My two cents worth...
Send love to Plato
How do I start? Well I am tempted to write about how I think we are all guilty of the breakdown of the political system in the eUK...but then it mirrors the real life political animal, so that wouldn't be right.
Part of me wants to lambast the eUK citizens for allowing the country to slowly slide back into a footing where you are holding on to the cliffs edge by your finger tips, slowly you feel the grip loosen and the strain becomes unbearable. So you use all your energy to make sure the guy leaning over gets pulled over first...hell why not? If you are going to go take someone with you. This attitude has opened the divide slightly wider recently and smashed apart any goodwill we had recently within the political system.
Though as I consider this Wayne Kerr (you're mentioned so vote it up!) always says that the political system and hostility was always the same...perhaps. I don't remember the hostility being this vicious but I will take Waynes word for it (that's two mentions so you better set up a multi-account for a second vote).
There is a way around it though...
The top five political parties in the eUK have never been stronger especially in my lifetime, and by that I mean when I first joined eRepublik the fifth placed party had roughly 50 members. Now you need over 100 to break into that elite club. No top 5 no Congress candidates without another party willing to offer a helping hand, which I am pleased to say has happened a lot recently. When I first joined it seemed rare and I still remember how ESO broke the mould to help the little guy get a helping hand, this was a great help to smaller parties and gave them that helping hand up the recruitment ladder. It gave the smaller party something to offer the newer player, a glint of an offer to entice that player to take a gamble rather than take a safe bet and just join an already established large party.
No, the landscape has changed and now you see longstanding parties such as PCP and UKRP fighting hard to try and reclaim past glories, it is a much sobering thought for UKRP when you consider the distinguished members they have within their ranks. I suppose on the other hand it has opened up TUP who have offered that helping hand for UKRP to have Congress representatives, I apologise for any injustice but I don't recall TUP ever doing that in my eLifetime but a great gesture is a great gesture none the less and they deserve the applause and recognition for that act, all top five parties do.
So we all are aware how difficult it is for parties at the top. The scramble to recruit that new player, the one without the avatar who's rank is in the single digits. Some have taken to offering supplies which puts them on a firmer footing than other top parties...does it make them friendlier communities? Are their policies suddenly better and healthier for the country? Does the supplies mean that player is more likely to remain in eRepublik? No, though you can see why the new player takes the offer.
So, where does this leave the parties at the foot of the hill to Congress? I will be honest and say I didn't really appreciate the situation before...until now. Parties like the Workers Rights Party limp along trying their hardest to recruit and keep their current members happy, they are very well thought of but are guilty of not wanting to put several hours a day into a game where they just want to enjoy it more than everything. The game is not that rewarding where you can justify dedicating so much for so little. Don't get me wrong, I mean that there will be some who bemoan their position and say they haven't worked hard enough...I don't believe that at all...they recruit, write articles, play the game in the spirit it was meant to and have made many friends. Their key figure Huey George kick started a trend for Congress men to write reports so the people know what was happening within the walls of Congress, sadly this seems to have slowly died a death again. But the effort was there and still they linger at the bottom of the political rankings.
There are other parties down there who spend more time than they should trying to climb the ladder very slowly or desperately try to retain their numbers. Parties like the Great British Democratic Party and The Independent Alliance amongst many, we all offer something slightly different.
It just needs people to step back and think, do they really get the most from their current party? Does their party really support them? Are their policies what they would choose? Too many become small fish in a large pond for the comfort, hell why not and fit right in afterall the party is already made and eLife is good. Well why not take a step back and become a large fish in a small pond? Take a month's break from being in a large party and move down to a smaller one...anyone...boost their membership and help write an article.
If you are in a party top heavy with members why not try the smaller party where your opinion is heard louder and you are not an individual in a sea of faces. Try learning the ropes at one of the smaller parties and learn your craft, fine tune your spokesman skills or your policy developing Councilling talents? If you put your name forward for the Party President of your party and still each month you struggle to get enough support, well try a smaller party and get the experience whilst sharing valuable knowledge of the workings of a larger party. I don't mean spy and spill secrets...I mean help, assist, encourage and play a part.
Take a tiny gamble and see if it really is more rewarding and enriching to help build up the foundations of a smaller party, to help those smaller parties obtain a firmer hold upon the edge of that political cliff. What do you have to lose? You fail, you go back to the big party you came from. If things aren't the same and you are not welcomed then you have learned a lesson that it wasn't the party you thought it was afterall and you look for that next political opportunity.
Another thing we have to do as a community is support our smaller parties with regards to their articles...Is it really to much to vote up articles such as this? . There have been some great articles by the smaller parties out there which have been ignored while some larger parties have brought votes and consigned that well written piece to suffer a death. Well if you are sick of brought articles then do something about it, take a moment to vote a few...why not? Sometimes these articles are used to help smaller parties become more aware so you can play a part that way, barely any effort and hardly any fuss for just a click and a minute of your time. You could spend the same amount of time voting up someone else's article rather than leaving a comment on an article with brought votes from a writer who will never change their ways, It is obvious which one will be more helpful.
I am not just referring to my own party here as well as I have only been in The Independent Alliance for ten days, so I am in no position to lecture anybody...but remember there are parties at the foot of your country's rankings who are hard working, dedicated and friendly with a wonderful little community just waiting for you. At the foot of the political rankings where venom, bitterness and trolling doesn't exist...IT'S HONESTLY TRUE!!! While the big parties scramble to buy votes and recruit yet another new gamer we are scrambling for enough members to approach one of the big boys for a platform for a Congress seat, it is just as competitive down here as it is up there so don't think it is void of any competitiveness, it is just that we do things different and show more respect to each other.
I have resisted using my party's logo's too much other than small paragraph breakers and the newspapers header as a show that this wasn't a blatant attempt at recruitment and that this is was a genuine article aimed at helping some genuinely great little parties, and if it makes one person realise that bigger Isn't better (don't cry ladies) and they take that step down then this has been more than worthwhile.
AND FINALLY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY
If you are level 29 and below you are entitled to free food from the government, you can apply here NHS APPLICATION by filling out the very simple form. The NHS scheme has no conditions and is open to all new players so please apply as every bit of help is important in your early career of eRepublik.
And in the recent climate of party vote buying outside of election PLEASE remember to vote up Government articles as these are Important!
Comments
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On the congress side,I shall be releasing a article on my congressial decisions too.Great article.
A good demonstration of a mature and sober approach to eUK politics
...who you calling sober???
But you admit ti the mature.
Excellent article once again - all the best from UKRP!
Nice article Hugh, once again proving to be one of the most sexy politicians out there 😉 All the best from over the waters!
Wow TUP are so fantastic letting UKRP run for them. If only other parties would do this! Good idea to write part of your article as a love letter in praise of this unique gift TUP are giving that nobody else gives!
Maybe they will run your party for congress?
jelly
PEANUT BUTTAH JELLY TIME!
Wow seems to be a lot of anger there. I mentioned ESO because they were the first in my eLifetime to offer a Congress seat to lower parties. I mentioned TUP because it is the first time I have seen them do it and good on them for doing it. I did say all the top five deserve applause and recognition for doing the same as well.
As for a 'love letter' well I have said very publicly that this month is too soon in my opinion and I have approached nobody with regards to running a candidate,
You really should read articles fully before commenting Goku. : )
New Era run Huey George form Worker party First, New Era Runs PCP members, Bigger is better mark my words !
Obviously a propaganda article if you write about parties being offered slots in other parties and you don't mention the party which does it month after month with multiple parties?
Okay Goku you're right : )
Isn't almost every article propaganda?
Hugh if you want to discuss congress for IA find me on IRC : )
I'll be on tonight but I think this month is too soon, I wouldn't even know if anybody is interested yet...I'm taken aback by that offer though : D
Just goes to show you, threaten to brick someones windows and it's win win!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ALwKeSEYs
Yes join the smaller parties, hint hint, haha.
i wish we had more of you. can we clone you?
everything in there is a word of truth
If we clone him, I want a copy to keep in bed with me!
Maybe a bit controversial, but I don't personally see a need for any parties outside the Top 5 (Maybe Top 7 although congress game mechanics make it kind of useless). Surely they would be better off joining a big one rather than further diluting (and dividing?) the eUK. Especially when considering game mechanics, there are only so many combinations of policies one can pursue. And as for the community element of a party, well there are only two sides of the fence (and those that like to sit on it). So do we really need more than one party for each side of the fence. I think we can achieve more when we stick together in bigger groups, especially as far as voting counts. People now are splintering off and dividing the party communities and thus the country as a whole. And there will be more arguments when a small party comes up with a "new" set of ideals. I think the party situation was better when we first started Hugh (other than the formation of New Era). You had the mainstream parties and then PCP who wanted to be a bit different and enjoyed the small community feel (and possibly ESO offered that too although a bit bigger).
Think of it like this from a military analogy: what is more effective? Lots of fractional mercenary groups with their own values and goals or a large national army, a united force to be reckoned with. If you believe Machiavelli then you would say the latter.
I like and respect you and wish you luck in what you're doing but am just voicing an opinion. Please feel free to disagree.
P.S. I never thought I'd write a soppy post about unity (united we stand, divided we fall, etc). I do believe in some divisions. But when the divisions become divided it gets confusing (look no further than recent problems between UKPP and NE aka the Opposition).
By the way, that is the CLOSEST you will EVER see me to writing an article 😉
I do see your point but there was more than 7 parties even when we joined, but I said this to someone else today...communication between the parties at the bottom is a breath of fresh air compared to the top parties. We don't poach, flame, buy votes against each other and yet we are all in the same boat. While some parties are fighting for top five, some are fighting just to be bigger...we are fighting for retention and staying appealing to the big boys for next months congress elections. So there is a basis for rivalry, but there is none. We (WRP, IA, GBDP etc etc) are what the eUK can be : )
As i said in the article we are just as competitive in the bottom as you are at the top but we have the ethics that is missing with some of the top five...not all...just some. No I do respect your point but from experience I can say that if the eUK was run by the bottom parties it would be more unified than we ever will be.
So the bottom parties haven't though of merging and becoming a force to be reckoned with? Or is it the same need for induviduality/identity, difference of policies or lust for power that is preventing unity in those as well?
I see all this Unity talk...and think your in the wrong party 😛
Yeah you've really got that buzzword locked down, but sometimes we can't help but use it. To be honest, I'm not pro-unity but neither am I pro-anarchy. I just like the drama that having an opposition creates as it makes the game interesting for me (some people just watch eastenders. Spoiler: Kat's on the game again).
choice is good
Yes but too much choice is bad. My point was a Top 5 should provide enough choice. Although not for some, hence the smaller parties Hugh described which is fair enough.
without my spamicans i wouldn't be playing, seems you've already conceded the small parties have a place though... so good 🙂
Why merge? I would genuinely be happy if the Alliance leveled of around 25 members so we could focus on community and not looking for a gradual increase and a thirst for power. I don't believe any party in the bottom half is desperately hungry for power...you can include PCP in that as they have a core vote and could easily obtain some very favourable concessions if they were to look for them but they don't. PCP could be the difference between a party finishing fourth...or first. But no, there isn't the lust for power hence why you don't see vote buying down here in the basement : )
Obviously I would want us to be in a position where we could return a congress member every month through an agreement with a top 5 party though, but that is common sense to keep those who do want to enter congress happy.
Fair enough I can see the attraction to a closely nit community hence my MU choice. I think the fact that we can have this conversation (cue adolescent intervention) shows you will go far (in this fantasy game :/ still complement intended).
I appreciate the compliment : )
...and as always i have enjoyed talking to you \o/
A well written and great article \o/
An interesting analysis of the Workers' Rights Party. I'm not sure we "limp along" as it's never a hardship or effort being in the Workers' Rights Party it's just an alternative enjoyable choice. However I understand your point.
I think often the eUK relies on a few to do a lot when we could have a lot doing less. That over-reliance at times leads to citizens in power, trapped between burning themselves out or being accused of not doing enough. The Workers' Right Party feel that if we all did a little and trusted others more, we'd have an improved community.
However this article isn't about the WRP so I won't say more and as always you have my great respect, Dr Hugh. Voted
Much respect and I am sorry if it came along as disrespectful...limped along was probably wrongly chosen. I am sure you can imagine what I did mean though by that your membership hasn't risen by what it could, and by that I mean for a great community minded party that is very well respected through out the eUK you should have people banging down your door each day. I also do not mean that as an attack on your recruitment officer, I just mean people complain about the poison in the eUK political scene and parties such as WRP have the antidote with respectful members who play the game the way it was meant to be played...and yet they remain where they are. Still their choices : )
However I am glad you haven't seen this as an attack on WRP. Far from it to be honest.
Voted. Great article! Fantastic work as per always.
/me is embarrassed because his comment has no substance
: P
An obvious point but one worth making, is that every large party started life as a small party. This is nothing new...
You wasn't in UKPP, you wouldn't have paid much attention or been subject to such hostility. I think the community realised it's mistakes with how it handled UKPP and the treatment of New Era has been more civil. It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows but I don't think we have reached the heights of Feb-Apr 2012 just yet.
Yes, interesting point...but did you vote considering I hit the Wayne mantra of ''no Wayne no vote'' ???
Of course, I'm a man true to my word...