Feo Takahari
Auror
I won't get to this story for a while, but I've been thinking about it recently, and there's no harm in laying the groundwork. The story involves a country wracked by a series of civil wars. My question is, how could I plausibly set up an ending in which it becomes stable, without allowing it to be overtaken by corruption or tyranny? I'm particularly interested in examples of real-world countries whose path I may be able to imitate.
I'll put the setting details below, in case anyone wants to find a close comparison, but don't read them if you don't want to--they're a bit dense. (Feel free to tell me if anything seems implausible--I'm new to the alternate-history approach.)
I'll put the setting details below, in case anyone wants to find a close comparison, but don't read them if you don't want to--they're a bit dense. (Feel free to tell me if anything seems implausible--I'm new to the alternate-history approach.)
The country was originally a colony called Bennett's Pride. The colonists rebelled and founded their own country, a constitutional monarchy called Hope, enriched by its supply of the magical mineral known as psyche.
Over generations, the monarchy fell into corruption. At the same time, the depletion of psyche led to the extinction of many magical species in the region, causing an ecological catastrophe that ruined much of the farmland. With the kings rich and the people starving, the clergy fomented a violent revolution against the monarchy, founding the Democratic Republic of Hope (which thereafter had a strong theocratic slant.)
The DR originally urged that no more psyche be used, instead relying on a substance called spark that was far less powerful but safer to use. For a time, the country began to improve--but the clergy found their own brand of corruption, and became no better than the monarchy. Twelve years ago, they were overthrown by communists, using resources and technology from the communist country of Roike (which desired a communist ally on the largely capitalist world stage.) The communists proceeded to found the People's Republic of Hope.
It goes without saying that the PR proved similarly corrupt. This year, they were overthrown by the capitalist People's Democratic Republic of Hope, who exploited the country's remaining reserves of psyche in order to do so. But the PR forces remain intact to some degree, and Roike has broken international treaties to provide them with direct military backing. Neither the PR nor the PDR are willing to back down, and a bloodbath is inevitable.
Over generations, the monarchy fell into corruption. At the same time, the depletion of psyche led to the extinction of many magical species in the region, causing an ecological catastrophe that ruined much of the farmland. With the kings rich and the people starving, the clergy fomented a violent revolution against the monarchy, founding the Democratic Republic of Hope (which thereafter had a strong theocratic slant.)
The DR originally urged that no more psyche be used, instead relying on a substance called spark that was far less powerful but safer to use. For a time, the country began to improve--but the clergy found their own brand of corruption, and became no better than the monarchy. Twelve years ago, they were overthrown by communists, using resources and technology from the communist country of Roike (which desired a communist ally on the largely capitalist world stage.) The communists proceeded to found the People's Republic of Hope.
It goes without saying that the PR proved similarly corrupt. This year, they were overthrown by the capitalist People's Democratic Republic of Hope, who exploited the country's remaining reserves of psyche in order to do so. But the PR forces remain intact to some degree, and Roike has broken international treaties to provide them with direct military backing. Neither the PR nor the PDR are willing to back down, and a bloodbath is inevitable.
The DR (theocrats) are no longer extant as a fighting force, having been eliminated by the PR. In addition, the PR slaughtered almost all clerics who failed to escape the country. However, many civilians still quietly believe that the church is the only solution to all this.
The PR (communists) are heavily dependent on Roike's backing. They're notoriously corrupt, but they're still a functional fighting force. Their goal is to rebuild Hope as a manufacturing economy based around spark, exporting cheap goods abroad and "sharing" imports amongst the citizenry.
The PDR (capitalists) are the only faction that could sustain themselves without anyone else's help. They tend to care more about profit than about worker safety, but they do promote a largely free market. I haven't decided their endgame yet--they'll probably promote a service economy to at least some extent, but they may emphasize industry more (in which case they really will be much like the PR.)
The Royalists, the newest faction on the scene, are a bunch of idealistic saps who think bringing back the monarchy will magically solve everything. They're the most honorable faction by far (or, to put it bluntly, the faction least likely to rape and murder you), so they have a degree of popular support disproportionate to their military numbers. However, almost no one finds their goal realistic, and they have no real plan for how to pull it off. It's possible that they may be able to get non-military help from the League (this setting's equivalent of the U.N., which Roike just broke ties with.)
The PR (communists) are heavily dependent on Roike's backing. They're notoriously corrupt, but they're still a functional fighting force. Their goal is to rebuild Hope as a manufacturing economy based around spark, exporting cheap goods abroad and "sharing" imports amongst the citizenry.
The PDR (capitalists) are the only faction that could sustain themselves without anyone else's help. They tend to care more about profit than about worker safety, but they do promote a largely free market. I haven't decided their endgame yet--they'll probably promote a service economy to at least some extent, but they may emphasize industry more (in which case they really will be much like the PR.)
The Royalists, the newest faction on the scene, are a bunch of idealistic saps who think bringing back the monarchy will magically solve everything. They're the most honorable faction by far (or, to put it bluntly, the faction least likely to rape and murder you), so they have a degree of popular support disproportionate to their military numbers. However, almost no one finds their goal realistic, and they have no real plan for how to pull it off. It's possible that they may be able to get non-military help from the League (this setting's equivalent of the U.N., which Roike just broke ties with.)
The ecology isn't completely ruined, though it's one bad year away from mass starvation.
As a whole, the country is relatively poor. There's little outside investment due to instability, and foreign trade goods are hard to acquire.
Though there's not much psyche left, they have a lot of spark--more than enough to power factories, should someone provide the support necessary to build them. (I haven't decided exactly how spark works, but I'll probably make it renewable.)
The PR are the antagonists, so I'd prefer to avoid them winning if possible. That said, they're not all corrupt, and Roike's help might be able to stabilize the country.
The PDR might achieve stability if they took over, but they'd have to eliminate all opposition one way or another, and their rotten upper ranks would have to somehow be removed.
I'm not sure how the Royalists would do in power. I don't think they've thought that far ahead.
As a whole, the country is relatively poor. There's little outside investment due to instability, and foreign trade goods are hard to acquire.
Though there's not much psyche left, they have a lot of spark--more than enough to power factories, should someone provide the support necessary to build them. (I haven't decided exactly how spark works, but I'll probably make it renewable.)
The PR are the antagonists, so I'd prefer to avoid them winning if possible. That said, they're not all corrupt, and Roike's help might be able to stabilize the country.
The PDR might achieve stability if they took over, but they'd have to eliminate all opposition one way or another, and their rotten upper ranks would have to somehow be removed.
I'm not sure how the Royalists would do in power. I don't think they've thought that far ahead.
Myth Weaver
