Indeed, What Is To Be Done?

Day 4,841, 20:14 Published in USA USA by Derphoof



USWP and Feds, two of the best parties in the eUnited States, just held a multiple day in game vote as to whether we should adopt the official policy of denying the legitimacy of eRepublik. The vote was overwhelmingly in support. When in the course of human history pettiness and vindictiveness reigns supreme, it will be left to a few brave souls to uproot the system and start anew. The history of eRepublik hitherto is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations. We do not say these lightly, but do so for the following reasons.

1. eRepublik is not a community-owned and administered platform. It is a private website owned and operated by Plato, for profit, who retains absolute authority over its operations. He has shown extreme bias, banning various members of the years. In the past he has given administration privileges to people such as Glorious Failure, who leaked his moderator account info, resulting in mass bans and newspaper changes; desecrating the game we play. Plato has also targeted members of his choosing, while ignoring serious issues brought up by others. So long as Congress remains subservient to Plato, Congress can never be an independent body. eRep rules, not Congressional rules, dictate decorum. eRep moderators, not Congressional moderators, dictate who can participate and who cannot.

2. Any compromises as to dual in-game and forum Congressional participation can only exist through the deeply flawed and unfair eRep political system. This is the totally wrong mindset, as it is an artificial barrier that creates hurdles to player engagement. As the game shrinks, we should open the door to players not close the door. For players who want Congressional independence, for players who dislike the totalitarian history of the administrative moderators, for people concerned about privacy, for people who want few hurdles to exist for players - eRepublik use cannot be reconciled.

3. eRep will not allow voting "delegates", which shuts the doors to players in a shrinking game, creating hurdles to player engagement.

4. Finally, no good reason exists to allow in game voting. Those who assert forum-voting are shouted down by the plethora of folks who cannot be bothered to login to a website and type “yes” or “no.” How can we trust them to do the same in-game? The burden of forum-voting is non-existent and the reward is everything.

So now we return to our opening salvo, What Is to Be Done?

We shall immediately vote against everything in-game, effective immediately. USWP and Feds stand by the majority of voters in the eUSA, by walking away from Plato’s abusive system. Plato can rule us no more.





Doesn’t that sound ridiculous?

While I understand much of BSP’s age-old complaints, WTP is new on the scene for this. While I would argue that BSP has nothing to fear coming back to the forum, as their old antagonists no longer play, WTP isn’t in this for the same reasons.

WTP has never faced the vitriol that BSP did.
WTP has never faced biased moderation, as BSP did.
WTP also had players participating in bad faith, with regard to in-game voting.

CG even mentioned that his forum ban means he cannot participate, but this is false. We’ve long accepted players acting by proxy. People are more than welcome to post his comments in discussions, and even inform Congress of his votes on various matters. The only thing that stops proxy participation is censure.

For the WTP, this isn’t about the forum causing them injury or harm. It’s about power politics, to benefit the elite in their party. It reeks of frustation with being in the Congressional minority.





“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Buckminster Fuller

As I have told many people, the USWP is interested and open to various reforms and changes to our system of government. What it will not tolerate is the complete abolition of the current system.

And why?

Nothing has come along to make our current system obsolete. It is still the best way of organizing debate, voting, and keeping records on government business/debate. The USWP is still open to in-game voting, even though we believe forum-voting to be a better organized and safer way of running Congress.

I would even be open to the possibility of delegate reform, but CG said it best. We cannot close the door on engagement. By eliminating the delegate system, we create hurdles to player engagement. As the game shrinks, we should open the door to players not close the door.

However, when it comes to “what must be done” to bring WTP back to the forums, CG already answered his own question. WTP is “establishing in-game votes, effective immediately.” That’s the only remedy they have, and the only one they seek.

As such, if they work with me in good faith to implement in-game voting again, I look forward to their immediate return to forum activity.