10.3.2 GOVERNING STYLE AND POLITICS

Syntax: POLITICS
        POLITICS <city/commune>

The leaders of cities and communes may select among three styles of 
governing: Benign, Neutral or Despotic. Each of these types affects how 
villages under their sphere of influence behave. See VILLAGE INFLUENCE.

Further, while communes have one type of political government and that is the
"commune" type as well as "religious", cities may select from one of three
political structures: Religious, Commercial, or Conquest. Because of the great
impact this has on the city, the entire ruling council must be in agreement for
a change of political structure. Again, the type of government affects the way
villages behave while under a city or commune's sphere of influence.

The most noticeable difference between different political structures is 
the variation on city rank titles and names of the cities themselves. 
Names of both cities and communes are somewhat affected by the political 
style of the leader.

While there are some cosmetic differences, the real impact comes from the 
behaviour of villages under a city or commune's sphere of influence. The 
difference between governing styles and political structures are noted 
below.

Governing Styles
----------------
Benign      :  A benign leader rules influenced villages liberally, and 
               does not make heavy demands upon them. As a result, 
               villages are generally very happy under this leader and 
               will passively have positive feelings towards their
               sovereign nation. If said nation is a Conquest Nation,
               the people of the village will make larger donations
               towards the Conquest Pool.

Neutral     :  A neutral leader rules evenhandedly, and there are no 
               benefits nor penalties to this style of rule.

Despotic    :  A despotic leader makes heavy demands upon villages, and 
               villages will produce signficantly more power and tithe 
               substantially more commodities. Villages, however, may not 
               appreciate this style of rule and negative feelings will 
               accrue towards their patron city or commune.

Political Structures
--------------------
Note that communes choose among the political structures like cities; 
however, unlike cities, titles of commune members and commune ranks do not 
change.

Religious   : Cities or communes that choose a religious government when 
              they feel they rule by divine mandate. Spiritual matters are 
              more important than material, and thus villages will produce 
              more power to the nexus and fewer commodities. Citizens or 
              commune members of a religious government will find that 
              influencing villagers in any village will improve relations 
              with that village. Villages under the sphere of influence of 
              a religious government produce more power but less commodities. 

Commercial  : Commercial governments are much more preoccupied with 
              material wealth than spiritual matters, and villages under 
              these governments will tithe more commodities but produce 
              less power. Citizens or commune members of a commercial 
              government will find that doing commodity quests in any 
              village will improve relations with that village. Villages 
              under the sphere of influence of a commercial government 
              produce more commodities but less power. Commercial governments
              always keep track of commodity quests done by their citizens,
              even if they do not presently control a given village.

Conquest    : Governments of conquest are neither concerned with 
              spiritual matter nor material wealth. They prefer to rule 
              others for the sake of expanding their territories. 
              Villages under these governments will donate their own
              resources towards their sovereign nation, adding to a 
              Conquest Pool, which will automatically be drained for
              security uses. Also, villages under the sphere of influence of
              a conquest government will produce less commodities
              and less power but naturally become more enthralled with that 
              government. Further, any village that is not under its 
              sphere of control will begin to passively accrue respect for 
              that government, the amount of which depends on the number 
              of villages that government controls. Weakening villagers
              currently swayed by other cities or communes may make them
              more willing to follow your city or commune during the next
              revolt.

NOTE: The above styles and political structures have nothing whatsoever to do with 'alignment' (good, evil otherwise) and should not be taken into account by city or commune leaders as limiting their selections. For instance, it is perfectly reasonable for a city of light and goodness to choose a despotic style of leadership when there is a crisis and the city needs extra power or commodities (the city leader may feel that it is time for all citizens to make a "sacrifice for the good of the state"). Likewise, it is perfectly reasonable for a city of darkness and death to choose a benign style of leadership in order to maintain control of its territories (the leader may feel that it is important to keep villages as amicable as possible and therefore the city must "keep them happy" and rule benignly to "protect their own").