Springtime of Freedom: A Guns of Old John Brown Riot Quest

A trend had begun to reach its culmination, as the Worker's Party and Socialist Worker's Party were both eclipsed by the Socialist Party. Energetic campaigning, a broad base of support, and effective propaganda had seen them become the dominant party of the government, even surpassing the Freedmen's Party. However, they were still not large enough to rule alone, and in any case had found a stable arrangement with their various comrades.

Just as Socialist Party had eclipsed their comrades, those comrades had utterly eclipsed the Radical Republicans and the Freedmen's Party both. The two organizations had found themselves increasingly marginalized on the national level, with the Radical Republicans especially being locked out of power. Donations from party members and support from organizers were both beginning to falter after the results of the election became clear, while leaders retired, switched parties, or began to consider alternatives.

But while the two fading stars, and what some described as the last remnants of old America, struggled to survive, the government dutifully set about implementing their combined platforms.

The first priority was to secure the lives and safety of the workers who had elected them. The parties had campaigned on the expansion of various regulations, ranging from the establishment of a minimum wage that was pegged to the salary of members of the National Assembly to reduce maximum work hours for both the week and day, with narrow and strictly defined exceptions for periods of emergency. There were also laws passed to ensure goods are being produced to standards and protect customers from being cheated

The Social Planning Committee also enacted measures to protect the lives and safety of the citizens of the Freedmen's Republic. Nature management programs were created, designating swathes of territory as preserves, green space was added to many cities, and investments in reducing smog and toxic waste were begun. Joint research bureaus for these issues were established with the other nations of the DMA, both of whom had strong interests in these fields.

And heavy investment was put into automation. Three massive factory complexes were established to take advantage of existing logistical links and concentrations of skilled workers, each one producing advanced technology to automate the drudgework of society. This ranged from improved machinery for factories to massive engines to dig up rock and grind away waste material.

The sheer amount of machinery produced would take time to disseminate and the training would take even longer, but already productivity per worker hour was rising. The drop in hours helped reduce the loss of employment, and plans for retraining and expansion were put in place. However, many workers were redirected into technical or medical colleges, the new cultural programs, or even into the Ourvy.

Even with these vast expansions, the industry of the nation continued to grow. The chemical segment of the economy expanded, as new pharmaceutical plants and fertilizer factories were created and diesel factories began to enter larger production runs, although they still remained a specialized and experimental technology.

Especially since the wells for digging up oil proved to be prone to leaks and toxicity, leading to the slowing of production as new safety measures were implemented.

The Ourvy continued their efforts at expanding and improving railways, with the aim of building a cross-continental railway. The Worker's Republic began their own efforts, with plans for a northern and southern route to be established. No one said it out loud, but one was certainly aimed to support conflict with Mexico, and one with Canada, whatever other goals these constructions had.

The Navy also recieved the first budget increase in several years, with new orders for ships and shore batteries sent in. The first of a dozen hulls of what were planned to be powerful, if short-legged battleships was laid down, with the aim of these vessels and their accompanying defenses being to keep ports open in the event of war.

A new organization was established, the Intelligence Oversight Committee, which like the Social Planning Commitee was quickly stacked with delegates of the leading parties. With a mandate to ensure transparency of internal and external operations, they took their first fumbling steps into unveiling the extensive classified networks of intelligence agents, primarily at home.

Even as the intelligence agencies struggled with their erstwhile supervisors, they followed their mandates, providing support to international worker's organizations both officially and unofficially, with the Latin American Alliance of the Oppressed and it's Mexican branch seeing special attention. The organization also began looking to Europe, heart of imperialism, and Africa, the next victim of that dark heart.

Agents were inserted into Great Britain to make contact with dissidents, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, while more open contact was made with the kingdoms and nations of sub-Saharan Africa. The Merina kingdom, under threat from France, and the Zulu, under threat from the British, both welcomed the aid from the distant powers of the DMA.

The final diplomatic efforts of the year were focused more internally, on the DMA and Haiti. Efforts at refining and improving the coordination of the military alliance continued, while further expansions of trade and aid were initiated, with the Turtle Island Confederation creating strategic settlements in certain areas to improve their industrial production and an expansion of the literacy program in Haiti.

The government also established a program of funding various cultural expressions, ranging from festivals to writers, along with creating records of interested organizations to provide a forum for coordination among various book clubs, singer's associations, comedy groups, and other such societies.

The additions of government funding saw an explosion of culture, particularly music and "verbal entertainment," a broad category that included everything from stand-up comedy to duals of rhyming poetry to rambling tales told.

Outside of the halls of government, the Socialist Party expanded their mutual aid organizations, creating powerful tenant's associations who were able to enforce a series of popular changes, including restrictions on what businesses could be operated inside an apartment building. They also established a mechanism for changing party lists by popular acclaim, although it still faced criticism due to the immense scale of the party.

The International Revolutionary Party began a two-part campaign, featuring militarist propaganda and advocacy for the expansion of female recruitment. While the army was technically open to women, they were de facto restricted to rear-line roles, and the recruiting sergrants were quite overwhelmed by the sudden influx of angry young ladies. The issue quickly became a hot-button topic and a source of many arguments.

The Worker's Party sought to recover their ailing fortunes by taking credit for many of the pro-worker policies such as the minimum wage, with their Speaker refusing to take any pay higher despite otherwise being entitled. However, the relatively limited reach of their propaganda limited these impacts.

The Socialist Worker's Party, meanwhile, competed with the International Revolutionaries for becoming the most outward-focused party, widely denouncing the Belgian proposal, and the Austro-French-Bavarian treaty. Limited propaganda had a similar effect to the Worker's Party, but a small shift in policy and support had begun to take place...

The Freedmen's Party had at least freed themselves from their patronage networks, overcoming a legacy of corruption, and had instead rallied around the banners of peace and the farm, with a number of additional currents such as pro-environmental current.

Meanwhile, the Radical Republicans rallied around the continued pro-worker and pro-international stances of the government, although they continued to face repression and defeat as their base shifted away from electoralism or simply fled.

Foreign Affairs, Popular Opinion, and Primaries to come. Along with a mechanical change.

Government
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic (National Assembly)
Governing Document: Freedmen's Charter (civil rights, guaranteed welfare, freedom of conscience)
Head of State: Samson Stein
Head of Government: Samson Stein
Legislative Coalition: SWP, WP, SP, IRP
Election Types: National Proportional Representation universal suffrage

Foreign Affairs
Diplomatic Status: Recognized by Britain, France, German Confederation, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Mexico, recognized by several African kingdoms including the Zulu and Merina
War and Peace: Peace treaty with Mexico
Alliances: Part of Des Moines Alliance with Turtle Island Confederation and Worker's Republic of America, alliance with Haiti
Trade Agreements: Turtle Island Confederation (Economic Aid), Worker's Republic of America (Economic Aid), Great Britain, France, Haiti (Economic Aid)
Border Disputes: Mexico, Dominion of Pacifica

War
Army Type: Volunteer Militia (Freedmen's Army)
Army Quality: High
Army Quantity: Adequate
Fort Quality: Critical
Fort Quantity: Critical

Navy Type: Coast Guard (Freedmen's Navy)
Navy Quality: Adequate
Navy Quantity: Critical
Seaport Quality: Low
Seaport Quantity: Low

Interior
National Stability: Adequate
Regional Stability: Texas (Low)
Law Enforcement Quality: Low
Law Enforcement Quantity: Low
Bureaucracy Quality: Low
Bureuacracy Quantity: Adequate
Anti-Corruption Quality: Low
Anti-Corruption Quanitty: Low

Espionage
External Espionage Quality: Low
Internal Espionage Quality: Adequate

External Espionage Accountability: Low
Internal Espionage Accountability: Low

Finance
Treasury: Adequate
Debt Ratio: High
Tax Income: Adequate
Tariff Income: Adequate
Fee Income: Low
Expenses: High
Principal Creditors: Britain (50%), Domestic (32%), France (18%)
Principal Debtors: The Des Moines Alliance (100%)

Welfare and Regulations
Pensions: Low, Adequate (Veterans)
Healthcare: Low, Adequate (Veterans)
Healthcare Access: Adequate

Financial Regulations: Low
Environmental Regulations: Adequate
Worker's Regulations: High
Consumer Regulations: Low


Economy
Economic Output: Adequate
Economic Growth: Adequate
Economic Activity: Agriculture (32%), trade (15%), light industry (30%), heavy industry (23%)
Commercial Output: Adequate
Commercial Growth: Adequate
Trade Partners: Britain, France, German Confederation, etc. [mixed] (18%), Des Moines Alliance [mixed] (82%)
Living Standards: High
Technology: Ideal
Immigration: Adequate (Prussia, Austria-Hungary, Russia)

Public Works
Road Quality: Adequate
Road Presence: Adequate
Rail Quality: High
Rail Presence: Adequate
Utility Quality: Adequate
Utility Presence: Low
Port Quality: Low
Port Presence: Adequate
Waterway Quality: Adequate
Waterway Presence: Adequate

Education
Literacy Rate: 81%
Literacy Growth: Adequate
Education Quality: Adequate
Education Presence: Adequate

Stats: [None/Critical] / [Low/High] / [Adequate/Medium] / [High/Low] / [Ideal/Booming]
Stats in bold are improving, stats in italics are declining.

Foreign Affairs

Another attempted strike in Argentina was met with the army being sent in to "restore order." Many were killed and injured, and many more arrested. However, they have not been able to capture many of the organizers and the government seems uncertain about what to do next.

A native, or possibly peasant uprising has broken out in the far south of Mexico.

The natives of the Amazon have fended off a series of expeditions meant to secure new plantations and destroy hideouts of runaway slaves.

A British trading outpost has been established in southern Africa.

There have been a series of border clashes along the Franco-German border, with the French being accused of persecuting Germans and the Germans being accused of provocative action.


Popular Sentiment

It doesn't feel good having someone with power who isn't personally accountable to me. How am I supposed to organize a recall petition across the entire nation? (High)

Our comrades to the south are struggling and dying! We have to help them!(Low)

The Radical Republicans and the International Revolutionaries won't stop fighting! (Low)

We've fought two wars in my lifetime already, I hope there won't be a third. (Low)

Each platform may have five legislative planks and two non-legislative planks. In addition, you may also list who you wish to have or not have as a coalition partner. Finally, each party has an Ideology. One legislative plank must match this ideology. Planks which go against an Ideology will damage Discipline, and possibly divide the party into two new ones.

The ideologies are Centralized Democracy (Socialist Party), Justice for the Oppressed (Socialist Worker's Party), Develop the Means of Production (Worker's Party), Carry the Struggle Onward (International Revolutionary Party), Peace and Prosperity (Freedmen's Party), and Preserve Our Privilege (Radical Republican Party).

Platforms should be voted for in this format:

[] [Party Name] Plan name
-[] Plank 1
-[] Plank 2
-[] Plank 3
-[] Plank 4
-[] Plank 5
-[] Non-legislative plank 1
-[] Non-legislative plank 2
-[] Coalitions

You may vote for multiple plans, but only for one party.