Ephraim Ben Raphael
Banned
Ah the Drakians, some kind of folks that will make the RU of WMIT gasp a bit
This TL is one of the inspirations for that one.
Ah the Drakians, some kind of folks that will make the RU of WMIT gasp a bit
Just saw a post that could be relevant for that good ol' Cokie ingenuity re: the Congo.
I imagine that given the many many threats to illuminism from within and without the idea of dismantling the state will prove rather unpopular, unless dismantling is euphemism for quick rebranding, so the objectivists are probably at a disadvantage unless they fuse with one of the other factions.I have some ideas for the Illuminist bloc:
In the year 1955, as Oswald consolidates his hold in the NUSA and Protector Oleg Volkov wastes away on his deathbed, three cliques see the impending power vacuum and jostle for power in the Kremlin.
Ayn Rand represents the Objectivist faction of illuminism, and is popular with the capitalist class and with parts of the party apparatus. Her policy ideas include the dismantlement of the Russian state to remove structure and allow people to rise and fall as their spirits dictate; the privatization of the military; and the creation and perpetuation of cults of personality around the most successful Captains of Industry to provide examples for people to follow. The Objectivist camp suggests popularization of a single style of art and architecture, Art Deco of course, to promote the values of modernity, elevation of the self, and the power of the almighty ruble. The Objectivists seek to destroy all the old religions and their paraphanalia, and hope to use PMCs to crush encroachments by religion and collectivism. Besides, they support conscript consumption, forcing people to meet consumption quotas and go into debt from forced loans if they cannot pay out of pocket. Because they believe that only a single, all powerful Great Helmsman can lead Russia to victory, the Objectivists suggest further research into genetic and chemical engineering in order to create a Nietzschean Superman. If they cannot reach their goals by peaceful means from within the party, some of the more radical Objectivists intend to "go Beutel" and leave to the countryside to create "geniusopoli" from which they can fight a guerilla campaign against the Illuminst state.
Asimov and Bogdanov represent the Technocratic faction of illuminism, which draws its support from scientists, engineers, industrial workers, and the left-leaning middle classes. The Technocrats suggest that the state should be converted into a massive machine called the Technopole to remove human influence on the governing process. The Technopole's 'brain' would consist of a series of computational machines distributed across Russia to connect to other machines that provide a suite of services to the population, and would be able to respond to economic changes as they occur. They suggest that Moscow, Nytschyegrad (formerly Saint Petersburg), and other major cities should be turned into enclosed arcologies in which machines provide everything the proles need: algal bread, purified water, electricity, instant mail through pneumatic tubes, and shelltrains (TTL bullet trains) through similar but larger tubes. Everything else would be available for purchase from the capitalists. The Technocrats also support research into consumer robotics and electronics, and into space exploration. Like the Objectivists, the Technocats believe in the Great Helmsman, but they suggest either cloning Nietzsche or restoring his corpse to life with bionics to do the job. Moreover, they suggest adding a Machine Cult called Technopoly to the illuminist spiritual system. If they cannot achieve their policy, they will simply go on strike and let Russia's infrastructure fall to shambles.
Gregory Zhukov represents the Militarist faction, which draws its support from the officer cliques, former noblemen, and middle class reactionaries. They suggest that the military is the ideal institution to govern Russia, because it is a pure meritocracy and allows the most enlightened and self-actualized people to rise to the top. They would tie citizenship to military service under the rationale that only someone willing to die for their country can properly represent the national interest. The militarists agree with conscript consumption, but would fuse it with military conscription so that new classes of soldiers are obligated to purchase all their equipment-- from autorifles and boots to tanks and poison gas-- out of pocket or take loans on it. The Militarist ideal for illuminist Russia is a sort of military-industrial feudal system similar to what existed under Tsar Victor, with a vast disenfranchised serf class and with the military as the primary path to citizenship and power. They also think that military service should be compensated with land, giving them a reason for expansion. China and Persia would be their primary targets of expansion in order to rectify Russia's historical failings and take new swaths of land to pay off the enormous conscript army. Their option of recourse if they fail to gain power through peaceful means is the most direct: stage a coup and overthrow the government.
If any of these factions is fully ascendant, it will make the Russian sphere dystopian in a different manner. Even worse might be if two factions joined forces to purge the third, and then syncretized their ideas. I'll leave the policy decisions made by a Rand-Asimov-Bogdanov triumvirate to your imagination and nightmares.
Talking about Illuminist Russia, i think a future war against Turkey is a likely scenario. Not only the country is an islamic theocracy, but the bad blood between the Turks and the Russians has been a problem for centuries and it is even worse ITTL since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
With Viktor gone, i can see Turkey attacking Armenia ,believing it defendless, but inavertidely giving Moscow a reasoon to intervene in the conflict
I am honestly surprised they were even allowed near Turkey, after the events of the Balkan Wars. Honestly i am kinda worried for themIf I remember correctly, the remnants of the Romanov/Hannover family are in Turkey. They could play a role in such a scenario.
If I remember correctly, the remnants of the Romanov/Hannover family are in Turkey. They could play a role in such a scenario.
I am honestly surprised they were even allowed near Turkey, after the events of the Balkan Wars. Honestly i am kinda worried for them
"The Imperial family itself was spared death, but Viktor II was permanently sent to a Siberian labor camp and the rest of the family, including his two sisters, was exiled to Turkey and forbidden from ever returning to Russia" from the "POST-WAR EUROPE:RUSSIA " chapter (https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...e-union-forever.451900/page-267#post-18948765)Are they not in Constantinople? As I remember that is still a Free City which would be under the control of the League of Tsars. It is a far better alternative than going to rabidly hostile Turkey that hates your guts in the most extreme ways possible.
I'm personally curious what the Fearsome Critter lore is TTL. Historically a lot of it was centered on New England and the Old Northwest so it's right up their alley.With all these Spiritual Marxism wackiness ongoing, I wonder what had been of the more... material of the bugaboos. So far, we only have the apemen, haven't we?
“They say Oswalds tears cure cancer. Unfortunately, he’s too Pinnacle to ever cry”EDIT: The part about Chuck's tears sound like something he would legit say about Oswald's Presidency
I see how it is! Ecopunk vs Cyberfunk, is that it!?LOOMIES AESTHETIC
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Female Illuminist Assassin, an elite Guard Regiment of IPRR Army, circa 2020. Her face represents what the Russian call the archetype of Slavic Feminism
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Moscow Arcology, or the Illuminist Monument, finished in 2006. It follows the design philosophy of Eco-Illuminism, very popular in the Illuminist Bloc since 2000
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Nytschegard Prole Quarter, circa 2017. Proles are poor by Russian standard, and their quarters are ridden with crimes
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Design of Mir Eco City, Yakutsk Millitary Settlement. The city was built in 2010 and completed by 2018. It provides housing for more than 500,000 people and androids, and equipped with automatic farming using aeroponics.
Yes it is. Cyberpunk is very likely given that the Iluminist were going to push industrialization hard and their libertarian economy would disenfranchise many people; while Ecopunk would born out of the catastrophic environmental destruction due to the RU/NUSA and Cokies playing in the tropical environment, which usually impacts the cold region at the greatest extent , and appeal to Illuminist agenda of Futurism and Eternal Progress.I see how it is! Ecopunk vs Cyberfunk, is that it!?
Cyberfunk, my friend. The guiding design aesthetic of Yankeeland in the Pinnacle Future! Bell-bottoms and corporate corruption, shaggy hair and neo-noir as far as the eye can see!Yes it is. Cyberpunk is very likely given that the Iluminist were going to push industrialization hard and their libertarian economy would disenfranchise many people; while Ecopunk would born out of the catastrophic environmental destruction due to the RU/NUSA and Cokies playing in the tropical environment, which usually impacts the cold region at the greatest extent , and appeal to Illuminist agenda of Futurism and Eternal Progress.
It's still in the works but almost doneDid we ever get the other half of the last chapter of TUF? I think it was a summary of Africa and Asia by 1937.