Opinions on Equestria's Government as formed by Alternia? · 10:02am Jul 27th, 2016
I ask this because I put a bit of a history expositiony section in my latest chapter (21) of ECQ&tAE where I explained Equestria's government as formed by Alternia, but never really received any feedback on it. I mean, it's my headcanon on how Equestria MIGHT work with nobles still existing and still in influential positions, but i'm still interested to see how people think Equestria's government is organized.
Just to refresh people, Alternia's Equestria is a form of constitutional monarchy that incorporates nobles. There are also some more details here.
Alternia or in now at this point in time, the Equestrian Triumvirate (Luna, Alternia and Celestia), also known as the Equestrian crown, sit at the top. I'll explain their powers a bit later.
Below them though are the United Parliament, which basically composes of one-half nobles and one-half democratically elected delegates. They decide upon passing new laws, they organize the budget, they also execute and propose economic policy as well as social policy.
Each noble and each democratically elected delegate gets a vote number equivalent to the size of the constituency they represent. Moreover, the voting power between nobles and delegates are split equally.
Seems unfair, but nobles must undergo a rigorous academic testing procedure before they are allowed to represent/hold a vote for their constituency. Moreover, if the noble is unable to pass these tests or is deemed incapable of administering to his lands effectively or humanely, the Princess can strip him/her of his/her power, upon approval of the parliament. All nobles also must serve in the government or in the armed forces and they must serve competently, or lose voting privileges, and possible their own titles.
Which leaves me to the Princesses power.I imagine that Equestria is heavily centralized around Alternia and the Equestrian Crown's decisions. They chair the United Parliament. They have the power to call for a declaration of war (though parliament must affirm it), they can propose economic or social policy. They also can strip a delegate or noble of their powers and order them detained, though charging them with incompetence must be backed up by a decision from the Equestrian Supreme Court (Equestiria's independent judiciary).
So, what do you all think? Do you got any theories? Let me know.
Are you asking for thoughts on the power given to the Executive or about the Equestriani government in general?
I had originally thought it was more like the Westminster system with the house of reps then the house of Lords then the crown
I like the system, then again i am biased because in real life I am a monarchist (not a absolutest but one where the crown the lords and the commons have power)
It seems to be a stable form of goverment.
Seems like it could work. The noble thing is kind of unfair, but nothing perfect I suppose.
4116126 how long have you been waiting to make that one?
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Too long...
Far.... far too long.
All I have to say, is where is the trump card for the princesses?
If I was an immortal pansy pony princess, then I wouldn't tolerate not being able to control my government when I need to.
Luna and Celestia would probably disagree with this lack of a trump card, considering they got some milleniums on Alternia.
4117868 Well the trump card is first, the fact that they literally supervise everything and can intervene preettty much at any point. Granted, if the parliament doesn't agree with them then there's a problem but they have almost unparalleld ability to take first action.
Also, their age. The princesses can afford to be patient as hell and cultivate friends among all the delegates.
The government as you have it set up makes a lot of sense given the world that they are in. Alternia would know damn well she wouldn't be able to effectively govern a country as large and economically/culturally diverse as Equestria is as an absolute monarchy, and there is no way that the unicorn nobles of old would have stood for it either. They likely would have been waiting for any opportunity for her to show weakness or make a mistake and would have used it as grounds for a coup.
Alternia - and later the Triumvate - still have the lions share of the power, but they can delegate the minutiae of day to day regulating toward those that would arguably know the people and land much more personally than they could. I don't think I agree fully with it being half stocked with nobles. I know you said they have to undergo rigorous schooling and testing, but a full half is an awful lot of power for a group that - at least in our world - isn't all that good at keeping people content. I think it mostly works well because Alternia and the Diarchs are so long lived and can afford to play the long game, unlike the royalty in our world.
Tl;Dr - It works well for a world like the one you have here, but in ours, it'd likely fold like a deck of cards.
... ... sorry, you asked.
4118587 duh it would probably fold. The problem is the long-lived benevolent ruler doesn't exist in our world.
As for why I half-stacked it with nobles? I don't trust democracy anymore, not after Brexit. And not with a possible Trump presidency.
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Well, I concur with not trusting full democracy after brexit and Trump, but historically speaking Monarchies aren't much better in terms of potential bloodshed and misery. Hence why I said your system is a really interesting concept and probably would work well for ponies, especially since they are so peaceful in cannon and they have such a long lived and benevolent ruler. Well, three now, but you get my point.
Ok so I'm going to take it you want our opinion on your idea, and what we think Equestria's government is structured.
First off, like the idea of another person not subscribing to the idea that Equestria is an absolute monarchy. Your idea is pretty good I think, a few things I might not agree with but a lot that I do, like having the Nobility having to take a civil service exam before taking their seats, is something I might snatch up myself. Also the idea of them having to have severed in some capacity in the Equestria government, interesting, very Heinlein of you.
4122236 basically
And yeah. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Not to mention is terribly impractical.
The nobles and civil service exam was prompted by my dislike of full democracy in light of Brexit and trump. So I drew upon a western georgian/Victorian of nobility but then added the practical eastern/Chinese concept of a civil servant exam.
I also added in ideas from the process of creating absolute monarchies, primarily the idea that nobles back then (around the time when guns and cannon meant they lost effectiveness on the battlefield) had to do something or risk getting their lands and titles confiscated. Except whereas that was a process on earth I made it part of the state system in equestria.
So yeah thanks paladin. Not sure what you mean by heinlein though
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Heinlein wrote Starship Trooper (ignore that godaweful movie that doesn't exist), which had the idea of "Service Guarantees Citizenship". Serve in the civil service or in the military you are given the full rights of citizenship.
One thing I try to do in my thoughts on Equestria's government is enshrine the concept of nobless oblige in the Law and Tradition of the land.