Last week, King Charles Cerebella, who recently ascended to the throne once more, gave a speech on Albion's foreign policy to the region:
Albion has always been a unique region. It was founded with the specific aim of being unique. Of avoiding the kind of trials and tribulations that are the ordinary fare of most other places in NS. But in my wildest dreams I could never have imagined how brilliant Albion has actually become. I always wanted roleplay to be an important aspect of the region but we have taken to it in a way that I could never expected. I don't think there is a major region out there that can boast even a fraction of our communal skill or talents on that head. Which is all the more amazing as I'm personally a terrible RPer! We have collectively forged our own path and been immensely successful in this.
The one area we have perhaps not taken our own route has been in foreign policy. For this then I am certainly to blame. Albion has always followed an imperialist alignment and this is because I was one of the people central to promoting imperialism and making it a major force and because many of our original members hailed from imperialist regions. When we joined the UIAF back in August 2013, this was not a universally agreed move, but I'm still sure that it was the right one to take. Our time there has helped provide us with a highly trained military, with a wider prominence in NS, and a say in many of the great questions of the day over that time.
Yet it was undoubtedly the right move by Chris and the government to take us out of it as well a couple of months ago. We had quite frankly outgrown it. Our contribution of soldiers far outshone the other regions, and our activity and regional vibrancy was on another plane altogether! What has followed since leaving has been a long discussion about where Albion heads now and what path we are going to tread.
Now is the time for Albion to take our own path in foreign policy. To create our own ideology and move in our own direction. Imperialism is a powerful brand, but it is one loaded with baggage and closely linked to other regions. Despite our alignment, we have always been an odd imperialist region, always welcoming to citizens of all backgrounds, including defenders who would be banned on sight elsewhere. We've never been active participants in the imperialist wars either, though of course we help fight them on the battlefield. The other main ideology, of independence, is likewise a bad fit for us. While we share members and some interests with leading independent regions like Europeia or The North Pacific, we are certainly a very different place from them as well, with different priorities and aims.
I think our priorities are an important and central feature moving forward. I once defined imperialism by the term Primat der Politik: the primacy of politics. Imperialism was forged in the furnace of immensely competitive political regions and the aim was for power and influence. We have never been a political place and I hope we never will be. What defines us is community. We are a region of friends. We're a place that works for the betterment of the region, out of a sense of duty, not the aim to climb the greasy ladder to the top. We're a fun place. We don't take ourselves too seriously, which I think imperialists, independents and defenders are often liable to do. We should not be driven by the primacy of politics but by the primacy of community. What we do in NS, as in all things, should be about providing a fun and rewarding sphere for our citizens to enjoy themselves. We shouldn't be afraid to take risks in military deployments because we're concerned about our reputation if we lose to a liberation. What is the fun of sitting under a horde of pilers when we could have the fun and tension of fighting off a liberation attempt! We should seek friendships with places outside the usual realm of NS politics. We have more in common with many RP regions than we do with most of the other places we usually deal with. We should approach them and pursue relations there. Not because we want them as allies. Not because we want their military help. But because we want to make friends and share our RPs with them and their RPs with us. And we shouldn't be afraid to stand up to others and protect and defend regions we like even if it isn't the 'done' thing.
We need to move forward together in a new direction and create the kind of future for ourselves that ties our foreign policy to what we care about within the community. Let's ditch the existing labels and adopt our own. Let us take up the old mercenary label. Let us be our own people. Help those we like and reject those we don't. Craft our own way in the world, and not follow the plans of others.
The future is bright for Albion. Let us make it together.
If you want a tl;dr version then here is a summary of what this means for how we intend to go about things in the future:
- We still consider ourselves primarily raider.
- We're happy to aid our friends and allies at updates and holds as ever.
- Main change a move away from massive holds of our own to a more fun and competitive lower level.
- Albion, where possible, will no longer assist in raiding RP regions. With our current on going changes, role play regions are, and will be natural partners for our internal culture.
- Albion no longer seeks military units or military allies and treaties. We instead seek to increase cultural exchanges between our region and others.
- We remain committed to upholding the terms of our existing treaties and foreign relations. We wish to endeavour, build and strengthen the cultural aspects of these already in place.
- We are not a part any wars, and we have no intentions of engaging in them in the coming future. Albion both recognizes and welcomes those from any NationStates background who desire to participate in our community. They will be able to do so without prejudice to their alignment. We do not, however, and still will never support the Nazis and will always be willing to act against them.
- Our venture in pursuing relations with other regions has absolutely nothing to do with bolstering our own power, nor is it to add to our military strength or gain influence over other regions. Instead, Albion's focus will be on cultural activities and relations such as MOBA's and multi-player online games as well as role play. Our focus is on the interests that enrich the lives and enjoyment of our members and community and will be less fixated on the politics of NationStates.
This is obviously a rather large departure from our previous way of doing things and we expect that there will bumps on the road as we and our friends get accustomed to this change but we are happy to respond to any questions about this people may have.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
King of Albion
