NationStates Jolt Archive


A Financial Review Special Report (re: the Pacitalian Political Crisis)

Azazia
22-06-2006, 20:19
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Democracy Is Dead, Long Live the King
From The Financial Review printed edition 22 June 2006, C£4.25

TIMIOCATO and IMPERIUM

Longevity is not a means to an end, but an end to a means. That means is a gradual and sometimes imperceptible change.

The survival and flourishing of democracy in the lands of Pacitalia comes as no surprise to the historically-inclined; it has become all but a way of life for Pacitalians since the 16th century. Even further back, before the declaration of a republic, history bears evidence an egalitarian equilibrium through the rise of revolutions and regicides when the tyranny of authoritarianism proved overbearing on the masses. Unfortunately the allure of autocracy will never lose its luster and indeed since those times those Pacitalians desiring absolute power have undertaken increasingly underhanded means to the end of democracy.

History reveals unto us much more than just political legacies and the results of foreign wars and occupations, through researching and understanding the past we can learn about the evolution of organisms and biological systems. But such evolution often requires a much greater scope than a month or a year; the rapid development of Britain’s Industrial Revolution prompted a colour change in the peppered moth from the white of birches to the black of soot. And while democracy may not best be equated to a moth, one can argue that it is a living organism – growing and changing to best cope with the demands and stresses of the time.

Part of the evolution of government in Pacitalia has included two of the brightest stars in the nation’s political history, Dr. Timothy Ell and Francesco Santo Ragazzo. Combined, the two men led the Democratic Republic for nearly two decades. Of important note is that Santo Ragazzo’s predecessor was Giorgio Cassata, a man notorious in Pacitalia for his failed attempt to corrupt the country’s political system into that of an authoritarian one-party state. He did succeed, however, at the serious injuries inflicted upon the nation’s economy and the two factors combined led to his removal from office – to be replaced in the next election cycle by the most dominant force in Pacitalian politics in the last years of the 20th century and the first years of the 21st century: the Federation of Progressive Democrats (styled the Pacifist Party from inception in 1902 until 1989, then later the Capitalist Party until its current style was adopted in 2005.)

After 18 years of strong leadership from the likes of Santo Ragazzo and Dr. Ell, the party chose a provincial to steer the party and the country through the first decades of the 21st century, a man named Constantino Sorantanali. Sorantanali arose in and around the area of Sambuca, located at the outskirts of the agricultural heartland of the northern provinces and by the time of his third successive reelection had managed to institute economic reforms that shifted the focus of the Sambucan economy away from primary sector industries to tertiary sector industries, primarily shipping and transport related fields. When coupled with similarly drastic improvements in the security situation in Sambuca, the FPD had chosen a man for whom solid and significant results seemed ordinary.

Unfortunately, Sorantanali’s political history neglected one key aspect of the premiership of Pacitalia, a facet of the job that had become but second-nature to his two predecessors and perhaps an area so taken for granted by the FPD so as to be neglected during their selection of Sorantanali, that of politics not above just the provincial level at the national level but a distinctive lack in experience and training in international politics and diplomacy.

History affords humankind of the greatest and flawless visions possible, hindsight. A few weeks before the election that gave Mr. Sorantanali an FPD majority in both Pacitalian legislative chambers, a poll put out by the reputable ABM/Capax highlighted the fact that many within Pacitalia and the larger international community saw not the FPD leader as the most ‘prime ministerial’ but rather Fernando Chiovitti, the leader of the Pacitalian Social Coalition – what became the official opposition party after gaining the second largest share of seats in the elections. Such astounding results, though almost entirely forgotten in the end result of a major FPD majority, now linger as a bittersweet aftertaste on the palates of those keenly interested in Pacitalian politics.

Sorantanali’s lack of credible recognition should have been a warning to both Pacitalians and international governments alike of an impending political catastrophe, the election to the highest possible office of a man unquestionably unqualified for one of the most serious responsibilities of the position. Sadly, it readily became evident to all concerned that the new Pacitalian Prime Minister had no firm grasp no how international diplomacy works when the Sarzonian economy collapsed.

Prior to the crisis, melodramatically titled the Panic of 2006 by Sarzonians, the nations of Pacitalia and Sarzonia had enjoyed one of the most solid alliances possible between both heads of state and government and their respective nations. Although relations had cooled noticeably as a result of the United Kingdom’s accession to the Union of World Powers, from which the Incorporated States resigned in protest after the Azazian annexation of Novikov, a former Sarzonian ally, there remained a significant opportunity to rekindle the friendship between Woodstock and Timiocato.

At the Conference of Seaburg, however, Sorantanali’s government showed a willing complicity to what has since emerged as a concerted effort by the UK’s Chancellor McKay to further cripple the Sarzonian economy beyond its already wretched state. In the end, the refusal of Sarzonia to accept some conditions attached to the Pacitalian and Hamptonian aid only exacerbated the relationship to the point where, in effect, all true diplomatic relations were severed.

Then, amid a crisis centered on one of Timiocato’s strongest allies, Sorantanali allegedly refused to allow government officials to comment and offer support to the United Kingdom. Of course such information only comes through anonymous circles of highly placed officials within the capital of the aggrieved, Imperium. Perhaps such widely underreported aggravation, rumoured also to lately be arising in the Grand Duchy of Hamptonshire, Pacitalia’s strongest ally, is the impetus for Sorantanali’s recent declaration of military support to the United Kingdom. Or perhaps it is just more proof of a lack of understanding – throwing kindling into a dying fire. Creating more soot and ash to complete the evolutionary change he seeks to accomplish at the end of his four year term.

A recent public referendum on Sorantanali’s rule produced a result where only 76% of the voters expressed their desire to dismiss Sorantanali and call for new federal elections, the third set in three years. The result, however, came as a mild shock to political scientists and international observers, many of who had predicted vote results in the range of 85-95% range. But more shock was to come when the Agustinates voted 21-2 with one abstention to evict Sorantanali from the seat of the prime minister. While 21 votes signifies 87.5%, it falls but one vote short of the legally required 90%, a result that could have been obtained if Agustinate Serodini had not abstained from the vote.

Unfortunately for Pacitalians, and by broader implication the international community, the failed mutiny has only strengthened the resolve of a man painted by former colleagues as a paranoid man with a severe inferiority complex to maintain his hold on his office, a hold that had been until earlier this week tenuous at best. In a press conference, the Pacitalian Prime Minister acknowledged that with the exception of Serodini and his appointed deputy, who had voted along with Sorantanali against the majority of the Agustinates, all of the current cabinet would return to the backbenches of Pacitalian politics. More importantly, he announced his intention to leave the posts vacant for the time being and therein centralise the power of the Pacitalian government in his own hands.

Sorantanali claims that his centralisation of power is not a ‘democracy deficit’ but simply the outgrowth of having to deal with traitors within his own government, a government appointed by him no less. He claims that he now knows ‘what it takes to lead’ Pacitalia, but as history shows neither Dr. Ell, nor Santo Ragazzo, nor the vast majority of their predecessors ever needed to eliminate the entire cabinet to lead. Modern states are complex organisms with various organs that need such constant attention that the organs not demand rather require semiautonomous agustinates to ensure they function as intended under the body’s constitution. Sorantanali’s predecessors understood this fact and under their leadership the body politic thrived. However, with the current Prime Minister eviscerating the body it is but a matter of time until the entire organism shuts down, either accepting its current leadership or convulsing so violently as to eject it and save what remains.

Unfortunately history rarely affords us the opportunity to accurately predict the future as it only establishes parallels from the past with which we can surmise the ends of our current courses of action. What history does show, however, is that Pacitalians have an inherent distrust and dislike for authoritarians. What Sorantanali shows us is a paranoid delusional intent on sitting upon his chair while the world walks ever slowly away, in so doing lowering the height upon which the chair had seemed to sit.

In the United Kingdom a word has come to symbolise the seat enjoyed by Sorantanali. A throne. And in the United Kingdom, should one be charged with treason for applying constitutional and democratic means to bring down a popularly disliked government he or she is called a democrat and the man issuing the charges an autocrat. And in the United Kingdom for an autocrat upon a throne we have but one appropriate phrase. God save the King.

God save King Constantino I.
Azazia
22-06-2006, 22:45
bump
Pacitalia
23-06-2006, 01:33
Well-deserved bump
Southeastasia
18-07-2006, 06:14
[OOC: Sweet article Azazia....why didn't you post it in the mainstream thread? And are both you and Pacitalia working as journalists IRL? Because you two do such good articles, you two seem like it....]
Nedalia
18-07-2006, 15:18
[OOC: One of the finest articles I've ever read. Fantastic job.]