What IS a Zeitgeist?
Jerman for "Spirit of the Age". In this case it is to mean the "spirit" of the Utanian
people, the magazine reporting the people's thoughts behind the press-releases and reported
news.
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Has Utanian Democracy failed?!
The nation is likely to hang in the balance in this week's inaugural election
prompting the question what will happen if there is no clear winner? A sensational-shock
internal UNV communiqué reveals the UNV considers Utanian democracy a failure!!
Sub-atomic Physicist Schrodinger used an analogy to end the reign of determinism in
physics and usher in a statistical approach to the behaviour of sub-atomic particles: place
a cat inside a box with a small amount of poison, then try to determine the "state" of the
cat. The cat's condition was unknown until the box was open. So it is for the state of affairs
of Utanian politics, says a shock internal memo from the offices of the UNVCOCN "Point South"
Mission, "no one knows whether the cat is alive or dead, until the election is over
and the tragedy may already have occurred."
The internal memo suggests that the absence of a President, and a hung Parliament
could lead to the breakdown of Utanian democracy, suggesting possible future scenarios that
include civil war, a military coup and total anarchy.
The Communiqué then recommends that "when" such scenarios eventuate, the UNV
should be prepared to use "direct open action" to "re-secure Utania", and restore the
UNV-administration so that democracy can be reinstituted. There is little doubt that this
means the UNV will attempt to invade Utania should the democratic process break down.
Shocking internal communiqué
Zeitgeist Magazine was handed an official copy of the UNV internal communiqué,
earlier last week, addressed from the UNVCOCN "Point South" MIssion to the UNVCOCN
Evalutations Committee in Christianshaven, Christiana, headquarters of the UNV.
Its impact to shock was understated. Utania the "unstable democracy"; Utania the nation
that could descend into civil war or fall under a military coup when it elects a hung
Parliament. The UNV clearly had little faith that a forthcoming Parliamentary election will
not only elect a fragile government, but would cause the very institutions of democracy to
fail and chaos to ensue.
To further the shock, the UNV, who as recently as May this year voted to surrender
administration of what it terms UNVCOCN "Point South" to Utanian authorities, considers
reoccupying this now-sovereign nation to "restore democracy"!
The parallels are obvious: Imagine if you would, the forces of the UNV attempting to
re-occupy Neo-Liliana because they elected a hung parliament. Or the forces of Albion-Merite
attempted to "resecure" Ulanova because of civil unrest there? Or Armatirion attempting to
"re-democratise" Burovian Westria? There would be total war in any of those situations, a
fact that appears to have escaped the UNV mission here, and Utania would be no exception.
General Arjaat, Commander-in-Chief of Utania's 300,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen,
told this magazine that his forces would attempt to repel any "re-occupation" force in the
same way they would repel an invading enemy.
Zeitgeist Magazine has been very concerned at all possible impacts, which is
why we have published this issue with such a strong denunciation of the possibility. However,
we felt it absolutely necessary to publish this confidential internal document from the UNV
because it affects and concerns all Utanians, indeed all the world: would the UNV really
risk lives to restore UNV control with the possibility of democracy coming into being here?
The "fragile" Utanian democracy
"Utania", says the confidential communiqué, "has a thirty-plus year history of
provincial politics, but under the firm hand of the Guwimithian Dependencies Administration,
which was only too happy to step in to directly govern a province should the semi-democratic
processes break down. Utania is no longer under such a regime, and the breakdown of democracy
could lead the country into chaos."
The communiqué indicates that the UNV has little faith in Utania's ability to
resolve uncertain political conditions after the forthcoming election. It cites the lack of
authoritative leadership to resolve the hung parliament as a possible cause of the breakdown
in Utanian democracy, and then adds: "The breakdown in Democracy could lead to chaos."
It states that certain scenarios could consequently evolve, that would represent a
breakdown in Utanian democracy, including:
- The military seizes control in a coup;
- That there remains no government until an external agency intervenes;
- That the country disintegrates to the four former provincial territories; or
- That the country disintegrates and state militias are used to seize power.
The only alternative, says the UNV communiqué is "direct open action to secure
the safe passage of this nation to democracy once again".
The select few within this magazine who knew about the secret communiqué then
contacted several politicians, military leaders and political analysts, without telling them
of the communiqué, for their perceptions of the situation, and their response to the
allegations in the UNV internal memo.
None believed that Utania would descend into chaos.
All military leaders said any UNV-lead "reoccupation" would be repelled as an invading
force unless sanctioned by the President. What if there was no President? Then, they all
agreed, there could be no sanction.
And the prospect of a military coup? "There will never be a coup, never could be a coup
and never has been any action that justifies such an outrageous accusation!" declared an
angry General Arjaat. Could it come from one of his juniors? "Over my dead body!" he
thundered.
Politicians and political analysts all agreed that a hung Parliament would not mean a
breakdown in social order, not even in political order. "The key to the equation is that
Utania is currently a union of states, until we elect a Parliament and then a President",
said Peoples Party deputy-leader Jurgen Hoff. "Until that process is complete, the previous
provisional parliament, the Congress of State Deputies, could be restored as the federal
parliament until elections are reheld."
"Anyone who believes that Utania could collapse as a democratic nation", declared
Democratic Party leader Louis Campden, "clearly has little faith in the people of Utania.
And, frankly, I find that offensive."
"I see no reason why a hung Parliament cannot still reasonably govern the country",
said Conservative Party Prime Ministerial candidate Thomas Kemp. "Just because a party is
in opposition does not mean they cannot vote with policies of that government."
"There is nothing saying the Burovians or Progressive Party could not side with the
Utani Sædaj-Peoples coalition and form government, or the Liberal Nationalists", says
political analyst David Morecombe. "This does not have to be a hung-parliament, and even if
it is, does that represent a collapse in democracy - I think not. Too many democracies
worldwide have survived under hung parliaments or weak governments."
"I suppose this shows some of the weaknesses of democracy", says a disappointed Max
Boornal, leader of the Utanian Burovian Movement. "And we will point this out to the people,
advocating a Burovian system be implemented. Regardless, the UBM will not be exploiting this
situation to push for a collapse in democracy so that Burovianism can come about - we are
above that sort of manipulation of the people."
"We will support the USP-PPP coalition if that is the best way
to serve the people, by providing stable governance."
And on the negative...
With all this optimistic appraisal of the situation, it was time to hear from the opposite
side to the argument. Regrettably, the UNV refused to comment.
Leader of the UNVCOCN "Point South" mission, who recently faced off with the Utanian
people over the I'ana archipelago occupation, Gordon Davidz initially denied such a memo even
existed.
When he realised we had an official copy, he demanded to know where we had obtained it.
When told only "a source", Mr Davidz returned to denying such a memo existed. Alright, we
said, did he deny making contingency plans to "re-occupy" Utania? Did he deny making an
assessment of the power-brokers in Utania, and rank them by "propensity to dictatorial
allegiances"? Did he deny that he was ultimately responsible for these works being performed
by the UNVCOCN office in Luka?
The phone went dead.
A "propensity to dictatorial allegiances"
The confidential communiqué also makes a detailed assessment of the "propensity to
dictatorial allegiances" of several leading figures in Utania. General Arjaat, it says, has
little interest in a military coup, which is supported by his "over my dead body" quote to
our question. Therefore, concludes the communiqué, the coup-organiser must be someone
within the military ranks, and cites General Peter Kopana as a possible leader, the man who
commanded the I'ana occupation, and little-known General Thomas Gordain as possible
coup-masters.
It rated President Hope as the politician most likely to become dictator, second only
to his former Intelligence chief and current Nationalist Party leader, Thomas Abels, and
beating even Kyle Langley!
The interesting fact is that the communiqué appears to list anyone who was
involved in the I'ana Occupation, leaving open the accusation that it is little more than
"payback" for the affair embarrassing and damaging the career of UNV politician Gordon Davidz.
Consequences
There is little doubt that the communiqué, or more importantly the beliefs
behind it, damages the reputation of Utania, as well as that of the UNV. With the Luka 301
Vexgames bid released just last week, the threat of a coup, of an unstable democracy is
exactly what the IVC states it does not want. Investors looking to invest in Utania will also
look carefully at the newly perceived risk and ask themselves whether this "unstable"
democracy is the sort of operation they would invest in.
The report could also damage the career of Gordon Davidz.
However, the simple fact of the matter is that Utania may elect a hung parliament this
week, but this does not mean democracy could collapse, or that President Hope will declare
a military coup. It does not mean that the states will begin an internecine war to unite the
Utanian people. It does not mean chaos will ensue.
It will mean that the people have spoken, that they are expecting a balance between
economic prosperity and the old ways of the Utanian people. That they are expecting the
professional politicians that they have elected to federal parliament will work out a feasible
compromise to take the country forward with a strong and worthy leadership.
Perhaps it is time the UNVCOCN mission learnt something about Utania and realised this
before leaping to ill-conceived plans of invasion.
Go forth, Utanians, vote, and show the people of the UNV what democracy Utanian-style
really means!
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Stock Exchange:
Stocks continue to stagnate - when will the Govt. release cash controls?
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©Zeitgeist Magazine, 300 AP.
<TECH>
©Mike Ham, 2000. All rights reserved. No reproduction without, at least, tacit approval. ;-)
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