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Why do we have to be divided in order to express our opinions? Why do two citizens need to fight in order to generate activity? It would lead to a bustling nation yes, but more importantly, as history would testify, it would lead to a failed nation.

I do agree with you that for any state to be progressive, there has to be a counter-opinion, there has to be an opposition to the government, but that does not mean that the government and opposition are enemies. Such cases only leads to cheap politics and stagnation in public policy. Real life India is currently going through that phase. It's ugly.

I would disagree with you on 'eIndia strategy was, allways, : „We are too few to be divided.'
eIndia has had a somewhat healthy political rivalry in the past b/w Yuuva & IU. But such a rivalry requires great leaders on both sides and a good number of players. Our present circumstance is not such as would incense such a rivalry. Let's face it, we have hardly 10 players at the moment who are active enough to take up such a challenge. And most of them are oldies who are no longer interested in all this.

Even with 1 region, we have more number of congress seats than that are actually required which extinguishes all the rivalry between the political parties - there is none required since there's enough for everyone!

Similar is the case with CP elections. Every month, only one person goes for it, there's hardly any competition. Again the demand and supply equation - too few people want to take the responsibility of CP than there are number of terms available. Another reason is that people know that if not next month then maybe next month, but they'll surely become CP one day - so why compete against a strong candidate?

In conclusion, eIndia has turned into a sort-of Oligarchy not because ideas and opinions have been smothered by people in power but simply because we don't have enough people.

PS. I couldn't really understand what you mean by 'Try to let players to express themselves without guidance.' When have we not?

Also, an alternative way to bring about dynamism in public life, which is one of the things we have been trying to do, is through various competitions - details & complications of which I have outlined in my latest article. This method does not remedy the root cause of our woes, I know, but we can not sit idly by and dismay just because we have a small population. It in no way means that we can't have fun. Maybe eIndia will never have a Baby Boom, maybe it will never become a superpower but I would be extremely delighted even if our sweet little community have a time of their life here. I know I have. We have to work with what we have got.

I think that was what he was hoping for.

Dear Shiv,
I do not live in India, so whatever I say about RL India would be only according to what you, guys, told me, What I read in newspapers or heard on media.
Still, the problem I see is not the cheap politics, but the hegemony of some sort of aristocracy of the democracy (the one that Friedman foretold us in early ‘70).

If you are born in a certain family, you will became Prime Minister or be member of the Cabinet, or be member in Parliament, etc.
However, it is kind of inherited position and the “equality” of citizens (before law, in elections, etc.) do not apply to you.

In eR players do not have children’s but they could be mentors for some and those became sort of children’s.

Maybe that was the wrong example to give since you don't know what's happening here. My point was that don't let the politics turn dirty just for the sake of generating activity.

As far as eR mentor-children analogy is concerned, this may have been the trend during eIndia's heyday, but this is no longer the case now. Cabinet positions are now open to anyone who's active enough despite his XP, despite his Party, despite his RL country or any other way you would like to classify people.

Now, back to your answer.

We do not have to be divided (not necessarily) but I observed that we are not, and that lead us to stagnation, in all aspects of social life here.
From time to time, a new generation of players emerge, but she is quickly absorbed in the old system we have developed.

The healthy rivalry between IU and DPI (original name of Yuuva) generated, indeed a strong mobilization on eIndian society. Unfortunately, all DPI leaders have been demoralized and subdued (you could say they where no match for the True leaders of IA) and, eventually leave the game.
I do not say that only this clash was the reason for them to leave the game, could have been reasons from RL, but the lack of chances and entertainment got an influence too.

This kind of strategy (I continue to believe that eIndia always stressed on “We are too few to be divided.”) could not increase the number of players, because the fun and pleasure of the game is not shared, not distributed.
This lack of competition (CP or Congress) is the best sign that this system is ill, that something is wrong and the solution will not be provided by some “national plan of salvation” but by increasing the liberties and participation of players.

And, again, I disagree with you, eIndia turn into an Oligarchy because she’s leaders wanted it to be so.
Sadly, this attitude continue till this days too and became … normality, self-understood situation.

As I earlier said, division of opinion is good but division of society is bad. Two people can have vociferous debates all day but at the end of the day they must be able to sit together and have some Beer.

Sadly though, as you said, it is natural for one of the opposing opinions to be gradually subdued ('all DPI leaders have been demoralized and subdued'.) You can not wish to have a rivalry and at the same time blame the winning side for making the losing side lose!

Anyway, what we currently need is not philosophies but men & women of action. I don't want India to be a one-party country but I disagree with you that it's because India's leaders have made it so. It's a game after all, and you can go only so far by using RL analogies. There are external factors involved, such as game mechanics, which affects all this.

"... we currently need is not philosophies but men & women of action." as I could see that is a BIG problem (and one that make me sad).

On the other hand, shail teach you well the kind of speech that can bring best benefits. I respect that.
Calling the losers losers, would make them stupid impotents that could not prevail, and, of course, them stupidity is not a blame for the winers (btw, red coats have the same speech regarding India, they take control over it as a poor despicable tribal society and left behind them, when they finally left, a "vibrant" democracy).

I do not expect you to fully understand all that now, but, in time, you could remember something from this debate.

I'll stay out of this debate for now, as I think Bholenath has elucidated our current situation pretty well.

Yes, things have changed - the game has & with it the kind of players that stick around have too. Maniu mentions the early IU & DPI days, and well, there's a lot of history there. Funny thing is eventually Yuuva was formed out of the now-defunct DPI (the current DPI is a new party afaik) & became the ruling party - and if I'm not mistaken, faced the same issues as IU did, when it was considered the 'elite'.

So imo, it's a cycle. There will always be some who will take charge & some who will criticize for the sake of criticism. Eventually the latter will take charge & find others who continue the same cycle. That imo is what a democracy is all about.

Because it is a game, Mav, we could, atleast try, to change the rules. If we could not and try not to do that, it is worthless.

I agree; we can always change. But imo it's a self-serving system. It does not matter long term who is in charge at a specific point, as sooner or later someone else will replace them & others will come up as opposition. I don't see how that is a bad thing.

Speaking of parties, IU heads were the ones leading the charge at one point; then Yuuva came in as the opposition following DPI; now Yuuva is the ruling party & the current DPI & IF are the under-dogs. Again, speaking strictly of parties - Shiv is Yuuva & I am from DPI; our Govt is made up from people irrespective of party allegiance.

Witty (Yuuva President) & Vijay, Yuuva PP & dictator at the time, appointed me as MoFA - heh without even asking me, in fact & I've taken charge since. I did not ask for the responsibility, but I've done the best I could, and haven't done half bad, if I may say so. That aside, there is absolutely nothing stopping anyone from stepping up and being an active part of the eIndian core, barring their own personal issues - be it RL, lack of interest or general laziness. Anyone who does step up are welcomed with open arms from what I have seen. So I really don't see what the issue is with a system that I find to be pretty organic and natural to begin with.

This is the corner stone of mastering / manipulating the perceptions.
I understand you and others do not want to admit the wrong (the wrong is always on the beginigs).

Still, the new generations are not aware of the ”ancient Sin” so they will behave like nothing happens, and take the future as a granted promise.

Unaware that the promise was already stolen.

It is very sad for me to see that even now, you do not recognize the truth, not in words (perhaps in thoughts).
Still, I know what I have seen, I imagine what happen, and I propose a future for all.

If you want, we can develop.

I agree - I do not get your point of view on this; but I am always up for having an open mind & am always up for challenging the status quo. So am eager to hear your ideas - practical means of how we can change the system & generate more interest without alienating people.

The fact that you could not understand what I meant with: “'Try to let players to express themselves without guidance.” Is the best argument for what I told above.

Regarding the “ … a time of their life here” (of the community) I’m also sure there where better times, because I play this game by so long that I got the chance to meet the aforementioned DPI leaders, and the “childhood” of the IU leaders too, so I got the chance to see the “LIVING” eIndia, at she’s peak.

Sadly for me, this long time spent in eR, make me witness the downfall of eIndia too.

In the end, this article try to give a solution for improving (truly) the situation of eIndia, considering that the Truth and Knowledge, advantages, are not just for some, but for all, because all players came here (in game) to have fun and to be pleased / to like it.

I would sincerely like you to broaden my view through examples on how the current government is smothering ideas & opinions.

I know we have seen better times. And we are now, to the best of our level, trying to make the game as interesting as possible.

Also, just a month ago, we had activity level on an all-time high (even compared to V1 days) articles, co-ordinated fighting and whatnot but as I pointed out in my article, major reason for the slump has been RL festivals, holidays and exams. I expect to see a pretty bustling December.

Anyway, thank you for your article but more importantly for the discussion. 🙂 I so badly wish that every eIndian did that.

I was not reffering to this government, or cp or Dictaror, but to eIndia, as a social system and the process of she's ... evolution.

Idea for "youth" involvement 😛 http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/congress-for-newbs-2567017/1/20

more females might help xD

we need a lady-boom!

let the debate continue..this is what maniu wants to be done at the broader level. to shiv & mav's credit, they have made progress by achieving the 4-nation treaty. that is quite good. As a game, end of day, it boils down to how much damage we can dedicate to our Allies's cause that determines the deplomatic brownies we gather..that in turn kicks off the foreign relation team to be active.

Now that we could do some ample contribution in dmgs, and if we can continue to maintain it, there is a chance for us to make lot of 'activities'.. and newbies have a functional episode to play in the game other than fighting.

and I aknowledge them achievements.

I know you do Maniu, there is no need for you to state it explicitly 🙂

I never meant any hard feelings against you, wasn't anything personal. It was an awesome debate and I hope we can have more of these in the future 😃

Interesting... yea maybe dissent can shake up and strengthen a nation by inciting factions to bring in more players to support their point of view and thus serve in getting more activity. However there is also the fear that dissent may depress players to leave the game and thus shrink an already miniscule nation.

There are 2 things that are relevant here -

1. The game is extremely boring and does not really cater to the tastes of most Indians, so it makes existing players more important.

2. A lot of existing players have worked really hard to do their best, so once they feel disillusioned and sad and leave....a lot of things aorund them collapse as well.

So it is quite tricky!! I wish it wasn't as complex as this! 🙂 but I'm afraid there is no right or wrong here i can see both points of view! 🙂

Unfortunately the oligarchy you speak about is the result of multiple take over attempts.
Though the take over and attempts have stopped, the attitude has been passed on from player to player.