Post by Timeon on Nov 21, 2014 12:06:29 GMT
An Exile's Manifesto
The Way Forward
by Prince Mennas Merniso
The Way Forward
by Prince Mennas Merniso
Written thirty-three years into Prince Merniso's exile, during his stay in the court of the King of Hallyn.
The Current State of Things
The world we live in today is surely a drastic improvement on the world of previous generations. The Empire has not attempted expansion in a long while, now that Mektin has come under the control of the Templar of the Four. Peace has come to the Horn. Meanwhile, the centaur have long since been driven back into the westlands, though the Serene King is an uneasy neighbour to have in any case.
War has been the greatest obstacle to the progress of civilization. And yet, even in times of peace such as these, there is little actual progress to be seen, even without war.
The Long Sleep
As any learned scholar may attest, magic holds the keys to building a utopia for any civilization wise enough to integrate magic into its daily workings. In the past, warfare meant that magic had a limited utility. Magic was needed to wage war, and there was no time to waste its powers easing the burdens of the poor.
So why, in this time of peace, has magic not been used to better the world, as it so easily could? We are in a Long Sleep. This is not a golden era, this is an era of stagnation. Magic is being kept locked away.
The Reason Why
Why do we not see the back-breaking work of our time replaced by magic spells? It would not be difficult for agriculture and construction to be mostly handled by magic. Trade could be instantaneous with the creation of Permanent Teleportation Circles, linking Gnomeland with Talland and the Horn. The sending of letters could easily be replaced by Sendings. The justice system could be truly just, should Zones of Truth be employed in every court.
Yet the reasons why these wonders are not commonplace are twofold. The first reason is a small number of spellcasters operating in the world. Magic is difficult to master, yes, but it is also strictly controlled. Academies of magic are relatively secretive places for the most part. Governments do not want the common peasant to be able to throw fireballs, either. Magic is either for the elite or is propagated for narrow purposes. Thus, the first reason magic is not used in this way is, perhaps, limited supply.
Were Gnomeland to set about transforming society in this way, it would also run into conflict with the corporations. The corporations have long acted as nations in of themselves, answerable to nobody. The replacement of their services with universal magic would weaken them. These corporations prefer to have a monopoly on magic, in cahoots with the government, than let peasants avoid their services entirely through easy access to magic. Why give away something for free, when it can be used for profit?
Greed, fear and control are preventing progress, and are keeping us in this Long Sleep.
The Answer
The application of magic as described above could uplift the world into an era of peace and prosperity that has, perhaps, never before been known. Imagine every nation connected with a rigorous network of Permanent Teleportation Circles. Imagine the fields yielding more bounty than we can currently imagine, and every base need being taken care, every sickness cured.
To achieve such a utopia, we need Law and Order. What currently reigns is Chaos and greed.
Gnomeland must nationalize the corporations, ending the chaos that is free trade. What could be more chaotic than numberless selfish agents backstabbing one another over pennies in a complex game of exchange? This malaise must be remedied, by replacing such chaos with state controlled enterprise, with the sole purpose of progress.
After the nationalization, there must also be the opening of however many institutions are needed to drastically increase the number of spellcasters in the world. Clerics must be abundant enough to preside over every major criminal case. There must be enough spellcasters to cover the nation's basic needs.
Finally, there must be a level of trust and order between nations. Permanent Teleportation Circles to transfer goods can easily be used for espionage or even a violent invasion under the right conditions. To link Gnomeland with another nation on such a scale requires a certain degree of integration. One would not, for example, link Gnomeland with Purrsia in such a fashion while the Serene King still rules there, or link Gnomeland with the Empire, which is aggressive by nature. Therefore, the development of Gnomeland towards utopia must be met with similar developments in other lands. Gnomeland is the right place to start.
The Potential
We could see a Golden Era within our lifetimes, if the Long Sleep is broken by radical action. Governments must be re-organized, chaos dispelled, private interests replaced with a collective submission to wisdom, law and order. We must look to the bigger picture.
And Gnomeland is the right place for this movement to begin, with its production capacity and resources. Unfortunately, as long as Gnomeland remains in the grip of the Wardens, we are unlikely to see the monopoly on magic broken any time soon. The restoration of the monarchy could provide this opening that has been written about, by destroying the chaotic free market and replacing it with a visionary government, dedicated to a bright future. Republicans raise Hell about "freedom and equality", and yet repress the populations who vote for their officials through corruption and individualism. On the other hand, monarchy is not a guarantee of progress, either. Eral'Tir has barely changed in a millennium. Thus, an enlightened form of despotism is needed.
May we see such glories in our lifetime.