The Eternal Sun (Sol Aeternalis RP)

by **Lusophone** » Fri Feb 09, 2024 2:44 am

APPROVED PARTICIPANTS ONLY

A New Chapter In History Begins

Decades past WWII, a multipolar world emerges, poised for renaissance and upheaval.

DIVERGENT HISTORY — Four decades after the world marked the end of World War II in 1950, the memories of those lost in the conflict continue to echo through the present. Europe's early triumphs, led by Allied Europe against a revanchist Germany, were merely the prelude to a series of global challenges. The conflict's scope widened dramatically with the involvement of a determined Soviet Union and a persistent Japan, pulling the battle lines from the heart of Europe to the Far East.

FRAGILE PEACE — The turning point in this extended conflict came with the Franco-British Union's groundbreaking decision to deploy the first atomic bomb, effectively stopping the Soviet advance and introducing a new era of warfare. Meanwhile, Japan, faced with the steadfast resolve of the Soviet Red Army and a defiant Ming China, was forced into a peace that curtailed its imperial ambitions while sparing its sovereignty.

WHO WILL RISE — The Soviet Union, a lone superpower, has since turned inward to grapple with its rusting Iron Curtain. The world has taken notice, markedly growing more multipolar by the day. In the West, the Franco-British Union manages, while a Polish-led Trimarium grows resolute and the Eastern Roman Empire encompasses the Mediterranean. In the New World, the Confederacy and the Pacific States succeeds the collapse of the United States of America, sharing the hemisphere with a growing United Provinces of the River Plate. Meanwhile, the Imperial Ming lurk in the desolate Far East.

A NEW DECADE — As the 20th century nears its close, it heralds a renaissance in technology, science, and political ideology. Leaders are poised at the edge of an uncharted future, confronting an array of challenges from arms races and territorial disputes to climate change, in a world devoid of international bodies. The past, with its uneasy peace, now serves as a foundation for a future that will belong to those with the strength or cunning to navigate and shape it. This divergent chapter is rich with opportunity, demanding boldness and innovation to forge a path forward.

by **Arela** » Tue Feb 13, 2024 11:41 am

Rome Eternal

January 1, 1990

Yet again, Georgios II Antaxios entered the Curia Nova Constantiana, his presence commanding the attention of all the Senators present. As per always, there were important meetings to attend to.

The Senatorial House in Carthage was established in 620 AD, when Heraclius moved the capital to Africa during The Great War of Antiquity. Following the victory over the Sasanians, the Heraclian dynasty fought a difficult campaign against heresy and splittism, seeking to reconcile differences with the Church in Rome. This was bitterly resisted by the Eastern factions, who vengeful in defeat, plotted and schemed to usurp power for themselves. The capital was moved back to Constantinople, and plans for Christian unity were purposely squandered once more.

However, in the West, the Roman populace resisted Eastern pressure. For all the attempts to undermine the Papacy, Catholicism grew only more entrenched in the provinces of Africa and Sicily. Meanwhile, the East fell into a terminal decline of corruption and dissension. The Fourth Crusade saw the natural conclusion of the Easterner's decadence, with Frankish and Venetian barbarians sacking Constantinople in 1204 AD.

This treachery was swiftly punished by Pope Innocent III, who excommunicated all those responsible. With Constantinople lost, the Senate was restored back in the strategic redoubt of Carthage, which had long resisted the worst of the Persian and Arab onslaughts, and could again provide a safe redoubt against the barbarian threat. However, various pretender states rebelled in the East, refusing to help the Emperor and Senate in Carthage in their hour of need.

The loss of the East was no doubt a severe blow. But the Roman psyche was never one of surrender. Rome had prevailed when Hannibal was at the gates, and Rome would prevail once more despite the Eastern and barbarian treachery. Rome preserved through many hard fought-battles and defeats, yet Rome's resolve only grew stronger.

With the occurrence of the New Years and the 21st century reaching ever closer, the Basileus let forward a sigh of relief. After all these centuries, Rome had firmly reestablished itself across North Africa and Southern Italy, including the ever eternal city of Rome itself. And yet there was much to do.

by **Nyrup** » Tue Feb 13, 2024 1:17 pm

A New Denmark For A New World

Communist Riots and the Right-Wing Response: A Nation in Crisis

A terrible recession and the 45th anniversary of the USSR's victory over fascism led to communist celebrations and riots erupted in the streets, causing widespread fear among the Danish population.
The excesses of the communist movements were so egregious that even the traditionally moderate Social Democratic Party condemned them. The nation witnessed scenes of unruly gatherings and violence, pushing many towards the right for a sense of stability and order. Moreover, rightists had easy scenes of propaganda, especially from the fact that the non European migrants of Denmark, a group most of the population was at best ambivalent towards, were among the participants in such chaos.
Right Wing Victory
In the most recent election, the conservative and nationalist coalition, led by Danish People’s Party leader Pia Kjærsgaard, decisively won control. The right-wing government capitalized on the fear generated by the communist riots, accusing them of being agents of Moscow and posing a threat to Denmark's sovereignty.
In a controversial move that garnered surprising approval from even the Social Democrats, the new government implemented what amounted to lawfare against the Reds. This included the banning of the communist party, a restructuring of the educational system to instill "patriotic" ideas, and an intensified investigation of left-wing organizations for alleged connections to Moscow.
Stefan Anderson and the Danish Internal Security Brigade: Suppressing Dissent
Stefan Anderson, a behind-the-scenes influential figure without a formal title within the People’s Party, played a crucial role in shaping Denmark's new direction. Anderson championed the establishment of the Internal Security Brigade. Formally presented as a special force of the police, its de facto purpose was twofold: providing employment opportunities for young men and suppressing any remaining communist elements.
Dialogue between Anderson and Others:
Prime Minister and People’s Party Leader Pia Kjærsgaard: "We need stability. The communist riots have shaken the nation. We must take decisive action to secure our future."
Stefan Anderson: "Madame Prime Minister, our people demand order. The right-wing coalition stands ready to support you in restoring law and order. We cannot let the specter of communism threaten our great nation. Making the Internal Security Brigade will give us the violent young men we need to suppress the Red Menace. "
Defense Minister Anders Rasmussen: "Expanding the military as a whole is key. That means longer conscription times, more soldiers, and more officer training, especially in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Not only does it strengthen our defense, but it also serves as an economic stimulus, especially in those less developed regions."
Stefan Anderson: "Anders is right. We must ensure that every Dane has a stake in our nation's security and has the opportunity for the basic level of dignity afforded by military life. The military expansion is not just about defense; it's about revitalizing our less developed areas too."

Official Government Proclamation: Military Expansion for Prosperity
In an official statement, the Danish government proclaimed its intent to create the Internal Security Brigade, expand the military and the number of training schools, emphasizing the employment benefits that would be derived from this strategic move. Technological development meant that there were also new, interesting jobs, especially in computer programming, for the Danish middle and upper classes. Party Leader Pia Kjærsgaard addressed the nation, highlighting the economic stimulus the military expansion would bring, particularly in historically less developed regions like the Faroe Islands.
“As promised, we are bringing order, justice, and bread!” to the cheers of the crowd.
Order certainly returned, and the new soldiers and street fighters indeed earned bread that the recession had taken from them. Justice, though?
The “Red Front” — the Communist Party’s paramilitary gang — a force whose strength was always overblown, stood no chance against the now state-sanctioned rightist hooligans. The crime wave disintegrated from Reykjavik to Copenhagen almost as quickly as it started. Whether the state could now keep the Internal Security Brigade under control was another matter.

Private Discussion: Vision for Denmark's Future
In a closed-door meeting, Party Leader Pia Kjærsgaard, Stefan Anderson, and key advisors like Rasmussen discussed their long-term vision for Denmark's future. They arrived on the following essential points that their staffers got to work formalizing into policy.
1. Strategic Alliances: "Closer ties with the Franco-British Union to ideally regain nuclear protection. Balance this with cooperation with the Eastern European Federation to ensure that Denmark does not simply become a satellite of the Franco-British Union. Attempt to develop domestic nuclear weapons if necessary."
2. Military Expansion: "Expand the military, in particular the navy and marines’ size and quality to ensure adequate protection of the entirety of the Danish Realm, the Baltic straits, and our economic interests.”
3. Resource Exploitation and Energy Independence: "Better exploit the nation’s natural resources, particularly the Danish North Sea oil reserves and the underdeveloped areas in Greenland. Simultaneously, work towards energy independence through the development of renewable technology."
4. Integration: “Ensure, through the expansion of military education facilities in Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, that these areas remain integrated in the Danish Realm and that we gain the ability to exploit their manpower if necessary.”
5. Global Intervention: "Attempt to, via intermediaries, project Danish influence abroad and secure Denmark's economic future via intervention in unstable areas like the Congo, wherein the world’s superpowers still compete for influence but have yet to bring about anything resembling order."
6. Economic Diversification: "Develop the nation’s advanced sectors, especially in manufacturing electronics and in weapons.”
7. Securing our neighborhood: “Work with the remaining non-USSR aligned states in Europe to prevent further encroachment of USSR-aligned communism, especially to our neighbors Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Actively use newfound cyber technologies if necessary.”
Stefan stepped forward with an ambitious idea to add: "I propose a private military company to operate in places like the Congo and secure natural resources without the burden of actually having to govern such locations. We would get plausible deniability for any actions. I think I’ve kept a low enough profile that I can be CEO. I can leverage my connections with other officers, current and retired, as well as the energetic youth in our Internal Security Brigade, to get manpower. This could also be a great source of collaboration between the Danes and the Franco-British, as they have far more soldiers who can speak French and thus more easily work in the Congo. I can assure you that we have the investors for this."
Kjærsgaard and Rasmussen were surprised – was this why he had kept such a low profile, just to search for glory as a mercenary? – but the logic behind it was tempting. After all, wars and dying are often unpopular, but if it’s just a private company doing it, then Denmark could pursue an ambitious policy befitting a great nation. The Prime Minister responded: “Stefan, I like it. We’ll bring it up when we contact the Franco-British Union.”
For Denmark, it was a new world. Now, she was responsible for her own security in a way she hadn’t been for centuries. That responsibility, though, meant opportunities: power, glory, and importance. Did the Viking raiders not literally risk life and limb each time they sailed in search of plunder?

by **Baratheone** » Tue Feb 13, 2024 5:13 pm

¡VAMOS A MEXICO!

The wealth divide in Mexico is clear as day

Welcome to a land where the ultra rich soar above shanty towns, and the Yucatan pyramids have been turned into hotel resorts! Here, the elite zip from rooftop parties to private islands in their choppers, while the masses below are stuck in never ending traffic jams. The cities of Mexico are sprawling and lit by the wealth of moguls and narco kings, well above the poverty of those who can only dream of their lifestyle.

Celebrities and wrestlers are more popular than politics

TV is a big past time of the masses, with wrestling spectacle "Lucha Libre Live" reigning as the supreme opiate. Lucha Libre Live is worshiped in arenas where wrestlers, are revered as celebrity demigods and adored by millions. These wrestlers embody fights of David vs Goliath, of the poor against the rich, of reality vs fantasy.

Inside Chichen Itza, now decked out as a cartel run club

This is a land where the law is more of a suggestion than a rule. A country not just living on the edge, but doing backflips over it. This neon soaked land is where the air you breathe is tinged with the scent of excitement, danger and smog. Hedonism is at an all time high and the night is when this country truly comes alive. Nightclubs offer escapes into realms of fantasy, where hallucinogens offer a temporary way out.

Orphaned child soldiers are often raised by cartels

Crime here is a core fabric of society. Cartels dot Mexico like warlords, dealing in everything from traditional vices to the black market to de facto running cities. The government is a lame duck, whose efforts are often more like band aid on a bullet wound. Politicians parade in designer suits and their pockets as deep as their lies. Here in Mexico, power is taken by force, but never earned.

by **Anxiety Cafe** » Tue Feb 13, 2024 5:54 pm

The Silver Sun Rises

1 January 1990

From the Andes to the Atlantic, the plains of the Pampas to the hills of the Altiplano, the Rio Grande to the Colorado, all seventeen United Provinces of the River Plate enter the final decade of the 20th century evermore dedicated to the platitudes established by the revolutions from which this perfect Union was formed.

The May Revolution of 1810 and Farroupilho Revolution of 1835 freed them from the autocratic ambitions in Spain and Rio; but it was the People's Revolution of 1930, sixty square years ago, that freed the workers from the class oppression that had become ubiquitous among world economies. Inspired by the revolution in Poland just years prior, as well as by the longstanding traditions of the American states to her north, the leaders of the UP sought to chart for her a new path, one incompatible both with the bourgeoisie in London and Paris as well as with the Bolsheviks in Moscow. For this, the UP began experimenting with the creation of "socialism with Rioplatense qualities." While these qualities have evolved over the years, they are tethered together by a commitment to the protection of liberties (such as workers' rights and indigenous rights) and the repudiation of authoritarianism (such as centralized economic planning and unitarianism).

The UP's rejection of the Soviet economic and political philosophies created a rift with the world's largest and most powerful socialist state, but the USSR's preoccupation with the Second World War allowed the UP to continue her experiments. The postwar period saw many of the UP's greatest accomplishments: a democratic economy was formed; Guaraní became a third national language, the first indigenous language in Latin America to do so; the Green Revolution catapulted the UP into its status as one of the world's most important breadbaskets; the rail network, the electrical system, and other critical infrastructure were nationalized, modernized, and, thanks to a newly-established Civilian Corps of Engineers, greatly expanded.

By 1960, the rise of fascism in Iberia inspired purges of these subversive, antidemocratic elements at home. The United Provinces became the most vocal critic of her former colonizer on the world stage, providing refuge to thousands of activists facing persecution for their commitment to democracy, individual liberty, and socialism—the same values that were core tenets of the United Provinces' national consciousness. Diplomatic relations deteriorated significantly, and the two nations remain thirty years later without mutual ambassadorial appointments. The dictatorship in Iberia, together with the excesses of the ruling classes in sister nations like Mexico, forged the UP into the undisputed leader for leftists all across the Iberophone world.

The United Provinces readily stepped into her role as the model for change in a region stricken with flagrant disparities. Critics allege her involvement in revolutions and insurgencies as far as Mozambique, while ideologues draw upon her expertise and vast network of resources. And in recent years, the UP's ambitions have expanded beyond the bounds of the Iberosphere. While the Soviet Union continues its slow decline, the inevitable failures of the capitalist philosophy have forced the bourgeoisie in countries like Denmark to turn to increasingly desperate methods to maintain their fragile grip on power. To the leaders of the UP, the time is ripe for global socialism to begin its ascent. The UP stands both willing and ready to assist in this process, especially, as her diplomatic envoys have conveyed, in cooperation with like-minded nations.

by **United Democratic Christian States** » Tue Feb 13, 2024 6:12 pm

Dieppe Daily

- Foreign Relations - Election Forecast - Military News - Economics -

Franco-British Union #1 news source!

FBS Clement Attlee commissioned as 3rd Churchill class carrier

Today FBS Clement Attlee the 3rd Churchill class “supercarrier” was commissioned and joins the wider Franco-British Navy as debates continue in both Paris and London on whether to endorse the purchase of additional carriers. Currently the FBU has an option for up to two more. However, lawmakers are still uncertain if additional carriers are worth it given their “lack of use thus far” as Labour party leaders have put it recently.

Regardless it is clear the Navy will maintain a spot at or near the top in terms of global influence for the foreseeable future.

IN OTHER NEWS-

Chancellor Allard Lécuyer endorses Welsh Labour man and previous Chancellor Awstin Eynon as next Chancellor in the upcoming fall election.
Top French Labour Party Member says “we are in trouble” about upcoming summer elections as polls indicate Unitary Party may win majority for first time since the end of the red scare in 1966
Economist project that GPD grew by 2.9% in 1989, outpacing expectations
Member of British Parliament, Jerome Rodgers, arrested after a fight with a French family on vacation while in public. Facing attempted murder charges. Prime Minister Edwin Powers condemns the attack and apologizes to the nation of France.

London Times

“Forging the Future of the Union”

The case for a 4th Supercarrier.

With the commissioning of the FBS Clement Attlee, the debate about a 4th or 5th Churchill carrier will almost certainly reignite in both Parliaments and in the Assembly. So far Labour has used the first 3 carriers as compromises to the Unitary and Tory parties in efforts to pass recent laws within London and Paris respectively. However with the changing of the guard expected in France this summer with the Assembly and London in play this fall and next summer respectively. I think with a more competent administration coming the FBU should seriously consider ordering at least the 4th carrier.

The uneasy global order the FBU finds itself in is the paramount reason. The world is composed of absolute monarchs that are relics of history but fundamentally necessary to maintain positive relations for the good of the Union's national defense. Including a tense staring contest between China and Japan that has existed since the end of the 2nd world war. Additionally socialist in Poland and the New World remain ideologically opposed to Capitalism and while historically we worked against the Soviet Union and all remain democracies in our own way. The relationship remains uncomfortable on both sides. Finally we get to the USSR. Possibly still the strongest nation in terms of raw power in the world, but also a pandora that the FBU must keep in the box if Liberal Democracy is to survive.

With all of these centers of powers eyeing each other with distrust and internal tensions ripe in especially the continent of Africa as well as the lesser developed nations across the world. The FBU must be willing and able to stand for her interest, possibly alone in the face of potentially multiple threats. Ordering more Supercarriers is part of the answer. Not just for the FBU. But if Liberal Democracy hopes to survive and thrive as we near the next millennium.

Paris Gazette

“Change begins with us”

The Way Forward. A friend or foe to Labour?

As things begin to look bleak for Labours control over the national parliaments in both France and Britain. Many have openly wondered if seeking a united government with The Way Forward party is a path to retaining government control. And if so, at what cost?

Currently Labour makes up 289 seats in the French Parliament. Exactly the number needed for a majority while The Way Forward make up 15 seats, however are expected to gain. Under current polls both parties could land up to exactly 289 seats. Which begs the question of do the parties form a government together if given the opportunity.

Certainly if Labour were to form a government with a party other than the Unitary party in the French Parliament, The Way Forward is the best suited. The Party of Notre Dame stands against a lot of what Labour stands for, such as them being against the idea of a Union with Britain all together with them advocating for Catholic bishops to be introduced into Parliament giving the church a say in the laws of the land. Certainly compared to the alternative The Way Forward is a much better option.

However, a united government could also face serious difficulties. The Way Forward are openly Market Socialist and with nationwide skepticism of socialism as a whole, allying with the party could lead to future election losses for the Labour party. Additionally The Way Forward may also ask for serious ideological concessions from Labour. Knowing that Labour would need them to form a government. While these concessions would likely not be an overhaul of the economy. They might push reforms that are currently unpopular even among some Labour party members. Which could cause the alliance to be unstable and fall apart.

These challenges would have to be overcome and figured out on top of the already uphill climb Labour faces in the national election as the Unitary party seemed poised to at least hit 295 seats by most estimates.

Since Allard Lécuyer became Chancellor, internally in France the party has struggled with leadership. Something that has cost the party support and makes solving these issues look bleak in the near future.

Liverpool Tribune

“For a better England”

FREE JEROME RODGERS!

Earlier today police arrested Jerome Rodgers, de facto head of the Anglo Party, for what they say is attempted murder. I disagree. Defending one's nation from an ILLEGAL OCCUPATION is NOT murder. The Fr*nch have been in this union we so graciously offered them during world war two for FAR TOO LONG. Ever since we have given up our independence and every other half decade have to live under a Fr*nch leader. We have truly lost our independence and as such the world does not respect Britannia anymore. Sure the Tory party helped secure the new carrier today. But when was the last time we ruled the waves? When was the last time our island dominated the continent like it rightfully should? How many decades ago now? It is a DISGRACE to our former empire and our British People.

Let it be clear that Jerome Rodgers did nothing wrong, with the Fr*nch occupation, we SHOULD fight for our independence. In the streets if necessary. RULE BRITANNIA!

by **Lendenburgh** » Tue Feb 13, 2024 9:42 pm

The Confederation of Syndicalist States

Formed in the year 1941, the Confederation of Syndicalist States is a formal association with four current members: The Syndicated States of America, the Worker's Government of Texas, the Republic of Cuba, and the Worker's Government of the Rio Grande (1959). The framework of the CSS is based in three key areas:
1. Economic cooperation
2. Military cooperation
3. Foreign policy cooperation

1. As Syndicalism evolved in these states, it has been the goal of the organization to promote the cooperation of domestic syndicates with their foreign counterparts. Based off some of the founding principles of the Texas-SSA split in the 1920s, there is a commitment to free trade between the nations, and a cooperative tariff policy on foreign goods. There are commitments to a more open labor market, with it being easier to work in different parts of the CSS if you are a citizen of a member state. And, of course, the number one goal is to maintain the political primacy of the syndicalist form of government in member states without infringing on the direct democracy therein provided.

2. The CSS maintains a combined command structure for its armed forces, cooperating in military exercises, employing equipment and intelligence sharing, and licensing equipment designs on an as-needed basis. This includes provisions for mutual defence in case of an outside attack, and a no-tolerance 'non-aggression' clause which mandates legal settlement for disputes between member nations so as to avoid military conflict.

3. The CSS maintains a Standing Committee on Foreign Policy to better coordinate efforts between member states in international diplomacy. Aside from additional cooperation treaties in between member states, it is more common, although not unheard of, for international deals to be made with the CSS as a whole than one of its member nations as an individual. Additionally, a Standing Committee on Syndicalist Cooperation coordinates political and cultural cooperation between the nations outside of the economic dimension of the association.

Initially founded by the SSA, Texas, and Cuba- all syndicalist nations by 1941- a Syndicalist revolution in the mid-1950s was supported by member nations and lead to the independence of the Rio Grande Soviet. After the CSS supported the newly independent nation's transition to a functional syndicalist government, it applied for membership, and was admitted to the organization in May of 1959, marking the first expansion of the organization. Two nations are observers to the association, including the People's Revolutionary Government of Granada and the Movement for the Popular Liberation of Angola.

Call for a Fifth Internationale

Mankind has obviously reached the end of something. The crisis is absolute. Bourgeois civilisation is falling apart, and even while it collapses, devotes its main energies to the preparation of further holocausts. Not remote states on the periphery but regimes contending for world power achieve the most advanced stages of barbarism known to history. What civilized states have ever approached Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia in official lies, official murder and the systematic brutalisation and corruption of their population? Only a shallow empiricism can fail to see that such monstrous societies are not the product of a national peculiarity (the German character) or a system of government (“communism”) but are part and parcel of our civilization. Everything that has appeared in these monstrous societies is endemic in every contemporary nation. Millions in the United States know that Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia will have nothing to teach the American bourgeoisie when it finds itself threatened by the revolutionary American workers seeking the complete expression of democracy which is socialism. The dream of progress has become the fear of progress. Men shrink with terror at the hint of scientific discoveries. If it were known tomorrow that the crown of human technical achievement, the processes of manufacturing atomic energy, had been lost beyond recovery, this scientific disaster would be hailed as the greatest good fortune of decades.

But the seal of the bankruptcy of bourgeois civilisation is the bankruptcy of its thought. Its intellectuals run to and fro squealing like hens in a barnyard when a plane passes overhead. Not a single philosopher or publicist has any light to throw on a crisis in which the fate not of a civilization but of civilization itself is involved. The Keynesian theories are now part of the history of economics. The ridiculous “four freedoms” of the late President Roosevelt take their place with the Three Principles of Sun Yat-Sen (the father-in-law of Chiang Kai-shek), the thousand years of Hitler’s Reich and the “socialism in a single country” of Stalin. The chattering of Sidney Hook and Harold Laski is stunned into silence by the immensity of their own inadequacies. Thought has abdicated. The world is rudderless. All illusions have been destroyed. “Man is at last compelled to face with sober sense his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind.” And in face of this the bourgeoisie has nothing to say.
-Dialectical Materialism and the Fate of Humanity, W.E.B. Du Bois, 1947

Never have Du Bois' words rang more true than 43 years after he wrote them. The situation for the global capitalist and his society is growing bleaker by the day, and, pushed to the extremes of their market logic, they are now increasingly emphasizing despotism, imperialism, and fascism as ways to extract enough resources to maintain their imperial core. Although nominal decolonization may have occurred, the global struggle for liberation still blazes on. The openly apartheid state in South Africa butchers the indigenous Black folk by the thousands, and limits others from the most basic functions of life, while the hero and freedom fighter Nelson Mandela continues to lobby for his country from behind bars. In Angola, the remnants of the fascist Portuguese presence still form a ever-present miasma over civil life, and Angolans fight among themselves to prove the destiny of their nation can be one free of its colonial past. The Franco-British have stamped out independence movements in West Africa left and right- assassinating the visionaries Kwame Nkrumah and Thomas Sankara with violent counter-revolutions.

Few glimmers of hope remain in the world, in the form of the Polish bravely holding the border with the Soviet Union while dealing with capitalist incursions from its West. In the form of the United Provinces, liberating the natural resources of the Southern Cone into the hands of workers and indigenous Americans. And, in the form of the CSS, continuing their mission of liberation from enslavement into the late-capitalist, neoliberal world.

Just as the political landscape of the Gulf of Mexico necessitated the creation of the Confederation to strengthen syndicalists across the hemisphere, the time has now come for a new international organization to guide the trend of global, worker-focused socialism to its political goals. For too long, those socialists who have not bent to the whim of Moscow or have called themselves Trotskyist, clinging to the Fourth Internationale, have been left by the wayside of international socialist politics, and it is time to come together as a bulwark against the global forces of capitalism which continue to threaten the development of socialism across every country on the globe. All nations' parties which have a serious dedication to the creation of a syndicalist, or otherwise anti-capitalist direct democracy, must be called to action against the Soviet and Franco-British empires as they continue to escalate towards the next nuclear war.

As such, the Confederation of Syndicalist States' Plenary Committee on Foreign Policy has made a call for the formation of a 5th Internationale to be held in Havana. In addition to all parties within currently capitalist nations who advocate for an industrial rise of socialism, the state parties of The United Provinces of the River Plate (ESP: Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata; POR: Províncias Unidas do Rio da Prata), The Confederated Republics of Poland-Ruthenia and the Baltics, The People's Revolutionary Government of Granada, the Movement for the Popular Liberation of Angola, the Sandanista National Liberation Front (Nicaragua), the Somali Democratic Republic, the People's Republic of Benin, the Republic of the Seychelles, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of India, The People's Republic of the Congo, The Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Madagascar, the People's Republic of Mozambique, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the People's Socialist Republic of Albania. The calling parties, of the Confederation of Syndicalist States, include: the Worker's government of Texas, the Syndicated States of America, the Republic of Cuba, and the Worker's Government the of Rio Grande.

Held in March, the attendees will set forth the terms upon which the Internationale is called, as well as common goals for the Syndicalist parties in attendance. Although cursory invites were sent to the Soviet Union and their remaining client states in Afghanistan and Mongolia, it is doubtful there will be any response... and if there is, it will likely be a rejection or an order to return to the Moscow-status-quo.

Call for an Organization of the American States
In further search to strengthen the defence of the American continent from forms of foreign imperialism or exploitation, an Organization of American States has been proposed, which would see every sovereign nation in North and South America meet at an annual summit, or on emergency basis, to discuss the maintenance of the New Monroe Doctrine. In the wake of the fall of the United States' Federal Government, the principles of the Monroe Doctrine and the later Panama Conference still remained policy priorities of most American states. As such, to coordinate the defence of two continents independently of ideology and economic system, there should be convened a non-political, non-economic association of states whose sole stated goal is to defend the American continents from outside intervention. The Pacificans, despite not particularly leaning to any side in the multi-polar tensions the world is facing, are an intrinsic part of this plan. Although CSS members are advancing this plan to the global stage, it is deeply rooted in the politics of nearly every government on the American continent to resist further European or other outside intervention in their affairs. The hope is that the call will be received accordingly, and not interfere or overlap with the Internationale in scope or purpose.

Victory in Angola
While the other members of the Confederation are deeply invested in expanding international cooperation, the Republic of Cuba has nearly sunk its jaws into the side of the Apartheid State in South Africa. With nearly 60,000 soldiers on the ground in Angola, the revolution has been a hard fought one, but seems to be on the verge of victory. The Socialist government has controlled the capital in Luanda since the country gained its independence, but continued capitalist support for rebel groups within the country, and concerted Soviet efforts to split the socialist movement off into a pro-Moscow faction, have greatly delayed the process. The intervention of the Apartheid government in the 1970s finally drew Cuba's support to the revolution, and, today, for the first time, Cuba has declared victory in the conflict. Small rebel forces exist throughout the country attempting to carry on the struggle, but, by in large the foreign support for UNITA and FNLA have ended. This leaves the Luanda government uncontested, and opens the possibility of elections within the next few years, perhaps including the gradual transition to a Syndicalist economy for the newly liberated nation. Although the MPLA remains an observer to the CSS, it is not expected that the organization will expand overseas to include Angola, and may just engage in bilateral treaties with the new Luanda government in order to secure their independence and continued prosperity. Only time will tell whether the Cuban lives which were lost did so in vain or died for an entry into a new era for Angolans.

by **Helensted** » Wed Feb 14, 2024 2:28 am

Il Regno del Cielo

Standing proud against the tides of history...

Il Regno del Cielo, the Kingdom of Heaven, remains the last bastion of Christianity in a world that fallen to the spell of material vice, the pressures of the Fall of Man. Miriam's Dream began with the life and death of Christ, and the saints and martyrs who sought to realize the living lessons of the gospels, a community of sisters and brothers who honor the ineffable God through direct action, through their very lives, who seek to create a world that stands to protect all the creatures of the Earth.

The life and death of Yeshua, Jesus, brought salvation to a world that gazed upon his parables with deaf ears. The worldly institutions of Rome and Empire solidified themselves around false churches, institutions of power and wealth that externalize the Lord, our creator, and make an idol of Christ, He whose lessons teach that the whole of humanity is the kin of God. However, there are those that have remembered the consciousness of their ancestors, the knowledge our forefathers passed from generation-to-generation in hopes of realizing the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. There are those that remember the true eucharist of Christ, the psychedelic union with The God of Love in everything.

Following Christ's martyrdom communities of so-called "Gnostics" sprouted like a waking fungi throughout Roman civilization, creating spiritual communes and spreading enlightenment and gnosis to all those truly curious in the origins of our blessed universe, our sacred consciousness. Il Regno del Cielo traces its history to life of Miriam Magdalena, Lady Maria, who fled from Palestine to Occitania with the disciples closest to Christ, establishing a loose collection of agrarian communes throughout southern France and northern Italy. These communities were pacifist, and sought to heal humanity's poverty of consciousness through the lessons of our ancestors, spreading Hermetic wisdom and welcoming peasants and slaves, women and men, merchants and aristocrats, to provide salvation in death, the great equalizer, to all.

The institutions of Rome would consolidate themselves around the church of the city, the Roman Catholic Church, and history would prove its human nature when, in 1209 Pope Innocent III called for the "Albigensian Crusade," the genocide of true Christians throughout southern France, who had established themselves around the commune of Albi and throughout Toulouse and Languedoc. The communities of Christ were dubbed as "heretical," and their lands and wealth were offered to mercenaries and military-princes who were willing to put them to the sword. The true Christians, who themselves never considered themselves anything but Christian, as humans who serve the ineffable God, were characterized as the "Cathar heresy," the true Logos bastardized by those who sought material gain. The true eucharist was deemed to be blasphemy for the power it conveyed, and true Christians were once again made martyrs. The alliance between crown and church pillaged, raped, and murdered the true Christians of southern France, the survivors of this man-made brutality fleeing to the strongholds built by their sisters and brothers in northern Italy, notably Lombardia, who welcomed them with open arms.

These communities, observing Satan's wings spreading throughout Europe once again, began to unify, becoming stronger than ever before, and establishing means of communication and organization between what was once loosely structured independent communes. As the inquisition made its way to Italy at behest of the merchants and nobility and clergy of the false church, the true Christians, remembering the parables of their Lord, instead of fighting in the manner of the fallen, in blood and anguish, sought to awaken the consciousnesses of their adversaries. As the good Christians were put to the stake like the first martyrs who came before, bands of magicians, witches, and vagabonds left their agrarian communities bearing the true eucharist. They initiated Ghibellines throughout northern Italy into the Mysteries of Christ. In 1246 the Visconti prince of Milano was baptized and provided the holy eucharist, who upon his enlightenment renounced his material wealth and formally established the community of Christ, Il Regno del Cielo, in the Duchy of Lombardia.

One by one the princes of Italy were shown the path to God, and by the 1500s what was once a center of republics and fiefdoms built out of power and wealth repented their sins, pledging to serve the Logos. By the 1600s the revolution had spread through the Swiss counties of the Holy Roman Empire. The Roman Catholic Church had been vanquished from northern Italy, remaining a puppet of the politically minded Romans, French, and Spanish.

Il Regno del Cielo remained pacifist for centuries, offering a home for the spiritually minded and becoming a place in which mankind could seek true gnosis. Emperors came and went, plagues ravaged the Earth, and wars of a scale beyond anyone's imagination would progress due to the sins of man, but the Kingdom of Heaven survived through it all.

The true Christians have created utopia out of dust, a world in which man lives to serve the creatures of the world, the singular celestial body Miriam, of which God has dreamed.

Ave Maria, Siamo in Polvere, in Polvere Ritornoremo.

by **Herpostan** » Wed Feb 14, 2024 4:37 am

A New Dawn in the Sands of Time

In the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, where the sands whisper tales of ancient civilizations and the winds carry the echoes of centuries past, lies Mecca, the spiritual nucleus of Islam. Here, amidst the swirling sands and the towering minarets, the Most Holy Caliphate of Arabia reigns supreme, a bastion of tradition, faith, and power. Under the steady hand of Ibrahim IV, scion of the revered House of Rassid, the Caliphate stands as a testament to the endurance of the Arab people. Guided by the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, Ibrahim IV leads with wisdom and conviction, embodying the sacred duty entrusted to him by centuries of tradition and faith.

The Caliphate, blessed with abundant reserves of oil, holds a pivotal role in the global economy, its wealth flowing through the veins of modern civilization like the lifeblood of progress. Yet, amidst the gleaming skyscrapers and bustling markets, the ancient rhythms of tradition still beat strong, binding together the diverse tapestry of peoples that call the Arabian Peninsula home. But the path to prosperity has not been without its challenges. The sands of time have borne witness to strife and division, testing the resilience of the Arab people. Yet, through unity and resolve, they have weathered the storms that threatened to engulf them, emerging stronger and more determined than ever to forge their own destiny.

As the dawn breaks on another decade within the closing epoch of the millennia, the gaze of the world turns once more to Mecca, where the echoes of history mingle with the promise of the future. And in the heart of it all, Ibrahim IV stands as a beacon of hope and guidance, leading his people towards a brighter tomorrow, grounded in the timeless values of faith, tradition, and unity. Within the intricate tapestry of governance in the Most Holy Caliphate of Arabia, the hand of authority rests firmly in the grasp of the Caliph, revered as both the temporal and spiritual leader of his people. As the head of state, government, and the armed forces, the Caliph embodies the embodiment of supreme authority, his decisions shaping the destiny of the realm.

Yet, even the most steadfast ruler is not without guidance, and beside the throne of the Caliph stands the esteemed Council of the Esteemed. Comprising a hundred muftis of renowned wisdom and piety, this council serves as the custodian of religious doctrine and Islamic jurisprudence, offering counsel and insight to the Caliph in matters of faith and spiritual governance. Their voices, steeped in centuries of tradition and scholarship, resonate throughout the hallowed halls of power, ensuring that the divine principles of Islam remain the guiding light of the Caliphate. But the realm of governance extends beyond matters of faith, reaching into the realm of the secular and the mundane. Here, the College of the People emerges as a beacon of popular representation and democratic governance. Composed of over two hundred and fifty delegates, drawn from the diverse tapestry of Arabian society, this assembly serves as the voice of the people, their deliberations and decisions shaping the day-to-day governance of the realm.

At the heart of this labyrinthine web of intrigue stands the Crown Prince Abbad bin Ibrahim al-Rassid, heir to the throne and custodian of the Caliphate's future. Endowed with privilege and prestige, yet burdened by the weight of expectation and the shadow of succession, the Crown Prince navigates the treacherous waters of courtly politics with a keen eye and a cautious heart. Surrounded by a retinue of loyal ministers and advisors, each vying for favor and influence, he must tread carefully, lest the pitfalls of ambition and betrayal claim him as their own.

THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT
In the vast geopolitical chessboard of the Middle East, where ancient rivalries and modern ambitions collide, the Most Holy Caliphate of Arabia stands as a stalwart guardian of its interests, treading a delicate balance amidst the shifting sands of regional power dynamics.

To the north, the looming presence of the Greco-Roman Empire casts a long shadow over the lands bordering the Mediterranean. With a history steeped in conquest and imperial ambition, the Greco-Romans have long sought to extend their influence southward, their gaze fixed upon the fertile lands and strategic waterways of the Levant and Mesopotamia. Yet, the Caliphate remains vigilant, bolstering its defenses and forging alliances with neighboring states to thwart the encroachment of its northern neighbors.

To the west, the Franco-British colonial powers exert their influence over the vast expanse of North Africa and the Levant, their empires stretching across continents and oceans. Through diplomacy, trade, and the strategic deployment of military force, they seek to maintain their grip on the region, safeguarding their interests and securing access to vital resources. Yet, the Caliphate remains undaunted, leveraging its own economic and military strength to assert its sovereignty and protect its borders from external interference.

Across the seas to the east, the growing might of the Chinese Empire looms large on the horizon, its ambitions extending far beyond the confines of the Middle Kingdom. With vast resources at its disposal and a burgeoning economy fueled by trade and innovation, China seeks to expand its influence along the ancient Silk Road routes, reaching into the heart of the Middle East and beyond. Yet, the Caliphate watches warily, mindful of the potential implications of Chinese expansionism for regional stability and its own strategic interests.

Amidst this complex tapestry of competing interests and shifting alliances, the Most Holy Caliphate of Arabia navigates with caution and foresight, seeking to preserve its sovereignty and safeguard the interests of its people in the face of external pressures and internal challenges. Through diplomacy, economic prowess, and the judicious use of military force, it seeks to maintain its position as a key player on the global stage, shaping the destiny of the Middle East and beyond.

And know that Allah stands between a man and his heart
واعلم أن الله يحول بين الرجل وقلبه

by **Hetonika** » Wed Feb 14, 2024 8:14 am

Bilbao Red Crackdown

January 1st, 1990

Following the discovery of a communist separatist movement near Bilbao and the harsh subsequent action taken to subdue it, images have leaked of Iberian army engaged in intense firefights with red militants, capturing and burning separatist compounds, and one very grainy image of what appears to be a mass grave. When questioned by national media on the subject, Salgado was quoted saying the following (translated from Portuguese):
“Some of our brave men did indeed engage in combat against a red enemy in the north, as is their duty. The threat of communism is insidious, the nation must be unified in our efforts to stamp it from our homeland before it destroys us all. May God bless Iberia my friends.”
Salgado exits the room, presumably to confer with his inner circle

Iberian forces patrol the streets

Several units of the Iberian military have been relocated to the Bilbao area, placing the area effectively under martial law until the government can be sure that there is no continued threat of red violence.

by **Helensted** » Wed Feb 14, 2024 3:26 pm

Il Regno del Cielo

Who are the Good Christians?
We are those who realize Yeshua, the sons and daughters of God.

Who is Yeshua?
We.

Why are We?
To awaken Miriam's Dream.

Who is Miriam?
Being, Living Nature in which Language dances.

What is Miriam's Dream?
Sofia.

Who is Sofia?
Wisdom.

What is Wisdom?
That which reflects Love.

What is Love?
Truth.

What is Language?
The Word.

What is The Word?
Magic.

What is Magic?
To be, to do.

What did Miriam Dream?
Of Home.

Where is Our Home?
God.

What is God?
Love.

by **Lusophone** » Thu Feb 15, 2024 5:01 pm

China Is On The March

1 JANUARY — In a ceremony steeped in history yet reflective of contemporary political shifts, China's annual parliamentary opening took place against the historic backdrop of the Forbidden City. The event, a fusion of age-old imperial ritual and the nation's unique brand of democracy, underscored the enduring legacy of Chinese civilization and governance.

Yearly, elected representatives take part in a ceremonious procession to gather before the Weini Emperor, a practice that continues despite the nation's transition to a system described as Democracy with Chinese Characteristics. The emperor's lineage and symbolic endorsement of the government's agenda, remains a central element of state legitimacy.

Chancellor Xiran Zhao, known as the "Jade Lady," used the occasion to highlight China's strategic and economic advancements. Her speech underscored the nation's role as a rising power, with a burgeoning economy only rivaled by Japan in the Asia-Pacific region. China's economic growth, marked by consistent five percent increases and a projected double GDP by the next decade, is bolstered by its industrial sector's expansion in electronics, manufacturing, and exports. Zhao posited China as a "vanguard that has outlasted historical footnotes such as liberalism and communism."

The Chancellor also emphasized the ongoing development of the Heavenly Armada of the Regal Ming (HARM), pointing to its strategic importance in securing China's maritime and aerial domains. The focus on enhancing HARM's capabilities reflects China's hard first emphasis on territorial integrity and trade security. This tri-force juggernaut strives to be a ground force that is as mobile as it is lethal, with carriers and submarines to dominate vital trade lifelines, and modern fighters to patrol its expansive skies.

Moreover, the speech addressed China's diplomatic strategies, noting its relationships with neighboring nations such as Gojoseon and Jiaozhi, and the careful navigation of its complex grievances and economic ties with Japan. The dynasties in Gojoseon and Jiaozhi remain especially integral in the midst of Japan's mercantile comeback. Jiaozhi's preferential access plays a key role in securing vital materials for the Imperial Ming, while Gojoseon stands as a strategic periphery.

As China continues to extend its influence in the Asia-Pacific and beyond, the Chancellor's invocation of the Yongle Emperor's legacy serves as a reminder of the nation's aspirations to balance its rich historical identity with its modern ambitions, signaling a readiness to assert its presence on the world stage.

MILITARY | HISTORY | TAG: Lusophone

by **Mercantile Japan** » Fri Feb 16, 2024 3:21 am

GLORY TO THE EMPEROR. SERVICE TO NATION AND CORPORATION FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION

Japan stands resolute four decades on from defeat in the Asia-Pacific War. His Majesty the Emperor heads a noble house restored of honor, committed to ensuring the future success and prosperity of the Japanese imperial state. Successive parliaments have been steeply divided between steady conservatism and vocal liberalism, further enhancing the importance of the Sun Emperor as decisive executive sovereign.

The youth of Japan are celebrated as the nation's future - soon to ascend leaders of the approaching new millennium. They receive a generous education from the imperial purse, and in turn repay this grace to the Emperor following graduation by completing four years of state service. For many, this means apprenticeship in a unionized industrial guild, or an internship within the growing service economy. Significantly for the new adults entering this market economy, near full employment is sustained under a symbiotic relationship between employee and corporation. These corporations hold uniquely privileged positions as imperial zaibatsu, responsible for delivering economic prosperity for all of Japan. Labor is negotiated collectively, and these industry contracts require that workers must be provided with safe housing and full medical care. The constitution of 1953 made the Emperor himself executive of all officially recognized zaibatsu, making these formerly corporate conglomerates directly accountable to the divine authority of the nation. These years of commercial or industrial training are a disciplining, but rewarding, formative experience for the new generation. From the mines and refineries of Alaska to the rice fields of Echigo Plain, there are opportunities for all who begin their careers or professions.

Other citizens may volunteer or be selected for the most traditionally venerated form of public service - the armed forces. The great battleships Tsushima and Iki are twin defenders of the Home Islands, striking terror into the the hearts of all who would deny the maritime aspirations of Japan. Thousands of new sailors clamor with their own aspirations of serving on these ships or the state of the art Yojimbo-class aircraft carriers, an ambition shared by many of the few selected to to become active duty combat pilots. Equipped with a mix of foreign and indigenous aircraft designs, the Air Force carefully trains aviators until they become capable of facing down the world's best contemporary aces. Similarly, hundreds of men and machines are transported to the wilderness proving ground of Alaska each year; they emerge several months later as the backbone of an elite tank force drilled in the tactics of modern combined arms warfare.

On the international stage, Japan's newly restored self-belief carries the nation into the position of a non-aligned power. Distant from both former enemies the USSR and Franco-British Union, Tokyo finds itself forced into an awkward and unwilling embrace with Ming China. Japan has rightfully become contrite and repentant for its actions during the earlier decades of the 20th century, particularly towards the people of China, however the Ming occupation of integral Japanese islands such as Okinawa has remained a national embarrassment. Year on year the desperate calls for homes and families to be reunited continue, and it is clear that the restoration of Japanese sovereignty will remain a key priority of Tokyo in the new decade. Despite these current and historical grudges, Europe remains a too distant and too unreliable consumer market for China and Japan. Trade between the two imperial states grows year on year, supporting mutually held goals of national development. Beyond this, though, the trade policy of Japan is strictly mercantile and devoutly advanced in the national interest. Tokyo will work with all who support respectful partnership, non-intervention in domestic affairs, and do not seek to constrain the needs and aspirations of Japan.

This will be a decade of challenges and opportunities. There will be many tests for the Japanese people and Emperor. But, the nation stands ready for the task ahead.

Through peace, may all profit!

by **Helensted** » Fri Feb 16, 2024 4:47 am

Il Regno del Cielo

How do the Good Christians live?

Il Regno del Cielo is the land maintained by the Good Christians, those who have been stewards to the true teachings of Yeshua, the realization of a Celestial Kingdom on Earth, for nearly a millennium. The joyful folk live in countless comuni that span throughout the mountains, valleys, and plains of Italia and Svizzera, each with unique dialects, histories, and traditions, united in tongue by a standard common Italian originating from Toscania.

Their aspiration is to realize Miriam's Dream, the dream of Nature. She is the first emanation of The One, the fertile seed from which Language sings and creates. She created each of the kingdoms of the world with a purpose, for every being fulfills a niche. She dreamed of Wisdom, and so began evolution, the eb-and-flow between is and be culminating in the eschaton, when the many reunite with The One. The humans are the gardeners, the beings with the responsibility and the power to save or destroy the earth, the Garden of Eden. Humanity will only realize its task when it truly remembers its roots in The One, all that is being the emanation of God. The Kingdom of Heaven is thus the land in which humanity has remembered to tend to each other and to the creatures and plants of the earth as a singular celestial body.

Il Regno del Cielo is not a nation-state, its people believing in neither nations or states, all which perish to the passing of time. Decisions are made in a comune-to-comune basis, each comune represented by the churches established by its people. Churches are maintained by the perfecti, women and men within the community who have reached a state of enlightenment in every aspect of their living experience, who are adept at teaching and spreading the lessons of Christ.

The comuni are egalitarian and mostly agrarian communities that stretch across Il Regno del Cielo. There exist urban centers within Il Regno del Cielo, but a symbiosis between the city and the folk has been maintained with utmost care, the Kingdom's cities being the most green and clean cities in the world. Within more developed urban centers public transport is for-the-most-part provided by extensive systems of cable-cars and trolleys. Infrastructure and roads in the countryside are maintained on a basis of what people need, and may seem underdeveloped to foreigners from the ego-based material realms of profit and vice.

The ministerial affairs of Il Regno del Cielo are carried out by the perfecti, who choose regional representatives to voice the concerns and needs of their sisters and brothers to Il Collegio Celeste, the Heavenly College, the de-facto communal ministration of the Kingdom. The College is held in Milano, Lombardia, the Kingdom's largest and most populous city which for all-intents-and-purposes serves as the current capital of the realm.

The biodiversity enjoyed by creatures, flora, and humans within Il Regno del Cielo is not experienced anywhere else in the world of man, save for rainforests and protected preserves. Every aspect of Christian life is in respect to environment, so that Man and Nature may enjoy the fruits of the earth into the far future, despite the lifestyles participated in across the "civilized" world.

Thus, the system of food production enjoyed within Il Regno del Cielo is the most sophisticated and sustainable in the world, representing the keystone of the Kingdom's culture and society. Farming techniques have been passed down from generation-to-generation, all meticulously designed to honor the Earth and provide the closest and freshest food. The folk practice biodynamic farming, a complex system of rituals and sustainable practices that finds its roots in the pagan practices of our most archaic ancestors. The production of natural medicines is intrinsically tied to the production of food, the cultivation of plants such as hemp and tobacco being celebrated throughout the land in which no "drugs" are illegal. Il Regno del Cielo is renowned for its viniculture, and is home to the purest wines in the world.

A system of sustainable industry has been established within Il Regno del Cielo, one which prioritizes the basic needs of the folk in order to provide them with the industrial amenities they require. The Kingdom is by no means an industrial powerhouse, its planned industry focused around Torino in Piemonte and Venezia in Veneto.

Following the 1953 Perfectorial Decree Regarding the Efficacy of the Automobile, the private ownership of automobiles is disallowed, such vehicles being registered and rented from public facilities throughout the comuni. The majority of these automobiles may be considered outdated by the watching world and were designed for off-road use, it is not uncommon to see a family driving a Willy's jeep, relics of the Second World War and American arms race, from villages into the city. Travel by bicycle has been popularized in recent decades, while many of the rural folk still use horses and buggies. Travel between distant comuni is possible by an accessible albeit slow-moving system of trains. At the current moment the only direct flights to Il Regno del Cielo are to Milano, these flights being pre-planned and by the authority of the perfecti.

The backbone of society within Il Regno del Cielo is its system of education, which itself revolves around baptism and gnosis. In their youth children attend schooling in community churches, their teachers being the perfecti. Here students become well-versed in the teachings of the ancestors, from the Corpus Hermeticum to the Gospels, and Platonic dialogues to the mythologies of ancient Europe. History, literature, art, music, mathematics, home agriculture, the culinary practice, and the natural sciences coincide with these lessons, as the young student discerns what they must do with the life they have been provided. The primary objective of this junior stage of schooling is to assist the student in realizing themselves, their purpose and role in Miriam's Dream, and help them manifest it. The great culmination of education within Il Regno del Cielo comes with graduation, and a student's baptism and initiation into the Mysteries of Christ. Through this ceremony students are administered the true eucharist (psilocybe cubensis) in community, and are guided through song and dance and living mythology into a state of gnosis, where all that remains is The One. Initiates unanimously describe baptism as the most important moment of their lives, where death is experienced before death has come.

For those whose destinies incline, university represents the next step in a student's education. Here, among the oldest universities in the world, the original dream of university persists: that is, the true and earnest study of the Universe itself. Curriculums include (but are by no means limited to) the practice of biodynamic farming, sustainable industry, biology, chemistry, anthropology, and the like, but most unique to Il Regno del Cielo is the study of Magic, where students discern the practices by which man may make the gods manifest and realize the imminent eschaton. The Siena School of Magic remains the most renowned of these magical universities, while for practical curriculums the ancient University of Bologna is the most well-known.

Media within the Kingdom is for-the-most part frowned upon, the internet accessible through public libraries. Here we find the only screens within Il Regno del Cielo, as it is understood that communication that is not face-to-face is more easily made dishonest and impure. This is also to hold together the fabrics of the society, the interests of media rarely inline with the tangible concerns reality presents.

The defense of Il Regno del Cielo is carried out by community militias, who together with the perfecti hold administration over public armories present in every comune. The pacifist Kingdom has learned from the past, from crusades and inquisitions, that when push-comes-to-shove the community of Good Christians must defend themselves, for they stand as the last bastion of true gnosis in the world. Meanwhile, the Kingdom’s fledgling navy, armored cavalry, and standing military are maintained by the Knights Templar, the poor-fellows soldiers, the martial arm of Christ, an elusive organization with its own rights of initiation.

Daily life within Il Regno del Cielo is slow in nature, emphasizing family and friends and ultimately revolving around community events and local festivals. To outside eyes, however, the common spirit enjoyed throughout the Kingdom may resemble Carnevale or a time of great festivities, but here the joyful folk have truly learned to live and love. The youth remain among the most creative and talented artists and musicians in the world, who contribute to the culture a spirit of unity by honoring the Muses.

These are the means by which the Good Christians have established a more perfect society, all in preparation for the Christ's final reunion with The One.

Ave Maria, Siamo in Polvere, in Polvere Ritornoremo.

by **Arela** » Fri Feb 16, 2024 10:57 pm

The Roman Economy

January 5, 1990

Having ascended to power in the midst of WW2, Georgios II presided over the Great Victory against the Germanic Menace. Following this, the Emperor guided the Imperium during the post-war economic boom. The Roman miracle, as it was called, was a result of economic liberalization and increased commercial ties with the West - a trend that started with the decision to side with the Entente during the Great War.

The economic boom saw rapid urbanization, influxes of Western consumer technologies, and massive infrastructure projects of the likes which were never seen before. In order to finance such massive building projects, provincial authorities gave generous low-interest loans to private corporations. Little central oversight was present during the period, in line of Roman tradition of permitting provinces to govern themselves with minimal imperial interference.

Growth started to sputter out during the late 1960s, and throughout the 1970s the Imperial Government was increasingly forced to bail out the provinces. The economic drain of the bailouts, in addition to high inflation and rising unemployment, forced many infrastructure projects to be halted. The ever busy construction sites across the Empire were now to be staffed with skeleton crews.

After sluggish growth throughout the 1970s and the early 1980s, the Empire has gotten back on its feet. But the unpleasant taint looming over public sentiment remains ever difficult to stamp out. As student groups increasingly advocate for nonsensical ideas, even arch Conservatives in the Senate bemoan the rampant consumerism and wealth inequality that has stricken the Empire.

Most worryingly is the situation in Roman Italy. Italy unfortunately, has been subject to centuries of barbarian propaganda. Southern Italy was only liberated from Avar rule following the Great War, in which the collapse of Austria-Hungary saw their Italian puppet states concede to Imperial rule instead of risking being annexed by the Cathar heretics in the North.

While Southern Italy was always viewed as a troubled province, discontent once again started boiling over after the crisis of the 1970s. Massive public housing projects, which were meant to house Catholic refugees from the Cathar State have become increasingly dilapidated, while homeless and beggars increasingly roam the cities. Should the situation not be salvaged, many warn that Southern Italy might become a hotbed of extremism.

by **Lusophone** » Sat Feb 17, 2024 1:04 am

Is A 'Petroyuan' Under Work?

7 JANUARY — In a testament to China's growing reverence across all four cardinal directions, top officials from the Caliphate of Arabia have journeyed to the Forbidden City, engaging in talks that promise to herald a significant deepening of Sino-Arab ties. Their plenary trip sets up the groundwork for Caliph Ibrahim IV's visit later this month, anticipated to culminate in a surprise aimed at redefining the Indo-Pacific landscape.

Central to the anticipated deal is a proposal for Arabia to launch Chinese Yuan-denominated oil futures, a distinction unknown to other traditional currencies. Complimented by a bilateral currency swap agreement, the increase in Yuan reserves poise to significantly bolster the Caliphate's financial resilience by diversifying its currency reserves and ensuring streamlined interoperability with a market that has a stable demand for its primary export commodity.

Formally accepting the Yuan in oil sales elevates the Arab Caliphate's position among the multipolar currencies of the world, offering it a hedge against economic uncertainties. Increased Yuan reserves don't just translate into financial stability; they provide the Caliphate with enhanced purchasing power within China's vast economy, now worth 2.5 trillion and one of the world's fastest-growing.

This potential deal is shaping up to be mutually beneficial, equally meeting both Sino-Arab imperatives. It aligns with China's need for a stable oil supply to fuel its expansion and to bolster the Yuan's circulation against the Japanese Yen, while at the same time allowing Arabia to procure Asian goods at a reduced cost. Within the walls of the Forbidden City, the reported level of personal camaraderie among officials suggest that for both parties, this proposal is only a launchpad for long term strategic collaboration.

MILITARY | HISTORY | TAG: Lusophone

by **Herpostan** » Sat Feb 17, 2024 7:42 am

The Dance with the Imperial Dragon

January 8, 1990

In a landmark development for the burgeoning Arabian Information Technology (IT) sector, representatives from leading companies in the Chinese telecommunications industry convened with their Arabian counterparts to explore avenues for collaboration and investment. This strategic meeting signals a pivotal moment in the quest to elevate the nascent IT landscape within the caliphate. The gathering, held against the backdrop of mutual interest and shared objectives, saw delegates engaging in fruitful discussions aimed at fostering innovation, bolstering infrastructure, and catalyzing economic growth in the Arabian IT sphere. With a focus on synergistic partnerships, both sides exchanged insights and visions, laying the groundwork for a robust alliance poised to reshape the technological landscape of the region.

In a groundbreaking move poised to reshape the landscape of the Arabian telecommunications sector, the participants of yesterday's pivotal meeting have announced a transformative decision: the consolidation of multiple companies into a singular entity, Arabitel. The amalgamation, borne out of collaborative discussions and shared aspirations, represents a bold stride towards unity, efficiency, and collective strength within the Arabian telecommunications sphere. With a unified vision and a commitment to excellence, Arabitel is poised to emerge as a formidable force, poised to drive innovation, expand market reach, and enhance the overall competitiveness of the Arabian telecommunications industry.

Commenting on the merger, Abdullah Al-Farsi, CEO of Arabitel, remarked, "This historic consolidation marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Arabian telecommunications landscape. By uniting under the banner of Arabitel, we are not only consolidating our strengths but also amplifying our collective impact. Together, we are poised to drive innovation, elevate service standards, and empower communities through transformative connectivity solutions."

The Ballad with the Rising Son

January 8, 1990

In a move aimed at fostering deeper collaboration and mutual understanding, officials from Japan and the Arabian region have engaged in discussions to explore avenues for strengthening economic and cultural ties between the two nations.

The bilateral talks, held against the backdrop of shared values and mutual respect, underscore a growing recognition of the immense potential for collaboration and partnership between Japan and the Arabian countries. With a focus on enhancing cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, tourism, and cultural exchange, both parties are poised to unlock new opportunities for growth and prosperity. As the talks concluded, optimism prevailed among participants, who expressed confidence in the potential for deeper cooperation and collaboration between Japan and the Caliphate. With a shared commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and mutual prosperity, both parties are poised to embark on a new chapter of partnership and friendship, paving the way for a brighter and more interconnected future for all.

by **Anxiety Cafe** » Sat Feb 17, 2024 6:33 pm

Since 1870 █████ ★ ★ ★ █████ "The revolution eternal"

Bs.As — 7 January 1990

50 cts. | English Issue

Pathways to Citizenship: Political refugees see easier nationalization

As fascistic regimes across the world continue their inevitable decline into despotism, abusing their institutional powers to criminalize the free expression of speech and the right to peaceful assembly, the UP has stepped forth to offer political asylum to members of the working class seeking restored and expanded access to their civil liberties.

The Ministry of Human Rights & Citizenship has issued their updated guidelines surrounding the asylum process alongside a a condemnation of both the long-criticized authoritarian government in Iberia as well as the newly-emboldened forces of capitalist oppression in Denmark. The Ministry has relaxed requirements surrounding the process of "proving" political persecution, citing the widely-publicized use of military force and disregard for the sanctity of human life in these and several other countries. Asylum seekers from Denmark now also find an expedited path to citizenship, similar to which the privilege their counterparts in Iberia have long had access. Additionally, the Ministry's Commission on the Protection of Iberians Fleeing Genocide has now been changed into the Commission on the Protection of Refugees from the European Genocides, and is now more well-equipped to provide these refugees with the resources and knowledge necessary to continue their struggle for liberation in their homelands should the opportunity ever arise.

The UP has also labeled the current regime in Denmark to be a state sponsor of terrorism, again similar to their Iberian counterparts. President Luiz Suzuki referred to these two governments as "stains on the fabric of humanity" in his address confirming his attendance among a delegation to the Fifth Internationale in Havana, where the UP is expected to meet with longtime allies in the Confederation of Syndicalist States. The multilateral forum is, according to Suzuki, a necessity for socialist states worldwide. As the remaining bourgeoisie dictatorships become increasingly isolated by continued socialist victories in countries like Nicaragua and Angola, where the UP and its partners played outsized roles in securing the defeat of the imperialists and the capitalists, the Internationale must coordinate efforts to combat more frequent militarized political repression of workers globally.

by **Lusophone** » Thu Feb 22, 2024 5:40 pm

China's Indo-Pacific Ambitions

15 JANUARY — Franco-British Union delegates touched down in Beijing this week for negotiations with Chancellor Xiran Zhao, underscoring Beijing's intent to diversify its partnerships and hedge its bets in the Indo-Pacific. The talks, held within the Forbidden City, mirror a similar pilgrimage by the Arab Caliphate earlier this month. At the core of both these negotiations is Beijing's growing wariness of its interdependence with Japan.

By bolstering the Chinese Yuan through currency deals, China aims to undermine the Japanese Yen in Indo-Pacific regional trade and insulate its economy from Yen fluctuations and pressures from Japan. China is also actively modernizing its armed forces and securing advanced technologies to maintain its historical claim over the region.

The Sino-Arab and Sino-Anglo-Franco negotiations seem to be inextricably linked, coming just a week apart from each other, expected to both be finalized around the Arab Caliph's state visit to Beijing. Talks with Arabia have reportedly centered around the introduction of Yuan-denominated oil futures, diversifying the Caliphate's financial reserves while securing a stable oil supply for China to fueling its industrial and economic expansion.

Meanwhile, FBU officials are rumored to have been offered preferential access to China's vast coffers of critical rare earth elements, in exchange for phased transfers of its advanced electronics and military systems, including its coveted supercarrier technology. The FBU's supercarrier would be a leap for HARM, which currently only operate STOBAR limited carriers. A bilateral Yuan-Dieppen currency swap may also be on the table, providing the FBU enhanced purchasing power within China's vast economy made up of 459 million consumers.

The choice to receive Arab and FBU diplomats as the Middle Kingdom's initial foreign receptions so early in the year reflect China's deliberate effort to position itself as a formidable force in the Indo-Pacific. Amid the backdrop of slumbering Soviet presence and a resurgent mercantile Japan, there is even more desire in Beijing to project power and not only maintain, but expand, China's post-World War II gains in the region and beyond.

MILITARY | HISTORY | TAG: Lusophone

by **Hetonika** » Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:14 am

Lisbon Acts to Secure the Agricultural Sector

January 15, 1990

In response to the ongoing challenges posed by trade disruptions, the government of Iberia has announced significant increases in subsidies for the agricultural sector. The move comes as both countries grapple with the impacts of global trade uncertainty, heightened by geopolitical tensions and economic instability.

With trade routes in flux and traditional markets facing disruptions, farmers in Iberia are experiencing heightened volatility and uncertainty. The agricultural sector, a cornerstone of the region's economy, relies heavily on imports for food security, with the majority of farms being products more successful in the export market. However, recent political tensions and shifts in trade status have threatened both food security and many farmers’ vital income streams.

The government has unveiled a comprehensive subsidy package aimed at bolstering the resilience of its agricultural industry. The measures include increased financial support for farmers, incentives for sustainable practices, promoting increased crop diversification, and investment in the creation and expansion of farms producing vital food products. Additionally, targeted assistance programs have been introduced to aid sectors disproportionately affected by trade disruptions, such as olive oil and wine production.

The decision to boost agricultural subsidies reflects the recognition of the sector's importance to the overall economic stability and food security of Iberia. By providing financial assistance and strategic support, policymakers aim to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers, preserve rural communities, and ensure a reliable supply of agricultural products for consumers as foreign markets close to the peninsula.

However, some critics have raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of relying on subsidies to offset trade challenges. They argue that while necessary in the short, it would be a much better option to attempt repairing trade relations and regaining access the international market.

As Iberia navigates the dire trade situation, the implementation of targeted subsidies underscores the more and more apparent fear driving the Iberian government as they become increasingly cut off from the world. Moving forward, policymakers will face the ongoing challenge of balancing support for farmers with broader efforts to promote sustainability, innovation, and market diversification.

by **Fregantes Empire** » Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:50 pm

In the Land of the Romans, the Sublime State Shines Once Again

15 January 1990, Istanbul/Kostantiniyye - Κωνσταντινούπολη - Цариград - Stambolli - Stembol - إسطنبول

Today, the inauguration of the 43th Congregation of the Rumelian Parliament will take place in a joint sitting of the two houses, the Chamber of Deputies (Meclis-i Mebusan) and the Chamber of Notables (Meclis-i Ayan). The Guardian and Trustee of the State, President Osman Hamdi Taşkıran vested the task of forming a government to the head of the Rumelian Social Democratic Party, Dimitris Nikolopoulos. The prospective Prime Minister of the Romans (Başvekil-i Rûmi) will have a month to form a cabinet.

The formation of a stable government after a peaceful election has been a long awaited success in the country. The Sublime State of Rumelia is a country born out of an initially unstable political arrangment, then succumbed to ethno-religious conflict, finally leading to the establishment of a modern, secular, democratic and federal state. It is a country of pain but hope, of tradition and progress. When the Ottoman Dynasty abruptly ended in the palace coup of Alemdar Mustafa Pasha in 1808, nobody could've imagined that a regime without the Sublime House of Osman could endure. Yet endure it did, now recorded as "The Republic of the Ayans" (Cumhuriyet-i Ayan) with its custodians in our history books.

The ensuing modernising overhaul of the entire establishment breathed new life into an ailing state. Janissaries abolished, equal rights and citizenship enshrined in law, a constitution ratified and a parliament convened. Education becoming mandatory was also a significant achievement. The decentralised nature of the Republic of Ayans was a constant obsticle for these radical reforms, but also the very reason they succeeded. The Ayans themselves coming from the Balkan elites of the country, their ideals mostly aligned, so long as their local authority wasn't hindered. Yet these local actors also paved the way for similar non-Turkish and non-Muslim actors to have a say in the functioning of the state. The Greek/Romaioi Ayans activetly promoted their culture and literature, and the local rights, even helping the Ecumenical Patriarchy in maintaining its authority in Central Greece. Similar Ayans following the example helped detach idealistic rebellions from the population, and kept Greece, Macedonia, Thrace and the Black Sea coast within in the Sublime State.

The Sublime State still lost Serbia and the Western Balkans however, and only an early peace in WWI, saw its Northen Syrian territories maintained when the entirety of Arabia was lost. Amidst the post WWI chaos, and the ensuing civil war, the now defunct Ayan regime was overthrown by radical elements within the army, leading to the establishment of the current regime under the Field Marshall Hüseyin Dimitris Pasha in 1921. The "Second Founding", as it was called, was a new period of democratisation, secularisation and the transition of the informal fiefdoms into the federated provinces. The new pluralism embraced by the regime is perhaps what saved the country, yet also challenged it. For three decades the Rumelian government had to suppress natinoalist and religiously motivated revolts in the Balkans and Eastern Anatolia, leading to painful memories. That war continued in the Chamber of Deputies for the next four decades, with a string of failing coalitions poisining the political discourse. Yet the country continued to progress and take steps towards societal peace. The election of the Social Democrats, one of the few parties that have cross-community voter base, winning the elections with 45% is a testament to that.

With internal stability in sight, the Sublime State might once again project its influence across the region, contending with the autocratic pretenders in Carthage, the socialists all around, and the imperialists still present in the Middle East.

While Rumelia is a secular state, it is a custom for all the religious leaders to wish the new Prime Minister a stable and prosperous term. And indeed, two heads of religions, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the Rumelian Shaykh al-Islām (the Caliph of all Muslims), alongside with the notables of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the leaders of the Alevites, and the Catholic Archbishop of Albania all wished the Prime Minister well. This is an ancient land once more filling with energy and optimism. This is a land that gave birth to both Democracy and Empire. This is the Land of the Romans, more so than anywhere else.

by **Nowa Polonie** » Fri Feb 23, 2024 5:12 pm

Europe's Grand Federation

Warsaw's Palace of Culture, constructed in the early 1950s in the wake of Poland's second victory against the Soviet Union in twenty-five years - cementing its fate, at least to its mind, forevermore to serve as first-among-equals in leading a confederated state of those it had fought, in its words, to liberate during the First and Second Polish-Soviet Wars (the second of which, world historians may neatly name as one of the many conflicts collectively referred to as 'the Second World War').

The 18th Century seemed to have consigned Poland to the dustbin of history - its lands partitioned, its people scattered and oppressed, its brother-nations set against it by foreign tyrants. Napoleon brought hope - the brief freedom he helped the Poles to enjoy was short lived, and Napoleon's doom would not long follow. In his wake however, he imparted a generation of Poles with the militant ideals of a new order in Europe, no longer dominated by the retrograde autocracies of the past. Many years past, and as many revolts crushed - until 1863. After years of planning, and sponsored by the adventurist revolutionaries of Europe common to that era, Poland drove out the Russian Empire, and reclaimed, at least in part, some of the territories that once composed the old Commonwealth it had once lead.

The initial character of this new Polish Republic was colored by the revolutionary republican figures who created it - socially libertine, yet militaristic, fiercely patriotic, but with concern for worldly affairs - this new Polish Republic formed a new nucleus in a growing Republican axis of thought throughout Europe, and for the next half century, though it increasingly chafed under the joint pressures of an autocratic and revanchist Russia to its East, and an ascendant and expansionist German Empire to its West, it enjoyed something of a brief cultural, political and economic renaissance, one shared without prejudice with those communities of Balts and Ruthenians living within Polands borders, with the late 19th Century seeing industrialization across much of its central territory, seeing Poland emerge into the 20th as an emergent regional power.

The First World War saw Poland, with its historic and political ties to France, drawn into the war on its third year, when in early 1917, it abandoned its official policy of neutrality and engaged the forces of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Its intervention would not save the Russian Empire from revolution, and the next years of war were hard fought, but it saw the reclamation of territories previous generations had given up for lost. As one of the primary beneficiaries of the peace in the wake of the collapse of the Central European empires, Poland would emerge fully into its role as a regional power - Josef Pilsudski, military leader-turned-politician, riding into power on a platform based on principles of both socialism and revolutionary nationalism, fully committed a newly rejoined Poland to the project of liberating the nations it had once shared its Commonwealth with. In this, it was only partially successful, and after many years of further fighting, it settled along a frontier resting neatly along the river axis' of the Baltics, Belarus and Central Ukraine, the mighty Dniepr forming its new border with the new Bolshevik regime to the East.

Pilsudski, now supreme in his political control over the country, launched what was in practice a self-coup - with support from the Army, and with the popular support of much of the electorate, declaring the 3rd. Polish Republic, and issuing a new constitution, enshrining universal suffrage, the rudiments of an initial welfare state intended to alleviate mass suffering after years of war, and enshrining the Polish Socialist Party as the natural 'party of government' in a system that otherwise resembled the non-Socialist, liberal nations of Western Europe. For the next decade, Poland's government would be driven by policies of progressivism, social justice, and economic re-developmentalism for regions long neglected by the incompetent administration of the Russian Empire.

Retiring in the mid-1920s, Pilsudski's legacy to be carried on by a series of successors who formalised the PSP party-state, which would be characterized first and foremost by a pan-nationalist ideal of a commonwealth of nations in Eastern Europe composed of the historic nations of the Commonwealth, and united against both Russian and German hegemony - cultural and religious harmony was sponsored between minorities, and the Polish Socialist Party, though it would continue to bear its name, opened its doors to those Ukrainians, Belarussians and Balts wishing to take part in government, becoming a broad-tent left-wing party, dominated by a militant Socialist party orthodoxy, tempered by a more social-democratic, regionalist tradition less concerned with the more radical political impulses of Polish political leadership.

The Second World War would see this new model for the Polish state tested against the Germans and Russians once again, though at once, at tacit cooperation between the Nazi and Soviet regimes saw Poland facing a two-front invasion in 1939 - over the next two years, battered on its East, and advancing desperately in its West to link up with Franco-British forces and smother the Nazi threat in its cradle, it managed to finally defeat the German enemy, formalizing the Oder-Neisse Line, and turning its forces East, joined by the Franco-British, who had no desire to see the Soviets advance over Poland's corpse into the war-torn states of Europe. For another five years, Europe waged war against the Soviet juggernaut, driving it ever back, until in 1946, a joint Polish-Franco-British effort fabricated and deployed a series of the worlds' first nuclear weapons, destroying the frontline-city of Smolensk, as well as the naval base of Kronstadt, in a clear threat to the nearby city of St. Petersburg.

The resulting conditional peace with the Soviets saw the 'natural' borders envisioned by an earlier generation of visionary nationalists who had emerged in the wake of the Russian Revolution imposed, and Poland brought to its greatest historical extent. Its post-war reconstruction saw it successfully integrate these new territories both politically and economically. In the late 20th Century, Poland, now known officially as the Federative Republics of Poland-Transruthenia, stands as a nation of some 124,000,000, fielding what may be the largest conventional army in Europe, ever watchful of the East, and tempered in its professionalism by a government eager to test them abroad in interventions favoring revolutionary causes - a trait that surely frustrates both the Soviets, who compete the Polish as a leading nation among international Socialism, and the Capitalist West, who often find themselves at odds with bullish Polish foreign policy. Despite this, its anti-Soviet attitudes place it in a position of awkward cooperation with both the Franco-British and Rumelians, at least so far as Moscow is concerned.

The Party-State Mountain, and the Man at its Summit

Soldier, Social Critic, Historian of Literature and Politician - Jan Józef Lipski, current leader of the Polish Socialist Party, and President of the Polish-Transruthenian Republic. Representing a compromise between the party orthodoxy, who's respect he commands for his trade unionist credentials, prior military service in the Second Polish-Soviet War, and his joint anti-fascist/anti-bolshevik positions, he holds the party's more moderate, more avowedly 'democratic socialist' left-wing to him with progressive social policy, sponsorship of the small, private enterprises that endear him to the country's parochial, middle-class interests, and an openness to forming coalitions with smaller parties among the Sejm to form cabinets representing a super-majority of the electorate. The man at the top of the PSP party-state, called 'Góra' - 'the Mountain' - by Polish political commentators, has served as Poland's president since 1984, having formed two governments of coalition in that time, he is regarded as a generally well-respected figure in Polish politics, being receptive to politics of compromise with the Sejm's minority parties.

Poland's party-state has existed since the First World-War, when in reflection of the radical politics of that age, a clique of pan-nationalist, largely Socialist-leaning officers among the Polish Army, lead by Marshall Jozef Pilsudski, declared that the 2nd. Polish Republic had served its political purpose in 'self-strengthening' Poland's economic and political foundations - and declared the formation of a new 3rd. Republic, who's task would explicitly be to recover from Russian imperialism the brother-nations that Poland had once shared the Commonwealth with. As Russia descended into years internecine bloodletting, Poland, fresh from the First World War, where it served a late, but decisive role, when its intervention alongside Romania in 1917 saw the Eastern flanks of the German empires freshly challenged, and eventually overwhelmed - with Germany chastened, and Poland invigorated by fresh infusion of territory to the West, committed in 1920 to an invasion of the newly ascendant Soviets - in this, after two long years of war, Pilsudski was largely successful in recovering the historic territories of the Commonwealth, though in truth that meant that the Latvians, Belarussians and Ukrainians saw their nations cleaved in two.

It was in this context then, that the Polish Socialist Party, to which Pilsudski belonged, buoyed into power by their overwhelming popularity among Polish voters drawn to the personal popularity of their conquering Marshall - they were the party of the Polish, and after a time, the party of any of the minorities of Poland's new Eastern peripheries who wished to be represented by someone other than a swath of freshly emergent 'Minority Parties', representing most typically a parochial, nationalist view in an agrarianist bent - of these, only the Labour Bundists, left-wing, and as much the party of the Jews as the PSP is to the Poles, survives, finding itself in something of a position of perpetual junior coalition in government, sharing most of its views with the PSP guarantees it a ministry or two when it comes to form a new cabinet.

This decisive and early dominance ensured that, with its radical policies of reforming a good many of the social institutions across the country, be it the army, the trade unions, national corporations, schools, hospitals - it ensured that in a new, massive bureaucracy, many now owed their jobs to the PSP, they paid their dues to PSP-aligned unions, and they sent their children to new, modern schools teaching a PSP-approved curriculum emphasizing language, tutelage in civics and preparation for work. The inter-war generation of Poles, and to an extant those minorities it had recently incorporated, was characterized by a vast social mobilization committed to ensuring the success of this new federation - the Poles having no more desire to see itself once again sandwiched between a freshly recalcitrant Russia and Germany than the minority nations. That this effort was largely successful, and saw the new state not only endure a second war with Germany and the Soviets both, but see its frontiers with both be clarified further, would only further galvanize the PSP's natural dominance among the political scene, entrenching its own influence among the country's large bureaucracy.

Since the Second World War, the PSP has since liberalized its economic and social policy by greater or lesser degrees - its overbearing influence in education has been relaxed, with the Polish school no longer sharing something of a resemblance to a barracks. It has formalized party-policy in pursuing 'super-majority coalitions' when it forms a cabinet, which it aims to represent at least 60% of the electorate - in Poland's proportionately representative, parliamentary system, the PSP regularly sees a return of 40-45% of the vote-share, which it regularly bolsters with the Bundists, Green Parties, and minority-rights parties of a left-of-center persuasion who are in favour of the federation.

Though Poland, to a Western European perspective, looks little different from the party-state of the Soviets, it ignores some of the liberal traditions that are still perpetuated from Poland's Second Republic, which once resembled France or Britain. Poland holds regular elections, with fair and equal opportunity for candidates to make their case - likewise, it allows an opposition to exist and voice its views, with 'non-Fascist/non-Bolshevik' parties being allowed to form both on the Right and the Communist left. Private enterprise remains legal, though the degree of both regulation and taxation that a business will see rises quite proportionately in relation to its size, which means that the largest corporations in Poland are typically the industrial giants in energy and manufacturing still run by the state, though these are joined in large part by a plethora of small, private enterprises, farmer-owned agricultural cooperatives and smaller multinationals servicing the consumer sector.

In Poland, one finds all the rudiments of liberal democracy, as one would in the West of Europe, or in parts of North and South America, and even increasingly in the Global South - that it is sometimes muttered in frustration in the same vein as the Soviet Union, by frustrated politicians and businessmen in the West, is a critical misunderstanding of its nature as a state. There is little different, constitutionally, between Poland and its Western neighbors - it is no less free, no less democratic - but while they, beholden to the influence of private capital, allow liberalism to perpetuate itself towards its final decay into Fascism, as has happened in Spain and elsewhere, Poland opted long ago to elect for a radical, left-wing direction - a democracy composed of and owned by its people, not shadowy business magnates - laws made to protect people, not profit - an army to protect the nation, fighting overseas in the name of justice, not empire. A government concerned not with the foibles of the 'two-party' democracies of the West, lurching perpetually from sponsoring one camp of criminals and looters of the nation to the other, but with a greater goal - the happiness of all mankind.

by **Lusophone** » Sun Feb 25, 2024 1:28 am

Plans to Advance HARM Continue

21 JANUARY — Chancellor Xiran Zhao has introduced legislation that would stack an additional 15 billion in spending for the Heavenly Armada of the Regal Ming (HARM) over the next five years. The early draft comes amidst reinvigorated desire to assert China's historical claim over the Indo-Pacific, seen as vital to its continued economic growth. Zhao's initiative is part of a broader modernization tracing back to the 1970s, which has favored downsizing personnel to create a more rapid and ready force.

The Imperial Land Army, once boasting 1.5 million active personnel, has deliberately slimmed down to 920,000, a move away from strength by mass thinking. Far from a signal of tempered military ambitions, the approach has streamlined focus toward mechanized infantry and armored units, leveraging platforms like the ZBD-04A IFVs for rapid mobility and firepower.

With fewer personnel to support, HARM has redirected funds towards procurement and R&D, crucial for developing technological edge. The focus has been on enhancing its blue-water capabilities with indigenous designs of submarines and surface combatants, including diesel-electric submarines and cutting-edge destroyers like the Luyang II-class. The Air Force has also seen key upgrades, with investments in fighters like the J-11 and multi-role J-10s, and an expanding arsenal of precision-strike conventional MRBMs such as the DF-21.

The shift in budget allocation has been stark, with a procurement strategy aimed at ensuring that each Yuan spent contributes directly to increasing HARM's strategic reach and operational success. HARM's strategic pivot from manpower to modernization reflects its egregious memory of Japanese invasion, which has given rise to the theory that technological superiority and proactive forward operations are key to modern warfare than simple numerical strength.

UPDATED — MILITARY | HISTORY | TAG: Lusophone

by **Anxiety Cafe** » Sun Feb 25, 2024 2:13 pm

Bs.As. — 21 January 1990

50 cts. | English Issue

Atucha III Online: The UP's latest nuclear reactor is operational

According to a press release from the Ministry of Energy, the third reactor in the Atucha Nuclear Complex has finally begun feeding electricity into the National Electric Grid. The Atucha Complex first began operations in 1973 with Atucha I, the UP's first commercial nuclear reactor, and now, with Atucha III as the tenth, nuclear energy represents over 6% of the Rioplatense energy matrix.

The inauguration of Atucha III is symbolic of the successes of the larger Ayala Plan, which sought to dramatically reduce the UP's reliance on foreign hydrocarbons for its energy infrastructure. Initiated due to economic instabilities introduced to the UP during the World Wars, the Ayala Plan targeted investments to take advantage of the UP's domestic energy resources, namely hydropower and nuclear power. Thanks to this strategy, the UP is one of the world's largest producers of hydropower, including through Itaipu Dam, the largest in the world, and hydropower represents over half of Rioplatense electricity production.

However, nuclear power has been slower to scale up, with Atucha I only beginning operations over twenty years after the establishment of the Ayala Plan in 1950. Various obstacles associated with creating a domestic Rioplatense nuclear industry prevented the UP from making quicker use of this valuable energy resource. Now, though, with Atucha III operational, the UP is readily rapidly scaling up its commercial nuclear activities, aiming to permanently reduce the role of foreign coal and oil in its energy matrix.

Hydrocarbons currently represent less than a third of national electricity production, compared to 1950, when the UP was utterly dependent on it for almost all its electricity. This is largely due to the Ayala Plan's investments in hydropower and nuclear power, but significant reductions also came from the initiative's efforts to reduce hydrycarbon use in other sectors besides electricity. It is thanks to the Ayala Plan's disincentivization of private automobile usage that the UP has seen a marked reorientation of the transportation sector away from oil dependence, ultimately earning it the distinction of one of the lowest vehicle ownership rates in the world.

With the Ayala Plan's continued successes, the UP is on track to achieve its goals to trivialize the need for foreign hydrocarbons, with what little need remains being fueled by the Tarija basin in Salta.

by **Lusophone** » Sun Feb 25, 2024 8:22 pm

Expect Higher Indo-Pacific Trade Fees

24 JANUARY — Foreign shipping companies operating in Chinese waters spanning the Zheng He Strait, Yongle Seas, and Empress Ma Strait, should prepare for a significant upsurge in operational costs. The news comes as China's Imperial Trade Commission (ITC) announced a comprehensive overhaul of its port fees. Underscoring China's critical role in global commerce, ITC officials have framed these changes as necessary steps to sustain its unmatched scope of operations.

In a public statement, the ITC justified the hikes as 'essential' in offsetting the soaring upkeep of its vast port facilities. Servicing a substantial chunk of Indo-Pacific trade, Chinese ports are feeling the burden of shouldering premier infrastructure capable of fully handling trade volumes in the region. Despite their favorable geographies, neighbors such as the Philippines and Indonesia have yet to meet the same scale of services China provides to meet international shipping demands.

Effective next quarter, the new fee structure will hike port usage fees by 15%, customs fees by 10%, and the introduction of a 5% security surcharge on all foreign vessels. The increased rates respond to the escalating operational costs of China's sprawling ports, which have still managed to grow, despite nearly 13 billion in investments over the past decade. In the statement, the ITC also hinted at a forthcoming initiative intended to mitigate the impact of these increases on foreign companies, although details remain sparse.

The impact of the ITC's new fee structure is yet to be determined, however economists are already stipulating what it means for multipolar trade: European companies may particularly experience the impact of higher import costs for what should be cheap goods from Asia. Middle Eastern oil and gas exporters, particularly those with significant trade flows through the Zheng He Strait into the heart of Asia, may also have to adjust for how higher transportation costs may affect their exports.

Similarly, in the face of the ITC's new rates, firms in the New World may have to consider increasing stock levels to reduce the frequency of shipments from Asia. Meanwhile, the ITC has gone out of its way to state that it will "lean on the Kawasaki Accords" to facilitate dialogue with Japanese shipping lines and exporters, who above all, may face the most immediate impacts of China's increased fees. "China seek to undermine Japanese firms? Nonsense," said one ITC official off-the-record.

UPDATED — MILITARY | HISTORY | TAG: Lusophone

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