A change of heart: Cheaters in France
Dillan Stone
First of all, I want to extend my personal congratulations to Mr. Joshua Tree, who was re-elected as Virginia's representative in Congress yesterday. I also want to thank those who supported me in my bid.
But it is with a heavy heart that I must report and comment on a piece of news from across the pond, which forces me to reconsider my position on the war in France.
The original article appears in the Atomic Times.
The executive summary is, however, quite simple: A person other than the French President has access to the French President's account, and has been using that access to manage the war on PEACE's behalf.
I have long been of two minds about the war in France, as my archives will show. I believe the French players, absent a really good reason, have the right to have an independent and sovereign nation - the elimination of a nation from the map reduces opportunities for new player enjoyment, and ultimately hurts the game for everyone. I am also personally, something of a Francophile - I speak fairly good French (albeit with a surfer-dude accent, I'm afraid), and the French contributions to America's birth cannot be overstated, American myth notwithstanding. Those issues aside, I oppose imperialism generally - and would oppose equally efforts to annex Mexico, Canada, the UK, or Russia, if those efforts were based on simple hubris, imperialistic desires, or just "for the lulz."
But when a nation engages in cheating, we must reconsider whether that nation has committed an offense worthy of being eradicated. I would understand this, if France was currently losing the war - when you have nothing to lose, cheating (while still wrong) can be understood.
But it is inexcusable in my mind, for France to cheat while it's ahead. The French government, and the people who elected that government, have forfeited their self-determination by these acts.
It is also clear that there is a big difference between Switzerland and Belgium. Switzerland was divided and conquered by larger powers, against its will, and the Swiss have sought independence ever since. Belgium could have had its independence from the UK at any time merely by asking, as its annexation was, in fact, a consensual merger with the UK.
I will still find it sad to see France wiped from the map, and will advocate caution and reason in this endeavor, but I cannot, in light of this cheating, continue to remain opposed to Operation French Toast.
And, this reversal makes me now glad that I lost the election - a reversal the day after being elected would be politically and morally questionable, given my platform. Not having been elected, I need not worry that I have somehow deceived or harmed my constituents.
Comments
Switzerland was negociating it's independence with France.
A Liberation War was started by non swiss citizens and that war was used as a pretext for the invasion.
Actually, de destruction of a nation has inevitable consequences. The destruction and occupation of Belgium by the British, led to a technical, albeit non intentional eGenocide.
When their nation Dies, most people leave the game.
Belgium was British, because there were almost no Belgian citizens at all.
What's the incentive for a citizen of an eNation to get into the game, when his country has been taken over ?
This is like Tibet versus China in RW.
There is no way they can be independent, because China can move just 1% of it's population to Tibet and take it over, even if they had free elections there.
When a larger nation takes over a smaller one, in such a way that they can't get independent because of numbers, we should be more cautious when we claim that they are not independent because they don't want to.
In eRepublik, real citizens from that nation may very well just be dead.
This reminds me of Israel and Greece.
"When their nation Dies, most people leave the game."
"What's the incentive for a citizen of an eNation to get into the game, when his country has been taken over ?"
I'll have to disagree with you on those statements, I'd agree with you if the game didn't give the players the chance to fight back for their occupied country, but it does.
So my answer to your second statement would be "To fight back for their country". I mean, if eUSA was occupied, I'd remain in the game and try to win it back. As I'm sure every french player would do with eFrance, and even if a country's numbers are small, there's always the matter of the international support those kinds of actions garner.
But, these are the words of a newbie.
Interesting Article... VOTED!
Everyone who say they are against thinks, eRepublik can be a PEACEFUL UTOPIA! There will always be those who find ways to win with the least amount of work (ie, French People). And with the possibility of cheating, if only 1 person has access to the money than ONLY ONE should, not 2 or 3 or 4!
@Peter:
Resistance wars, without foreign support, are generally hopeless. You're dealing with a nation which was already beaten entirely once, having to pay for the chance to re-fight that same enemy, using that enemy's economy against them, and without the recruiting advantage that being independent gives. Isreal and Greece are good examples of that - neither can ever be freed unless either Turkey lets them go voluntarily, or foreign powers intervene big-time.
Still, I think it's worth the effort. That's why I mentioned that situations like that tend to gather international support.
I guess it depends on each country's playerbase.
Peter McLagg sai😛 I'll have to disagree with you on those statements, I'd agree with you if the game didn't give the players the chance to fight back for their occupied country, but it does.
You are right when we are talking about two relatively large nations. But that does not apply when we talk about nations with a huge difference between them in terms of population and/or resources.
Like Shiri Maimon said some comments before.
This reminds me of Israel and Greece.
The list is growing:
Denmark (taken by Sweden)
Belgium (taken by Brittain)
Switzerland (taken by France+Italy)
Israel (taken by Turkey)
Greece (taken by Turkey)
The odds are just impossible to beat.
And as long as buying a ticket, automatically grants you nationality, and right to vote, any nation can be taken over.
It is becoming a trend. And one I must say I dislike.
The ticket=Nationality thing -IS- stupid. I just hope the admins do something about it.