Democracy in Tileus

Is democracy always good?

By a hundred local years After Touchdown, people had expanded to the Beta continent, to the north of Alpha across the Vissensee Channel. With greater distance from the capital in Oriens came less control and more freedom. In 186 AT, the residents of Beta rebelled against Verdant Prime. They wanted self-determination and freedom, and formed the new country Tileus in a quick, effective civil war.

With the technology of personal implants connected through the InfoNet, Tileus created a true democracy. Issues are decided by the entire populace in a nation-wide vote handled in ten minutes. Any issue with a 60% affirmative vote is passed immediately into law. Any citizen can propose an issue. They rise to a vote when the issue is approved by any two of the five Governors responsible for execution.

With freedom of the press, issues are hotly argued by media forces, both conservative and liberal. Often, an upcoming issue generates nation-wide fervor for weeks before the vote, and the hullaballoo shifts to another topic instantly at a frenetic pace. Tileus is polarized into 19 political parties. Elections for open Governor positions are as heated as any other issue. Political marches are common, arguments are frequent, and many citizens carry personal weapons. Life can be chaotic in the streets of Thad City and other places in Tileus. Life is particularly difficult for policemen, who have to enforce the constantly-changing laws that result from multiple popular votes every day.

The citizens of Tileus pride themselves on having the greatest freedom on the planet. Their pride is so large that they believe the other three countries should be enlightened. They create international conflict by sending emissaries to Prime, Rathas, and Winter to teach about democracy. Prime and Rathas retaliate by sending subversives into Tileus.

Chaotic internal problems, impending war. Tileus is in trouble.