Hello and good day, Commanders. I greet you warmly from across the stars. My name is Wess Delara, but my friends call me 'Weasel'. Commander Weasel Delara now. I'm going to write up the finer points of my history in time, but truthfully, there isn't much to write. I'm the son of a wealthy merchant family who scored high in the simulators. My family took a risk and bought me a ship, hoping I'd find wealth in the stars. And so I have. For a new pilot, I've done quite well and have amassed a little fortune.
But now I've come to a crossroads. Until now, I've been worried about helping myself. I've focused solely on generating as much wealth as I could to improve my vessel and fall back on if things went wrong. But I now have a rather solid grip in this new life. I no longer have to just worry about keeping afloat. I can begin to steer myself. The question is, which direction?
To put it simply, I want to choose one of the three major powers to fly for. I want to pick a home for myself. The trouble is, I'm admittedly biased. I was raised in the Empire. I've only heard one way of thinking for my whole life. So I'm asking for opinions and reflections. Why did you choose the side you did? What drew you into their service and what do you see them as?
As for me, here's how I've seen the galaxy. My limited view that I invite you to change.
The Federation sounds so good in concept. It's a capitalistic democracy. So there is freedom in business, in election, in all major aspects of life. You can choose who your leader is and be whatever you choose to be. If we're looking at what a government tries to be or could be in an ideal universe, the Federation is by far the best. But in the real universe, there are problems.
The trouble with such free enterprise on such a massive scale is that it gets to be gigantic and very powerful. Due to the fact that the government doesn't strictly control it, greed becomes unregulated. The corporations attempt to push their agenda on the government instead of the other way around. And then you get into the fact that this is a democracy. Elections are, to be frank, massive popularity contests, which are won by advertising. Who has the money to advertise? These massive corporations.
Looking at it, it doesn't seem like the citizens really have that much control. They just think they do. And then there are the rumors of poverty in the lower class. I think it's summed up by stating that when businesses are such a big part of the government, profit starts to matter as much as its citizens.
The Alliance is another great sounding concept. A group of systems all united to be free. No one has to change who they are and everyone gets a say. It's an alliance of the free, each independent and united. Another great concept, ruined by reality.
Let's pretend for a moment that they win. What happens next? This is a government thats sole purpose seems to be resisting two others. Once that's gone, what makes them stick together? Once there's no monsters to be scared of, how long until they go back to their old grudges. It seems to me that it's likely they go back to their old ways and grudges. That the galaxy, rather than being united, becomes fragmented and various little power struggles would break out.
Another major critique is that the Alliance's lack of a unified culture means that its member systems don't change. While this may be good for democracies and ideal systems, it means morality isn't forced on the others. Don't you think there are pirate and criminal systems who have joined the alliance to protect their way of life? Or dictatorships who don't want to be toppled? Allowing a system to retain its independence can be just as bad as good if the system is oppressive or hostile.
As for the Empire, I'll readily admit that citizens have the least control. It's not a democracy and while we citizens certainly have forums for complaint, our leaders are appointed by blood rather than ballot. But at the same time, this means they've been groomed from birth. Also, the process is far less susceptible to outside corruption. A company can't buy the vote if there is no vote. While it's not able to protect against political power plays or the leader simply being cruel or uncaring, no government is, and at least this way it's someone who's been trained for the job for likely their whole life. And as for oversight, that is why we have the Emperor. They know that, mighty as they are, they must treat the job with respect or face judgment.
Even with how 'restricted' we are, we're still allowed more personal freedoms than many governments. Rather than restrict with laws, we've cultivated a culture of honor. Rather than creating laws which restrict things (and create a sizable black market for goods), we simply strongly teach and believe that you shouldn't use these things. It cuts down on crime, allows great freedom of choice and creates a culture of moderation and respect.
I don't like Slavery. But the thing is, at least we regulate it. At least our lower class isn't just ignored and shoved aside. I think we've taken great steps to make it more humane and some even want to abolish it altogether. It's something I hope we'll work towards. It's, in my opinion, the only flaw with our government. Yet in the end there will always be poor. I think the Empire's greatest task will be to find a way to solve this problem.
Am I wrong? Right? Please, convince me. I want to know who to fly for. Once I choose, I doubt it'll be easy to go back.
But now I've come to a crossroads. Until now, I've been worried about helping myself. I've focused solely on generating as much wealth as I could to improve my vessel and fall back on if things went wrong. But I now have a rather solid grip in this new life. I no longer have to just worry about keeping afloat. I can begin to steer myself. The question is, which direction?
To put it simply, I want to choose one of the three major powers to fly for. I want to pick a home for myself. The trouble is, I'm admittedly biased. I was raised in the Empire. I've only heard one way of thinking for my whole life. So I'm asking for opinions and reflections. Why did you choose the side you did? What drew you into their service and what do you see them as?
As for me, here's how I've seen the galaxy. My limited view that I invite you to change.
The Federation sounds so good in concept. It's a capitalistic democracy. So there is freedom in business, in election, in all major aspects of life. You can choose who your leader is and be whatever you choose to be. If we're looking at what a government tries to be or could be in an ideal universe, the Federation is by far the best. But in the real universe, there are problems.
The trouble with such free enterprise on such a massive scale is that it gets to be gigantic and very powerful. Due to the fact that the government doesn't strictly control it, greed becomes unregulated. The corporations attempt to push their agenda on the government instead of the other way around. And then you get into the fact that this is a democracy. Elections are, to be frank, massive popularity contests, which are won by advertising. Who has the money to advertise? These massive corporations.
Looking at it, it doesn't seem like the citizens really have that much control. They just think they do. And then there are the rumors of poverty in the lower class. I think it's summed up by stating that when businesses are such a big part of the government, profit starts to matter as much as its citizens.
The Alliance is another great sounding concept. A group of systems all united to be free. No one has to change who they are and everyone gets a say. It's an alliance of the free, each independent and united. Another great concept, ruined by reality.
Let's pretend for a moment that they win. What happens next? This is a government thats sole purpose seems to be resisting two others. Once that's gone, what makes them stick together? Once there's no monsters to be scared of, how long until they go back to their old grudges. It seems to me that it's likely they go back to their old ways and grudges. That the galaxy, rather than being united, becomes fragmented and various little power struggles would break out.
Another major critique is that the Alliance's lack of a unified culture means that its member systems don't change. While this may be good for democracies and ideal systems, it means morality isn't forced on the others. Don't you think there are pirate and criminal systems who have joined the alliance to protect their way of life? Or dictatorships who don't want to be toppled? Allowing a system to retain its independence can be just as bad as good if the system is oppressive or hostile.
As for the Empire, I'll readily admit that citizens have the least control. It's not a democracy and while we citizens certainly have forums for complaint, our leaders are appointed by blood rather than ballot. But at the same time, this means they've been groomed from birth. Also, the process is far less susceptible to outside corruption. A company can't buy the vote if there is no vote. While it's not able to protect against political power plays or the leader simply being cruel or uncaring, no government is, and at least this way it's someone who's been trained for the job for likely their whole life. And as for oversight, that is why we have the Emperor. They know that, mighty as they are, they must treat the job with respect or face judgment.
Even with how 'restricted' we are, we're still allowed more personal freedoms than many governments. Rather than restrict with laws, we've cultivated a culture of honor. Rather than creating laws which restrict things (and create a sizable black market for goods), we simply strongly teach and believe that you shouldn't use these things. It cuts down on crime, allows great freedom of choice and creates a culture of moderation and respect.
I don't like Slavery. But the thing is, at least we regulate it. At least our lower class isn't just ignored and shoved aside. I think we've taken great steps to make it more humane and some even want to abolish it altogether. It's something I hope we'll work towards. It's, in my opinion, the only flaw with our government. Yet in the end there will always be poor. I think the Empire's greatest task will be to find a way to solve this problem.
Am I wrong? Right? Please, convince me. I want to know who to fly for. Once I choose, I doubt it'll be easy to go back.
