“The demagogue is usually sly, a detractor of others, a professor of humility and disinterestedness, a great stickler for equality as respects all above him, a man who acts in corners, and avoids open and manly expositions of his course, calls blackguards gentlemen, and gentlemen folks, appeals to passions and prejudices rather than to reason, and is in all respects, a man of intrigue and deception, of sly cunning and management.”
James Fenimore Cooper
“Nothing unmasks a man like his use of power”
Elbert Hubbard
“If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.”
Mark Twain
These three quotes explain in some form the Kingdom of Great Britain. Its leader, its people, and its system. This piece shall explain the Kingdom of Great Britain, a region which is probably one of the most power hungry regions and oppressive regions in the realm of NS. First let me explain myself or rather who I am. I shall not say my name but I am sure people in this region shall know who I am by reading this and will most assuredly brand me as a traitor.
I have been in the region since June or July of 2014, over ⅔ of my time on NS. In that time I have served in a few positions such as Deputy Prime Minister, MP, Lord of Parliament, Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, Attorney General, Speaker of the House of Commons, and Prime Minister. It took me awhile to get anywhere in the region but I have seen stuff that at the time I didn’t think about. But now that I am, it’s truly deplorable. Not so long ago a great friend of mine, who is no longer on NS, wrote or rather aided in the writing of an essay about the leader of the Kingdom of Great Britain, King-Emperor George VI, this essay got him branded a traitor in the region but he left the region and NS some weeks before. At the time this essay came to light my friend was my NS father, for if you didn’t know NationStates has a, what I know see as screwed up concept of, family. You can get adopted, adopt, or be married into families in NS usually to increase their power or your power in the region on NS, well not usually more like always. This man was perhaps one of the few people I know from this “game” that I still have respect for. But, when the essay came to light I distanced myself from him because I wanted to save myself in KoGB. I wanted to continue to have a career in that region. Albeit, I didn’t exactly know what was going on at that point so me not standing up for him could be somewhat understandable but when I truly got a grasp on what had happened I still did not say anything. I just went along with the flow.
This is something I should have done a long time ago but due to me still having political ambitions in that region I refused to stand in this much opposition to the monarchy which controls all aspects of the region. I remember some months ago or rather over a year to be more exact someone came to the region and for a while they were calm and didn’t say much but soon they became a vocal opponent of this very powerful monarchy. They were talking about how the monarchy needs to be weakened in favor of a democratic government. The King was displeased and sent his little buddies to basically get rid of him by chasing him out the region and I admit I also took part in helping run the person out the region. I thought he was crazy and stupid. I still supported the monarchy full heartedly and thought that it was the right way to go. I now realize that was a mistake.
A demagogue is defined as a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument. I believe this strongly defined King George VI. Though tyrant might also be a good term to use. While still being an all powerful leader within the region he maintains the complete support of the region because they are lead to believe that is the only way. Anytime anyone suggests real change the King, usually indirectly, turns the region against them. Such as with the person who was talking about weakening the monarchy. But anytime it seems a lot of people are demanding change the King will promise reforms though none ever come. In my time in the Privy Council, an “advisory” board to the King many things became apparent: one was that the council was just made up of the King’s cronies and was hardly sought for advice on anything such as political appointments to crown offices. Two, the favorite thing the King and the Privy Council like to do is bash people. Whether it be other regional leaders they find stupid, other people in the region, or people who are no longer on NS. I admit I’ve taken part in this too. An example would be with my friend who was branded a traitor. He apologized and publicly the King accepted his apology but in private called him a traitor on multiple occasions or at the beginning of last term when there was a planned State Visit with the United Kingdom (NS) and on the date it seemed that the UK had not put together anything. Instead of taking into account life or the fact that the region was nearing an election certain members of the Privy Council bashed their Foreign Secretary, Misael Bartlet (now Mountbatten), though of course not to his face. Misael was later adopted into the royal family in attempt for the King to expand his and his dynasty’s political power across NS as Misael was (and still is) King of a region.
So let’s start; all parts from the essay will be bolded and italicized. Some of what may be said in the essay and my response may be similar to what you’ve seen earlier in this. Note: All references to the physical and mental health of the King will be left out.
“The Kingdom of of Great Britain is administered as an “autocratic democracy”, a paradoxical system of government by which their Constitution allows for basic parliamentary democratic institutions such as an elected House of Commons as the lower House of Parliament and a Prime Minister that is selected by Parliament and confirmed by the Crown. But it does however affirm that the Crown has absolute authority over the running of the region with as little accountability from Parliament as possible that has been set by precedent in several court cases and laws passed by Parliament (as well as decrees passed by the King). The King has time and time again been unhappy with his prime ministers when he disagreed and would exert his authority over the civil executive government (HM Government) declaring that it was legal by emphasising that it was HIS MAJESTY’S Government and by the autocratic authority of the Crown granted by the Constitution (although it does officially classify it as a “constitutional monarchy”). He has also exerted his influence on elections, for it is well-known that he helped organise KGB’s Conservative Party to topple then-Prime Minister William Bettingham of the British Royalist Party.”
While elections do happen in the Kingdom of Great Britain, they aren’t exactly fair. Of course anyone can enter and surprises can happen but the King rules over a very significant voting bloc: the Royal Family. From time to time or rather most of the time the King will use this bloc to help a certain group of people get elected or keep others from getting elected. I admit I have benefitted from this control and at the time I didn’t mind. But what has became evident is that the King prances around and does what he wants. He has a House of Lords to back him up on this and for the most part a Prime Minister and House of Commons that won’t take action, though there would be very little they could do. Prime Ministers that have stood up against the King usually find themselves out of office or magically find a reason for them to not run for another term.
“In matters of legislation, he has issued decrees to exercise his will (i.e. what he wants) even if Parliament voted down and refused to pass a bill with similar provisions as the issued decree. The King has even ordered entire revisions of the Constitution many times, spearheaded by his grandson Lord Chief Justice Nathaniel Lancaster (a.k.a. Juris) and others, and influencing the powers given to him.
The King is also notorious in his rage fits to his “advisory council” (Privy Council) and people that would disagree with him or refuse his will.
It is also important to note his Privy Council and others that His Majesty has so graciously in power. On paper, the King’s Privy Council is meant to simply be a committee of advisors (experienced members of the region) who will give their personal insight and have little debates about the state of regional affairs so that the King is better advised in his decisions. In reality, King George’s Privy Councils have been composed of individuals that the King gives personal favour often (but not all the time) without proper qualifications or experience in the region. Many Privy Councilors make it into the council and remain in it through kissing the royal posterior and becoming “yes men”. The King has claimed that this isn’t true before and said that he prefers honesty in Council even though he will rage at people or debates that he passionately disagrees with.
The second reality to this Council is that it has evolved into an oligarchy to influence the King to make decisions that meet their own desires such as championing over their political or personal opponents.
In Council, the King has also shared his political preferences and dislikes during general elections (such as the Conservative Party establishment) and has even influenced others’ own preferences and votes to candidates that he could more easily manipulate or control with little opposition (including prime ministerial party leader primaries).”
Throughout my time in the Kingdom of Great Britain, I have sat in the Privy Council two separate times. Once as Prime Minister as well as nobleman. In my first time in the council I didn’t pay attention much but during my second time I did pay attention. I have heard and seen many things outside of the council. The Privy Council simply sits there to flaunt that they sit with the King. He barely comes to the Privy Council for advice, announces many things without consulting the Privy Council to the chagrin of many of its members, and if anyone dare argue with him he shuts them down and tends to poke at them. Such as he did one time with Constantine Hesse (aka Vac) by calling one of his moments “another Vac moment” in what could easily be seen as a condescending tone. I’ve also seen him update and completely change the constitution by himself, usually to benefit himself. While in most places a referendum is required for the passage of a constitutional amendment, in KoGB it just requires the King’s signature, which if it passes the House of Lords that usually means the King will sign it. It is true that the King shows political preference in the Privy Council and to those close by him. William Bettingham was a Prime Minister some time ago. He was not in the King’s favor or anyone else’s for that matter. The King tried many times to remove him from office before dissolving Parliament. He told me to form the Conservative Party, which quickly took over as the dominant party, simply to oppose Bettingham. I also resigned as Bettingham’s Chief of Staff to profit from his unpopularity and used the BBC as Director-General to try and oust him from office. I also remember one time well after Bettingham left a man by the name of Francis came back to the region. The King did not like this man so when Francis decided to run for Parliament under the Whig Party, which I was the leader of at the time, I was told to oust him from the ticket so I did. The election before I led the Whig Party to a humiliating defeat after 2 or 3 of our candidates dropped out including the party leader so I was given the role of leader. This is just some of what the King has done to influence elections.
“King George is Supreme Patriarch of the Imperial House of Hanover (formerly Fominov after the Russian House of Romanov funnily enough), one of the largest families in NationStates. With many sons and many more grandchildren, he has used the family’s royal status to attract people in the region that are either very popular or politically savvy and powerful to join his family for royal status and for loyalty to the King (presumably to limit opposition to his policies and interests). He gives titles and Council positions to those he likes, family members, and old NS friends that only recently joined the region as upstarts. These days, many royals have been undesirable and have used their positions to flaunt their status over inferior members of the region. With over half of KGB now in the Royal Family, the entire system (even the democratic institutions) is too top heavy and plagued with monarchical influence in elections, Parliament, and the Prime Minister’s Executive Government (HMG). Even the Lord High Justice of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Great Britain is the titled grandson of King George VI as the Prince of Wales’ son and holds a position in the Privy Council.”
King George has held power in the region since its founding in 2013 and during that time has rapidly expanded his power. While most royal families tend to be small and localized to the region the Fominovs/Hanovers/Mountbattens are a large and powerful family that expands across many regions. This is intentional as the King likes to have influence over KoGB and other regions so the best way to do this is adopt alot of people into a family with him as patriarch. It has become so large that being in the family or having a title is no longer prestigious. All because a man wants to keep his hold on power. Even if he does finally abdicate, as he has done multiple times to get his way, he will never fully lose his grip on power. He’ll always have his son and others to make sure he gets his way.
While the idea of reform is noble it will most likely never happen. Why? There are a few reasons. One of them being the simple fact that this is NationStates. Much like real life politics the main goal is to gain power and keep it so how would a true democracy even work on NationStates? It wouldn’t unless you place stringent rules in place against people staying in power for a long time. Another reason reform would never happen is that reform has been promised too many times and has never happened. King George has promised reform so many times but has never acted on it and never will. The only true way something could happen that might be good is the abdication of King George, a major downsizing of the royal family down to the bones, taking everyone out of the nobility for a fresh restart, and a significant weakening of the Monarchy in favor of a stronger, more independent House of Commons.
To fully and simply explain the quotes at the top I’ll say this. The King is a demagogue much like Trump, Berlusconi, etc. who walks around saying that he is humble, saying his actions are the best, saying the way things are are good simply because it benefits him, but at the same time has a massive following because he is the only way to power in the region. The people, like in other regions, are power hungry. They’ll criticize those who mess up and throw down those who get in their way simply to rise to the top. The closer you get to the top the more you throw people out and the more you hunger for power. Voting in the region is essentially useless because if the King doesn’t like the leader of the largest party he’ll tell Parliament to choose someone else to become Prime Minister like he did with Akillian Talleyrand when he didn’t want Owen Hesse to become the Prime Minister. The core of all of this is the King. The region revolves around him and almost nothing happens without his approval.
