Politics in the Hapes Consortium are largely irrelevant in the daily workings of the Hapan government as the Sovereign does not appoint individuals based on political affiliation, but various ideologies are present and influence individuals with power in Lorell Hall to occasionally favour options and solutions that are in line with their political stance.

History

While the history of politics in the Hapes Consortium is extensive, the creation of the feudal nobility system in 702 during the Antiquity Era was the start of de-centralising control of Hapan systems. All Tarii-level nobility was considered members of the Royal Hapan Court in the Age of Queen-Mothers and most of the Consortiums politics were handled there on a case-to-case basis. As the nobility handled internal governance of their own systems and planets, the Royal Family rarely interfered as long as taxes were paid and demands were met.

Lorell Hall opened in 2449 after the successful second expansion of the Hapes Consortium some centuries earlier. The nobility had grown and the commoner populace was given an observer post in the form of Archons and some cases governors. The various alien species also gained representation in the grand assemblies. Hapan politics became more complicated as alien cultures clashed in public with the views of the conservative nobility.

This trend escalated over the centuries towards the Decline Era as the noble houses became increasingly adversarial and prone to conflict. With the stark contrasts of the two Princesses right before the Hapan Civil War, the lines had been drawn and ideologies clashed. After the war had ended and the Phoenix Age begun, political issues and ideologies were put aside for the greater good and rebuilding of the Hapes Consortium. But as King Andrew reign came to an end after 27 years and the Golden Age began with economic stability, old feelings resurfaced.

While there are no political parties, most officials in Lorell Hall sympathize with a political ideology or function as the spokesperson for one. The centralized structure of the Hapan government and various powerful positions have ensured that ambitious political figures can employ political ideologies with more impact than was previously possible during the Age of Queen-Mothers.

Ideologies

Conservative

Tini'duranist

The term Tini'duranist was coined at the end of the Second Expansion Era and beginning of the Second Antiquity Era. It stems from the values and teachings of Queen-Mother Tini'duran III who ruled the Hapes Consortium from 700 to 769 during the Antiquity Era. She was the very person that made the Antiquity Era what it was, implementing a number of societal and structural changes within the Hapes Consortium that changed it forever.

Individuals who consider themselves Tini'duranist are considered conservatives and also members of the Hapan nobility or strong supporters of it. The Tini'duranists have also been known to go hand in hand with the Draconian ideals.

Tini'duranists are supporters of the monarchy and also nobility, favouring the feudal societal system that the Hapes Consortium maintained from 702 until ca 4000 over the more centralised governing system that exists today. They are believe in the unity of the Hapes Consortium and making all aspects of Hapan culture available to the entire population.

Draconian

The Draconian ideology is related to the now defunct Draconian Union, and is often used to describe individuals, entities or values related to the same faction. Draconian values are considered conservative, often fairly similar to those of the Tini'duranists, but somewhat more militaristic. It idolizes the Hapan monarchy and nobility and in some cases calls for the reinstatement of the feudal nobility governance system. The Draconian way of life is more popular in the Rim Worlds region than anywhere else in the Hapes Cluster, primarily due to the existence of conservative noble houses that still retain representation in Lorell Hall, as well as it being the former heart of the Union's territory.

Dal'kuranist

The Dal'kuranist movement, while not widespread, is an expansion of the Tini'duranist movement which primary alternative stance call for the closing of the borders. They idolize the Dal'kuran dynasty which closed the borders of the Hapes Cluster during the Second Antiquity Era.

It's primary support comes from minor regions on smaller worlds of the Rim Worlds region, though it temporarily gained some prominence during the Black Sun Crisis when the Hapes Consortium struggled with a foreign power on its own soil.

Liberal

Ta'lanian

The Ta'lanian movement is the ideology which profile most closely resembles the current official stance of the Hapan government and Sovereign. Its name stems from the ideals of Princess Ta'lan Pal'durath who contested Princess Da'tan Pal'durath's claim to the throne in the last days of the Age of Queen-Mothers. She led the Sword Confederacy which largely employed her governmental model, diminishing the authority of the Hapan nobility over the Royal Hapan Armed Forces as well as the political power of most noble houses. It favoured a central governmental control, using ministries to organise the organisation directly for the Throne.

Zaqash

The term Zaqash is a nickname given by the conservatives to liberal Hapans, often individuals not native to the Hapes Cluster whom support alien ideals. The name Zaqash means "foreign" and relates to people not overly concerned with preserving the purity of the Hapan Royalty and Hapan nobility, and also liberal attitudes towards Hapan isolationism or non-interference policy.

See Also