Let the ruling classes tremble – an Interactive Revolutionary AAR

[Tommy4ever]

I've just devised the referendum on voting reform that shall go alongside tommorow's election update.

As a sneak peak I've given you 5 options one of which is called Workers' Vote and would involve you giving up a lot of your voting power to the in game proletariat whilst another would involve the creation of a 100 man Constituent Assembly (Parliament) elected by you guys. Intersting.

Not only will it be interesting to see who you elect for the Chairmanship but it will be very intruiging to see how/if you choose to change the current voting system.

[keynes2.0]

The party must, must, must loosen political control. Shadowy government ministers starting personal wars? Corruption at the highest office? We need to sharply change our course and commit ourselves to being a government of the people. We are guilty for the crimes of the Young Anarchists, for we made them. We can not be like the monarchists, fighting those who try to correct our mistakes. It is time to open the halls of government to the people and open the press to everyone.

((Quite surprised to find myself swinging from Marxist to Anarchist. Maybe if the Unionists can put together a good platform, I can pull of the swing voter triple crown.))

[Necazian]

The party must, must, must loosen political control. Shadowy government ministers starting personal wars? Corruption at the highest office? We need to sharply change our course and commit ourselves to being a government of the people. We are guilty for the crimes of the Young Anarchists, for we made them. We can not be like the monarchists, fighting those who try to correct our mistakes. It is time to open the halls of government to the people and open the press to everyone.

((Quite surprised to find myself swinging from Marxist to Anarchist. Maybe if the Unionists can put together a good platform, I can pull of the swing voter triple crown.))

I couldn't agree with you more, comrade!

((I believe that the unionists are dissolved and replaced by "The Centrist Faction" or something, lead by Blanqui))

[enf91]

I've just devised the referendum on voting reform that shall go alongside tommorow's election update.

As a sneak peak I've given you 5 options one of which is called Workers' Vote and would involve you giving up a lot of your voting power to the in game proletariat whilst another would involve the creation of a 100 man Constituent Assembly (Parliament) elected by you guys. Intersting.

Not only will it be interesting to see who you elect for the Chairmanship but it will be very intruiging to see how/if you choose to change the current voting system.

Comrades! Now is the time to declare a true Workers' Republic! Let the people vote in elections. After all, who is better tuned to the people than the people themselves?

[keynes2.0]

After all, who is better tuned to the people than the people themselves?

((Judging from my interactions with democracy, this list would include foreigners, housepets and several of your more intelligent types of rocks.))

[Ricainfier]

Free Comrade Kadon! He is obviously innocent. Can he help it if some unsocial Young Anarchists decide to try to rise in the ranks by throwing a bomb or two? I mean come on comrades! Viva Anarchisme!

[naggy]

Not only will it be interesting to see who you elect for the Chairmanship but it will be very intruiging to see how/if you choose to change the current voting system.

Wait a second...there is some other Communist Voting System besides bickering and recrimination?

Foul lies!

[Zzzzz...]

Blanqui was the one who acted rashly without consulting your treasured Marx in the first place; do you really think Marx would let him off his leash so soon? And the Central Comittee has a majority of, guess what, MARXISTS!

If you truely see Marx as a champion of the people, then why do I see him doing nothing about the press? Free press is unquestionably one of the key qualities of a true republic of the people. Not only that, but a true freedom-loving man would never deny another person's right to speak their thoughts, and yet you suggest that your beloved Marx should do something about what this man has to say!

Blanqui's crime, if it was a crime, was done for sake of the oppressed working class. He liberated the proletariat and put them in our care and protection while Weitling did his out of greed! He stole money, for what?? For himself! Even his fellow German Socialists wants to get rid of him.

How dare you say such things, comrade? The people would rather prioritise things like pension and minimum wages rather than having the freedom to print a bunch of scribbles about what? What they ate on their breakfast?!

[Ricainfier]

Blanqui's crime is he is French! Mark Twain, the esteemed American author, has stated that the problem of France is it is full of Frenchmen!

[enf91]

((Judging from my interactions with democracy, this list would include foreigners, housepets and several of your more intelligent types of rocks.))

?

[Seek75]

Blanqui's crime, if it was a crime, was done for sake of the oppressed working class. He liberated the proletariat and put them in our care and protection while Weitling did his out of greed! He stole money, for what?? For himself! Even his fellow German Socialists wants to get rid of him.

How dare you say such things, comrade? The people would rather prioritise things like pension and minimum wages rather than having the freedom to print a bunch of scribbles about what? What they ate on their breakfast?!

I never said anything about Weitling; truely, I do not care whether he did or did not commit the crime, and on the other hand, I do not necessarily condone what Blanqui did; infact, I even admire him a little for it, even though he did act without prior consent. But that is not important.

What IS important is that Marx is a radical fiend who does not care about the common workers; truely, all he cares about is his own bourgeouis ambitions! Is the annexation of Wallonia, as opposed to an autonomous Wallonian republic, which would solve the problem just as well, if not better, not enough evidence to support such?

Pensions and minimum wages mean little when people have no right to say what they think of such! What if Marx sets pensions and wages too low, or better yet, doesn't set them at all? The proletariot will be unable to do anything but remain silent, as speaking his mind will lead to him being thrown into prison!

[keynes2.0]

?

((NI was just trying to make a joke about voter apathy.))

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

So i'd assume the second one would also involve changing the Upper House to appointed? Or would the Upper House stay as Ruling Party Only regardless? What power would the new Lower House have since Vicky 2 doesn't have a Lower House?

I bet those bourgeois capitalist and pseudo-capitalist running dogs are all for giving up our voting power to their destructive young friends and the yet uneducated proletaraiat. I bet they'll recieve much popular support as well; how I loathe them...

[Tommy4ever]

The Election of 1860

Marxist rule had been very good to the VSVR. The Republic had grown significantly in size whilst its population had ballooned from 7.2 million in 1855 to 15 million in 1860. Elsewhere both the economy and the lives of the common man had improved to a noticeably greater degree than they had under the now disgraced Weitling.

Yet whilst the VSVR as a whole saw things improve the People’s Party had to deal with an increasing level of turmoil. The Republic’s 1st Chairman Wilhelm Weitling had been exiled after being found irrefutably guilty of stealing state funds in an open trial by jury. Elsewhere the Young Anarchist problem has divided the party. Comrade Kadon’s radicals had murdered Johann Eccarius and had come within an inch of claiming the lives of both Engels and Liebknecht as well – but rather than execute them right away Marx instead imprisoned them. This angered much of the Party which had clustered around Blanqui – a man of ever increasing power – who had recently created his own personal army in the paramilitary wing of the AKVD. When Blanqui acted without orders to spark off a large scale Communist revolt across much of Germany he broke forever with the Marxists.



The Marxists

Prospective Chairman: Karl Marx

Karl Marx met all expectations of him as Chairman as he led the Republic to success after success. However he struggled to deal with the growing instability of the People’s Party and seems to have alienated both Blanqui’s Centralists and the Anarchists.

Position within Party: Far Left

Economic Policy:

A Tax system in which the rich pay 100%, the poor 50% (the minimum allowed) and the middle strata any figure that is 5% more than the poor and 5% less that the rich.

Continued state expansion for our growing industrial sector. In the past 5 years the Marxist economic method has doubled industrial production – let us not question the success of the Marxist industrial policy.

No tariffs.

Military Spending should remain at 60%.

2.27% of our population is now made up of intellectuals. This is above the desired 2% therefore educational spending shall be cut. Likewise our bureaucracy is slowly growing in size so spending must be cut in this sector forthwith.

Social spending must remain at its maximum level at all times.

Reform Policy:

The Marxists support a further four social reforms.

Pensions should be improved to the maximum possible level. This will allow our elderly to retire an experience next to no difference in their incomes. These are the men and women who have worked their entire lives and they deserve all the support we can give them.

Healthcare should be improved once more – our dream of providing free healthcare to all can still not be achieved unless we increase funding.

The Marxist faction demand a maximum 14 hour day. Whilst working days in excess of 14 hours are not common in our fine Republic there are some who must suffer through them. This is abhorrent in a workers’ state and must be addressed.

We should set a small unemployment subsidy. In the past we believed that by simply providing jobs for all people we could eliminate unemployment. This view has been proved to be utopian. Whilst we do not condone the voluntary unemployed we must support them. Moreover a very large number of our unemployed are not a part of this less desirable group. A very large portion of the unemployed are simply unable to work due to illness or injury – it is this group that we should think of when granting subsidies to our jobless. Never again shall the ex-soldier injured in service of the Republic starve due to an inability to find work!

Another 5 years of Karl Marx is another 5 years in which the lives of every proletarian shall improve.

Inner Party Turmoil:

Compromise is the root to unity within our Party. Compromise is the principle that the People’s Party was founded on and if we do not continue to up hold this central principle of our Republic then it shall simply fall apart.

Attempting to remove Blanqui from his position of power would be foolhardy and dangerous. Instead we should attempt to reign in some of his powers and warn him against future reckless action. A direct confrontation would almost certainly lead to civil war. Which one of us wants to follow the way of France?

The Young Anarchists had committed an abhorrent act but this does not call for a purge of the Anarchist faction. Instead Comrade Kadon and the others responsible for the murder of the brace Comrade Eccarius should face life imprisonment.

Extremes shall rip us apart Comrades! Do not allow the People’s Party to fail!

Foreign Policy:

Expansion should continue at pace. Whilst Blanqui’s underhand actions must be reduced we cannot afford to halt our territorial growth. With France distracted we shall never get another opportunity to focus all our efforts in a drive into Germany. The confrontation with Prussia is coming Comrades – let us not leave ourselves unprepared.



The Centralists

Prospective Chairman: Blanqui

Blanqui has proven himself to be the most effective revolutionary in the entire Republic. Who was it who transformed the Rhineland Revolution from a series of riots to an organised movement? Blanqui. Who was it who has driven Prussian influence out of central Germany? Blanqui. Who was it who masterminded the current wave of revolution that engulfs Germany? Blanqui.

Comrades Blanqui is the man to lead the entire world to revolution.

Position within Party: Centre-Left (although seen as extreme in other areas)

Economic Policy:

The Marxists have created an undisputedly successful economic. Why try to fix what is not broken?

Our only point of deviation with the Marxists in the economy would be our plan to increase military spending from 60% to 65%.

Reform Policy:

There is no need for further reforms. We can deal with these issues at a later date once our revolution is more secure.

Inner Party Turmoil:

For how long does Karl Marx intend to shield murderers from justice?

The People’s Party is a mess and needs to be reformed. The despicable Kadon and his ‘Young Anarchist’ lackeys must be liquidated immediately. Meanwhile the Anarchist faction is rife with Young Anarchist sympathisers – these blemishes must be removed.

It is a small price to pay for perfection.

Foreign Policy:

No other faction will tell the Party membership exactly what they mean to do. If elected I can promise within one month War with Hanover! No other faction will tell you what they mean to do within the next 4 years. If elected I can promise War with Prussia! No other faction can promise German unity and the spread of our glorious revolution to so many millions. For unity! For the people! For the Revolution!

Let the ruling classes tremble in the face of a communistic revolution!



The Collectivist Anarchists

Prospective Chairman: Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

Proudhon’s star has somewhat faded over the past 5 years. His opposition to the Young Anarchists has alienated him from much of his own faction whilst his comparatively supportive stance towards the same group has made him a hate figure for many outside of the Anarchist faction. At this stage it is unclear if he can even hold onto the leadership of the Anarchists, never mind the Republic.

Position within Party: Far Right

Economic Policy:

You are all acquainted with the Anarchist stance on the Republic’s current, shamelessly statist, economic policy.

‘’A much lower flat tax on all citizens. No tariffs. Whilst losses in the budget should be avoided the surplus should be kept as low as possible (the current reserves of the state are obscene).

Military spending should be reduced from 60% to 55% (1850 level) but the army should retain its current size.

The Unions should be, by on large, given control of industrial expansion. The State may subsidise failing industries, but only if their failure would result in a loss of jobs. Whilst the majority of the responsibility for any improvements to the rail system should remain with the Unions the state may contribute funds if the Unions do not.

The farmers should be given the chance to abolish their collective farms and divide the land with each farmer getting an equal share.’’

Reform Policy:

The continued failure of the Marxists to grant freedom to the press is deeply concerning. Until the press are free our Republic remains open and ready for a dictatorial takeover. Our Republic shall never be subverted if our people are allowed to know the truth.

Inner Party Turmoil:

The terrorism of the Young Anarchists can never be supported by any true Anarchist. Kadon and his lackeys should be imprisoned for 5 years and the group should be dispersed.

Much more worrying is Comrade Blanqui’s total disregard for the law of the land and for national borders. This Comrade bears all the hallmarks of one who wishes to become our dictator. Blanqui is not only a danger to the Republic he is its enemy. If the Anarchists win the election Blanqui shall be arrested and face trial immediately.

If this provokes an armed response then so be it – it’s a small price to pay for our Republic.

Foreign Policy:

Our fellow Comrades seem to believe that they can indefinitely expand the Republic without a response from the international community. The Anarchists are the only faction who realise that we are at danger of a war with Prussia, with France, with Britain and with Austria. Unrelenting expansion may expand the revolution in the short term but it will destroy it in the long term.

The Anarchists will support a policy of intervention in only the safest of circumstances (ie only if we are 100% sure of Prussian non-intervention) and only in Germany. We shall not go to war with Hanover – that Kingdom possesses and Army only slightly smaller than our own and a war with it would lead to thousands of unnecessary deaths.



The German Socialists

Prospective Chairman: Ferdinand Lassalle

Lassalle is the youngest of the prospective Chairmans and the most moderate. Whilst others call for grand wars and radical social reform Lassalle calls upon his Comrades for moderation in all things. Social reform, foreign policy and the problems of inter-factional disputes shall all be dealt with by a softly, softly approach under his Chairmanship.

Economic Policy:

A tax system of 25% for the poor, 30-40% for the middle strata and 50% for the rich.

A 2% tariff at all times that can be increased at will but not decreased.

Stationary military spending.

90% of the maximum spending on social spending.

An industrial policy that relies partially on the Unions and partially on the state.

Reform Policy:

Two social reforms.

An increase in pensions is necessary to keep the elderly workers on a decent income after they retire. They are the people who built this Republic and they deserve to reap the benefits of their efforts.

A 14 hour day. Working days beyond 14 hours are not common but the fact that they exist is simply disgusting in a People’s Republic. Anything beyond 14 hours is tantamount to slavery.

Inner Party Turmoil:

There should be a public trial for Kadon and his Young Anarchists in which the death penalty is not taken off the table. After this a public enquiry should be set up to root out any and all Comrades associated with the murder of Eccarius.

Blanqui is becoming a dangerous man, however a head on confrontation can only lead to thousands of deaths and then end of the united People’s Party. Instead we should try to convince Blanqui to never again exceed his authority in such an extreme manner. However the expansion of the Republic into Hessen makes it clear that he is a successful man and he is therefore useful for the Republic’s future.

Foreign Policy:

Everything short of war with a Great Power is kosher. The Republic must be expanded but we cannot involve ourselves in a war that we cannot win.

All readers may vote for either:

Marxists

Centralists

Anarchists/ Collectivist Anarchists

German Socialists/ Socialists

I will not accept your vote if you vote for an individual you want to be chairman eg Proudhon and will only accept your vote if you name the faction of your choice.

Please place your vote in a separate post from your comment OR place it in bold alongside your comment.

I encouraged you to align yourself with a faction and campaign and argue for its success. However spamming will not be tolerate (I will warn you if I think you are spamming).

Good luck Comrades! We stand at a crossroads; this election will gravely influence all future policy, particularly in regards to the treatment of non-German workers.

Voting shall close at Midday UK time on Thursday. Get voting!

REMEMBER THAT TO VOTE IN THE REFERENDUM YOU MUST VOTE IN THIS ELECTION BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE IN THE REFERENDUM TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION

[Tommy4ever]

Plebiscite on Reform to the Voting System

Each Party member shall have one vote in the following referendum. You may vote for one option and one option only. Whilst you must vote in the Chairmanship election to vote in the referendum you are not obliged to vote in the referendum if you voted in the Chairmanship election.

Option 1

First Past the Post (The Current System)

The system is simple at the Party knows it well. Each Party member has one vote and they may cast it for the faction of their choice. The faction with the most votes at the end of the election gets both the Chairmanship (for its leader) and the mandate of the people.

Option 2

Second Preference

In this system each Party member is required to list a first preference and a second preference of faction when voting. When the election closes the first preferences shall be counted first. If one faction has more than 50% of the vote then they win without the second preferences being counted. However if no faction is able to secure 50% of the vote then the second preferences shall be counted and then the faction with the largest number of votes wins.

Option 3

Proportional Representation within the Central Committee

The number of votes received by a faction shall relate directly to the number of positions that faction in allocated within the Central Committee. The current Central Committee has 10 positions however one of those positions is allocated to an independent (Wilhelm Liebknecht) so his position cannot be allocated to a faction. Each faction that stands for election is guaranteed one position so for example if Blanqui’s Centrists fail to achieve 1/9 of the vote in the current election then Blanqui shall retain his position.

This system is admittedly complex and could lead to some of the Party’s greatest talents being squeezed out of the Central Committee. It also promotes greater factionalism and is very undesirable for the Party leadership. This system was only placed on the referendum due to pressures from some of the lower ranks of the Party.

Option 4

Constituent Assembly

Party Members shall vote for a 100 man Constituent Assembly that shall act as a Parliament for the VSVR. This shall remove most of the Central Committee’s power as the Constituent Assembly shall act as an upper house that must approve of all the decisions made by the Central Committee (which will act as the lower – governing – house). In order to appoint the Chairman a faction would require the confidence of the Constituent Assembly (eg 51 of the 100 Members), this would mean that a faction may have to form a coalition with another faction in order to gain the Chairmanship.

This system had a lot of merit but while regarded by some as a step forward in democratising the People’s Party others fear that it is a step back towards bourgeoisie style Parliaments.

Option 5

Workers’ Vote

This system would retain the first past the post idea of the party with the largest section of the vote gaining the Chairmanship. However whilst 50% of the vote would come from Party Members 50% would come from the workers themselves. The workers’ voting would be organised by the Trades Unions. This has its benefits in that it spreads direct democracy to the proletariat itself but on the other hand it would dramatically reduce the power of the Party members in electoral matters.

In AAR terms this system will work as follows. The Party Members (you lot) vote in the same way as you currently do but that only counts for 50% of total votes. The other 50% shall be voted for by the proletariat. You may remember in one of the early updates of this AAR I outlined the classes which I placed in my proletarian classes in a couple of pie charts. In game I shall select these classes and by looking at their ideology I shall allocate their votes .I won’t simply make liberals vote Anarchist and communists vote Marxist but based will use this more as a guide. So POPs who are liberal I’d regard as wanting political reform so looking at the faction policies I outline to you guys I’d allocate the liberal POPs to voting for factions who support political reform etc. This system of course reduces your influence but could be very interesting and would allow us to keep what an eye on the mood of the proletariat themselves.

You may only vote for one of the above options.

Please place your vote in bold within your comment and post:

Option 1 – for First Past the Post (The Current System)

Option 2 – for Second Preference

Option 3 – for Proportional Representation within the Central Committee

Option 4 – for Constituent Assembly

Option 5 – for Workers’ Vote

[Mico94]

my vote goes to the Marxists
and in the plebiscite I vote for option 5-Workers' Vote

Death to imperialism, freedom to people!

[Rockingluke]

I vote for the Marxists and Option 2 – for Second Preference

[J. Passepartout]

ANARCHISM AND #5 THE WORKERS VOTE

There can be no justice without control being given to the Whole of the People rather than just the part that holds party membership. We cannot have a new aristocracy. Vote against His Grace the Duke Blanqui of Upperoppressionstadt!

[Mr. Sometimes]

I give my vote to the Marxists, and Option 5 -Workers' vote

[Derdiedas]

The Collectivist Anarchists and Option 4