Austrian Homecoming
Rangeley
We have seen much in these past few days. We were taken by surprise when the nation of Hungary launched an invasion of Burgenland, breaking previous promises that this would never happen. We rallied together, and with the help of allies and allied fighters, succeeded in the defense. We then participated in an effort to help our neighbor, Slovakia, achieve this same independence. The joint effort restored Western, and Eastern Slovakia to their rightful owners.
A continued, perpetual, and endless war with Hungary, however, is not and never was our goal. Negotiations were ongoing with Hungary, and I am pleased to announce today that both of our nations have agreed to launch no further attacks against each other. But more than this, as promises have clearly shown themselves to not be sufficient in the past - influential members of the Hungarian congress will for the first time move to close the open state of war with Austria.
This was a request we gave to Hungary two times in the month of October, with it being dismissed both times. That they are now willing to officially push for an end to the state of war is a very good development. If successful, it would spell a final end to the era in which Austria willingly destroyed its reputation, in allying nations Hungary sought war with as a way of opening up a cheap war. It would close the door on the possibility of another rogue attack on our nation without a declaration of war, in the process ending the economic embargo. And it would instead create the possibility of open and honest relations between our two nations. This would be a very large step in the right direction.
Empires and Dissent
I've seen two troubling things in Austria lately. The first is the seemingly growing desire to make these recent events into a sort of first step towards an Austrian Empire. Austria has been in empires before - other nation's empires. We've been absorbed in ill-conceived quests for greatness. This isn't something we attempted to impose on anyone, nor is it anything we are interested in doing in the future. Our actions were for the opposite purpose: to save our independence and help a neighbor further achieve theirs.
Along with this has been a hostile attitude towards dissent against decisions made in the recent war. We need dissent. Without dissent and different opinions, decisions won't be made with a full consideration of all options. Some believe that in times of war, this principle changes. But if anything, it becomes even more important to speak your mind.
State Run Weapons Company
It has been suggested by some, including former President Metallon, that we re-open the weapons company owned by the Osterreichs Bundesheer, as a way of having a stockpile to supply our armed forces in the event of an emergency. This would entail first upgrading it from a Q1 to a Q2 at a cost of 20 gold, and then of course require further expenditures to pay for employees to work there. We don't traditionally use state owned companies, and haven't for months - but perhaps this could be an exception to the rule considering the circumstances. Input on this issue would be greatly appreciated, either here or on our forum (www.eaustria.tk) where I would like congress to eventually vote on this decision.
Current Legislation
There are a few laws currently up for a vote. One is a donation to the treasury, while the other two are laws with no adjoining discussion. The accepted tradition is to vote down laws that have no adjoining discussion, regardless of their merits. However, one law is currently set to pass: a change to the citizen fee. I strongly encourage anyone who has not yet voted, to vote against this law proposal until a discussion on the topic is held. Especially considering the law itself may be quite harmful to new citizens in our current economic conditions.
On the Agenda
With my last regular update, making sure that relations remained solid with our neighbors who left PEACE GC was identified as a focus. While this played out quite ironically and we were invaded just minutes after the posting, at this point relations have been stabilized. However, the work must continue and improving relations will remain an important focus.
With the congressional elections tomorrow, I urge everyone to make sure they get out to vote. And I also would like to pre-emptively remind everyone running for congress to please donate 3 gold of the 5 gold they win to an official organization of the Austrian Government to help fund it. The Austrian Central Bank, after spending 400 gold in war related costs in the past several days, is in my opinion easily the area of highest need.
Comments
voted
I think the country is better off buying and stockpiling weapons right off the market. That way, the military can direct the use of different Q weapons instead of using only a single Q. That stimulates the entire market.
The best reason I can see for a gov comp is to offer lower level jobs. However one company offering lots of lower-level jobs is not a recipe for success. Rather, the gov can offer incentives to weapons comps that offer lower level jobs. For example, buying weapons at an above-market rate if the comp regularly offers openings for lower-level jobs.
In full disclosure, I'm opening a weapons comp right now. I'm already trying to offer lower level jobs, which I'll continue doing without asking for gov incentives.
Also, if you've seen the sketches of the new war module, it could run into further problems. There will be more specialization going on, and a small gov already can't direct the specialization of 5 different weapon qualities.
One concern I've heard is that national defense should not be in private hands. I agree that is a concern, but it's inevitable in this game that private industry is necessary to run the war machine. The best the gov can do is get involved in the market. Avoiding the market realities will only lead to a weaker market and less overall flexibility in the war machine.
A very nice and informative update!
re state-owned weapons company:
It's a difficult call. What it boils down to is: Would the government/Bundesheer buy off the Austrian market in case of emergency or not. Since those weapons would never be sold, the only economic impact would be the potential loss of sales for privately owned companies. Notice the "potential". If we never get attacked or if the weapons would be bought on the black market or foreign markets there is no reason against a government-run production whatsoever.
I've wrote about this more extensively some weeks ago. There is nothing wrong with state-owned companies as long as they don't compete on the market. There they would undercut and ruin it, but here we are not talking about a profit oriented endeavour.
Looking at how bad our economical situation is right now (200g for another month of wargames would leave us with virtually nothing in our treasury), I would even propose something else: Go for profit, but a) only in a market segment, that doesn't have eAustrian companies AND b) primarily (if not exclusively) on the black market (to limit the national impact). In other words: Invest gold and engage in the only really profitable business right now - operate a state-owned q5 weapons company. Since there are eAustrian tanks too, it would even stop the flow of currency into foreign businesses and provide the best security in case of emergency. What better weapons to have a stockpile of than q5? I wouldn't even oppose using issued money to cover the costs. See it as another (very favourable) way of converting ATS to gold (the black market currency) other than the monetary market.
People sometimes are not able to get the greater picture, you did.
Congrats Mr. President, this will be a great step for normalizing our relations towards our neighbour country.
P.S.: I got a weapon company lvl 2 my own and I am offering 2 lvl 0 jobs right now. Though I originally opened this company only for my personal use, I would be willing to sell weapons to the gov. below market rate (just in case a state owned company will not be re-opened).
Too bad, I was looking forward to an Austrian Empire...just too bad.
If the gov opens a Q5 comp to stockpile and earn gold from other markets, then that should be fine with me. The gov can use the gold. Sorry if I didn't quite get that.
However, I don't see that as a good source for low level jobs. Beginners shouldn't be working in q5 comps. It's hard enough getting them to fight and heal. It might employ some higher-level workers, forcing other comps to create lower level openings, but that doesn't do much.
Stockpiling can be very good for the economy, even to the point where weapons are being handed out for wargames. That kind of movement and activity is really good for a country's economy and military. It's just got to be done in a way that actually benefits the country.
As far as stockpiling the Q of weapons and the price of the weapons, this should probably be done in consultation with the military. You don't want to give Q5 weapons to fighters who can't fully use it. There might be good reason for the gov to diversify the weapons they're stockpiling.
It doesn't seem likely that we'd be able to develop much an Austrian Empire. However, I'm all for trying to build Austria into a bulwark nation, which already seems to be happening. Maybe the new modules will make that possible.
I have to say that I agree with the above. It is cheaper to open your own company, but since our market is very slow it might be nice to see those bought up to stimulate the economy a little. I don't know how much more it will cost, but maybe you could look into it before opening up the company.
I would also support the negotiated return of Sued Tirol to Austrian hands. But that's not empire. 🙂
You must be joking, dear Stoneman.
The Italians would never agree to give you one of their regions.
South-Tirol is Italy afterall...
South Tirol is Italy in the cities, thanks to all the Sicilians Mussolini trucked in. Die Landschaft ist aber echt Tirol! Das Land Andreas Hofers! Das Erbland der Tirolern!
Ich schlief in Schloss Tirol und kriegt Albtraeume vom Gestank der Italiener.
Ok, not really. But I was feeling creative in German. 😉
This is a Rangeley as we know him and love him again 🙂
Ok Stoneman. I guess this is how some Hungarians feel about Burgerland.
If you want to take Burgerland, no prob. We'll keep Burgenland meanwhile.
Burgenland has been Austrian territory since the first millennium. It's been predominantly Germanic ever since then. In 1921 it was %9 Hungarian speaking and %74 Germanic. Today about 1500 Hungarian speakers live there.
Sued Tirol was part of Tirol also for over 1000 years. The former capitol of Tirol, before it was a part of the Hapsburg Empire was in what is now Sued Tirol. Only in 1918, when Italy occupied the territory did that start to change. Here's the breakdown of languages in Sued Tirol:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Langua[..].png" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Langua[..].png
Also, I called for the negotiated return of the territory, not the invasion of a sovereign nation.
Please keep RL arguments out of eRepublik. Especially if they are destructive ones like this.
We have enough of fanatics and ultra-nationalists in the real world. This being the "new world", a simple digital version for enjoyment, there is no reason whatsoever why eSüdtirol should belong to eAustria (or eBurgenland to eHungary). Does it say "You cannot start a resistance war in this region because it already belongs to its original owner country." on the region page? Then in this game (!) this region is where it rightfully belongs. Period.
Thank you, have a nice day and remember to have fun 🙂
On the topic of stockpiling, won't we be much more limited in what we could stockpile off the market in inventories, as opposed to what we can build in a company and just not sell?
I agree with you Elesias. Although someone who makes stupid xenophibic RL comments like you did a few days ago is not the best person to tell this.
"😉a fragt man sich doch, ob es nicht besser wäre, wieder einen Eisernen Vorhang zu haben. Der hat die Ungarn wenigstens drinnen gehalten... 😉"
Stoneman,
I personally have 0 interest in Burgenland. It is a fact that it used to be Hungary RL but I also know that it is mainly populated by German speakers. So I think it is in the right place.
Sud-Tirol is a bit more similar to Southern-Slovakia where 600.000 Hungarians live, and suffer from discrimination by a goverment that includes an ultranationalist party.
My interes is not changing borders but protecting minority rights and building good relations with neighbours, especially with historical friends like Austria.
Ferdinan😛
I'm too lazy to search for the comment, but even with the passage you quoted it should be fully obvious that I wasn't being serious (see the phrasing, see the winking emoticon at the end). If anybody thought I would really call for another Iron Curtain, I apologise. It was a (not very successful) attempt at a witty remark. I like to toy with the narrow-minded nationalists and see what responses I get (the sarcastic comment probably was on some right-wing newspaper to begin with, also see the comment about Ödenburg some days ago, but there I directly stated that I was joking).
Sorry if I went to far and hurt someone's feeling (I assume I did since you harshly call it "stupid and xenophibic"😉.
"protecting minority rights and building good relations with neighbours, especially with historical friends like Austria."
You guys have an awesome way of showing it.
Elesias, I understand now, and sorry that I did not take it as a joke first. I appreciate your good intention!
Alfred, I was talking about RL. IG there are not many minority issues. (Apart from the treatment of the real Austrian minority in Austria I guess 😁)
LOL AUSTRIA COULD KICK HUNGARY'S ASS IN RL LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!
Is there any one else I could talk to here?
This is not the intelligence level I am accustomed to when I talk to real Austrians.
Alfred, I understand that in a populous country like eUS where you come from it is difficult to make a political carrier. However, I do not think that there is a pressing need for Austria to import aggressive nationalist baboons from America. With this style you will not get too far in Europe.
"Alfred, I understand that in a populous country like eUS where you come from it is difficult to make a political carrier. However, I do not think that there is a pressing need for Austria to import aggressive nationalist baboons from America. With this style you will not get too far in Europe."
Again you are a terrible wrong I am from eGermany I had eUSA citizenship to help out in eUSMI get your facts straight and do no be misleading.