, clan, region, state, or planet, representative votes.

My ancient history lessons taught me that the ancient Romans, had senators that were elected by the people of their region, BUT the senators voted amoungst themselves on who would be the leader of the Republic.

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“reasonable peacemaker woman”

This was the problem. That reasonableness made her naive, which allowed the Republic to become infested with agents and corruption. She was weak, in a culture that needs strength at the center.

A leader of a tribal culture must be a bit mad, a bit intimidating. She wasn’t. She was simply a misfit for that role. And when the pressure of that came upon her, she collapsed under it.

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She was the Ray of Matar, and our Chief. She was who she was, and like any human being, was not such a caricature as to be reduced to labels. And that is all I will say about her in a discussion with outsiders.

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