Practical Diplomacy, Friday

[saddeserthermit]

"Today we're going to talk about the diplomatic problem of someone not stepping down after they've been deposed," Anakin said.

"Imagine a neighboring country has seen its first democratic elections in many decades," Obi-Wan said. "For a moment, it look as if the dictator is willing to step aside peacefully. But then he changes his mind."

"How would you try to negotiate to avoid violence?" Anakin asked. "Is it even possible?"

"Or is avoiding violence genuinely your ultimate goal?" Obi-Wan said. "Your forces are much stronger than this nation's. The sitting dictator claims there were 'inaccuracies' in the vote... do you let him fly past with such a rationale?"

As he finished speaking, he began to hand out packages of information on The Gambia. "Please form a team with another student, representing another concerned nation, and discuss."

Comments

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[sith_happened]

"You look confused," Anakin said.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vrajna_kralis]

"I do not understand most of this," Hyacinthe confessed, a bit sheepishly. "I am not entirely certain what 'voting' has to do with ruling a country in the first place."

He was no scholar and Phedre hadn't spent much time discussing the politics of the ancient Hellenes or the Tiberium empire with him.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[sith_happened]

"You don't have a democracy at home," Anakin said, nodding. "Monarchy?" he guessed.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vrajna_kralis]

Hycinthe nodded. "I do not know of a country back home that does not have a monarchy, save Skaldia, but they are a nation of warring tribes."

True, some of the countries called their leaders different things, but it all boiled down to a ruler for life chosen via bloodline.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[sith_happened]

"My first wife was from a monarchy," Anakin said, "but she was elected to the post. It was very confusing."

Very, very confusing.

"In a democratic government, all eligible voters--normally decided by age, but in more restrictive places it can also be determined by gender, color, or number of appendages--vote for individuals who have decided for themselves that they would like to serve the public through governing. Whoever has the most votes wins. In the case today, the man with the least votes was formerly in charge and is refusing to step down."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vrajna_kralis]

"...But who is surprised by such a thing?" Hyacinthe asked, confused. "The nobles I've met, they are preoccupied with keeping the wealth and power they have and trying to increase both. Only children would expect someone who wanted power to give it up freely."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[sith_happened]

"Democracies have a long tradition of having...slightly more mature people in power who will then leave when they are no longer in charge."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vrajna_kralis]

Hyacinthe didn't look convinced. His expression was decidedly If You Say So.

"But how is it my place to step in if I do not like the way another ruler behaves?" he asked instead. "Surely I'd not wished to be interfered with, were our roles reversed."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[sith_happened]

"Because in a democracy, that ruler works for you," Anakin said.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vrajna_kralis]

Yeah, that expression was only getting moreso.

"Truly," he said. Flatly. "Works for me."