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It has been a while since I wrote a proper political article in eRep. The truth is, I really did not feel I have a lot of ideas to write about. Yes there were a few articles about domestic politics in eNL or in eBE, but it is nothing like my old theoretical/ philosophical articles of the past. To be honest, I was really busy in real life and I really did not have a lot of time to think and write about this game. However, this weekend, I had some time and I really need to relax as I was a bit exhausted. Critically recommended that I watch some TV series or play a game. Sadly, nothing good was on and I did not feel like playing any games. So I wrote this article instead. With that said, I dedicate this article to Critically...

There are a few players in the game who evokes the image and the rhetoric of Marx in their message. They show pictures of Marx, Che Guevara, and others in an attempt to show resistance or their leftist leanings. There is a party in eGermany named the eKommunist Partei Deutschlands. While I do not think the KPeD are real communist, there are others who claims to be supporter of Marx and other radical far left ideas. Overall, I will argue the ideas of Marx is dead in eRepublik. This is not an attack on the ideology as that is not my interest. My argumentation for this article is the process of analysis of Marxism is not compatible with eRepublik.

Marx is an offshoot of Hegel. There is no problem with the concept of the Hegelian Trinity which states for progress/ change to take place, there must be a thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. The thesis is the current accept norms/ knowledge. The antithesis is the new idea that challenges the thesis. Only if the antithesis "wins" this process is called synthesis and the antithesis becomes the new thesis. This is a cycle and it goes on forever. For Marx, there is no problems with the concept of struggle and the dialectic. For Marx rely on the dialectic in his vision of the world. Where Marx differs from Hegel is where he applied the focus of analysis. Hegel focused on the states balancing its necessity (rights of others and morality) in regards to absolute freedom. Therefore, Hegel like his predecessor Kant focused on the notion of the constitution. Marx focused on the economics and materialism.

Marx viewed history via social classes and the group who controls the means of production. For Marx, history is viewed between the labouring class and the non-labouring (bourgeoisie) class who owns the means of production. More or less, it is a struggle between those who labours for a living and those who use the profits of labour to survive. With that said, Marx's biggest focus are in countries that were industrialized. For his biggest works are not on agrarian societies but on developed industrialized capitalistic countries. Marx himself praised the advancement of production and surplus generated by industry and capitalism and believed the surplus would allow man to strive their full potential in humanly pursuits instead of labourers focused on their survival. However, he did worried about the social problems of the classes generated by capitalism which will led to class struggles. For the labouring class are dependent of the capitalist class and the ever automation of industry reduced the need and value of labourers. Labourers themselves becomes a commodity. Instead of bringing man out of substance living, they are only valued based on their productivity based on dollar value. With that said, this is not the vision of Marx where he sees a system for man to be man but an automaton.

Looking into the game itself, I do see the game economy is market driving. Most players are in Military Units which operates on a socialistic/ collective system. Many people worked for in their MU for their needs for survival. Despite being in an MU or not, survival and means of production was never in doubt. For even a new players can easily own the means to produce their own food and weapons needed to grow. In addition, players cannot die in this game other than being inactive or banned. The source of conflict in this game is not a materialistic one. Even if we look at this on a macro level between states. While there are states who creates empires to max out their productions, most of the wars of today is a struggle of alliances and the rights of other states. If we looked at the German invasion of the Netherlands last month, it was not a resource war but a war to boost activity and the revival of the community. The Australian airstrike of Denmark in the same conflict was support out of friendship and "morality" in the Hegelian sense. The many occupations of the Netherlands and Belgium is another great example as the other bigger powers do not want eBE/ eNL resources. The many invasion into the UK was not about solely of materialistic gains but of ideology and political reasons. I would argue the game mechanics makes Hegel more relevant than Marxist ideals.

Bringing this to the eBelgium experience. I really do believe the struggle between the legitimate community and the radical leftist "PTOers" is a struggle on the Hegelian notion. For the goal is not materialistic. The Legitimate Community follows the notion of full necessity of the state which considers the right of other citizens/ each other's as well as the morality of governance. This includes both the macro and micro level. The radicals on the other hand rejects all aspects of this and strives for a society of direct democracy and "absolute" freedom (which is not possible). The radicals claims they are the true voice of democracy and desires to build a "liberal democracy" but their actions proves differently. Both Kant and Hegel believes for a liberal democracy to take place, there must be a Reichtstaat or a state based on a constitution/ social contract supported by the majority of the society. The Legitimate Communities have this. Our constitution and laws are voted in by representatives mandated by the people. Therefore, the story of eBE is a Hegelian dialectic of the state, those who supports the states, and those who strives for total freedom/ anarchy.

Therefore, it is really pointless to have Marxist rhetoric and parties. For this is not only old fashioned and out of date, it is no longer relevant in the context of the game. I see the main source of contention is that of morality and ethics. I do concede there is a plethora of ethical traditions. Be it, Kantian deontological, Confucius based, Bentham's Utilitarianism, hedonism, and many other forms of ethics, and game is a story of struggle of the many different ethics/ morality and how it negotiate with each other and how it negotiate the concept of "freedom."

In the end, I really think Hegel makes more sense in eRep. That is why...

Marx Kant into eRep... But Hegel Can

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