When in the Course of Pony Events... · 12:25am Apr 18th, 2012
So, I would like to consult the crowd: We've all seen quite a number of fics based around the premise of some sort of uprising against the royal sisters (or against Princess Celestia in particular, when Luna is actually leading the rebellion). The rebellions all seem to end the same way, with the installation of some sort of essentially American-style constitutional democratic republic. This particular paradigm is so entrenched, in fact, that I can't really find anything worth reading that works out differently. I'm wondering if anyone has any examples of reasonably good such fics that work out differently (particularly if it's not a "bad end"), and also what, in a general sense, people thought of some unspecified other political system being the result of such an uprising. Remember, we're just talking ponies, I'm not trying to start a political flamewar. ^^;
Ponies deserve Technocracy! Led by Luna, equestria should florish and rise, and tame the stars and everything beyond, and they should find cures for every diseases and allow every pony a decent life through science and technics and progress...
Uhmm...
Or something like that
The only other result I've seen with any kind of regularity is Twilight ascending to the throne, to various degrees of success or failure.
Have you thought about the British Commonwealth example? The Queen is still the Queen, but the various countries in the commonwealth rule via Parliaments, with a Queens Representative in-country (the "Governor General") who doesn't get involved in the day to day running, but authorises change in Prime Ministers, Cabinets and ruling parties after elections (and has on occasion removed elected officials in extreme cases).
I'm inclined to think that in a world with immortal alicorn dieties, this model might actually work better at allowing them to step down from micro-managing everything but still being the ultimate arbiter or authority.
74736
Good thought! So, I'm Canadian. If I was going to write something like that and use a first-world-style democratic republic, I'd almost certainly use a constitutional monarchy model (particularly if Luna was a/the leader of the rebellion) rather than an American-style model.
In addition to the Commonwealth model, however, there's also the Japanese model of constitutional monarchy, where all authority is invested in a parliamentary legislature and the monarch is a figurehead with no reserve powers, but is still maintained in monarchic fashion by the public. That would also be a likely model, given that in Celestia's absence, Luna would have pretty significant religious/supernatural responsibilities (much as the Emperor of Japan is/was/is believed to).
I can't help but feel like any model that does not have a monarch component would simply not have a chance at implementation without the princesses seriously overstepping some kind of boundary. They're not only loved, but revered by the little ponies. Well, Celestia is anyway. I mean, she raises the sun. It's hard to imagine the ponies backing somepony else or some other scheme, without her backing it as well.
Assuming it's in the original universe, devoid of any Tyrantlestia or similar behavior.
Then again, maybe a clever politician could incite fear into the little ponies of Luna, and somehow convincing them that Celestia backs her sister? I feel like that is the only current place where there might be an opening for a coup of sorts.
Hell, if we had a monarch who lasted over a thousand years in what appears to be prosperity, I would be in no rush to change their position. (Ignoring the lack of scientific growth. I like to attribute that to the clever ponies studying magic instead of science)
74766
Hmm, interesting, I'll have to check into that. And, yeah, the sisters' power certainly throws a wrinkle into the idea of them as constitutionally-limited monarchs... Which has interesting fictional potential in and of itself.
74834
Same deal! It's one of the things that tends to ring false for me... Unless the princesses themselves arranged the new order, who's going to be able to depose them in any way? They're universally beloved and have godlike power.
The only fic I've read seriously on this subject is The Equestrian Spring.
What interests me about this kind of fic:
1. Who is spearheading such a change? Why?
- Celestia/Luna (or both). Because they want to abandon responsibility? Because "ponies are ready", or because they want to deal with a greater threat?
- OC (like Equestrian Spring). To attempt to hold Celestia/Luna responsible for X? Because they are afraid of the Princesses' absolute power?
- Mane 6. Good luck trying to pull this off without just ignoring canon characterization. Perhaps an older Mane 6 holding the Princesses responsible for the death of one of their own (Loyalty might be pretty convenient). Twilight's paranoia causing her to go off the deep end has already been done to death.
2. What changes are proposed? (this seems to be the focus of most of the above comments)
- Fascism/Nationalistic. Not a chance for this to work IMO. Perhaps a radical racist faction only looking out for Earth/Unicorn/Pegasus ponies. Bonus points for a radical Unicorn faction with "alicorn" in the name (that's what a unicorn's horn is called, after all).
- Constitution. As you've pointed out, this is the typical solution. An interesting spin might be to re-enact the American Revolution with ponies (and from the perspective of "England"). Set the fic in a recent settlement (doesn't have to be an imperialistic "acquirement") and go from there.
- Constitutional Monarchy. Since you seem to be interested in this, here's some food for thought (I'm American though, so while this seems clever to me, it might very well already be in your frame of reference): How would nobles help/hinder shaping such a government (it only happened in England because nobles hated the king)? How might this affect the mane 6? Twilight seems implied to be from a noble family, even before the wedding.
- No changes/Anarchy. V for Vendetta style freedom fighters, with no plan on how society should be formed, but instead focused on tearing down the current system (not bad fuel for Luna insurgency or even NMM/Discord influence. Hell, even Changelings might work).
3. How does the plot move?
Political intrigue? War? Insurgency? Cyberpunk/Steampunk style insurgency? (Cyberpunk and Steampunk are too niche IMO, even if I do love the pictures)
Just from reading your previous stuff, you've got the bones to write some great political intrigue and you've got action down (Twilight vs. the Wolf King is one of the best combat scenes that I've ever encountered in a narrative, period).
War is different, though. War fics also tend not to be well-loved, even if they are well-written.
Hope this helps!