The Democratic Mandate is a collective of social movements and political groups who seed, strengthen, and spread democracy within The Empire.
A diverse array of organizations co-exist within the Mandate, coordinated by a central body known as the Forum. Depending on who you ask, the Democratic Mandate is the Forum, their mission, the entire social network surrounding it, or even the ideal they seek. The Forum and the Mandate works on the basis of the Charter of the Democratic Mandate.
The Democratic Mandate was inspired by the Yakiyahn Mandate and fundamentally opposed to the revolutionary violence that surrounded it. This tension has pushed the Mandate towards political philosophies of peaceful reform.
History and Founding[]
The Democratic Mandate was founded in 3201 on the planet Ias, during a meeting of groups and speakers from across the Empire hosted by the local government. Sector-wide support and interest soon saw the movement expanding widely.
Structure of the Mandate[]
The Democratic Mandate as a whole is coordinated through a senate-like organization called the Forum, which is filled with representatives from member groups and interested parties. While it holds a place of primacy in the movement as a whole, some aspects lie beyond its direct reach.
Groups can join the Forum as long as they pay a membership fee, agree to follow the principles of the Charter, and maintain good standing. They can choose their representatives according to their own methods, while the membership fee is set by a committee of the Forum.
A main function of the Forum is to establish general plans, which bind the various constituent groups to certain goals they can achieve by their own methods. It also serves as a common meeting place for organizers and thinkers from across the sector, and is in the process of writing the Charter which will serve as the Mandate's central philosophy and standards.
Not all organizations interact with the Forum in the same way. Planetary governments, for example, would go against propriety to commit themselves to formally follow the organization's plans, and so their direct representatives operate instead as observers and ambassadors. Whether they work directly with or at cross-ends to other organizations from their world can significantly affect their influence at the Forum, as can providing grants to others or to the Forum itself.
With its oldest precedents having stood for a month, the organizational scheme is still in flux. Other command structures in the broader movement overlap and sometimes compete with the Forum. In practice, the Democratic Mandate works through pragmatic collaboration and strict command-and-control is rare.
Notable Organizations and Affiliates[]
Ias Planetary Government[]
The government of Ias is hosting the earliest meetings of the Democratic Mandate and is closely identified with the faction.
The Stewards of Democracy[]
A democratically organized group within the Democratic Mandate made predominately of Serfs who push for democratic representation of Serfs. They are fervent defenders of the Democratic Mandate and will diplomatically quell unrest among the general population. The SoD maintain political outreach offices throughout the Democratic Mandate's holdings, but their main headquarters is aboard a patrol boat in the Beacon Spur Flotilla.
Kenjes for Democratic Elevation[]
The Kenjes for Democratic Elevation (KDE) are a group within the Democratic Mandate, led by a group of Nobles born or living on Ias. They work within the Democratic Mandate as the most conservative power within the Forum. While they have many connections to the Ias government, they act as an independent organisation. The KDE has their Headquarters in the Capital of Ias, but are also present on the Space Station Aspen 8. Their most priced assets are their members. No serfs are allowed to join the KDE, but serfs can act in advisory roles.
ISALT Solutions[]
Iasian Seawater Alkali Loading and Transportation is a food company that collects, packages and distributes primarly Iasian Salt throughout the sector of Archeron Ro. Working closely with the government of Ias, since before the travel ban has lifted. It is a known Associate to the Democratic Mandate and has send Representatives to the Forum.
USEPT[]
The Democratic Mandate opened the "University for Social, Economical and Political Thought" (USEP or USEPT) on Ias, using the highly developed education system of the planet. It is meant to be a place of learning and training for more members of the Mandate.
HRSE - DeMand Public Radio[]
PPR Member Station HRSE, also known as ‘DeMand Public Radio’ is an Affiliate of the PRISM Public Radio Network (PPR). It is the voice of the Democratic Mandate in Acheron Rho. Local broadcasts originate from Hong Lu city, Terrata Prime and Jeladó.
Council for Controlled Change[]
The Council for Controlled Change (CCC) is a group of Crux nobles within the Democratic Mandate inspired by the writings of Magister Crux Hatzfeld Eduardo. They believe that human beings are inherently chaotic in nature and will always seek change, no matter their current situation or the possible consequences; to maintain societal stability, then, it’s not enough to simply punish rebellious serfs, but you also have to offer them a way to legally ask for minor reforms, to fulfill their “need” for change. They often help the Forum with legal matters.
Media and PR[]
May 3201: The Democratic Mandate is welcomed into the Court of Elysium
June 3201: 2 new USEPT Campuses are announced: one on Aomori and one on Hong Lu
August 3201: Shocking Student Accusations Hit Mother Bazooka Campus
August 3201: USEPT begins its immediate withdrawal from Aomori
September 3201: USEPT Bounces Back from Aomori Setbacks With New Imperial Campus
Out of Character FAQ[]
For Other Factions:[]
First FAQ: On Not Being the UPC and General Goals
OOC Decision-Making[]
We operate as a flat, direct democracy. Faction decisions are made on the main server by the entirety of the faction, using a variety of methods. The drop-down section discusses full formal votes, which are used for matters that affect the entire faction.
Click 'expand' to the right!
Calling for a Vote []
Any member may call for a vote, as long as at least one other member supports it. The whole faction, not just supporters of the vote, work together on the question being asked and the answers to choose from.
The question and options should be clear enough so that someone who hasn't been following the game closely can understand what a vote for an option will mean in relation to the question.
If there are only 2 options, the decision is made by a majority vote (the option that gets more votes wins). If there are 3 or more options, the decision is made using a Ranked Voting system.
Faction Turn Plans []
There is a document titled “Faction Asset and Strategy Suggestions” that proposals for faction turns are posted in, this doc is pinned in the #faction-turn-planning channel. Any member may make a proposal, but only proposals with at least one other supporter are included in the vote.
Follow the format and fill in the technical bits of your plan. Be specific, and explain your reasoning.
Come up with a clever name for your plan, which will serve both as a bit of a fun and a useful shorthand for discussing the plans in chat. While not actually mandatory, the Democratic Mandate likes to name their plans as Acts, Bills, Resolutions, and other legislative products. (Make sure to not reuse names of other plans current and past, or use names that are very close like only adding a number.)
Don't change a plan without getting the permission of all supporters of the plan. If you prefer a plan with only a small difference, you can propose an "amendment" instead - listing just the differences from the original plan instead of the full template.
How long are votes up for? []
Votes are usually open for 72 hours. Time-sensitive votes can be shortened to 48 hours. Occasionally a vote will be closed 24 hours early if there's high participation, a clear winner, and other pressing questions.
How do I know when a vote goes up? []
Check the bulletin channel. The faction will be @ tagged there (and sometimes in other channels as well) when new votes go up. You can also trust that there will always be votes in the week before the faction turn.