Edge of Europe - A Belgian Interactive AAR

[ThunderHawk3]

((Tally. I forgot to put it in the sample ballot, but please remember to include your [Party Tag] when voting.))

Spoiler

NDP: [66]

Generous Unemployment Subsidies: 0/0/1 [0, 0, 66]
Ten Hour Maximum Workday: 1/0/0 [66, 0, 0]
Confidence in the Dupointe Government: 1/0/0 [66, 0, 0]

LDP: [54]

Generous Unemployment Subsidies: 0/1/1 [0, 27, 27]
Ten Hour Maximum Workday: 2/0/0 [54, 0, 0]
Confidence in the Dupointe Government: 2/0/0 [54, 0, 0]

BSU: [73]

Generous Unemployment Subsidies: 3/2/0 [43, 29, 1]
Ten Hour Maximum Workday: 5/0/0 [73, 0, 0]
Confidence in the Dupointe Government: 5/0/0 [73, 0, 0]

FRP: [7]

Generous Unemployment Subsidies: 0/1/0 [0, 7, 0]
Ten Hour Maximum Workday: 1/0/0 [7, 0, 0]
Confidence in the Dupointe Government: 1/0/0 [7, 0, 0]

Totals:
Generous Unemployment Subsidies: 3/4/2 [43, 63, 94] [40.6% FAIL]
Ten Hour Maximum Workday: 9/0/0 [200, 0, 0] [100.0% PASS]
Confidence in the Dupointe Government: 9/0/0 [200, 0, 0] [100.0% CONFIDENCE]

 

[ThunderHawk3]

Savarin/Dupointe 1916: Unemployment Blues​

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The end of the Constitutional Convention of 1916 brought a strange new regime to Belgium. The abolition of the monarchy and the institution of a republic was not welcomed in all quarters; monarchists chafed at the new document they were meant to abide by and the end of special rights for the Flemish regions had particular galvanized the Flemish delegates. At the conclusion of the Convention, Samuel Vanderhoof stormed from the chambers, vowing never to return, while a handful of other Flemish delegates splintered away from their parties to form the new Flemish Rights Party - the FRP. Prior to the convention, the Proposal to Create the Republic of Belgium had designated the old Prime Minister as the new Acting President of Belgium and the Deputy PM as the new Acting Prime Minister. Josephine Henrietta Savarin was the outgoing Prime Minister and thus became the first President of Belgium. Amedee Dupointe took the title of Acting Prime Minister. This transfer of power was peculiar in several ways. In addition to being the only time in European history that anyone could recall a monarchy becoming a republic by act of a legislature, Savarin - the inaugural President of the Belgian republic - was also the first female republican head of state in history.[1]

Dupointe faced numerous calls to hold new elections; his refusal prompted a no-confidence vote against his infant government. Though Dupointe survived the no-confidence with a practically unanimous chamber backing him, his attempt to raise unemployment subsidies for the nation's multitudinous jobless failed. With unemployment rampant in Wallonia and Picardie, the Parliament had been under intense pressure to pass additional subsidies. A very large number of abstentions from moderates accounted for the failure of the bill. Instead, the Parliament reduced the maximum number of hours workers could be made to work without overtime to 10, promising that the reduced workday would raise employment as employers sought to hire more workers. The Ministry of Commerce under Gerrard van Prinsterer also began an aggressive battery of industrial subsidies, selective investment, and opening shuttered factories to attempt to reduce unemployment - in his words "until every man is working."

1. Shuttered factory in mainland Wallonia​

The Savarin Foreign Office began immediate overtures to the Germans and Italians, attempting to secure new alliances. The Germans, whose socialist government had allied with the Soviet Union, rebuffed the Belgian advances, but the Italians proved more cooperative. Savarin had quickly hammered out a new alliance with Italy, with the agreement signed in mid-January. However, the Office's attention would be rapidly diverted when radical liberals overthrew the Spanish government in April. Though the Foreign Office would re-secure the Belgian common market treaty with Spain by the end of the year, a new counterrevolutionary Carlist rebellion began in the fall that, by winter, had advanced just short of Toledo and was threatening Madrid anew. France, for her part, was also cause for alarm in the Belgian foreign office. The repeated French rebellions and transient governments had finally left the Communists in power, who had begun a large-scale military buildup in Paris, just south of the Belgian border. Though France was wracked by internal rebellions and, with just 90,000 soldiers, did not pose a threat to Belgium just yet, many in the military began to question the wisdom of making risky attempts on the lost colonial territories.

The Education Ministry, meanwhile, had a set of goal of 2% of the population in education-related professions. This proved a remarkably easy goal, as the lowest level of education-related professionals in the Belgian mainland was 2.5% (in Franche-Comte), so Education-related pleas to the interior ministry fell on deaf ears. The Interior was instead deferential to the military, who wanted to begin a new recruiting drive in the Belgian mainland. Though the drive was largely successful, securing thousands of new recruits for the army, there was a deeper problem than manpower: the budget.

2. Budgetary problems plagued the Savarin administration​

Taxes had been pushed to dizzying heights during the last Savarin administration - 85% on the wealthy, 75% on the middle classes, and 65% on the lower classes - in an attempt to stave off the near-bankruptcy caused by attempts to implement national industrial subsidies. Dupointe and the Van Prinsterer Commerce Office recreated the crisis when they attempted to reopen and subsidize every shuttered factory in Belgium - in the words of one paper - "forgetting that these factories had been shuttered because they had been failing." By February, the government was spending more on industrial subsidies than all other social spending combined, amounting to as much as 70,000 francs a day,[2] most of which was deficit spending. By April, the government faced a looming fiscal crisis and again was forced to cut off industrial subsidies.

The reduction in spending reversed the deficit to a surplus, money that the armed forces eagerly seized to fuel its modernization and expansion. DeWitt ordered five new "air brigades" of modern aircraft to replace old horse-mounted reconnaissance units. Unemployment, however, ballooned back to pre-Convention convention levels, particularly in Wallonia, where more than 100,000 were counted among the unemployed.

3. Fascists directed unemployment-related propaganda at Belgian citizens​

The spike in unemployment did little to calm Belgium. While there was, as of yet, no sign of resurgent militancy in Belgium, it was possibly because the worst malcontents were fleeing to Africa to side with the fascists. For their part, the fascists had widely publicized that they had begun construction of new, modern electronics factories in the Belgian Congo. While most observers denounced these as rumors and propaganda, the fascists had in fact succeeded in creating sufficient European enclaves in the Congo to permit the beginnings of industrialization in Africa. De Broqueville, benefiting from a lucky surge of migration to the remote Congo region, ordered his men to begin construction of an electronics factory in early 1916. They finished roughly one year later. Though it was largely a show factory (as the Belgian colonies did not possess the necessary iron to produce very large amounts of electronics) the idea of employment and prosperity in Africa gripped the imaginations of many of Belgium's cold and hungry people. Additionally, the industrialization of Africa - particularly the creation of an electronics industry - would allow De Broqueville to begin manufacturing modern weapons of war, to rival those that DeWitt was stockpiling in the mainland. The tide was beginning to turn in favor of the fascists.

[1]J.H. Savarin could not claim to be the first female elected head of state as she had not been elected into the Presidency. However, she was the first female holder of a republican head-of-state title in history.
[2]((700 IG pounds sterling a day))

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Player Actions Needed:
The Fascists have gained a point of advantage, which gives them one point for the mainland's zero. I'll post a new mission for the fascists soon.

Vote on the [post=17770276]Exodus Bill[/post] and the [post=17770276]Seizure of Property Act[/post].

Sample Ballot:
[post=17770276]Exodus Bill[/post]: Yes/No/Abstain
[post=17770276]Seizure of Property Act[/post]: Yes/No/Abstain

[Your Party Here] ((Don't forget this!))

This voting period ends at 8 PM PST 7/29 (4 AM GMT 7/30 provided the fascists don't build a time factory)

 

[Dadarian]

Lord Vanderhoof stands on a soap box in Ghent

The Republic is a failure! The Exodus continues in ever greater amounts, unemployment is rampant in the nation and by the time the Fascists come to steal our souls the government would already have stolen our soles. We are so poor from the taxes that I take in the homeless every night.

65%-85% is not acceptable, the betrayal of Flanders is not acceptable, their failure in the face of the Fascists is not acceptable, their failure in the face of Java is unacceptable.

Bring back our rights! Bring back our King.

 

[Terraferma]

Exodus Bill: Abstain
Seizure of Property Act: No

[LDP]

The exodus bill is impractical gentlemen, at least when it concerns article 1 and 2 of the potential legislation. The reason is some of the people left for Africa out of desperation not due to their political views, remember this nation has indeed been wracked by unemployment. And do we really think they are able to return even if they wanted to with THAT kind of a regime in control of our colonies? If we are to revoke citizenship status let it be for those that there is sufficient evidence of their involvement with the fascists and of their departure. As for the Seizure of Property Act it is a heavy handed attempt that should not be accepted by this government or any other here in Belgium.

~ Admiral John Dieric

 

[Jack LEagle]

Exodus Bill: No
Seizure of Property Act: No

Pieter Hendrickx

[BSU]

 

[Andre Massena]

Lord Vanderhoof stands on a soap box in Ghent

The Republic is a failure! The Exodus continues in ever greater amounts, unemployment is rampant in the nation and by the time the Fascists come to steal our souls the government would already have stolen our soles. We are so poor from the taxes that I take in the homeless every night.

65%-85% is not acceptable, the betrayal of Flanders is not acceptable, their failure in the face of the Fascists is not acceptable, their failure in the face of Java is unacceptable.

Bring back our rights! Bring back our King.

So you would rather hoard your money so the Belgian people can starve? High taxes on the wealthy are the only thing keeping the unemployed afloat, you silly fool. Factories are not receiving the necessary resources so a tax decrease for the wealthy would do nothing but harm the budget and destroy the safety net that is propping the nation up. If I didn't know better I would think you would want the fascists to succeed so you can pay less taxes.


Exodus Bill: Nay
Seizure of Property Act: Nay

[BSU]

Both of these bills are too punitive. I despise fascism, but only its leaders should suffer, not the common people who have been duped.


Amedee makes a speech on the steps of the Parliament Building

Citizens, do not be fooled by the cries of the evil sirens in Africa. The fascists have created this mess through their greed and avarice. They wished to enslave you and would have succeeded had it not been for the courage of the Belgian citizens. However, they did succeed in damaging much of Belgium's infrastructure through the foolish war they started and have disrupted Belgian trade through their illegal seizure and enslavement of the African people. Do not listen to the fools who are causing you to go hungry by stealing the resources our factories need. Their boasts of employment and modernization are merely illusions, as Africa does not have the necessary infrastructure to feed anyone. And even if they did, would you subject yourself to slavery? Do not be fooled by the monsters who caused your suffering. The best solution now is to stir the fascists our of their hole and defeat them on the battlefield.

-Amedee Dupointe, Acting Prime Minister

 

[Jako473]

So you would rather hoard your money so the Belgian people can starve? High taxes on the wealthy are the only thing keeping the unemployed afloat, you silly fool. This is just another example of why we can't trust the capitalists to maintain the best interests of Belgium. If I didn't know better I would think you would want the fascists to succeed so you can pay less taxes.

-Amedee Dupointe, Acting Prime Minister

-Amedee Dupointe

Well Prime Minister, the higher classes are the ones that promote and sustain output of products, wether produced in the factories or the field. Without Aristocrats, where would the wealth trinkle from? How would our art, history, and culture be preserved? Without capitalist, who would support bigger and better business ventures? The Government is not a business, and the men running it are not businessmen. I support a laissez faire precisely for these reasons. Simply look to the USA! They are a republic, but have firm grounds in political involvement in their economy, and it is booming. I say let us strike down these State-Capitalist policies, so we might improve and forget the past of unemployment headed by a de-stabilizing government that is expending itself too far.

Robert Marie Léon D'Ursel, Duke of Ursel

 

[Andre Massena]

Well Prime Minister, the higher classes are the ones that promote and sustain output of products, wether produced in the factories or the field. Without Aristocrats, where would the wealth trinkle from? How would our art, history, and culture be preserved? Without capitalist, who would support bigger and better business ventures? The Government is not a business, and the men running it are not businessmen. I support a laissez faire precisely for these reasons. Simply look to the USA! They are a republic, but have firm grounds in political involvement in their economy, and it is booming. I say let us strike down these State-Capitalist policies, so we might improve and forget the past of unemployment headed by a de-stabilizing government that is expending itself too far.

Robert Marie Léon D'Ursel, Duke of Ursel

This is classic propaganda. The United States has the benefit of few rivals and massive resources. If our factories were receiving the necessary resources instead of them being stolen by the fascists, we would have no economic troubles. The state is the only thing keeping the Belgian populace afloat. Laissez-faire policies only keep money in the pockets of those who do not need it.

 

[Jako473]

This is classic propaganda. The United States has the benefit of few rivals and massive resources. If our factories were receiving the necessary resources instead of them being stolen by the fascists, we would have no economic troubles. The state is the only thing keeping the Belgian populace afloat. Laissez-faire policies only keep money in the pockets of those who do not need it.

Perhaps if the wealthy were allowed to re-group and re-sustain themselves the economy could actually grow naturally from the recession, as it has always does. The restricting policies of the government will only bring us lower and lower and let the fascist gain even more of an advantage. Negotiate with the Javan-Dictatorship, release Flanders rights back what they had in the original constitution if the colony is returned. It is simple as that, and what is this I hear of France recruiting back their military? What steps are you taking to prevent a counter-attack?

 

[Andre Massena]

Perhaps if the wealthy were allowed to re-group and re-sustain themselves the economy could actually grow naturally from the recession, as it has always does. The restricting policies of the government will only bring us lower and lower and let the fascist gain even more of an advantage. Negotiate with the Javan-Dictatorship, release Flanders rights back what they had in the original constitution if the colony is returned. It is simple as that, and what is this I hear of France recruiting back their military? What steps are you taking to prevent a counter-attack?

I will address your points separately since you brought up some very important issues.

I have no idea how the Flemish privileges are relevant to this. Could you clarify what you mean?

The wealthy do not need to "re-sustain themselves". The problem is not a lack of investment, as we have more than enough capital. The issue is that our factories are not receiving enough resources, which makes them less profitable, which forces them to lay-off workers, which lowers the purchasing power of the lower and middle classes, which sustains a recession. The best way to minimize these corrosive effects is for the state to actively intervene and support the factories and safety nets for the lower and middle class so the nation does not fall further into recession. In order to do this, the state must tax its wealthiest citizens at a high level. Recessions aren't solved by magic, they are best corrected through government intervention, especially in our case when we can not rely on an abundance of resources that megaliths like the United States can. In the long-term, the best solution is to defeat the fascists to ensure that resources flow back into our factories. This shall be done soon, as our armed forces are building up.

As far as France is concerned, it seems unlikely they will attack, as the government is not secure enough for a war ((jesus, France and Spain are clusterfucks right now)). Even if they were, are recent military buildups should serve as a strong deterrent to the French.

Abel Williams is a madman who is bent on styling himself as a tin-pot Caesar. There will be no talk of surrendering to him.

Forgive me for sounding heated. These are stressful times.

-Dupointe

 

[Jako473]

I will address your points separately since you brought up some very important issues.

I have no idea how the Flemish privileges are relevant to this. Could you clarify what you mean?

The wealthy do not need to "re-sustain themselves". The problem is not a lack of investment, as we have more than enough capital. The issue is that our factories are not receiving enough resources, which makes them less profitable, which forces them to lay-off workers, which lowers the purchasing power of the lower and middle classes, which sustains a recession. The best way to minimize these corrosive effects is for the state to actively intervene and support the factories and safety nets for the lower and middle class so the nation does not fall further into recession. In order to do this, the state must tax its wealthiest citizens at a high level. Recessions aren't solved by magic, they are best corrected through government intervention, especially in our case when we can not rely on an abundance of resources that megaliths like the United States can. In the long-term, the best solution is to defeat the fascists to ensure that resources flow back into our factories. This shall be done soon, as our armed forces are building up.

As far as France is concerned, it seems unlikely they will attack, as the government is not secure enough for a war ((jesus, France and Spain are clusterfucks right now)). Even if they were, are recent military buildups should serve as a strong deterrent to the French.

Abel Williams is a madman who is bent on styling himself as a tin-pot Caesar. There will be no talk of surrendering to him.

-Dupointe

Abel Williams launched his revolt in accordance with the Flemish rebellion. Perhaps he can be convinced that if Java were returned, it would be for the good of the Flemish. Diplomacy never hurt anyone, and I am sure the parliament should be the deciding factor in this -voting on even the possibility of such an offer to be granted to the seperatist- however, this point was merely brought up from your vocalizations of not enough resources. The Javanese have an plurality of workers and hard-labour, all that could be liquidated and enable Belgian factories to flourish once again. What would be the cost of economically stability? A concession that has been fact for the last fifteen years, an concession that the whole of the belgian people have come to know. I doubt it would be that costly to allow the Flemish to regain their former position. Besides, none of our boats can even reach Java, less alone Africa(on a continued basis such as blockading) you have no hope to regain the colony in the near future. Your term will be up before we even consider such moves. I ask you Prime Minister, please reconsider your basis, negotiation will not kill the nation, nay, it will save it.

On your second point, I must simply decry your words as simply false. Recessions are not the time for the government in increase their power, going against a long-held belief of Laissez Faire that has benefited our nation since its inception. You cannot subside enough factories to keep the unemployment levels down and not run a deficit. The only reason you are afloat now is because of your harsh treatment of the upper classes. How can the upper classes pay the common man if they have no money? How are factories supposed to be built if they are all owned by the government, who cannot sustain them? This is not a socialistic dictatorship, the state does not own all the resources of the nation, stop acting as if you do. You must work in accordance with the invisible hand of industry, it will always rise, but only if you let it be!

Be that as it may, I do not trust the French. I propose another five-year disarment be forced upon them, so they cannot stab us in our backs while we supposedly invade the fascist as you say.

-Robert Marie Léon D'Ursel, Duke of Ursel

 

[Andre Massena]

We could try a diplomatic solution, but it appears that Williams desires to rule Java as a king. He rebelled in the name of Flemish rights to increase his own power, else he would have returned to the Belgian fold like the other patriotic Flemish did at the start of the War. Also, our ships can easily reach Java. I am not sure where you are receiving that information from, but you could ask Admiral Dieric.

Once again, the issue is not one of investment. The upper-classes still possess plenty of capital and it is not a lack of factories being built that is plaguing us. Lowering taxes will not magically transfer wealth to the lower classes and make the factories profitable. I see I cannot convince you on this matter, however, so it is perhaps best to halt this discussion.

To force another disarmament on the French would likely result in another war unless we could get both Britain and Germany to cooperate and force pressure on the French government. This appears highly unlikely, however, as it seems like the next Great War will sadly become a contest over European hegemony between Britain and Germany.

 

[Jako473]

We could try a diplomatic solution, but it appears that Williams desires to rule Java as a king. He rebelled in the name of Flemish rights to increase his own power, else he would have returned to the Belgian fold like the other patriotic Flemish did at the start of the War. Also, our ships can easily reach Java. I am not sure where you are receiving that information from, but you could ask Admiral Dieric.

Once again, the issue is not one of investment. The upper-classes still possess plenty of capital and it is not a lack of factories being built that is plaguing us. Lowering taxes will not magically transfer wealth to the lower classes and make the factories profitable. I see I cannot convince you on this matter, however, so it is perhaps best to halt this discussion.

To force another disarmament on the French would likely result in another war unless we could get both Britain and Germany to cooperate and force pressure on the French government. This appears highly unlikely, however, as it seems like the next Great War will sadly become a contest over European hegemony between Britain and Germany.

Do we even have an embassy in Java? Do you even know who the man is? Or are you simply speaking of the rhetoric that started up 15 years ago? It has been some time, perhaps the man is tired of ruling a nation. I know I would be. I have been told from an inside source that our ships are not capable of reaching such an length.((I was on IRC when TH was writing the update, Terra asked that he should have blockaded Africa, TH said Bruges was not close enough to support such an manovour, thus our ships would slowly decay and not have any supplies. I doubt Java, a place twice the length, is any better.))

We seem to be of the same mind of ending this discussion, then, I do not wish to clog the parliament anymore. We have both said our peace, and I am not the one who controls the government.

You must do all you can to not involve us in another World War. Millions of lives were lost in the last one, and such an blatant act of barbarism is personally unwanted in my personal halls.

 

[Andre Massena]

((How is the army in Java even viable, btw? Where are they getting supplies, weapons and food from? And how is the army able to maintain discipline for so long away from home? :laugh:

But we should be able to transport troops to Java, no? Even the wood-ships at the end of EU can make it that far.))

 

[Jako473]

((How is the army in Java even viable, btw? Where are they getting supplies, weapons and food from? And how is the army able to maintain discipline for so long away from home? :laugh:

But we should be able to transport troops to Java, no? Even the wood-ships at the end of EU can make it that far.))

((D'Ursel just feels that it is unsuitable for any invasion to go on without proper supplies and support from the mainland. Also, I have no idea, last time I heard they were expanding. Also, families that just started in Java(right when the rebellion started) are just about to be recruited into the military. A whole new generation is about to begin there I assume. However I have no idea what is happening there ))

 

[Harpsichord]

"Abel Williams will be brought to justice dead or alive, even if I must dig up his corpse." - statement by an unknown member of the Belgian Army.

 

[Dyranum]

Well, what did I say? A Government of Socialists will never get anywhere—it is like letting Anarchists rule.

—Deputy Lanterfanter den Tweede Slak

((Also, TH3, you forgot my proposal (or rather, re-proposal)))

 

[Plutonium95]

((I'm currently looking to create a new order of battle now that our army has been rebuilt some, but haven't really had time to dig through the thread looking for military characters that are still around. If you have one and want them to be considered for a promotion, I'd appreciate if you sent me their bio via PM.))

 

[Otto of england]

Despite all of their propaganda insisting that Nationalist Belgium is a horrible dictatorship that absurd the natives etc. we have proven just the opposite, our comprehensive colonial reforms and construction of infrastructure through out Africa has lead to such a unified acceptance in Africa that in our most progressive regions we will see no racial or cultural hate between Belgians and native Africans. Our government has achieved everything we have strived for, where as the government of the illegitimate republic of Belgium is exercising crippling taxes, has massive unemployment and has failed to reduce unemployment at all in their entire tenor and in fact it has increased!

The Republicans so obsessed with their power and throwing everything away to keep it and achieving nothing, so why do you take it?

- Propoganada ad issued by the Comissar of the Colonial Empire in Belgium Proper

((Note I'm assuming their will be assimilation in Congo since it's a state I cannot confirm if that will happen.))

 

[Belgiumruler]

Report from the ministry of finance


I hereby present the budget for the coming year. After we crushed the fascists, I will review this plan. The Ministry of Commerce is free to subsidize whatever factories they want, as long as we stay in positive.

Taxes:
Poor/Middle/Rich
65%/75%/100%

National Stockpile:
Army 80%
Navy 100%
Construction 100%

Expenditures:
Education 100%
Administration 90%
Social 100%
Military 100%

Additional:
Tariffs 18%