These Fair Shores: The Commonwealth of New England

[Kaiser Wilhelm the Tenth]

Why was Rhode Island's charter suspended in 1979? And what system has the province operated under since?

Come to think of it... having the dysfunctional USA to its west (plus the precedent set by OFC) has gotten me used to the idea of New England being a stable, liberal democracy. But is this really the case? Civil rights for French Acadiens seem a matter of contention (judging by the fact that a bill to solidify them raised more than a few eyebrows), and corruption seems pretty endemic. Couple that with the more authoritarian nature of TTL's British Empire... and New England suddenly seems a lot less like a thriving liberal democracy.

 

[Mike1990]

I wonder how the US government is handling this. Given how powerful the oil industry is, I bet they'd furiously deny any suggestion that it's caused by global warming.

I imagine the people don't talk about it. Obviously government bureaucrats and engineers talk about it. But for the average person Florida has always been like that. Keys? Never heard of em

 

[DaveRave]

Howdy, I’m a long time lurker on both the Our Fair Country and now this timeline and I just wanted to say your work is so impressive and has definitely been an inspiration! Definitely my favorite timelines I’ve ever seen!

One thing I noticed on the latest world map is many of the listed heads of government in Europe are politicians from various Green parties in OTL. ITTL, have Green parties risen to prominence to the extent that they can lead governments (presumably because of the much more severe onset of climate change)?

I love your work!

 

[CosmicAsh]

 

[Teiresias]

I could be wrong, but I think there might be an error with some of the reference numbers from 22 onwards. For example, reference number 22, 'New Lord President declares changes coming to Australia', seems like it should link to the first line under 'International Reactions', but reference number 13 is linked instead.

 

[Twiggierjet]

Indeed, the Imperial Internet does not have any of these websites widely available, without purchasing them beforehand and secondary vertification of your identification.

Oi mate, you got a loicense for those internet breasts?

 

[CosmicAsh]

I wonder how the US government is handling this. Given how powerful the oil industry is, I bet they'd furiously deny any suggestion that it's caused by global warming.

Oil? The United States runs on tons of cheap coal. Not to say there isn't cheap oil too, but there's good jobs to be had in coal mining. Most apartment complexes in the north are heated via coal boilers, and both oil and coal have heavy usage in industrial applications. Natural gas is barely used, and renewables account for very little electricity generation - it is mostly hydro power.

Why was Rhode Island's charter suspended in 1979? And what system has the province operated under since?

Come to think of it... having the dysfunctional USA to its west (plus the precedent set by OFC) has gotten me used to the idea of New England being a stable, liberal democracy. But is this really the case? Civil rights for French Acadiens seem a matter of contention (judging by the fact that a bill to solidify them raised more than a few eyebrows), and corruption seems pretty endemic. Couple that with the more authoritarian nature of TTL's British Empire... and New England suddenly seems a lot less like a thriving liberal democracy.

In 1979, the charter was suspended for simply being far too corrupt. It was estimated that a majority of the provincial budget was going to bribes and other underhanded measures, and that nearly every person in the government was accepting bribes, kickbacks, and the entire civil service was judged to be corrupt. The provincial court system more or less broke down, and police investigations and activity more or less became a political tool against other corrupt politicans. Often times when the province did handle a jail sentance, the government in power would do everything within their means to help the jailed (if it was one of "their guys," which included those being "jailed" having free movement). Part of Prime Minister Weicker's rise to power was his anti-corruption stance and reformist attitudes, in provincial politics he was able to secure reforms to Connecticut's electoral system, bring somewhat more fairness into the system.

Howdy, I’m a long time lurker on both the Our Fair Country and now this timeline and I just wanted to say your work is so impressive and has definitely been an inspiration! Definitely my favorite timelines I’ve ever seen!

One thing I noticed on the latest world map is many of the listed heads of government in Europe are politicians from various Green parties in OTL. ITTL, have Green parties risen to prominence to the extent that they can lead governments (presumably because of the much more severe onset of climate change)?

I love your work!

Thank you so much!!! I am delighted to have you as a follower and am so happy you enjoy my work!

The impact of Climate Change has indeed caused a significant surge in support in Europe for climate activities, and there is generally broad political disruption at the moment because of it.

I could be wrong, but I think there might be an error with some of the reference numbers from 22 onwards. For example, reference number 22, 'New Lord President declares changes coming to Australia', seems like it should link to the first line under 'International Reactions', but reference number 13 is linked instead.

Auck!! Thank you for finding this. I believe I have fixed it!!

 

[mortonofski]

Interesting to see Nick Xenophon actually doing well! My favourite part of a previous election post was a snarky comment from New Zealand; mildly surprised that Australia's friends across the ditch didn't have anything to say here...

 

[Mike1990]

If global warming is 50ish years more advanced were there youth movements and a Greta Thunberg like figure back 50 years ago and what are things like now. OTL I would say Zoomers are a deeply traumatized generation which does not see the future as being hopeful. What was the mental state of young people 50 years ago and what is it like today?

 

[PNWKing]

I am legitimately surprised that one of the top sites in the world was an Australian news site called the Republican, implying that it calls for an Australian republic. My impression of TTL's British Empire made me think something like that would be only available on the "underground" Internet and any attempt to operate such a thing on the "visible" Internet would immediately be raided by British Imperial Communications Security Police.

 

[Bookmark1995]

If global warming is 50ish years more advanced were there youth movements and a Greta Thunberg like figure back 50 years ago and what are things like now. OTL I would say Zoomers are a deeply traumatized generation which does not see the future as being hopeful. What was the mental state of young people 50 years ago and what is it like today?

Well...

One person who predicted the future of the world said something like this: if climate change causes massive destruction in the world, it will force a profound shift on every single value system.

Imagine growing up in a world where these things occur: interstate battles over dwindling water supplies, desertification of once-fertile land, refugee crises numbering in the hundreds of millions, horrific famines, and once large cities being abandoned due to rising sea levels.

If you had to experience all this, your outlook on life would be substantially different than someone growing up then an American growing up in a peaceful and prosperous 1950s.

You grew up in a world where the excesses and greed of people in the past destroyed not only your future but the future of your descedants. You will come to hate those who chose to build a world where one's bank account was the most important thing, where you had to build an economy that requires you to throw everything and go into debt to buy more. What good was money when food was too expensive, someone might say.


What I'm seeing is a total overhaul of a world built around profit and toward a worldview that prioritizes both human health and health of the biosphere.

All kinds of movements could spring up from this paradigm shift:

Democratic socialism with an emphasis on environmentalism.

Violent terrorism against symbols of pollution.

The idea of environmental rights being part of constitutions.

New Age Cults, neopaganism, and Hollistic movements that take nature worship Up To Eleven.

Or even violent ideologies that seek to destroy modernity, like Pol Pot.

New kinds of extreme racism in which the murder of "useless people" is pushed with the ostensible aim being to "protect the environment."

Whereas in the Middle Ages, we make fun of people who burnt others at the stake, the future generations will hate those who burnt the world for something as arbitrary as money.

 

[Erinthecute]

I am legitimately surprised that one of the top sites in the world was an Australian news site called the Republican, implying that it calls for an Australian republic. My impression of TTL's British Empire made me think something like that would be only available on the "underground" Internet and any attempt to operate such a thing on the "visible" Internet would immediately be raided by British Imperial Communications Security Police.

Republicanism is acceptable so long as they're not advocating separation from the Empire. Hence why one of the biggest political parties in Australia is The Republicans and they get by just fine.

 

[Kibbutznik]

Republicanism is acceptable so long as they're not advocating separation from the Empire. Hence why one of the biggest political parties in Australia is The Republicans and they get by just fine.

Judging by Lord Quincy's statement, I wouldn't be so sure.

 

[Couperin]

Judging by Lord Quincy's statement, I wouldn't be so sure.

I think that's in reaction to the radical Australian Independence party gaining a seat.

 

[Kibbutznik]

I think that's in reaction to the radical Australian Independence party gaining a seat.

I don't think that would be significant enough for the Lord President of the Empire to comment on.

 

[Couperin]

I don't think that would be significant enough for the Lord President of the Empire to comment on.

Probably not on its own, but considering that Lord Quincy had just become Lord President and that this was the first time that such a secessionist party came into Parliament, I think that he would be a bit more hawkish to prove his credibility to the Empire.

 

[Kibbutznik]

Probably not on its own, but considering that Lord Quincy had just become Lord President and that this was the first time that such a secessionist party came into Parliament, I think that he would be a bit more hawkish to prove his credibility to the Empire.

How does it make sense for the Lord President to be concerned over a republican party with just one MP, and not the republican party that just became the strongest member of the new government coalition?

 

[Couperin]

How does it make sense for the Lord President to be concerned over a republican party with just one MP, and not the republican party that just became the strongest member of the new government coalition?

Yeah, I'm probably giving the man the benefit of the doubt. Now that I think about it, the comment goes a few ways: explicitly telling the Australian government to either ban or marginalize the Australian Independence party (or trying to get the Imperial government to ban it), but also implicitly warning the likely very republican government not to try any new referenda on the monarchy during his watch.

 

[Kibbutznik]

Yeah, I'm probably giving the man the benefit of the doubt. Now that I think about it, the comment goes a few ways: explicitly telling the Australian government to either ban or marginalize the Australian Independence party (or trying to get the Imperial government to ban it), but also implicitly warning the likely very republican government not to try any new referenda on the monarchy during his watch.

Apparently you were initially right--I asked around on the discord, and they said that one can be republican and still be part of the empire.

 

[Mike1990]

I'd love to get more info on the "Harbour War" mentioned in the Rhode Island election page. Could be be something like this? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_Wars