Political System Idea Made for Haven

[Apocoreo]

The City of Rings (CoR) is a temporary name for political system/city I’ve come up with for Haven & Hearth, looking for better names. It operates on a stratified society that divides the population into castes separated by a scale of freedom-to-political power. Democracy and capitalism are preserved among some castes, while others face strict government control.

Due to the mechanics of Haven the layout of the city is utterly intertwined with this political system. The city features at least two walls, extremely likely more, within which 3 castes live, separated into Inner, Middle, and Outer castes. This naming is very deliberate so to not imply civil imbalance between the castes, of which each has different benefits to joining. here's a rinky-dink ms paint drawing i made so you have an idea of what I'm talking about.

Map

CoR is not meant to comment on real life politics or be proclaimed as the ideal political system. I do not have ANY expertise in politics. It’s just fun to think about, and the more I think about I want to try it in Haven, perhaps not the next world but someday. The goal of this thread is to see if this idea stands up to the criticism of the masses and if so, maybe drums up interest?

The Castes

Inner Caste

I believe in the success of this city, and I bet all my personal gain on it.

The heart and brain of the city, the Inner castes lies at its very center. These are political leaders with specific duties and expectations. An Inner Caste member (Castesmen?) may not own property. They sleep together in a barracks, and little else lies within their wall other than secure storage and specific vital resources. They are expected to give even the clothes off their back to a Middle Caste, but only if doing so would benefit the city as a whole. It is expected and indeed, desired, that this caste should be undesirable for the vast majority and made up of even less than a half dozen members.

Duties

Use any resources or equipment for the betterment of the city, even if it means giving it to another hearthling.
Managed city-wide trade deals.
Facilitate relations with foreign powers.
Ensure satisfaction of the citizenry.
Join the Inner Caste in resourcing operations where it is helpful.

Recruitment
Inner Caste members will be voted in as political positions become necessary. Votes are conducted in the Middle Caste and Inner Castes, where members of both castes each have 1 vote. The exception is for unique positions such as a representative of the Outer Caste, where the Outer Caste may have exclusive voting power. Any Inner Caste member may call a vote to either add a member to the Inner caste or call for one to step down.

To ensure a high quality of politicians and prevent partisan politics, a 75% vote could be considered a victory. In cases where there are multiple candidates, an Instant-runoff voting system could be used to ensure voters vote for their favorite candidate and do not split opposition groups or require strategic voting to outvote an undesired candidate.

Middle Caste

Society exists because it benefits people. I’m here to help you because you help me.

The Middle caste could be called the city’s spine, perhaps hands and feet. These are specialists, the best of their kind we can get. Duty to the city becomes secondary to duty to the caste. Middle Caste citizens are expected to take a profession they prefer and work with their caste members to advance our technology and item quality. This is meant to feel a lot like your typical Haven village.

Middle Caste members own what they work for and are given a modest plot, enough for a garden and a small house. They fence and lock up their plots as they see fit. Palisades will be considered but likely not allowed due to the threat to security they pose. Public houses will be constructed for public resourcing operations as needed. Middle Caste should have a public place to eat with the best Symbel and Tableware we can provide, a place where curio and study desks are stored, and any other amenities they may require.

Duties

Cooperate with your fellow Caste members in all things.
Collect, process and manufacture resources.
Trade with the Inner and Outer Castes.

Recruitment
Similar to Inner Caste Votes, Middle Caste members may vote in anyone from outside the city. Early votes may require a unanimous decision.

Outer Caste

I’m don't want to join a village and be muddled in politics, but I would like to socialize with other players.

We’re stretching the body analogy, but what one could call the skin of the city, the Outer Caste is largely inspired by the City of Brodgar. Anyone who is not an enemy may be given a plot outside the second wall. Plots may be of various sizes, more active players getting larger plots and older ones with houses already built sold or traded to other players. From there, they may do as they desire without interference from the state. CoR will not be scentless, and Outer Caste members will be allowed to commit criminal acts provided this does not anger allied nations or bring enemies to CoR's gates. Is it the responsibility of the Inner Caste to ensure other Caste members have access to information on who are friend and foes (political maps, contacts, etc.)

A strong Outer Caste suggests a city strong enough to attract and support hearthlings. We will have to learn from the strengths and weaknesses of Brodgar, such as building a free woodmill for construction early. A public market should also be established to facilitate trade within the city, regardless of competition from other markets. Outer Caste plots may or may not come with palisades already built. This would attract new citizens and ensure security, as the Master Keys would be stored by the Inner Caste. Palisades would be connected to reduce construction costs.

An advantage to having an Outer Caste is sheer numbers. Outer Caste members should be paid to join voluntary military operations. Labourers could also be levied from the Outer Caste. If an Outer Caste member discovers a resource and informs the Middle or Inner Castes, the other castes can do what's necessary to secure the resource, but must not restrict access to the individual that found it. Say a high Q clay node is found, the discoverer should have permissions on any claim laid down, or keys to a walled off cave. It is not in the cities best interest to restrict the growth of its Outer Caste.

Duties

Grow as an individual.
Protect your land and holdings.
Cooperate with the city so long as it benefits you.
Maintain appropriate political relationships with other nations.

Recruitment
A sponsorship from a member of another caste is all the is required to join the Outer Caste. Votes may be performed to banish Outer Caste members, but will likely require a larger winning vote than majority. This is because how well they cooperate with others is much less of a factor as they own their land and have little responsibility to others.

Establishment

So how do you build it? We know this political system would likely fail in real life due to government corruption during establishment but how about in a game? It starts with the first member, an Inner Caste mem with the title of Founder (likely me). Founders have no unique political power beyond being the first official citizen of the city.

The Founder would begin with appointing many Middle Caste, and Inner Caste as needed. Finding a good location would be first priority for these people. With a site found and the citizens settled we would focus hard on building walls. The first would be small enough to fit a couple homes, for the Inner Caste, the second enough for a large village for the Middle Caste. These would be connected by a gated wall to ensure we do not need a second “first“ cornerpost early on.

With the wall complete plots for Middle and Outer Caste would be designated and assigned. Recruitment of Outer Caste may be delayed until a second cornerpost can be made if deemed necessary. The first houses would be public Middle Caste amenities such as a farmhouse or a kitchen and the like. Construction of houses on owned plots are solely the responsibility of the owner. The Inner Caste can sleep in lean-tos until a mass Secure Storage House is required or they eventually require a barracks with beds for sleeping.

Anyway, what do you think? Could it work? Could it survive?

[TheOriginalFive]

How would you find a population willing enough to stick around to play?

What about alt characters from the same player being in different castes?

[Apocoreo]

I suppose I forgot to mention. A benefit of having the Inner Caste in one place with none of the food is that the Middle Caste can just wall them in if they grow corrupt, lol.

How would you find a population willing enough to stick around to play?

What about alt characters from the same player being in different castes?

Same way Brodgar did for the inner caste, for the others I have a few Irl friends and people from various villages that may join me, we would be regularily recruiting as well. Abandoned plots could be sold off storage wars style.

As for alts we can't really stop them. I don't have a problem as long as there isn't sketchy shit like an Inner Caste character funneling tradeables to an Outer Caste character of theirs. An Inner Caste character could say, give the best pickaxe to a Middle Caste character of theirs, if it was the best miner in the city.

[mamflo]

I love this idea, but alas, right now it's utopia.

[azrid]

Looks and sounds like Brodgar.
This worlds Brodgar died already though.

[Prowny]

So I read this the other night and thought the following, do correct me if I got it wrong. The outer caste, it's supposedly the area where there's less influence from the main core group right? Like, the law, whatever it is, will hardly be assimilated by the members of the outer caste since some of them might not even be village members.
So, what keeps this caste from becoming a free-for-all (which would lead to survival of the fittest or the shittiest). Wouldn't the main team, the inner caste, have to swoop in every now and then to mantain peace and enforce the law? Wouldn't this contradict the whole point of the outer caste?

[Apocoreo]

I love this idea, but alas, right now it's utopia.

All the better for experimentation eh? Just started playing again since 2016 and it does seem like a certain faction rules the entire world.

Looks and sounds like Brodgar.
This worlds Brodgar died already though.

Indeed and it is highly inspired by Brodgar. It is my hope that the Middle Caste provides a level of stability more similar to a typical Haven village, and that the Middle community will encourage the Outer community to continue playing. The Inner Caste simply provides clear leadership that cares more for the city as a whole. Got a link to the thread for this world's Brodgar? I believe I watched 2016 or 2017's Brodgar closely but I can't recall. Last one I remember nearly died from deforestation, died from something I can't remember, then was reborn as new brodgar. Maybe that was W7?

So I read this the other night...

You got the spirit of it right. Less oversight, less restrictive laws. However, the Outer Caste would be full sworn in villagers, but just about everyone of good repute can join. Attacking other Citizens or otherwise impieding them would certainly be a crime, but there is no expectation for Outers to cooperate with one another. You can hate your neighbours guts and talk all the shit you want, just don't attack them or burn their house down.

I would also be open to duels to the death being legal if both contestants consent. Only in the Outer Caste though, can't have our politicians and experts killing each other and impeding progress.

As for law enforcement, that would be made quite easier if we owned the master keys to plots and could change the locks, locking in criminals as needed. Side note, I don't like that word, a distinction should be made between those that commit criminal acts and those that brought harm on their neighbours.

Hmmm...

[Attas]

Last Brodgar worked similarly to this. New members had the choice to either live inside the city walls (and thus have a smaller plot, but be closer to facilities such as tools and farms - Middle Caste) or to have a hermitage and be oathed to the village (Outer Caste). In the beginning we had one single mayor (Inner Caste) but later we developed a system of "city keepers" who would be representative and elected leaders.

The problems I see in your system is the lack of mobility between the castes. If I'm in outer caste, with a nice outside plot, and I'm promoted to middle caste, am I supposed to abandon my old place and restart inside the city walls? If I'm promoted to Inner Caste, will I need to donate everything I own?

This lack of mobility is also incompatible with the dynamics of player activity. As players get more or less active and more or less trustworthy, it is expected they move between castes.

[azrid]

Got a link to the thread for this world's Brodgar?

I don't think there was one.

The problems I see in your system is the lack of mobility between the castes. If I'm in outer caste, with a nice outside plot, and I'm promoted to middle caste, am I supposed to abandon my old place and restart inside the city walls? If I'm promoted to Inner Caste, will I need to donate everything I own?

In last worlds Brodgar if you wanted to be productive you needed to have an outside village/base.
Making your base as a beginner or a new villager limits your further growth to that plot size so in the OP's system people will just end up with characters on the inside and on the outside.
Brodgars usually aren't organized enough and limited by plot size to grow decent characters.
These types of villages are amazing for socializing and small scale trading though.

[Terry69]

I'd like to know where this is happening.