We Need to Talk About Provinces

[Audrada Roibeardet]

Which renders provinces nothing but glorified social clubs. Why bother.

As opposed to the current situation where most provinces are essentially dead?

Why have provinces at all? Is it just another opportunity to hold public office?

[Tric'hard Lenxheir]

Perhaps something more along the lines of advertisements for tourism rather than relocation...vist beautiful Vuode and see the original Talossa!!!

[Miestră Schivă, UrN-GC]

Look, honestly, once we move to at-large Senäts elections, provinces will be more or less politically irrelevant and I'll be happy to ignore them. But it's worth having a historical look. In Talossan history, pre-the 1997 Organic Law where we got the provincialised Senäts, the whole point of provinces was as Personal Fantasy Fiefdoms for ambitious Talossans, especially those who would never get national power. But in those days every Province would have 5-7 active citizens max so it was easy for a determined lunatic to take over and wage war against the central government, or anyone they didn't like. My favourite example is the history of Vuode:

• in 1986, left-wing Danihél Laurieir takes over and passes a law forcibly renaming the far-right Talossan Nationalist Party as the Homosexual Communist League
• in 1987 and 1992, when non-Ben parties are in power nationally, King Robert takes over Vuode personally and leads an insurgency, extending to actual secession in the latter case
• I believe the Androids/"Davron" also got up to some hijinks in Maritiimi-Maxhestic.
  

None of that fun stuff can happen if people are just moving between provinces, because that means provinces become politically self-sorting. There will be no internal debate because if you don't like it you leave, and if you do like it you immigrate. So whoever's in charge in a province stays that way forever. There's no drama, no seizures of power.Maybe we need *more* provinces, once we're at an At-Large Senäts. Like, encourage cantons to secede or whatever.

[Audrada Roibeardet]

No drama? Yeah, that's what we need: MORE DRAMA.

[Miestră Schivă, UrN-GC]

DRAMA!

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

None of that fun stuff can happen if people are just moving between provinces, because that means provinces become politically self-sorting. There will be no internal debate because if you don't like it you leave, and if you do like it you immigrate.

Yeah, I agree with this.  The outcome will be more insular cliques, not more lively provinces.  It might make the provinces more active, but more likely the primary vector for those cliques will still control, and any activity will be confined to reinforcing their power/beliefs.  One positive would be that it would be more likely for them to be a little more fun with in-jokes, but I think the danger is too great.

[Audrada Roibeardet]

You do realize that cliques can form anywhere, right?

(I don't know why I fighting for this. I don't really care either way. DRAMA!)

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Sure, and fires can start anywhere... They're just a lot more likely if you decorate with oily rags and kerosene.

[King Txec]

Sure, and fires can start anywhere... They're just a lot more likely if you decorate with oily rags and kerosene.

I still like the idea of provinces doing ad campaigns to liven things up. I'm considering ways to get this going.

-Txec R

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Sure, and fires can start anywhere... They're just a lot more likely if you decorate with oily rags and kerosene.

I still like the idea of provinces doing ad campaigns to liven things up. I'm considering ways to get this going.

-Txec R

Yes, that is a great idea, I agree.

[Miestră Schivă, UrN-GC]

I don't know, perhaps we could have a Chinese style hukou system where no more than 5% of the population are allowed to switch provinces every year

[Audrada Roibeardet]

Five percent? So, like, one person a year?

[Miestră Schivă, UrN-GC]

Five percent? So, like, one person a year?

The population of Talossa right now is 132. So, six or seven.