Oligarch (Realm)/Lysander's Explanation

I believe it is time for that lesson on Oligarchian politics that I promised you some time ago. In its new form as a republic, Oligarch grants greater power than ever to the 'common' troopleader, which is to say a noble with no title or land. Common nobles have the ability to vote on who will become Prime Minister, as well as the Judge.

When choosing a Judge, everyone's opinion is equal. However, when choosing a Prime Minister, the weight of a noble's vote increases as he occupies a more prestigious role in the ruling of the land. A Duke or landowner's opinion is more important than that of a simple troopleader when his vote is cast.

Naturally, this means that if one wishes to rise in the ranks in Oligarch, the first step should be to try to be granted a parcel of land. These parcels of land are generally granted by myself to troopleaders who have proven their dedication on the field of battle. Some are given to bureaucrats and those who have been recognized to have made a major contribution in other capacities (such as a trader who feeds a city under siege at his own peril, for example).

Being that the Banker and General are named directly by the Prime Minister, and that the Judge is named by the people, all three function as direct representatives of the Prime Minister. Normally, they should only operate within the bounds of their position, but as they are direct representatives of the office of Prime Minister, each has the full capacity to give orders in times of crisis.

In somewhat lesser capacity than the three official positions is the Ministry of State. The members of the Ministry of State are a hand-picked group who serve as advisors to the Prime Minister. While most of these are landed nobles, there are no strict requirements to join the Ministry of State. Note that the Ministry of State does not grant any special powers to its members. However, its members consist mostly of veteran troopleaders whose opinions should be carefully considered by the rest of the realm.

Ordinary troopleaders are overstepping their bounds when they do the following:

1) Giving orders to their fellow troopleaders

2) Refusing to follow military orders

3) Calling for important state-wide decisions, such as an early tax day or looting the enemy

4) Involving themselves directly in international politics (ie: messaging an enemy ruler and attempting to negotiate with him in the name of Oligarch)

5) Committing sensitive acts (looting, assassination, etc) without clearance from the Prime Minister

Lysander Prime Minister of Oligarch