Purpleshirts

  

Order of the White Rose
Leader	John Higashikata
Founded	1914
Dissolved	1957
Newspaper	The Bell of Revolution
Ideology	New Culture Sierran nationalism Derzhavism Anti-Landonism
Political position	Far-right
Religion	Christianity
Official colours	White, purple
Party flag

The Order of the White Rose, better known as the Purpleshirts or the Purple Shirts, was initially a Sierran derzhavist paramilitary organization that represented the militarized wing of the Sierran Cultural Revolution's supporters. It later evolved into a major state-recognized gendarmerie force which possessed nationwide jurisdictional law enforcement authority with broad responsibilities. During both Great War I and Great War II, segments of the Purpleshirts were deputized as an all-voluntary militia force which fought overseas alongside the regular armed forces and reservists. Due to its controversial nature, tactics, and power during the Revolution, especially in the Approbatio period, it has been described as a secret police as far-left dissidents, including anarchists, Landonists, and Sierran republicans, as well as nativists and white nationalists were the frequent targets of the Purpleshirts.

The legality of the Purpleshirts and its connections with the monarchy and government were questioned throughout its existence. It reflected a period in Sierran history when the country came under authoritarian rule. Although the Revolution itself was started by progressives, liberal democrats, and egalitarians, it quickly evolved into ultranationalism and anti-Landonism by the 1920s. The Order of the White Rose was formed by Revolution supporters and war veterans who opposed the reactionary politics and resistance emerging in the Styxie. Its main activities were to report alleged anarchists and dissident republicans, disrupt racist establishments and businesses, and defuse racial tension in the region. As unrest devolved into the Little Civil War in the Styxie, the Purpleshirts became increasingly more armed and militarized. By 1918, it had evolved into a full-fledged paramilitary force which upheld vigilantism and loyalty to the King. Emboldened by the Sierran government's tacit acknowledgement and acceptance of the Purpleshirts, the force spread across the nation. The Sedition Act of 1922 was widely seen as the pivotal moment when the Sierran state semi-officially integrated the Purpleshirts into its structure as a legal entity. The act gave sweeping law enforcement authority and responsibilities to the Purpleshirts against crimes such as treason, sedition, hate crimes, and lèse-majesté violations. It also expanded its scope to include internal security, internal intelligence, and other functions.

In 1957, after the end of Great War II, the Purpleshirts were formally abolished by the Internal Security Reform Act as Sierra moved away from authoritarianism and militarization of the state, with the Revolution essentially complete by then. Some of the functions and responsibilities of the Purpleshirts have since been absorbed in federal entities such as the Royal Bureau of Investigation or the Royal Intelligence Agency. In the years since the end of the Purpleshirts, the organization and its symbols have been used by many neo-derzhavist and other far-right organizations and grousp who've idolized the organization and its actions.

History

The Order of the White Rose was established in 1914 as a movement of mostly young Sierran men who supported the aims and goals of the Sierran Cultural Revolution. Fearing reactionary backlash and armed resistance by the Revolution's opponents, the Order's members sought to organize themselves into a militia in order to defend themselves. It initially consisted of Sierran Jacobites and other monarchists who defended the monarchy, as well as those who backed the New Culture. Although the Order was armed, its beginnings were generally peaceful as it was mostly involved with political activism. Increasing social unrest and racially-motivated violence in the Styxie and elsewhere prompted the Order to switch its operations to more violent means.

Ranks

Main article: Ranks and insignia of the Purpleshirts

See also

• Far-right politics in Sierra
• White Rose Brigade
• White Rose Battalions
• Neo-derzhavism