Post by ironwolf22 on May 6, 2021 15:03:39 GMT -6
Introduction
The Halduhm Empire as a nation can be summarized as a ‘monarchy with a highly martial culture and in some cases outright stratocracy’. Public and military service extends throughout the Empire with almost all politicians and government officials partaking in it. For most of the government, they are elected into their office with some officials appointed into their office, but then approved or rejected by Parliament or any other elected council. The term "Empire" is used because the nation has a strong central government with a collection of several other "states" or systems, the national government hold most of the power (controlling the military, passing national laws and enforcing them, etc) whereas the "states" have some power in terms of passing state laws, enforcing those state laws, collecting state taxes, etc.
Legitmacy
The Empire is an odd beast, at first glance it would seem like a typical autocratic nation with some democratic elements, however, if one was to look further past the surface they would see a very complicated and powerful federal government. Which comes to the question of ‘how does the Empire enforce its power?’. It is relatively simple, first the state enforces its rule by a mix of traditional and rational legitimacy, where the state has been in power for so long that there are traditions and customs that have become heavily institutionalized. These customs and norms are also built upon rules and procedures whose job is to enforce/create rules.
It also keeps its power by excessive and unilateral force that can be used to keep citizens and states in order. Meaning that any sort of heavy/violent dissent, from system down to citizen, is to be squashed quickly and excessively. But it also serves a second function, it allows the federal government to ensure a set standard of freedom and civil liberties within its territory. These freedoms being fair and free elections, the right to vote, and the right to bear arms. This is also enforced by the ‘equal service social contract’ that is highly relevant within the Empire, which states “The Empire will protect you, give you citizenship, and other privileges. It is your duty to protect the Nation with unrelenting fury and help provide for the upkeep of the nation”.
In short, the Empire is considered to be a martial police state, with a very strong central government that has a heavy focus on security and efficiency. Treason or heavy dissent is to be dealt with in an overarching fashion as they have broken their social contract with society. Thus they have forgone all of the protections of a law abiding citizen. Also that Federal law supersedes that of planetary or system law and the national government will ruthlessly enforce it upon any Empire held system that refuses it.
Organization
The government of the Halduhm Empire is broken into three different branches Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Each branch has certain powers and is kept in check by the idea of checks and balances. A majority of all politicians have had military records, as our society demands that you steadily spend six years in the military (not including training). As mentioned before the nation is divided up into 25 ‘states’, the major point is that federal law comes before state law. These laws are defined in a way that uses common language so that both politicians and the citizenry can understand, for every law there is a second version with some complex wording being recorded for legal use. All the branches are located on Arcadia, in Arcadia City, in the Capital complex; which covers several acres and is made up of several, multi story buildings.
Executive
The Executive branch is made up of the Iron Emperor, Grand Chancellor and Emperor’s Cabinet.
Iron Emperor
The Iron Emperor is the head of state and government for the Halduhm Empire. The position and title being hereditary, where the current monarch leads the nation until their abdication or death. The position is then filled by the last monarch’s heir, who then serves until their death or abdication. Upon their succession to the throne, the position is legitimized by the traditional ways of succession and the idea of divine mandate, as the Great Wolf Mother will only send those worthy of leadership to guide her children.
Succession and abdication
Choosing an heir is perhaps one of the most important decisions of the Iron Emperor and involves two main pieces. The first is seniority, who is the eldest child of the family. The second is military service, those heirs with the longest and most prestigious military service will move up higher in the lines of succession, often this is preferred over the more traditional, age seniority.
In the event that the current ruling family has no suitable heirs and the current Lord Emperor has died/abdicated, it is possible for another noble family to take over. This mandate is often called the Emergency Succession Line, and can only be invoked by the Grand Chancellor. With help from the House of the Nobles and High Command, the two organizations will vote to see which noble family will ascend to the throne.
If an Iron Emperor is considered to be ill-suited to rule, then it is possible for the Grand Chancellor and the Imperial Parliament to enact a vote of no confidence and remove the Iron Emperor from office. After the ill-suited heir is removed, the next best option is given the title. For those who resist the peaceful attempts to leave office, it is customary for the military to get involved and forcefully remove the heir from office. After which the heir would be executed for treason against the Imperial Crown, however, this only applies to heirs who have been in office.
Role
The Iron Emperor is responsible for reviewing, approving/vetoing and the possible enforcement of bills or laws passed by the Imperial Parliament. It is entirely possible for them to submit laws to the Imperial Parliament and overrule any sort of vetos. It is also possible for them to decree laws into effect, but this is checked by the Imperial Parliament. They are also seen as the commander in chief of the Imperial Military. However, due to the importance of the Emperor and their various other duties, the day-to-day military command is handed off to the Imperial High Command.
Attire
As for their attire, most of the modern Iron Emperors' can be seen wearing the more traditional military grey formal uniforms with a ceremonial sword and pistol. This ceremonial set has been around since the formation of the Empire, and is viewed as the physical symbol of authority and power. This set is given to every Iron Emperor and they are expected to wear it at public gatherings, events, and whenever in office. After the Iron Emperor’s reign is over, the ceremonial set will be handed off to the heir of the throne in a huge and publicly broadcasted across all of the habited planets within the Empire. This day is typically called “The Day of Iron” and is considered to be a national holiday. It is customary for businesses, except bars and taverns to close early or close for the whole day during this event.
Grand Chancellor
The Grand Chancellor is the Lord Emperor’s right-hand man, and one of the Lord Chancellor’s most trusted advisers. However, they have the opportunity to be perhaps the only elected official of the executive branch.
Election, Impeachment, and Succession
Being one of the most important people of the government and one of the most important advisors to the crown, the Grand Chancellor is one of the only fields that is elected. However, they serve at least three 10 year terms and are often elected from either the military or system governors.
If a Grand Chancellor is deemed to be unfit for the position (such as abusing the position for personal power, engaging in treason against the Crown or nation, and other major crimes) with overwhelming evidence to support these claims, then it is possible for them to be impeached. During the impeachment process they are removed from office temporarily and an interim Grand Chancellor takes over for the Grand Chancellor. At the same time, the Grand Chancellor in question is taken to the Imperial Judiciary to be trialed and if found guilty, oftentimes executed for treason.
In the event that a Grand Chancellor dies in office, then the Imperial Parliament votes on a replacement, oftentimes it would be one of the more qualified subordinate officers within the Grand Chancellor’s office. Once elected, the interim Grand Chancellor will serve out the rest of the previous Grand Chancellor’s term before either stepping down or running for office.
Role
One of the major roles of the Grand Chancellor is to advise the Iron Emperor on important matters that affect the state. These could be upcoming bills, meetings, events outside of the nation, internal events, and other matters. As is important for the Iron Emperor to be updated on all important matters so they may direct the nation as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Cabinet
The Cabinet and other individual federal agencies are responsible for the day-to-day admission and enforcement of federal laws. The cabinet is made up of seven departments that are headed by Lord Ministers, and it also includes the Grand Chancellor and Lord Attorney. This cabinet is usually used to help assist the Iron Emperor in decision-making by providing advice and updates on projects in their respective fields. These seven departments include,
-Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Handles foreign affairs with other nations)
-Imperial War Ministry (Handles the defense of the nation, primarily the military)
-Imperial Security Ministry (Handles internal security, intelligence, espionage, and assists in crises)
-Imperial Revenue Ministry (Handles the finances and taxation of the Empire)
-Industrial Development and Commerce Ministry (Handles internal development of industry, commerce, cities, and management of resources)
-Public Health Ministry (Handles public health services and assists in crises)
-Education Ministry (Handles education standards and education material)
Legislative
The Legislative branch which is called the Imperial Parliament is made up of one body which has two separate "houses" . The upper house is called the "House of Lords" and the lower house is called the "House of the People". While the Imperial Parliament boasts significant power, it is often overshadowed by the Iron Emperor and the two serve as a check against one another in some way or form.
In the House of Lords, representatives are given titles to represent their status and seat within the House of Lords. For example, a representative from the House of Lords would be called “House Lord” followed by their name as for the leader of the HoL they are given the title of “Grand House Lord”. The House of Lords tends to be made up of old noble families that still reside in the Empire and have a limited sense of power in the nation. The House of Lords is made up of 75 representatives, 3 representatives from each state. These three representatives from the three most powerful noble families in the state. The House of Lords is used to act as a check to the House of the People as they can review bills and proposals made by the HoP.
This system of titles also translates to the House of the People, but instead of being called lord, the representatives of the House of People are called “House Noble” while the leader of the House of People is called “Grand House Noble”. The House of the People is made up of 300 representatives which are fixed by law; this house is largely based on the population of the states. The representatives in this house are all elected and serve two 15-year terms. Like the HoL this house has its own library and also serves as a check against the HoL, as like the upper house they can review bills and proposals.
The system is based around the idea of tiers, which is made up of the regional, state and finally parliament. The Empire as a governmental entity does not care about what clan pulls the political strings on a planet, all they care about is that supplies and materials are flowing. However, it maintains its legitimacy by ensuring, with violence, a set standard of freedom. For example, if a state started outlawing elections, the Empire would send in troops to remove that clan from power. If a state started to show signs of rebellion, the Empire would send troops to squash the rebellion.
As with their job they create the laws of the nation (needs a 60% majority vote in each house to be passed), declare war, approve treaties, have rule over the national budget, impeachment (political the removal of any sitting politician), they also have the power to override the veto of the executive branch with a full 4/5ths majority (80% majority in each house).
Judicial
The courts of the Empire are responsible for the interpretation and application of the law in the Empire. Under the view of separation of powers, they are not responsible for the creation of statutory law, that job is left to the legislative branch, nor are they responsible for the enforcement of the law, which is left to the executive branch. But rather, the interpretation and application of the law to each case they review. In the Empire, courts are given a judicial review, the power to annul laws of the state, if it finds them to be in conflict with the higher norm. Such as constitutional, primary legislation, treaties, and international law.
Empire courtrooms are structured to be a fight for the truth, where the two sides engage in a gentleman’s duel of words to achieve ‘justice’. However, there is one noticeable thing that is lacking from a Halduhmian courtroom, and that is the presence of a jury. Instead, the judges are the ones who review the evidence and make a decision. In a typical Empire courtroom, there are three judges that review and deliberate on the evidence, then come together and present their judgment.
In the Empire, there are several levels of courts, you have your planetary courts. These are courts that are focused on maintaining order on the planetary level, this level is one of the lowest, but one of the largest. At this level, they could include hundreds of courts scattered across the planet in question.
At the next level up we have the system courts, these ones are a higher courts and their jurisdiction is across the system, they are an appellate court. So they are focused on the review of lower court cases. There are 25 regional courts. Then after that, we have the state courts, of which there are 5 of them.
At the top there is the Final Court, this court is responsible for the final say of the law, they are the final court and their word is final. On the Final Court bench, there are 7 justices. These seven are the best judges the Empire has to offer and handpicked by the chancellor, then approved by a special Parliament committee. These justices serve for life or until they retire. The process for being selected takes about 2 years to complete, as there is a great deal of evaluation and deliberation. The Chancellor and the special committee want to make sure they have the best of the best and the ones that want to do their job.
Government Departments
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Even in the Empire’s turbulent history with outsider nations, there is still some hope for a diplomatic resolution, one that does not involve the use of military forces. This small, but quite powerful branch is largely made up of ex-military officers or military officers that have taken up an interest in politics, preferably those who want to take up international politics and intelligence. Personnel from this department of government often go by their rank rather than their job title, this is largely due to the military influences within the department and the large population of military/ex-military officials.
Imperial War Ministry
The War Ministry is a massive institution that is responsible for the defense of the nation, defense of the nation’s interests, and the expansion of the Empire’s borders, often through military actions. Because of this, they are responsible for organizing, maintaining, funding, the deployment and strategy of the Imperial Military; during both peaceful and wartime operations.
This branch of the cabinet is made up of two military departments, the Imperial Army and the Imperial Astro Navy. The branch is also made up of the Imperial Research and Testing Department, Imperial Logistics Department, and Imperial High Command. While this ministry has its own military intelligence department, it works quite closely with the Imperial Security Ministry for internal and external intelligence gathering.
Imperial Revenue Ministry
The IRM, or Imperial Revenue Ministry is a massive institution that is responsible for the collection of taxes and regulation of the Federal Taxation Orders, the national statutory tax laws. The duties of this massive branch include helping citizens file taxes, tax assistance, regulation of the national bank and Empire currency, as well as investigating tax fraud and other tax related crimes. Another one of their tasks is to oversee various benefit programs and enforce the highly restrictive regulations on welfare money.
Unsurprisingly, the IRM has a reputation of being ruthless and cold in the collection of taxes as most of them take their job seriously, since the fate of the nation is at ‘stake’. As if one penny is missing or materials come up short, it could lead to disasters in times of war or during a crisis. Then the nation could stop working and all social order would break down. Leading to the collapse of the Empire and its annihilation. This warped and cold view has led many of the collection agents and auditors to be ruthless or overtly threatening. But, it comes at a surprise that a chunk of the IRM are ex mob enforcers and bookies or those who are willing to do what is necessary to ensure that funds and material flow into the federal government. Often threatening unrelenting pain from the federal government, this could be a myriad of different ways, either hefty fines or garnished wages, ‘prison time’ or their own execution (with execution rarely being used unless it has reached a point where the person in question is not willing at all to pay taxes).
In the eyes of the IRM, taxation policy comes in two distinct levels, the citizen and entity. The citizen is required to pay a monetary tax, this usually comes out of the citizen’s paycheck where they are often taxed by both planetary/system governments and the federal government. Entities are things like corporations and city/regional/state governments, this level has to pay both a monetary and a material tax.
Imperial Security Ministry
One of the powerful government branches, ISM or Imperial Security Ministry, is the main intelligence organization within the Empire as they are responsible for the gathering, interpretation, and eventually dissemination of intelligence to all branches of the government. Other duties of the ISM are internal security and morale, often working closely with the Home Guard and Imperial Military for counter terrorist operations. They are also responsible for counterintelligence, anti-corruption, policing and clandestine operations. For this they operate a large number of intelligence gathering groups with a number of highly advanced black ops and hit teams.
They are given full authority to track and keep tabs on anyone within the Empire, as long as it's within the boundaries of the law. For that they must provide significant data that the person they are tracking is indeed a traitor or a hostile entity. However, they tend to keep small files on people due to the Empire’s heavy use of national and public service. When a suspected traitor has been located, the ISM will often send out an intel group to watch the person for a set amount of time. If their actions have become more violent, then they would contact the Home Guard and execute an arrest. From there the traitor will be arrested, tried and if found guilty, eventually executed. Or they could send one of their own hit squads to eliminate the traitor if they believe the Home Guard has been compromised.
Like the Imperial Revenue Ministry, the ISM is often noted for being ruthless and unyielding loyalty to the Empire, often going beyond morals to accomplish what needs to be done. In an odd twist of fate, the ISM is also responsible for investigating officials or other ministries to make sure that they aren't being corrupted. However, this office tends to be an independent branch of the ISM that is not involved in any other branches, like counterintelligence or counter-terrorism.
Imperial Border Security Division
A rather large branch of the ISM, the Imperial Border Security Division is responsible for patrolling the Empire border and manning the checkpoints at stations on the border. The IBSD as it is known for short, is a heavily armed and armored uniformed federal law enforcement service. The primary duty of the IBSD is to help facilitate and regulate international trade, collecting import tariffs and taxes, and finally enforcing Empire border regulations (including immigration, trade and customs). They are also instructed to issue and collect all paperwork that goes with those that wish to enter the nation, review permits, and authenticate trade papers. The RBSD works quite closely with the Home Guard to ensure a safe and protected nation from both internal and external threats, and often will be on the lookout for fugitives looking to leave the nation.
Like the ISM, the Imperial Border Security Division is rather ruthless and uncaring in their pursuit to enforce the Empire law. These officers carry out their duty with the utmost vigor and will go to all lengths to ensure that every paper has been filed and every floor board has been overturned in the pursuit of compliance. The officers of the IBSD are given full authority to search any ship that comes into the station and have the authority to turn the ship inside out if they have to. For this the IBSD is given a wide array of tools to help them in their search, high tech scanning equipment, contraband sniffing animals, and other tools. The branch also has its own small navy that largely consists of destroyers, long range shuttles, long range space fighters, and some cruisers. On the ground, the branch has access to a wide array of vehicles, ranging from armored cars to infantry fighting vehicles.
As for their attire, the IBSD wears a steel grey set of fatigues followed by a slightly darker steel grey jacket with a patrol cap and all black combat boots. They are also given handcuffs, a pistol, baton, and several chemical sprays. But, they have full access to things like assault rifles, shotguns, and other heavier weapons. Officers of this branch are taught non lethal takedowns, however, most of the time these takedowns result in broken ribs or arms as most officers make it a point to show who is in charge when dealing with a disorderly person.
Most of the officers in this branch of the ISM take their job seriously and will not blink twice before taking down a disorderly individual, as every second they waste is a second that someone could be injured. Using overwhelming force to subdue the disorderly person before arresting them and charging them with obstruction of justice. If contraband has been found, that would be added to the disorderly person’s list of crimes. Punishment for infractions are often quick and uncaring, most of the time a person would receive around four-five different payments. The first one for the fuel of the ships involved, time and effort of the Border Security officer, Federal medical bill fine (if they require medical assistance after being subdued), a Federal fine, and then a bill from the Revenue Ministry for calculating the total of their fines. At the same time, the person's ship and goods would be seized in Asset Forfeiture then either retained for internal use or sold off to the scrapyard.
Home Guard
Industrial Development and Commerce Ministry
One of the oldest departments in the Cabinet, the IDCM or Industrial Development Commerce Ministry is responsible for a wide range of economy focused tasks. These are things like internal development of industry, commerce, cities, and management of resources. Making sure the resources for projects across the Empire are well supplied, running on time, and are up to date on all of their construction permits and regulations. The odd thing about this ministry is that it is a collection of smaller ministries that are focused around the development of the Empire, some of these smaller ministries include: the Ministry of Energy, Agriculture, Transportation, Resource, Housing, Environment, Labor, just to name a few.
Public Health Ministry
Education Ministry