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Bill: The Cardinal Rule: KEEP IBUTHO AFRICAN (OOC Background on the Role of Ibutho in Particracy) DO NOT DELETE
Details
Submitted by[?]: Sizwe Esintsundu Amandla Inhlangano
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This bill is a resolution. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: June 3666
Description[?]:
| The Cardinal Rule and the Role of Ibutho in Partricracy INTRODUCTION Ibutho was created to guarantee the perpetual presence of an African country in Particracy. This is the Cardinal Rule when playing in Ibutho. Historically, Particracy has had few African countries. Of those few, almost all were short-lived, often growing out of revolutions by African minorities and receding after counter-revolutions. Today, there are a fair number of African minorities resident within some non-African countries in Terra. These African communities are usually marginal to their countries' politics and RP. When they are RPed, they are disproportionately used as props for anti-African mockery or as foils for RPs of European or Asian triumph. This post explains solutions designed and implemented by Ibutho players to address and solve these problems and ensure the Cardinal Rule. 1. CREATION OF AN AFRICAN STATE The player Aquinas created Ibutho to address the complete absence of any African country in Particracy by the late 3500s. "My reason for doing this is simple: Terra does not have a single African-themed nation, and with almost all of the other nations Culturally Protocolled up (usually with European cultures) this is possibly the last chance we have to put a bit of Africa into Terra." ~Aquinas, http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4363&p=69472#p69472 Besides the historical African minorities of Cobura, Talmoria, Beiteynu, and a few other countries, there were no other Africans at all in Terra when Aquinas created Ibutho. African minorities like the Kuragao of Sekowo are no longer acknowledged as existing in their home countries according to those countries' Cultural Protocols. .....1.1 DEFINING "AFRICAN" As evidenced by bill preambles and descriptions, news articles written, and image references posted, Aquinas defined "African" by ethnicity and phenotype. This is an important consideration for Ibutho players because there are a fair number of ethnicities in Terra described as "North African." Like the Ibutho, those groups also seem to be defined by ethnicity, phenotype, and historical place of origin: "North African" in Particracy means someone who is phenotypically and ethnically Middle Eastern, European, or predominately so whose real-life equivilants live in African countries. This is consistent with the real world definition of "North African." Aquinas did not attempt to distort the word "African" by eliding clear place of origin and phenotype indicators. Implicit to Aquinas's use of the term "African" is the rejection of terms like "subsaharan" and "Black African." As in the real world, these terms are unneccessary since citizens of African countries with non-African phenotypes are not ethnically African, but rather European, Middle Eastern, and East Asian. Just as the presence of minority European and African communities in Asia creates no confusion about who is being referred by the term "Asian," so too, attempts to limit phenotypic and ethnic Africans, who are native to all regions of the continent including the north, are redundant, pedantic, and often driven by ulterior motives. Ibutho players must remain on the look out for attempts to "de-Africanize" Ibutho in this way and be prepared to counter any such attempts in RPs and out-of-character. Given the Europhile and ethnocentric bent of Particracy's player base, over-broad and non-phenotype definitions of "African" in Ibutho RPs, pictures, and laws are likely to lead to an Ibutho which over time becomes African in name only. This is against the Cardinal Rule and raison d'etre of Ibutho. NOTE: In Particracy, RP references to real world places is against the game rules. As a result, since the mid-37th century, the Ibutho government and Royal Family have referred to Particracy Africans as "Esinsundu." Esinsundu is a Zulu word meaning "Brown-Skinned People" or "Dark-Skinned People." Ibutho players are encouraged to continue this practice when referring to Ibutho's fellow Africans in Terra for the sake of consistency and clarity. .....1.2 AFRICANIZATION vs. DE-AFRICANIZATION "Africanization" is the process of creating, encouraging, or popularizing customs, methods, values, and attributes that are African in origin and design. 3 of Ibutho's ruling party players (Aquinas, Bash, and AlkebuLan Ibutho) sought to actively Africanize Ibutho through bills, RPs, and pictures. 1 of Ibutho's ruling party players (Eel) sought to Africanize and correct parts of the Ibutho religion and titles of the monarch while defining "development" as a non-African phenomenon necessitating non-African intervention. 1 ruling party player (Jalal Al-e-Ahmad) sought to De-Africanize and Russo-Bolshevize Ibutho through bills and RP. -------------- Summary -------------- Africanization . . . . Aquinas . . . . Bash . . . . AlkebuLan Ibutho Africanization with Economic Growth by Foreign Intervention . . . . Eel De-Africanization . . . . Jalal Al-e-Ahmad 2. IDENTIFIABLE CULTURE Notable and identifiable cultural attributes, customs, and characters plant seeds in Particracy players' minds and impress upon them clear and durable ideas about what Ibutho is. This helps ensure the Cardinal Rule because significant deviations from Ibutho's well-known culture are likely to provoke complaints by other players. Some of Ibutho's most important cultural attributes are: African ethnicity prized and sustained by government policy and the royal family; unique government structure with hereditary dual heads of state; unique succession rules, titles, and roles for royal family members and nobles; an emphasis on Zulu, South African, and African World fashion and styles; emphasis on African languages in oral and written forms; and unique religion structure, theology, and liturgy. The ruling party players who emphasized and/or developed notable cultural attributes are in order of greatest contribution to least contribution (based on how well-known their contributions are or were amongst Particracy players and the volume of contributions made): . . . . Aquinas . . . . AlkebuLan Ibutho . . . . Eel . . . . Jalal Al-e-Ahmad . . . . Bash 3. DOMESTIC ECONOMY A large, wealthy economy is key to ensuring the Cardinal Rule. Due to the Europhile, ethnocentric tendency of Particracy players and the popularity of using African characters and subjects as props for anti-African mockery and as foils for European and Asian triumph, playing Ibutho as a low- or middle-income economy will invite foreign aggression and marginalization and possibly result in occupation or colonization. Such an event could lead to the undermining or complete destruction of Ibutho's African ethnicity and culture. Of Ibutho's five ruling party players, 1 player played Ibutho as middle- and high-income through indigenous domestic economy growth, 2 players played Ibutho as low-income and encouraged economic growth through foreign intervention or ideologies, 1 player played Ibutho as a permanent low-income country, and 1 player made no economic policy. -------------- Summary -------------- Middle to High-Income with Indigenous Economic Growth . . . . AlkebuLan Ibutho Low-Income with Economic Growth by Foreign Intervention/Foreign Ideologies . . . . Eel . . . . Jalal Al-e-Ahmad Permanent Low-Income . . . . Aquinas No Economic Policy . . . . Bash 4. CLOSE RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN AFRICANS Because destruction, mockery, and marginalization of African cultures is a Particracy-wide problem, Ibutho can help create a "Particracy African culture buffer" and strategic footholds in foreign countries by building strong relationships with Africans in other Terran nations. This helps ensure the Cardinal Rule by creating natural, dependable allies for Ibutho, enriching Ibutho's culture and economy through cultural and economic partnerships and exchange, creating a large united front against mockery of African cultures and characters in Particracy, and ensuring Ibutho's African phenotype is maintained through foreign African immigration. Of Ibutho's five ruling party players, 1 player pursued African allies in foreign policy, 2 players pursued non-African allies in foreign policy, and 2 players did not engage in foreign policy. -------------- Summary -------------- African-Allies Foreign Policy . . . . AlkebuLan Ibutho Non-African Foreign Policy . . . . Aquinas . . . . Eel No Foreign Policy . . . . Jalal Al-e-Ahmad . . . . Bash 5. NATIONAL DEFENSE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS When a country's interests are threatened and diplomacy is insufficient, military intervention becomes necessary. As with the economy, a small, weak, or technologically obsolete military invites foreign aggression against Ibutho due to its status as Terra's only African country and the popularity of anti-African mockery and hostility in Particracy. Allowing such a vulnerability would go against the Cardinal Rule since it threatens the long-term viability of Ibutho and risks loss of Ibutho sovereignty to an invading force. Of Ibutho's five ruling party players, 1 played Ibutho as a large technologically obsolete military, 2 had little to no military policy, 1 played Ibutho as a civil war, and 1 played Ibutho as a mid-size technologically advancing military. -------------- Summary -------------- Technologically Advancing Mid- to Large Military . . . . AlkebuLan Ibutho Large Technologically Obsolete Infantry . . . . Aquinas Civil War . . . . The Communists Little to No Military Policy . . . . Eel . . . . Bash REFERENCES Aquinas http://classic.particracy.net/viewuser.php?userid=20689 http://classic.particracy.net/viewparty.php?partyid=20816 http://forum.particracy.net/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5108 Notable Contributions Africanization: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=399257, http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=40#p69529 Culture: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=60#p70027, http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Ibutho?oldid=150346 Economy: http://classic.particracy.net/viewtreaty.php?treatyid=2634 Foreign Policy: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=90#p70420, http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5669&p=70158&hilit=retirees#p70158, http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=60#p70118 National Defense: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=50#p69986 Eel http://classic.particracy.net/viewuser.php?userid=20790 http://classic.particracy.net/viewparty.php?partyid=20917 http://forum.particracy.net/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=8510 Notable Contributions Africanization: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=100#p70507, http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5681 Culture: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=70#p70330 Economy: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=100#p70536, http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=401259 Foreign Policy: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5681 National Defense: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=401055 Jalal Al-e-Ahmad http://classic.particracy.net/viewuser.php?userid=20911 http://classic.particracy.net/viewparty.php?partyid=21038 http://forum.particracy.net/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=8507 Notable Contributions Africanization: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=402067 Culture: Economy: Foreign Policy: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=402202, http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=402752 National Defense: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=100#p70854, http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=402552 Bash http://classic.particracy.net/viewuser.php?userid=21017 http://classic.particracy.net/viewparty.php?partyid=21144 Notable Contributions Africanization: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=403610 Culture: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=403609 Economy: Foreign Policy: National Defense: AlkebuLan Ibutho http://classic.particracy.net/viewuser.php?userid=21065 http://classic.particracy.net/viewparty.php?partyid=21192 http://forum.particracy.net/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3128 Notable Contributions Africanization: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=405168, http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=110#p72121 Culture: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=110#p72255, http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Line_of_Succession_to_the_Ibutho_Throne?oldid=155033, http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Ibutho_Royal_Family?oldid=155362 Economy: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=110#p71669, http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=406214 Foreign Policy: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=110#p72374, http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=406855, http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=110#p72327 National Defense: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2572&start=110#p72140, http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Armed_Forces_of_Ibutho?oldid=155026 |
Proposals
Debate
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| Vote | Seats | |
| yes | Total Seats: 100 | |
| no | Total Seats: 0 | |
| abstain | Total Seats: 0 |
| Random fact: In Culturally Protected nations, special care must be taken to ensure realism is maintained when role-playing a government controlled by an ethnic and/or religious minority. If it is to be supposed that this government is supported by a majority of the population, then this should be plausibly and sufficiently role-played. The burden of proof is on the player or players role-playing such a regime to demonstrate that it is being done realistically |
| Random quote: "Politics have no relation to morals." - Niccolo Machiavelli |