Empire: Difference between revisions

The Empire values both status and honour very highly indeed. So whilst it is acceptable to flaunt wealth, treating people well is a question of honour – and this includes [[slaves]]. Having an unpaid debt is seen as utterly dishonourable – an honourable [[Imperial citizenCitizen]] would sell themselves into [[slavery]] to clear a debt they couldn’t otherwise clear.<ref name=":1" /> The [[Imperial Slave Association]] concerns the treatment and transportation of [[Imperial Slaves|imperial slaves]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/21-AUG-3301 Imperial Slave Association Audited]</ref> 

People who don't speak with the quirky accent of [[Imperial citizensCitizen|Imperial Citizens]] are shunned in the [[Achenar]] system, especially if they are from a Federation world.<ref>In-game Achenar system description</ref> A person with a Federation accent is met with scorn unless money can be made out of them.<ref name=":0">Tourist Beacon 0160</ref>

All [[Senators]] and the [[Emperor]] can sit in the [[Imperial Senate]], but it is rare that all participate at the same time. The [[Chancellor]] is a Senator with additional powers, and he or she runs any debates in the Senate. They are appointed by the Emperor. It is otherwise structurally flat by law, but in practice has power blocks within it, led by the more important/powerful Senators. Not all Senators are equal. There are regular votes on issues of the day, and the Senator’s voting power is the total number of [[Imperial Citizen|Citizens]] (in turn represented by [[Client|Clients]], and blocks of Clients by [[Patron|Patrons]]) they currently represent. They are influenced by their most powerful Patrons – who in turn are not all equal, and Patrons may move their block to another Senator at a whim, particularly if they feel their current Senator is not representing the views of their Clients. Senators can lose Patrons quickly if their actions are unpopular, but bear in mind a Senator sets tax rates and healthcare for all those that support them, so can effectively bribe Patrons to ally themselves with them. The most powerful Senators can have a hundred or more times the voting power than others, and a Senate majority can be just a few of the major Senators, but honour requires that the views of all Senators are listened to politely. Before voting against them.<ref name=":5" />

There are no elections, and Senators serve for life unless their title is revoked. A Senator represents a group of Patrons, who in turn represent [[Client|Clients]], and each of those represents a group of [[Imperial Citizen|Citizens]]. This representation is public. Anyone can see who is currently supporting each Senator (Patron, Client), and their numbers. There are 1,000 Senators by Imperial Decree, dating back to the first Emperor a thousand years ago. A very popular [[Patron]] can petition to become a Senator if he or she thinks they could represent more Citizens than one of the least popular Senators. That less popular Senator the petitioner chooses to target has the opportunity to rally support against the challenger for seven days, but as does the popular Patron, and at the end of that period a decision is made based on their support, and that Patron cannot petition again for 1 Earth year if they are unsuccessful. Similarly a deposed Senator cannot petition to become a Senator again for a year. Posting a petition has a cost (1 billion [[credits]], paid to the Emperor) to prevent time wasters, which is returned if the petition succeeds. When a Senator dies or chooses to retire, usually their chosen successor takes their Senatorial seat. Most Senators will have such a chosen successor already working closely in their entourage, and familiar and friendly with their most powerful Patrons so continuity is assured; as a result generally their petitions are unopposed. Sometimes multiple petitions are made for the same Senatorial opening, which can happen when a Senator and their entourage dies in the same event, so this is the nearest the Empire gets to an election, with the most popular succeeding in their petition.<ref name=":5" />

Similarly there are not just senatorial petitions as above, but there are petitions for Patrons, Clients, and Citizens. A citizen petition is where a slave or child of a Citizen, or even a foreigner, petitions to become an [[Imperial Citizen]]. For children this is a fairly informal process, which is really a coming-of-age party with a brief ceremony at the start, which happens when they reach 21 years old. Apart from the [[Emperor]], royal standing is separate from political standing. Knights, [[Prince|Princes]] etc exist, and only a few get involved in politics – and then it is mostly by influencing and supporting friendly Senators from behind the scenes, but there is nothing stopping them also becoming Senators.<ref name=":5" />

Effectively all Imperial systems have representation, but indirectly. Every [[Imperial Citizen]] has a right to representation by a Client. Every [[Client]] has a right to be represented by a [[Patron]], and every Patron a Senator. Senators generally represent power bases – which can be many systems or a specific interest group, and typically many hundred Patrons – though it is up to the Senator how many Patrons they have. There is not a fixed number. So if a system has just one Imperial Citizen living there, they will have representation in the Senate – but most likely only indirectly through their Patrons. It is likely there is a Patron at the head of each of the larger Imperial Minor Factions for example, but not a Senator.<ref name=":5" />

[[Senators]] represent their Patrons as they see fit. Senators can also hold other roles, like [[Admiral of the Fleet]], [[Chancellor]], Leader of the House (runs the Senate hearings when the Emperor and Chancellor are not present). Senators can also have private interests, and generally represent one or more [[Corporations]] – often with large personal shareholdings in them. They are fully entitled to be biased towards their own interests, and generally do, as long as most of their Patrons hold much the same interests. Senators are above the law, subject only to a decree from the Emperor, and through history it has even been known for Senators to go to battle against each other.<ref name=":5">[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=225156 Governments and politics in Elite Dangerous] by Michael Brookes</ref>