Rodolfo Mérida the great reformer

[LeonOfOddecca]

Please take a look at the screen shots:

The glorious President Rodolfo Mérida of Mexico is of Mixtec culture, a culture which is discriminated against in Mexico. Somehow this doesn't stop him from becoming President. But things are even more hilarious, because our great reformer is actually in favour of cultural exclusion. Now that he has the presidency, he apparently doesn't care about anyone else of his culture not having eqaul rights. The intelligencia, the most socially progressive interest group in the nation (so much so that their leader is of a discriminated culture) has no interest in multiculturalism.

I get that the intelligencia isn't always going to be pro multiculturalism, and that social tech advances may need to occur for the IG to become interested in multiculturalism (though even here I wish there were other avenues, such as racial tension leading to events that make it possible to legislate for multiculturalism), but surely if a nation has legislated cultural exclusion it should not allow people of a discriminated against culture to become its president!

 

[LucasG21]

I get that the intelligencia isn't always going to be pro multiculturalism, and that social tech advances may need to occur for the IG to become interested in multiculturalism (though even here I wish there were other avenues, such as racial tension leading to events that make it possible to legislate for multiculturalism), but surely if a nation has legislated cultural exclusion it should not allow people of a discriminated against culture to become its president!

Is it really right to prevent discriminated cultures to provide political leaders? Thinking of Mexico specifically, the Zapotec leader Benito Juarez was able to become President even as the government waged a long campaign against the native peoples of the Yucatan. It's possible for a government, even a democratic one, to have influential minority leaders even when those minorities are officially second-class citizens.

 

[DukeLeto42]

Let me tell you the tale of Phyllis Schlafly...

 

[LeonOfOddecca]

Phyllis Schlafly...

I get that there are people who seemingly hold discriminatory views against their own identities, and continue to do so even in positions of power, but we're talking about the most liberal IG in the game, not a reactionary IG. Besides such people are in some sense the exception, and it would be cool if the game intentionally allowed for such characters to exist, but as it stands, I think the game simply lacks the mechanics to engage with these issues altogether.

 

[LeonOfOddecca]

Is it really right to prevent discriminated cultures to provide political leaders? Thinking of Mexico specifically, the Zapotec leader Benito Juarez was able to become President even as the government waged a long campaign against the native peoples of the Yucatan. It's possible for a government, even a democratic one, to have influential minority leaders even when those minorities are officially second-class citizens.

From what I can see on wikipedia, Juarez wrote a policy, which ended up being in the constitution, for everyone to be equal before the law. This is compatible with many forms of discrimination that are less formal and which continue to this day in countries that grant formal equality. So unlike my in-game President, Juarez was very much pro formal equality (which is how I interpret the 'multiculturalism' law), even if his government pursued a military agenda against separatist cultures (though it's unclear to me from the article you linked what exactly that agenda entailed).

 

[DukeLeto42]

I get that there are people who seemingly hold discriminatory views against their own identities, and continue to do so even in positions of power, but we're talking about the most liberal IG in the game, not a reactionary IG. Besides such people are in some sense the exception, and it would be cool if the game intentionally allowed for such characters to exist, but as it stands, I think the game simply lacks the mechanics to engage with these issues altogether.

By default, the Intelligensia do support Multiculturalism. This character, however, is a Reformer, which means he (and by extension the IG he leads) only supports reforms to a limited extent. He's out of line with the mainstream opinions of the IG, but as he's in charge he sets the agenda. That makes it pretty close to what you're asking for.

A second question that comes to mind: is Mexico only Mexican primary culture? If it includes Nahua (or any other Mesoamerican culture), Cultural Exclusion will make Mixtec culture no longer discriminated. That would make his "Reformer" stance even more understandable - extend rights to his culture, but no further (a sadly common political stance). From the context, it sounds like you're in Cultural Exclusion and so this isn't the case, but I thought I'd check.

 

[Camara]

Now that he has the presidency, he apparently doesn't care about anyone else of his culture not having eqaul rights.

Yep, for a politician sounds realistic to me.

 

[Vernichtere]

By default, the Intelligensia do support Multiculturalism. This character, however, is a Reformer, which means he (and by extension the IG he leads) only supports reforms to a limited extent. He's out of line with the mainstream opinions of the IG, but as he's in charge he sets the agenda. That makes it pretty close to what you're asking for.

A second question that comes to mind: is Mexico only Mexican primary culture? If it includes Nahua (or any other Mesoamerican culture), Cultural Exclusion will make Mixtec culture no longer discriminated. That would make his "Reformer" stance even more understandable - extend rights to his culture, but no further (a sadly common political stance). From the context, it sounds like you're in Cultural Exclusion and so this isn't the case, but I thought I'd check.

Reformer is meant here with a double meaning. More like reformist, kind of a swear word. Practically like every democratic politician in the USA who asks for progressive votes and then does nothing. All are happy.

The trait is okay. I would only change the name if it ever caught a progressive IG. As a rule, however, it hits conservative influential groups.

In general, it annoys me how little interaction with the characters is possible.

 

[LeonOfOddecca]

By default, the Intelligensia do support Multiculturalism. This character, however, is a Reformer, which means he (and by extension the IG he leads) only supports reforms to a limited extent. He's out of line with the mainstream opinions of the IG, but as he's in charge he sets the agenda. That makes it pretty close to what you're asking for.

Yes, that's true, that part is similar to what I'm asking for. What I'd like to see more of though is an engagement with the character's cultural identity and the complications arising out of that. Again it seems odd that the person out of step with the mainstream of the IG he is leading happens to be of a culture that is prevented from becoming equal in virtue of his out of step views. It's just an odd anti-self-interest scenario.

A second question that comes to mind: is Mexico only Mexican primary culture? If it includes Nahua (or any other Mesoamerican culture), Cultural Exclusion will make Mixtec culture no longer discriminated. That would make his "Reformer" stance even more understandable - extend rights to his culture, but no further (a sadly common political stance). From the context, it sounds like you're in Cultural Exclusion and so this isn't the case, but I thought I'd check.

Yeah I am in cultural exclusion and it's still discriminated against. Incidentally, are there currently no mechanics that allow for a change on an individual basis for which cultures are, or aren't excluded? That seems like something that they might want to add in the future.