Chapter 40: Political Parties (Last Edited: 1/17/2023)
October 5, 2020
Canterlot Castle Courtyard
Not long after they had returned to Ponyville, Jack and the Mane Six received invites to an event in Canterlot. The details were vague, but it was apparent that this had to do with the restructuring of the government.
The crowd in the courtyard was massive. Ponies of all classes had traveled from all regions of Equestria to find out what they could about the regime change. There were even a few non-ponies in attendance.
As Celestia, Luna, and Cadance stepped out onto the castle balcony, the crowd erupted into a chaotic roar. The peasants let out gleeful cheers while nobles and business ponies responded with spiteful jeers. Only those in the E.U.P. remained silent out of respect for protocol.
"Settle down, my little ponies!" Celestia called to no avail.
“SILENCE!!!!!!” Luna roared.
While the ponies in the crowd didn't see eye to eye on the changes in government, they were all in agreement that Luna was terrifying. Needless to say, no one made a peep after that.
"With Equestria's first elections only a month away, some ponies have taken it upon themselves to form coalitions based on shared values," Celestia explained. "The leaders of these coalitions have requested the chance to announce their agendas."
The Princesses teleported to the ground, and in their place, from right to left, stood Prince Blue Blood, Fancy Pants, and Three Arrows.
"First of all, I would like to thank my dear Aunt Celestia for giving me the chance to speak," Blue Blood said. "However, I think it goes without saying that their decision to abolish the Diarchy and Royal Court is a ghastly mistake!"
"Figures he'd think so," Jack muttered, glaring through his black eye and snorting through his splint.
"As Leader of the Equestrian Nationalist Party, I promise the following if we win the election," Blue Blood continued. "In order to protect our culture, we shall impose a complete ban on immigration. Those who do not have Equestrian ancestry going back at least three generations will be required to obtain a stamp from the customs office and carry it on themselves at all times.
The non-ponies in the crowd gave each other nervous glances.
"To ensure the quality of our education system, our public school system will be abolished in favor of private institutions for business, noble, and military class students," Blue Blood continued. "By prioritizing students from the upper classes, we shall ensure Equestria's elite can compete with any other nation's. Peasant class foals shall gain skills through apprenticeships at workshops."
The peasants in the crowd erupted into cries of outrage.
Ignoring the pushback, Blueblood simply finished his speech. "Finally, we shall restore the Royal Court, and I shall be crowned King of Equestria!" he smugly exclaimed.
By this point, the peasants were booing so loudly that little else could be heard.
"Why that stuck up…" Applejack growled. "Wait 'til ah get mah hooves on…"
"Now now, Applejack," Rarity interrupted. "I'm sure he just doesn't understand what it's like to be a peasant."
"Once the booing had finally died down, Fancy Pants began his speech. "Equestria has always been a place of friendship and harmony. Our system of class is by nature incompatible with all our values. It is the opinion of the Equestrian Liberal Party that its abolishment will allow for everypony to compete in a free market. A system based entirely on one's merit where an individual will succeed or fail based on their own ability and not their bloodline."
"Fascinating," Twilight said to no one in particular. "By allowing everypony to compete on an even playing field, it's possible that they may spark a boom in technological and scientific innovation."
"All this egghead talk is hurting my head," Rainbow Dash muttered. "But I like the sound of competition!"
"It’s not really that kind of competition, Dash,” Jack said.
“We propose the following changes should we win the election,” Fancy Pants continued. “First and foremost, we must recognize the role the princesses have had in keeping Equestria safe. While they have agreed to turn over their power to the people, it is our belief that they should retain their positions in a more ceremonial role. Second, we shall ease travel restrictions and trade barriers between Equestria and the rest of the world. It is our belief that free trade will allow us to share our innovations with all of Equus, and in turn, they will share theirs with us. We also believe that by making travel to Equestria easier, we may be able to attract talented individuals from all lands to bring their skills to our nation.”
“Traitor!” cried a poshly dressed stallion to Jack’s right.
“We also see it necessary to provide a pathway to citizenship for all who reside within our borders legally,” Fancy Pants continued as the nobles and business ponies booed and hissed. “Furthermore, our goals include the insurance of free speech and press, a reduction of the E.U.P budget, and a complete reform to our justice system, for a more free society!” he exclaimed, ducking as a champagne glass smashed against the castle wall over his head. “I say! Can’t we be civilized about this?!”
“What’s the point in asking?” Three Arrows asked. “Nobles and business ponies are nothing more than spoiled foals used to getting whatever they want.”
“Well, let’s see you do better!” Fancy Pants scoffed.
“Be careful what you wish for,” Three Arrows muttered. “ATTENTION!!!” he bellowed, silencing the crowd like a drill sergeant. “Comrades! For centuries 6 percent of our society has oppressed the other 94! I have no doubt that most of us are thrilled to see the system which enabled this injustice go! Some of you may be asking yourselves, ‘what now?’ As you well should be. The two proposals we’ve seen so far are prime examples of why we shouldn’t leave this up to privileged elites. The Nationalists propose we willingly waltz right back into the chains we have just freed ourselves from, and the Liberals propose little more than newer shinier chains. I have spent the past month studying human political theory, and two authors, in particular, have caught my attention, Karl Marx and Peter Kropotkin. I do not expect anypony in this crowd to be familiar with these names. However, their ideology is what drives the Equestrian Labor Party.”
“Now there’s a surprise,” Jack thought. The subject of communism had never really been of much interest to him. He’d read of the horrors of Stalinist and Maoist dictatorships and knew Marx was the most influential of early communist thinkers. But, to him, the word existed as little more than a buzzword used against liberals by conservatives. He certainly never expected to hear someone seriously propose a communist government.
“From each according to his ability to each according to his need,” Three Arrows continued. “The abolishment of the royal court does not go far enough. The state itself must be abolished! The workers must receive the full value of their labor without fear of bosses and landlords extracting that value from them. What we propose is well-being for all! Pony, Cow, Dragon, Minotaur, Yak, Zebra, be they citizen or foreigner it matters little. All shall be treated the same!”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Fluttershy said quietly.
“This hurts my head,” Pinkie said, rubbing her scalp furiously.
“This doesn’t really sound like the Soviet Union, or China for that matter,” Jack thought. “Perhaps I should read up on communist theory.”
“The first problem we must deal with is that of bread,” Three arrows continued. “Equestria produces more than enough food to feed everypony living here and then some. Yet, many go hungry. Second, we must deal with the issue of housing. Equestria has the ability to build on mass scale homes both affordable and comfortable, and yet many of our citizens live in squalor. No clearer can either of these problems be seen than in the slums of Canterlot. Finally, we must do away with long stressful work hours. If labor is divided properly, workers should be able to make a living wage on five hours of work per day. After the worker’s five hours of efficient work are up, they should be able to spend the rest of their day pursuing their interests. Many workers will devote their free time toward advancement in academics, culture, and innovation, and all that is required is the abolishment of unjust hierarchy!”
Silence. Not a pony spoke a word. This was so radically different from what anyone in Equestria had ever heard of that many in the crowd weren’t sure it wasn’t a joke. That silence wasn’t broken until the princesses returned to the balcony.
“I hope you everypony here will take the time to consider what you want for the future,” Celestia said. “All three parties have set up offices outside the Royal Courtroom where you are free to register for the party of your choosing. Starting tomorrow, they will be hiring campaigners to set up registration drives in each of Equestria’s provinces. Anypony above the age of 17 will be allowed to vote in this coming election, although political clubs will be available for all ages.”
October 6, 2020
Fluttershy’s Cottage
Fluttershy had grabbed a Labor Party pamphlet before leaving Canterlot and had been surprisingly interested in the party’s platform.
“Just think of how much easier it would be for ponies to care for their animals if they all made a living wage,” Fluttershy said as she and Jack ate breakfast.
“Mhmm,” Jack grunted.
“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked. “Usually, you’re the talkative one.”
Jack certainly agreed with the idea of a living wage. He had been a Bernie supporter after all, but despite what the man called it, none of the policies Bernie Sanders advocated were really socialist. At least Jack not as understood the term. It was true he had been wrong about socialism exclusively meaning government ownership of industry as in the Soviet Union. Still, having skimmed through a copy of Das Kapital Celestia had loaned him, he still couldn’t call Bernie a socialist. Medicare for all, free college, and a living wage were still a far cry from worker ownership of the means of production.
“I’m just not sure Three Arrows knows what he’s doing,” Jack sighed. “Having a living wage is a great idea and all, but these other ideas… well, they don’t exactly have the best track record when humans have attempted to implement them.”
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.
“The idea of a world without exploitation is great in theory,” Jack said with a sigh. “Human attempts at it have led to the deaths of tens of millions and the rise of some of the worst dictators in history. I’m just not convinced it can be done in practice.” Getting up from his chair and grabbing his backpack, he said, “I’ll be going to school now.”
Ponyville School
“Good morning, class,” Cheerilee said with a bright smile.
“Good morning, Miss Cheerilee,” the class responded.
“Today, we have a special exercise,” Cheerilee informed. “At the request of the newly formed Elections Commission, we will be holding a mock election.” Flipping the page on her easel, she revealed a sheet with the words Nationalist, Liberal, and Labor, written in brown, yellow, and red, respectively. “I’d like three volunteers to represent the political parties.”
“I’ll be representing the Nationalists,” Diamond Tiara said smugly.
“Ah can do the Liberals,” Apple Bloom offered.
“Would anypony like to represent Labor?” Cheerilee asked.
Word was only just starting to spread about the parties. Filthy Rich had no doubt instructed Diamond to represent the nationalists, and Apple Bloom had likely heard about them from her sister. While Sweetie Belle had probably heard the same from Rarity that. Labor was widely seen by those present as fringe and unviable. In other words, no one in class who had any idea what was going on had a high opinion of the party.
“I’ll do it,” Jack sighed.
“Excellent!” Cheerilee cheered. Passing each of them a flier, she instructed them to make a case for the points listed on them.
Once they were done reading, they each were given up to two minutes to make their case.
Diamond Tiara started. “I think it should be obvious who you should vote for. One of my opponents is a blank-flank from a disgraced family, and the other is a hairless ape that shouldn’t even be allowed on school grounds.”
“Bitch,” Jack muttered under his breath.
“If that isn’t enough to get your vote, you all know who my daddy is,” Diamond Tiara said with a devilish smirk. “It would be a shame if anypony were expelled.”
“You can’ threaten us like that anymore!” Apple Bloom shouted.
“Excuse me?!” Diamond Tiara asked indignantly.
“The Royal Court will be abolished next month,” Apple Bloom said. “When it’s gone, yer dad won’t be able tuh force the school tuh expel anypony. Don’t y’all see?” she asked the class. “With the Court gone, Diamond Tiara won’t be able tuh bully us anymore.”
Unsurprisingly Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom spent their time on personal attacks. Jack, on the other hand, had different plans.
“The Royal Court is nothing more than a tool for the rich and powerful to exploit the rest of us,” Jack said. “Anyone who would deny this is a fool. The nationalists are openly in favor of this system, and the Liberals are not much better. Those who were ahead under the class system will still have a head start under a free market. Only by redistributing the nation's resources can we hope to end oppression.”
Once Jack had finished, Cheerilee asked the students to write their votes on a piece of paper and bring them to a basket she had upfront.
“I came up with that argument far too easily,” Jack thought to himself. “I know Capitalism is a necessary evil, but that sounded so right.” Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, Jack wrote Liberal on his paper and dropped it into the basket.
Cheerilee tallied up the votes and gave the results, “that’s Twelve for Liberals, Two for Nationalists, and one for Labor.”
“Who voted for me?” Jack wondered.
“They cheated!” Diamond Tiara shouted. “I demand a recount!”
“I just counted them in front of you,” Cheerilee said. “The results are final.”
“Recount the vote, or my father will have you fired!” Diamond Tiara demanded.
“I don’t think so,” Cheerilee said. “Like Apple Bloom pointed out, Filthy Rich won’t have the power to do so for much longer, and I have a feeling he’s too busy to bother in the meantime.”
The class burst into laughter as Diamond Tiara’s face contorted in rage. “You’ll all regret this!” she spat, storming out of class with Silver Spoon following like a squire after a knight.
“Shouldn’t you stop her?” Jack asked Cheerilee.
“I should, but class will be over in a few minutes anyway,” Cheerilee answered. “I’ll just give her detention next week. That was a pretty impressive argument, by the way. Sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re only a colt.”
“Oh, well, I guess we humans just mature faster,” Jack said with a nervous laugh. “Oh, look at the time, the bell should…”
BRIIIIIIING!
“Looks like we are out of time, everypony,” Cheerilee announced. “Since we didn’t have time to go over it today, I’m giving you all a week to finish last night’s homework, if you haven’t already.”
As the class stormed outside, Sakura Blossom walked over to Jack. “That was a good speech, Jack-sama,” she said with a wink. “Anypony could see why you’re top of the class!”
“Thanks,” Jack said. “You’re not all that far behind me, though, are you Saki?”
“Saki?” Sakura asked.
“It’s a nickname. I have one for all my other friends,” Jack explained. “You don’t like it?”
“Daisukidesu!” Sakura exclaimed. “I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“Glad you like it,” Jack chuckled. “I was thinking of helping the girls out with another one of their crusades today. Wanna come with?”
“Sure!” Sakura answered. “What time?”
As Jack was about to answer her, he noticed two familiar ponies watching him from across the street. “Right after I take care of something,” he said. “You can go ahead to the clubhouse. I’ll be there soon.”
Once Sakura had left, Jack jogged across the street to where Cherry Berry and Lyra Heartstrings were conversing with another pony he recognized from around town.
“Hey Lyra, hey Cherry Berry,” Jack greeted. “What are you two doing in town?”
“Well, we do live here,” Cherry Berry said. “I think I’m entitled to some time off after having to put up with Jubilee for so long.”
“And it’s been ages since I got to hang with my bestie!” Lyra added. “Speaking of which, Bon Bon, this is the human I keep telling you about.”
“Everypony knows about Jack, Lyra,” said the pale-yellow mare the two had been talking with.
“But have you felt his hands?!” Lyra asked. “They’re so soft and fleshy!”
“Annnnd, I’ll be leaving now,” Bon Bon said awkwardly. “You know I hate it when you get like this.”
“Oh, come on, Bon Bon, don’t go!” Lyra called after her.
“I have some things I need to take care of, Lyra," Bon Bon called back. “We can meet up at Sugar Cube Corner tonight.”
“Is she gone?” Cherry Berry asked.
“Yup,” Lyra answered.
“What are you…” Jack started.
“We need to show you something,” Lyra answered.
“Follow us,” Cherry Berry said.
Ponyville Marketplace
The scene in front of Jack was absolute chaos. The usual food stalls had all but been replaced by campaign workers, aggressively pushing pamphlets to anyone who’d take them, every square inch of the surrounding buildings had been plastered with propaganda posters, there was even a small stage where ponies furiously argued against each other’s views.
Scanning the posters, Jack was taken aback at how vile many of them were.
DON’T LET THEM FOOL YOU!
This was written over a stairway Fancy Pants and Three Arrows were walking up. In ascending order, the steps below them read, Inter-Class Relationships, Let in Outsiders, and Give outsiders Citizenship. They stood on another step reading Defund the E.U.P, and above them were Interspecies Marriage, Wealth Redistribution, and Foal Fiddling.
“The Liberal and Labor parties have set up elaborate systems to steal this election!” howled a stallion on stage. “They plan to use magic ink that will rearrange itself, once dry, to support their candidates.”
“Where’s your proof?” asked the pony he was debating.
“The Nationalist Party has obtained numerous affidavits attesting to it!”
“Why are you showing me this?” Jack asked Cherry Berry and Lyra.
“Officially speaking, you are minor and cannot vote in this election,” Cherry Berry answered.
“Unofficially, you are to be sent a ballot through the mail to fill out in secret,” Lyra whispered. “I was hoping I could recruit you for the Labor Party.”
“And I wanted to request your support for the Liberal Party,” Cherry Berry added.
“Which one will you choose?” Lyra asked.
This was an easy answer for Jack. As unnervingly sensible as Three Arrows had sounded to Jack, he could chalk that up to good rhetoric and having had little time to think of the consequences. He’d been a liberal for as long as he’d understood what politics were, and, at least for now, this hadn’t changed.
His thoughts were interrupted by a condescending plantation accent.
"If it isn't the tramp," Cherry Jubilee jeered. "Buckin' apes now, are we? And here Ah didn't think you could go lower than that peasant."
"It's nice to see you too cousin," Cherry Berry sighed.
"You're no cousin of mine," Cherry Jubilee scoffed. "And this little 'democracy' you and your friends have here won't last long. Mark my words."
Canterlot Slums
The slums of Canterlot were not a place one would normally wish to traverse after dark. Then again, Løgner wasn’t a normal pony, and there was a particular black market shop he had business with.
It was a dingy little hovel filled with various objects most would see as junk. In truth, everything in there was cursed.
“May I help you, traveler?” the shopkeeper asked. “Hmm, something drew you to my shop... something powerful.”
Løgner gestured to a ruby amulet with a carving of a black alicorn around the gem.
“Ah, you have a keen eye,” The shopkeeper noted. “The Alicorn Amulet is one of the most mysterious and powerful of all the known magical charms. Uh, ah— I'm afraid this is... far too dangerous.”
Løgner’s eyes turned black as they met with the shopkeeper’s which changed to the same color.
“You vil hove det over,” Løgner said.
In a trance, the shopkeeper passed the amulet to him.
As Løgner left with his prize, the shopkeeper slowly came too. “Wha-what happened?”
Stats
Page generated in 0.021 seconds
Total duration
995 users online
404,198 hits today, 1,872,792 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Maybe Jack should explain better to Fluttershy or Twilight the problem with Communism, or check some books that talk about it
Communism would indeed have a part to play in Equestria’s future.
10995396
Indeed he should.
I like how you actually looked into the different political theories you have here. Communism is normally mistaken for whatever USSR had. I mean all you have to do is read the Communist Manifesto and it's obvious. You went further than that though and actually pulled out Das Kapital.
Communism was basically a pipedream. If implemented right there's a chance it may have worked at one point, but only a chance. It works on a small scale wonderfully, but once you start getting larger it starts to breakdown. In this day and age the world is too interconnected for anything small scale. Really the only way it would have the possibility of working is on a global sale. Though even assuming one could work on a global sale there's still one thing wrong: people. It's like I always say, "People are the worst kind of people there are". As a whole, humanity has absolutely nothing to say for itself. Humanity is incredibly greedy, violent, and xenophobic. Its only when you look at the individual person that you see that there's hope (maybe) for us. I forgot where I was going with this.