[X] The Worker's Party: The leftmost of the three main parties of the republic, they advocate for the intensification of industrialization and infrastructure programs, increased government sponsorship of cooperatives and government industries, tighter integration with the Des Moines alliance, a moderately aggressive foreign policy, and increases to the rights and protections for women, minorities, etc.
[X] The Socialist Worker's Party: A left-wing splinter from the Worker's Party, they advocate for the complete transition to a democratically planned economy, the destruction of patronage networks, tighter integration with the Des Moines alliance, an aggressive foreign policy, and greater rights and protections for minorities, women, etc.
[X] The Radical Republican Party: When the old Republican Party splintered, the majority chose to form a new organization, which joined the ranks of the leading parties. They are the publicly acceptable right-wing party. They advocate for the loosening of government regulations, an aggressive foreign policy towards France and Spain, and restrictions on immigration.
John Brown's retirement was not the only event that led to a political shake-up in the elections of 1875. The Montgomery Herald revealed a dramatic scandal of local bureaucrats stealing and reselling vital goods for personal profits, and an equally dramatic and sordid tale of the measures used to cover up this rampant theft, methods ranging from seduction to possibly murder.
The Socialist Worker's Party, led by the German-Texan Walpurga Voight, seized upon this issue and latent dissatisfaction with the ever-present patronage networks to run an insurgent and energetic campaign, one that saw them nearly triple in size. The Worker's Party also grew significantly. Both would likely have been even better able to take advantage of damage done to the Freedmen's Party, were it not for their tendency to compete with each other, resulting in divided radical voters allowing the Freedmen's Party candidate to squeak through in a number of districts.
Samson Stein, leader of the Worker's Party and their candidate for Premier, proposed a reunification of the two parties, but mutual antipathy prevented anything more than a temporary agreement to align in the Assembly.
Despite the serious damage done to the Freedmen's Party, their machine was still strong, leaving them with the largest party in the Assembly, but their reputation had been smeared enough that they lacked coalition partners and were forced to sit in opposition along with the Radical Republicans.
Meanwhile, the National Union Party continued to suffer humiliating defeats, with only a few successful campaigns. They were the joke of the country, even if they were determined to be more.
With the year's governing coalition established, the two parties put forth a unified program. First on the agenda were the local patronage networks. While the sweeping reforms proposed by Voight and her allies could not be put into practice, a series of transparency measures were put into place. These included the establishment of separate review boards and requirements for government employees to make public their incomes and any gifts they or their immediate family received.
Just as important to the two parties was the economy. The cutting-edge industry developed by Brown's strange comrades continued to be put to good use, creating everything from hemp shirts to rails to machine tools. Arrangements were made with local governments across the Republic to bring in additional workers to the towns and cities to help run the factories 24/7 while keeping working hours the same.
While this did lead to an increase in government expenses, newly (somtimes sloppily) constructed housing, and overcrowding in many cities, it also fueled a drop in prices for consumer goods across the nation and a significant increase in industrial growth. To manage the factories, broad government sponsored unions were created and entrusted with most of the daily operation, meeting with Assembly representatives to negotiate rates of pay and quotas of quality and quantity.
As part of the agreement, underserved areas were prioritized for the construction of new factories in the hopes of revitalizing the somewhat neglected economies of Appalachia and the Piedmont region.
In addition, another round of funding went out to agricultural cooperatives across the Republic, with the usual motivations - assistance in mechanizing their farming, developing local infrastructure, and intensifying agriculture.
Meanwhile, proposals were created for creating a military force for the Des Moines Alliance as a whole, instead of three separate member armies. While this was received well in the Worker's Republic, the Turtle Island Confederation sought to negotiate proportions and command structures, fearful of allowing even a portion of their military to be subordinated to the two powers to their east.
Negotiations regarding economic aid went much better. Freedmen's Republic scientists, Worker's Republic industrialists, and Confederation agriculturalists visited the other nations, continuing a familiar routine for many of them. However, the program was expanded, and an agreement put in place to continue it for five years instead of having to renegotiate it every year.
And as much as the government wanted to march south and drive the French from Mexico and the slavers from Brazil, they chose to take a more careful course for the moment, authorizing a slight expansion of the army and beginning to establish connections with revolutionaries and independence groups through the creation of the American College Network...
It was not time yet. But soon...
And already the parties were looking forward to their next election. With Samson Stein's seat as Premier secured barring an impeachment, the Worker's Party were determined to capitalize on their victories and become the new "natural leading party" while the Socialist Worker's Party is hoping to use their successes to attract more attention. Meanwhile, the Freedmen's Party is facing internal division regarding their connections to various political machines...
But before the election, there must be party conventions to decide new platforms.
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.
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
Foreign Affairs
Diplomatic Status: Recognized by Britain, France, German Confederation, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Mexico
War and Peace: Ceasefire with Northern Warlord States, 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
Border Disputes: Mexico, Northern Warlord States, 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: Critical
Interior
National Stability: Adequate
Regional Stability: Texas (Low)
Law Enforcement Quality: Low
Law Enforcement Quantity: Low
Bureaucracy Quality: Low
Bureuacracy Quantity: Adequate
Finance
Treasury: Low
Debt Ratio: High
Tax Income: Low
Tariff Income: Low
Fee Income: Low
Expenses: Critical
Principal Creditors: Britain (53%), Domestic (29%), France (18%)
Principal Debtors: None
Economy
Economic Output: Low
Economic Growth: Adequate
Economic Activity: Agriculture (43%), trade (15%), light industry (25%), heavy industry (17%)
Commercial Output: Low
Commercial Growth: Critical
Trade Partners: Britain, France, German Confederation, etc. [mixed] (20%), Des Moines Alliance [mixed] (80%)
Living Standards: Adequate
Technology: Ideal
Public Works
Road Quality: Adequate
Road Presence: Adequate
Rail Quality: Low
Rail Presence: Adequate
Utility Quality: Adequate
Utility Presence: Low
Port Quality: Low
Port Presence: Adequate
[] [Freedman's Party] It Says Free In The Name
-[] Further economic ties with allies, including Haiti.
-[] Begin placing diplomatic and economic pressure on the Northern Warlord States.
-[] It is only through education that people can be free, both men and women. It is time to focus on educational expansion, to create the next generation of the Republic and raise literacy.
-[] Cautious Defense: Begin building up fortifications as a way to steal the issue from those radical, more aggressive factions.
-[] Agricultural Grants: Try to appeal to one of your bases by improving grants and aid to agricultural expansions, including the kinds of technologies that John Brown's advisors had... often spoken of.
-[] Non-legislative plank 1: Organize societies and organizations to remember and exalt the memories of our great founders in the Civil War, and create a strong basis for further agitation.
-[] Non-legislative plank 2: Gentle reforms should be made away from graft, cleaning up the reputation of the party, whether they win or lose in this coming election.
-[] Coalitions: Workers Party, Radical Republican Party
[] [Socialist Worker's Party] The Internationalist Worker's War
-[] Advocate for the construction of ports in order to support seaborne trade with our allies such as Haiti and to also support the construction of a navy
-[] Place incredible military and diplomatic pressure on the northern Warlord states in order to finally bring them in
-[] Appeal to workers through the enforcement of labor laws and quality standards
-[] Begin building fortifications en mass in order to shore up our coastline and land defenses
-[] Create an initiative to expand and standardize the bureaucracy in order to stabilize regions like Texas
-[] Non-legislative plank 1: B O M B A R D T H E H E A D Q U A R T E R S; Encourage further youth organizations and societies to form that will create a strong youth basis for futher political advancement (and to make sure that the party upper crust dosen't get too moderate)
-[] Non-legislative plank 2: Promote party discipline (democratic centralism) and begin outreach to formed workers collectives/co-opts
-[] Coalitions: Worker's Party, Radical Republican Party
[] [Socialist Worker's Party] Sun & Steel
-[] Improve our chemical industry with a focus on nitrogen fertilizer used for both agriculture and the production of explosives and ammunition.
-[] Improve trade between the members of the Des Moines alliance in order to strengthen ties.
-[] Expand the rail network across the interior to allow you to trade and interact more easily with the Turtle Island Confederacy.
-[] Encourage the growth of light industry, especially of practical goods such as bicycles and hand powered tools.
-[] Form an army of labour - an Ouvry in common parlance - which will be responsible for tackling great infrastructural works.
-[] To limit the use of coal - whose extraction takes a heavy toll on the bodies of its miners - by the adoption of concentrated solar thermal sources of industrial heat, as championed by some of John Brown's advisors.
-[] Experiement on a smaller scale with the use of representation by sortition as a possible counter to the existing regional patronage networks.
-[] Worker's Party
A little something for the workers that spreads the love around in a synergistic fashion.
We create an Ouvry and use it to improve our rail, which we use to improve trade with our allies (as well as letting us move our army around faster) in the goods we're manufacturing more of.
The north has an advantage in Heavy Industry it seems like, so let's see if we can carve out a niche for ourselves in Light Industry.
Fertilizer production is great because it lets us make more food and more bullets, both of which we should do if we want to support armed conflict.
Sortition experiments to help combat the regional patronage networks.
...you know once we start taking out the Northern Warlords we're going to have to figure out how to soothe any ruffled feathers in figuring out how to fairly divide those territories three-ways without starting a fight with our co-allies.
...you know once we start taking out the Northern Warlords we're going to have to figure out how to soothe any ruffled feathers in figuring out how to fairly divide those territories three-ways without starting a fight with our co-allies.
[] [Radical Republican Party] Plan Developing Productive Forces To Achieve Socialism By 1900
-[] Plank 1: Expand our ports to allow for more trade.
-[] Plank 2: Build forts along our border with Mexico and the Warlords.
-[] Plank 3: Establish immigration quotas, keep them high for now to appeal to moderates.
-[] Plank 4: Provide more funding to the Texan police to keep law and order.
-[] Plank 5: Designate some coastal cities as Free Economic Cities, where businesses can operate under less bureaucratic red-tape to bring in more trade and investment.
-[] Non-legislative plank 1: Make connections with local business owners and captains of industry, convince them to support our party.
-[] Non-legislative plank 2: Attempt to peel off NUP voters by appealing to the ideas of fiscal conservatism and safe borders.
-[] Coalitions: Freedmen's Party, NUP, Worker's Party (if in coalition with Freedmen's Party)
[] [Socialist Worker's Party] Proletarian Governance
-[] Nationalize rail & port infrastructure and begin a program of investment, modernization and standardization to solve the infrastructure problems of our republic and create the conditions for commerce and growth.
-[] Create and fund system of local elected militias to act as proletarian law enforcement. Make sure there are national standards and control for those local militias.
-[] Create a ministry of commerce and task it with improving our foreign trade. Make sure we maintain our advanced technological base and don't sell that off to the capitalist powers.
-[] Begin a national shipbuilding program to bolster the numbers of civilian & military vessels the Republic has at its disposal.
-[] Begin so-called "armed humanitarian interventions" into the Northern Warlord States where units of the Freedmen's Army cross the border and distribute aid to the civilian population. Try to avoid military clashes if possible but be ready for them should they occur.
-[] Non-legislative plank 1: Encourage the formation and growth of socialist officer clubs.
-[] Non-legislative plank 2: Encourage the creation & growth of explicitly socialist unions and create a party umbrella organization for them.
-[] Coalitions: Worker's Party, Radical Republican Party
[] National Union Party
5 Goverment Planks:
-[] Expand the Freedman army
-[] Support american revolutionaries fighting against Imperialism
-[] Start skirmishing with the northern warlords
-[] Fight against the undemocratic local powerbases
-[] Continue and deepen military cooperation with our allies
And 2 non-government planks:
-[] Emphasise the plight of the victims of imperialism and colonialism who remain exploited while the Freedmans Republic rests in safety
-[] Discourage conciliation towards the European power while they still hold american colonies
Coalitions:
-[] All parties
How can we rest easy, knowing that there are still victims of imperialism right across the border? The National Union Party is reborn with a single goal: Liberate the people of the americas and stop the looting of the european powers!
