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His posture, kept straight.

Kallias joined the timid applause to dimly watch yet another speaker take their turn at the white wood podium. Servers made use of the flutter, tactful when topping off his wine and coffee amongst the others. None spoke, but all bowed as they covered their faces in the sweltering heat. A muggy winter had ended in sunny skies, cloudless overhead. The Horn’s morning shadow, now tilting towards the capitol building. He wished he’d chosen a lighter suit for the occasion.

Anton wore a similar wool, but in blue, seated somewhere around the adorning crowd’s midpoint. His poor friend has suffered an endless slew of passive denigrations by those few numina who still find themselves jealous of his success, relentless in their attempts to highlight his modest roots. Had Kallias known, he’d have required a place be set directly at his side, honoring their most loyal & stately citizen, above any noble line. For all its worth, Anton never mentioned it either, keen on sitting with the other senators and their spouses; undeniably better off in Dorra’s company than suffering the old guard’s perfumed decay.

A torrid Midday peak invited several musical performances to liven the stage, amplifying the casual tenor of patrons gathered by the rest stalls. While cameras captured each corner in a vivid technicolor, Kallias remained near his seat, shaking hands with all who wished it. Many tears blessed his legacy, some begging him to stay. He offered them hopeful words in his sanguine yet bullish manner just as bells began the second act, suffering a dozen more speeches thereafter. Each presenter, gilded in fine jewelry, labored considerably in their efforts to explain the meaning of sacrifice. He nearly choked on his glass listening to Égios Neram go on about the inherent equity that arises from a free government. The same Égios Neram who’s voted against every civil appropriations bill ever brought before the Upper Chambers, saving his pen for the affluent & opulent ventures endorsed by his friends.

Three hours had passed by Kallias’ estimate. His mind, wandering frequently, fighting an eager urge to undress the antique trench watch burning a hole in his front pocket. Finally, a wrinkled hand called him forward, invigorating an uproar that spread far beyond the gardens, undulating across the city itself. Rising to the occasion, he buttoned his jacket, clasping the Vikis-Praecé with both hands. As the approbations renewed, he cleared his throat, unfurling six pages, prepared during the erratic vagaries of a weeks’ long shifting mood.

“Thank you. Thank you. Please, have a seat. And a drink if you can. It’s quite hot out. I see many more past the gate. To you, my kin of this great nation, I welcome your homage at such a momentous juncture. As you already know, my second term will end in three days’ time, leading to the first extralineal transfer of power in our nation’s history. The blood of Olympus runs through more than one family, and so should its guidance. Collectively, we are not the many races of Terra, but one united essence, sharing in principles and prosperity.

Serving as your inaugurative Civital, I’ve understood the weight of precedent. We are no longer a war driven economy, seeking pilfered fortunes to subsidize ineffectual ends. What is ours, we built on the merits of every citizen, embracing discomfort to elevate our lowermost standing. Within one decade, we’ve transformed four cities into living automatons, whose rhythm shares a harmony equal to our own. And though they’ve come at great cost, our grids represent the innate will to strive buried in all of us, forsaking opportunism in favor of a collective integrity.

You may have already guessed my next words. Say them with me; taxes pay for the Olympian experience. If fostering dignity is the core purpose of government, then roads, schools, hospitals, and homes are the veins by which it is nourished. Be wary of those promising functionality at a discount. Our shared investment far exceeds its principal, committing us to the promise of a better tomorrow. Your duty is no longer to a throne, but to each other. No downpour shall erode your union so long as it is well maintained.”

His warnings were stern. They needed to understand, dismantling the administrative state validates the ill mannered desire for dominion. And such appetites will always exceed posterity. The only incentive to order is consequence. Namely, for those who move the heavy handed pieces. Innovation is the right of any mind so capable, but access to their markets is a privilege, burdened by responsibility. Proper process assures the people, their favor is warranted.

Over the next two pages, he further aggrandized the Olympian spirit, focusing on the gorgeous motley of their identities & distinctions. It’s easy to mistake cohesion of ideology for cohesion in culture. But it wouldn’t be the city he saw through his childhood eyes without a patchwork to its people.

“To my successors, I must say, leadership is not a reward. Your actions are bound by law, and tethered to the legislature’s will. There is no recourse for retribution, constrained to either compromise or defeat. Constructive opposition defines the arc between the Courts, the Chambers and the Horn by challenging the others’ constitutional grounds for an act beyond their respective duties. Legitimate governance need not rely on the tactics of a despot. You must present your case to the public with an affirmative vigor, stomaching any objections to your ambition. Provoking authority is the right of every guest, citizen and elected official.”

He dabbed the sweat along his brow. They may not always agree, but Thrasea Maetram will lead on the virtues of her own vision. She’s bridged the furthest factions where he’d toiled aimlessly. Her tender handed approach hears all sides, valid or not. Though his policies may soften under her leadership, progress will inch, if not at a trot. Olympus is in good hands.

“As my final farewell, let me ease your concerns. Zamara remains with me, and so it does with you. But you are strong, you are brilliant, and you are brave. Do not rely on its comfort. The world of my youth was a life by candlelight. Now, I have seen how brightly you shine. I thank you all for your commitment this past decade. And I look forward to seeing what you build without me at your helm. Be radiant. Be just. Your excellence is intertwined. Olympus, my heart. Together, we live forevermore.”

The crowd erupted as he bowed his head and kept it there a moment. In the decades to come, he’ll be here to watch where they thrive and where they fall short. Still, a hole has been gnawed into his heart. If he’d had more time, they could’ve reached the deserts. Now he knows, a flame must burn first.

Observing an ordinary ideological spectrum, we’ll typically see Communism & Nationalism at the far ends. The former represents diverse unification, while the latter is stringent on its devotion to identity. But a single plane is narrow in scope. Thus, to the X we must add a Y.

Discussions involving Left & Right are not designed to consider aggregated power. Both ideological sects are fully capable of lapsing into Authoritarian strongholds. Communist Authoritarianism has never earned itself a fundamental distinction, whereas supremacy based Authoritarianism is known as Fascism. In either case, influence becomes too concentrated in the hands of a ruling class.

Democracy is the first level of decentralized leadership. Libertarianism takes things a step further, restricting the domain of elected representatives. Still, it advocates for disjointed polities, however meager their capacities may be. To see the true inverse of consolidated primacy, we must examine a stateless society.

At the heart of Anarchist philosophies is the belief that half of all power is violence. By becoming the singular lawful source for preliminary aggression, states are inherently built on a monopolization of violence, sustaining legitimacy at the threat of death or imprisonment. Alternatively, the Anarchist vision is a return to our scattered roots, built entirely upon the voluntary association of individuals or small communities. But here lies its fatal flaw. Fragmentation inevitably leads to the same results.

Our ancestors formed larger collectives through conquest & union, seeking the security strength provides. Few tribes stopped at the size of a village. Instead, villages swore fealty to a city state, expanding its cultural & economic dominance until a national identity formed. Countless billions have suffered cruel lives and worse endings during the efforts to establish our modern boundaries. Anarchism has a desire to pull away society’s framework, confident its gears can move more efficiently once they’re freed of structure. To quote Hamilton, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” (Federalist №51)

One need only look at the global system to recognize the inadequacies of Libertarian & Anarchic ideals. As larger entities steamroll their counterparts, entire nations become subjugated to a life of poverty. Meanwhile, global agencies have virtually no capacity to prevent conflict; designed, rather, to mitigate certain harms. In contrast, the US offers smaller states assistance pulled from a pot created by the national bond. Its diminishing returns are a direct result of refurbishing Libertarianism into a Conservative philosophy after its Leftwing ouster around the time of the New Deal. As John Jay put it, negating fellowship, there’s nothing stopping the economic behemoths from subjugating their rural analogs. (Federalist №5)

Regulations counter the conniving nature of bad faith actors. Yet so many choose to assume dismantling civil protections will offer them greater stability. Whether ignorance or privilege, the logic is consistently disingenuous, driven by a malicious satiation of their own misery.

Those who believe dismantling government is akin to liberation misunderstand the purpose of government. Failing this, only wealth buys security. And the volatility they wish for others will likely consume them in process. Bureaucratic anarchy is the first step towards bolstering a police state. In other words, few members of humanity are in a position to throw out the rule book.