Backstage - OOC Forums
EVE-Online RP Discussion and Resources => EVE OOC Summit => Topic started by: Ciarente on 17 Apr 2010, 21:48
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I tend to feel that quick and dirty comparisons between Eve factions and single real-world contemporary or historical cultures misses an opportunity to examine the complexity of Eve politics. At the same time, looking at some of the aspects of cultures we're familiar with can make it easier to get a handle on our game 'world'.
What I'd like to do is invite people to make unexpected comparisons, with specific aspects of a contemporary or historical culture, to prompt thought and discussion.
I'll start:
Gallente Federation: The Gallente Federation reminds me in some ways of the Roman Empire as a large entity containing cultures that have maintained their uniqueness.
Sansha's Nation: Like the USSR, Sansha's Nation could claim to be an idealistic society attacked by a united force of representatives of the established order in its infancy. Just as some say that the True Slaves were a response to unwarranted aggression, some representatives of the USSR claimed that the internal repression and militarism of the Soviet state was forced on the USSR by international hostility. (please note: I'm not making any claims as to the accuracy of such claims)
Caldari State: The Caldari State, originally numerically small and under threat by a powerful neighbor, increasingly under thrall to a single leader who may be changing the ideology originally behind the society, reminds me in this way of Cuba.
The Serpentis: Effectively ruled by gang-lords and gaining most of its income from drugs, the Serpentis have something in common with Columbia.
The Amarr Empire: Aggressively expansionist and with an economy dependent on slavery - like the early British Empire in that way.
Of course, in every single one of these, there are a thousand other ways the Eve faction differs.
What odd comparisons can you think of?
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Syndicate: Ancient Greece, in the city-state aspect of it, though I suspect that there might be better comparisons. I wonder if there aren't certain things certain stations in Syndicate might be known for.
Gallente Federation: In relation to your impression, Cia: You see cultures in the Federation maintaining a lot of coherence, then? Rather than the 'mixing pot' idea?
Blood Raiders: Early American (European-descended) society - the Puritans. Left the old country to freely practice their particular brand of the major religion.
Khanid Kingdom: To extend the British Empire idea - could be like the American colonies. Broke away and maintained a harder line on the slavery thing.
Caldari State: I guess I'm on a North America kick: Native Americans. A number of quite disparate entities that outsiders treat as one, who quite happily fight with each-other when there isn't a larger threat out there. Also threatened by an outside power that is (arguably) attempting a cultural takeover when not engaged in actual military hostility. That part might have more in common with some tribal cultures in Africa and the middle east. OFC, there is a difference in that the Caldari weren't separated into 'tribes' so much until post-diaspora.
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Gallente Federation: In relation to your impression, Cia: You see cultures in the Federation maintaining a lot of coherence, then? Rather than the 'mixing pot' idea?
I think I get that from the very distinct differences in the character generation process and backgrounds for Jin-Mei, Intaki, and Gallente characters.
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Gallente Federation: In relation to your impression, Cia: You see cultures in the Federation maintaining a lot of coherence, then? Rather than the 'mixing pot' idea?
I think I get that from the very distinct differences in the character generation process and backgrounds for Jin-Mei, Intaki, and Gallente characters.
Makes me wonder about whether there is a major difference when a culture has a home planet in the Fed acting as an 'anchor' instead of being immigrants like the Minmatar in the Fed.
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The Amarr empire is still largely Byzantine in its behavior, far moreso than it's all Sun Never Sets. Say no to LOLBRITS, mmkay? :P
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The Amarr empire is still largely Byzantine in its behavior, far moreso than it's all Sun Never Sets. Say no to LOLBRITS, mmkay? :P
Sure. I was looking for comparisons that were unlikely.
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Makes me wonder about whether there is a major difference when a culture has a home planet in the Fed acting as an 'anchor' instead of being immigrants like the Minmatar in the Fed.
Now I'm trying to remember if I've met any Minmatar RPers who have a Federation background ....
and getting the urge to roll one up ....
Stop me before I alt again! /o\
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Makes me wonder about whether there is a major difference when a culture has a home planet in the Fed acting as an 'anchor' instead of being immigrants like the Minmatar in the Fed.
Now I'm trying to remember if I've met any Minmatar RPers who have a Federation background ....
and getting the urge to roll one up ....
Stop me before I alt again! /o\
Lets alt again, like we did last summer~~
Do you mean a minmatar character with roots in the feds or minmatar character who's moved in to the Federation afterwards, or juat either or?
Zagamesh comes to mind as a Matari who is a Fed citizen I think.
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Do you mean a minmatar character with roots in the feds or minmatar character who's moved in to the Federation afterwards, or juat either or?
Zagamesh comes to mind as a Matari who is a Fed citizen I think.
A minmatar who is part of that 'more Matari live in the Federation than anywhere else' (possibly misquotes the PF) group.
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Do you mean a minmatar character with roots in the feds or minmatar character who's moved in to the Federation afterwards, or juat either or?
Zagamesh comes to mind as a Matari who is a Fed citizen I think.
A minmatar who is part of that 'more Matari live in the Federation than anywhere else' (possibly misquotes the PF) group.
I think it's more Matari live in the Fed than anywhere outside the Empire (most) or Republic (Second most?). I could be wrong, though.
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The Syndicate have clear roots in Cosa Nostra and the Italian / Sicilian mafia in general. Mission agents make this particularly clear. Sometimes, when you're told to do something and they're trying to word a particularly underhanded or violent assignment discreetly, the agent will even use "capiche?".
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Someone link Cosmo's thread on IGS decrying Federate value-imperialism in here FFS. I find it extraordinarily relevant.
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I think it's more Matari live in the Fed than anywhere outside the Empire (most) or Republic (Second most?). I could be wrong, though.
I think 2/3rds of Matari are now free, IIRC. Of those, most are in the Republic, with second most are in the Federation. The remainders are Angels, Thukkers, and what have you....*
The relative lack of Matari in the Empire could be one of the reasons Amarr and Angel and Caldari slaving ops are so common. With supply so far down (relatively speaking, there are still tens of billions enslaved no doubt), then demand must have gone up significantly.
*These numbers are off the top of my head, and as Im researching for work tomorrow I refuse to research for the game I use to escape from work.
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Official stuff Lall used to quote maintained that a full third of Matari lived in (not necessarily were enslaved in) the Empire, and a fifth were either in the Federation or the Republic. This was before Jamyl did her thing, but the scalers we have for system populations mean that the people Jamyl freed were a tiny, tiny bucketdrop.
Someone prod Lall into clarifying, I'm too old and tired.
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The Caldari State I believe you can't compare to any RL nation since it's so alien to any of our known concepts
Because I can't resist a challenge:
The corporations of the Caldari State are like kibbutzim during the transitional period, communities in which individuals subsume their personal enrichment to the goals of the community but which relate to the outside world on a capitalist model.
The Caldari State is like Italy in the mid-nineteenth century, an co-operative alliance of geographically close but distinct and legally autonomous organisations currently undergoing the turmoil of closer co-operation that may or may not lead to unification.
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Those both seem really accurate, to me.
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Unlikely comparisons, hm?
ORE: Jacob Waltz. They know where the gold mine is. Only they. And they're not gonna tell anyone.
Caldari State: The Brethren of the Coast. A loose but codified coalition of separate but similar profit-based enterprises (each crew corresponding to a corp).
CONCORD: The (old) Catholic Church. An overnational organization with its own set of laws and a myriad of social and political functions, funded and supported by several different states, many of whom have tense political relationships with each other. On many occasions, friction also occurs between the organization and the governments of the "member states". States who exist outside of the organization are likely to be considered hostile by default by the organization and those inside it.
The Minmatar Republic: Poland. A nation with a long tradition of getting invaded, occupied, subjugated and wiped off the map by big and aggressive neighbors who feel entitled to do so, yet they doggedly continue to reappear as a sovereign state (Poland is actually more impressive than the Minmatar Republic, since it's been able to do so repeatedly - though never twice in quite the same location).
Sansha's Nation: The Mormons. A utopist dictatorship consisting of dissidents, setting up shop in the middle of nowhere, while facing extreme hostility on moral grounds from outsiders.
The Khanid Kingdom: England under Henry VIII. When the local ruler's ambitions are thwarted by the central politico-religious institution of the larger region, he chooses to have his entire country secede from said institution rather than comply with tradition and submit to its authority.
The Gallente Federation: The British East India Company. "You Intaki and Jin Mei look so handsome in Gallentean uniform, don't you agree? And no, of course the grease on those ammunition cartridges aren't in violation of your ancient taboos...whatever they are."
The Amarr Empire: Microsoft. It is everywhere, and it wants to decide what your virtual world should look like. Its tentacles reach to every corner of known space, threatening pockets of freedom and resistance everywhere, demanding that you conform to their standards, their visions, and God help you if you're tried and found incompatible. And they will not stop, ever. You know it is true.
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Discussion of gallente / caldari relations deserves its own thread, so I have split the topic
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I have long presented arguments that the Caldari State is similar to the early United States (1776 to 1860) / the Confederate States of America (1860-1865), where the megacorporations replace the individual states.
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I think the Amarrians are more like Smurfs.
Which makes the Blood Raiders the Black Smurfs.
Which would make the Gallente a bit like the Evil Wizard Gargamel who wants to catch the Amarrians and make soup out of them, kind of culturally consume them.
The Minnies are a bit like Gargamels cat Azrael, bit roughed up, always getting kicked and the Smurfs always play on its hunger for Smurf flesh to trick it into hurting itself in hilarious ways.
The Caldari are more like the Wartmongers, thinking that having most warts is something to be proud of.
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The Gallente Federation: Microsoft. It's slogans are everywhere, and it wants to decide what standards your virtual world should meet. Its tentacles reach to every corner of known space including the drone regions, threatening pockets of cultural and economic independence and resistance everywhere, economically leveraging you and quietly demanding that you conform to their interests, their values, their soft imperialism, and God help you if you're tried and found a threat. And they will not stop, ever. You know it is true.
Fixed your poast, Katla. Turnabout - fair play? :P
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Addendum.
(http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7238/1268982103267.gif)
Dat MicroSoft, huh?
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Fixed your poast, Katla. Turnabout - fair play? :P
How's that comparison unlikely? :P
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'cause everyone thinks they're so free and awesome when they're nubkins, before they read about what a criminal Fioritain is?
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There aren't any nubkins here, Ashar, just bitter old vets. :D
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...Join my corp.
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/me breaths in
Possibly controversial
Minnie Republic = Ireland circa 90 or so years ago, various political groups all believing they're the only hope for the nation, shit blowing up everywhere, a little bit left over still loyal to the occupiers, everyone else still holding a massive grudge against said occupiers, shit getting blown up.
/me breaths out
Hey I think I'm onto something here :D
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Do you mean a minmatar character with roots in the feds or minmatar character who's moved in to the Federation afterwards, or juat either or?
Zagamesh comes to mind as a Matari who is a Fed citizen I think.
Eh. Beneath his Sebiestor mother's genetic contribution, Zag's a blue-blood Gallente. He comes from the same pretentious Garouni sociocultural background as Celeste.
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Do you mean a minmatar character with roots in the feds or minmatar character who's moved in to the Federation afterwards, or juat either or?
Zagamesh comes to mind as a Matari who is a Fed citizen I think.
Eh. Beneath his Sebiestor mother's genetic contribution, Zag's a blue-blood Gallente. He comes from the same pretentious Garouni sociocultural background as Celeste.
Is there information somewhere available on this pretentious Garouni sociocultural background? :D
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Dav consistently cited the State as being very similar to Singapore and I'm inclined to agree with him.
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From what I recall hearing from him about it, I could definitely see it. Do you recall specifics?