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The Irregular Repertoire, vol. 2.
Day 574
PigInZen


Examples of Historical Globalization in eRepublik

Globalization in eRepublik has traditionally focused on the formation of military alliances. Because of the relative short period of such alliances, 30 days, this has only served to be stabilizing in the short-term. Countries lacking MPPs with stronger, more powerful nations or alliances found themselves falling prey to wars of conquest and PTOs that raided treasuries, forced egregious treaty terms or forced annexations. The eRepublik world’s a dangerous place for the unwary, one fraught with hazards at every turn. How to decide whom to trust? This is an age-old question in both RL and eRepublik and one that is decidedly influenced by a nation’s collective zeitgeist, culture and political persuasions.

I did a little cheap analysis and there are rough 82 territories currently occupied by a foreign nation. Now, some of these territories are sparsely populated, others have relatively little economic value and still others have little strategic value militarily. But I view these occupations as collective failures of the global community. 82 times where the global community has decided that collective security was less important than individual security, whether it be that of our own nation’s or that of an ally or friendly nation or nations.

Two prime examples of this in action are the Sweden-Polish conflict with Germany and the Mexican-American war. Because of conflicting MPPs with all parties to the recent European conflict the US was treaty-bound to remain neutral. The results of this conflict have been disastrous for the US, both in terms of prestige and foreign policy structure. Germany’s defeat and occupation by Poland and Sweden has invited PEACE nations into the widening war and now Germany is completely occupied by Hungary and France. Whether these nations will return German territory to Germany remains to be see. Whether they will use these territories to launch attacks on Swedish home territories is another question. Certainly France and Hungary (and PEACE as a whole) will seek to encircle both Poland and Sweden and severely hamper their abilities to project power within Europe itself. That in and of itself may not be a bad thing but one aspect is probably certain: out of necessity Germany will probably be forced into the open arms of PEACE. In much the same manner the Mexican-American war forced Mexico to seek a balance in security from PEACE to offset American aggression. The conquest of Mexico and subsequent liberation by PEACE presented Mexico with an obvious choice – to whom should they be expected to show their allegiance? An aggressor nation with a soiled history of conquest or the alliance that gave them self-determination? The answer for both Germany and Mexico is obvious.

This is globalization writ small in eRepublik. Nations are binding together for joint security in response to both perceived and actual threats. The downside to these developments is that they serve not to unify nations but perpetuate the continued cycle of aggression, conflict and occupation. We have seen the world from a bipolar structure (PEACE & ATLANTIS) to a multipolar one with multiple allegiances and alliances. The stability of a bipolar structure is greater than that of a multipolar one as there are greater opportunities and chances for complicated relationships to create situations where actual policy application must as dictated by treaty obligations run counter to larger foreign policy aspirations.


The significance of Greek and Israeli liberation

Yesterday’s dramatic victory in the Central Greek Resistance War could prove to be a difference maker for many nations. While the immediate and obvious implications of the liberation of Central Greece, that is, the loss of a high iron region and the loss of prestige to Turkey alongside the prestige gain to the USA and her allies and the reintegration of the high-iron region into the world economy, are interesting the longer-term impact of this victory could prove to have a greater and longer-lasting impact on world affairs. There exists an opportunity to build upon these liberation battles and encourage a movement away from exclusive blocs and hence a way out of current instability inherent in a multipolar world.

What exactly is this opportunity? A chance for the USA to declare, once and for all, its opposition to foreign conquest. A chance for the USA to suggest (and possibly demand) to her allies that they too abandon an aggressive, militarily centric foreign policy. A possibility for us to band together with like-minded nations and leaders to create an international framework to increase the security of all nations and reduce the potential for conflict and international instability.

How exactly can this opportunity be seized upon? I suggest several steps be taken, the first of which being a joint declaration by like-minded states with the USA that encourages the return of all occupied territories to their original sovereign holders. In conjunction with such return would nations be eligible for membership in several international organizations designed to ensure military and economic security (i.e., protect the member nations against military aggression and occupation and ensure economic access to vital resources and raw materials) as well as organizations dedicated to trade liberalization and internal national economic development. Finally, there should be access to an international organization to protect against internal political upheaval and undue external influence of internal politics.

War, trade embargoes, resource isolations and PTOs are part of the eRepublik world. We, both the citizens of the USA and the citizens of eRepublik face a stark choice: continue down the path towards competing and separate global blocs, integrated only between themselves or choose a different path, one of integration and security for all. True globalization.


Structural Globalization

In order to promote the general global security, I am proposing the following international organizations be create😛

1. An “eUN” or, if you’d prefer, something more along the lines of an eOAS, eOAU, eCommonwealth or eEU. This organization would first and foremost be responsible for coordinating among member nations JOINT military security. Member nations would be restricted from military action against other member nations. Territorial integrity of all nations (not just signees) would be enforced by all members. Secondarily, this organization would develop mechanisms to prevent PTOs of member nations internal political structures.

2. An “eWorld Bank” or “eIMF”. This organization would provide needed development funds and loans to underdeveloped regions and nations. The disparity between wealthy and poor nations helps to drive military campaigns as nations compete with one another for access to raw materials and populations from which taxes can be garnered. Helping member nations to develop their internal economies will reduce pressures for economic growth through territorial acquisition.

3. An “eWTO”. This organization would encourage trade liberalization between members by working to drop import taxes. This would give nations access to needed raw materials, a problem that currently encourages the acquisition and occupation of strategic locations globally.

4. Finally, an “eICJ”. This organization would work in conjunction with the first (the “eUN”) to resolve differences between nations and enforce international law. eRepublik has seen the influence that individuals can have over foreign policy. By encoding anti-aggression into international law this organization would gain the ability to prosecute citizens for violations such as inciting illegal wars of conquest, provoking PTOs, theft of treasury funds and whatnot.


Globalization and future US foreign policy

Only by embracing globalization and encouraging nations to truly become bound together as a global community can the USA escape the current cycle. Of course such a policy would require the USA to abandon tactics that its foreign opponents currently employ: territorial conquest, forced treaty obligations, PTOs and other elements of international intrigue and skullduggery. But the ramifications of such a globalization effort would open up heretofore-restricted regions to economic development and growth. It would also free the USA from the current cycle of conflict, confrontation and international rivalry between the US and PEACE at the expense of weaker, less powerful and influential nations.

The prestige to be gained by such a proposal is immense. This is not calling for the USA to be the world’s policeman but rather to join together with the rest of the world in order to help all of us police ourselves and reduce international conflict and strife.

As always, your comments are encouraged.


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The opinions published by the Irregular Repertoire or PigInZen are not to be construed as the official policy of the USA or the US State Department nor an endorsement thereof. All opinions are that of the publisher alone.