Republicanism in Superior

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A proposed republican flag of Superior.

Republicanism in Superior, also commonly known as Superian republicanism, is a political movement among Superians which advocate for the abolition of the country's monarchy in favor of a republic. Generally, Superian republicans seek to establish a federal constitutional republic under a representative democracy modeled after the government of the former United States, though many individual republicans hold their own views on what a federal republic would entail including certain policies, guiding ideology etc. Republicanism has its roots in early Superian history among citizens who were skeptical of the establishment of the country's monarchy as well as citizens who were staunch Unionists and supported President Grant and the United Commonwealth during the Superian Revolution, but were unable to leave the country.

Republicanism has remained a prominent political movement, however it's generally been suplanted by monarchism as the main political movement and position in regards to political and instutional power. Republicanism is discussed and supported by numerous groups and organizations from academic circles, to activts and advocacy groups to Citizens for a New Republic, the country's only republican lobbying organization. The Superian Left generally supports republicanism due to their ideological disagreements and opposition to the idea of a monarchy, however the position is largely left with limited political representation on the national level. Much of Superian republicanism is modeled after Sierran republicanism in regards to many of their beliefs and positions. Modern republicanism is focused on a representative and transparent government whose leaders are accountable to the public and are elected by the public.

History

William R. Marshall, the founder of the National Republican Party.

The Superian republican movement has its origins in the opposition to the Superian Revolution during the War of Contingency. Many of the movements leading figures opposed Superian independence from the United States and later the United Commonwealth. While reasons varied, it primarily centered around the belief that an independent Superior would become a satellite state of the Kingdom of Sierra or the British Empire. Following the conclusion of the revolution, some who opposed independence left to re-settle in the post-war United Commonwealth. However, the many who had stayed in the newly-independent Superior continued to push for a Superian republic. Many republicans opposed the enthronement of George V of Hanover as the king, primarily because of opposition to the monarchy, George's unfamiliarity with the land, and his dynastic connections to the United Kingdom.

President Floyd B. Olsen considered himself a republican until later in life.

Republicanism in Superior in general was its strongest during the nineteenth century during what is described by contemporary historians as the "first republican movement", especially amongst Anglo-Superians who despised the monopoly held by German-Superians in government. In the 1869 federal election, the republican vote coalesced around the National Republican Party, which established itself as the leading opposition party until 1881. While the National Republican Party itself eventually fell into obscurity, the republican movement was continued through the labor movement; the idea of a Superian republic was enticing to many of the disadvantaged laborers of Superior and the ideology itself had strong roots in left-wing politics in the country. However, republicanism as a serious political movement began to wane near the end of the nineteenth century, as the monarchy solidified itself as a uniquely Superian institution and as Anglo-Superians began to receive commissions in government.

While support of the monarchy remained consistent throughout the twentieth century, the republican ideology persisted well throughout the century. In 1907, the Farmer Labor Party was formed with republicanism as a central tenant to party ideology. The party found success 1938 federal election, though widespread support for the monarchy in Superior after the Great War and other priorities, such as the rebuilding of post-war Superior, prevented the abolition of the monarchy. During the Cold War, republicanism was often associated with the Marxist-Landonism of the hostile United Commonwealth; the republican movement at the time was characterized by leftist, revolutionary thinking and anti-capitalist sentiment. While republicanism was popular amongst the counter-culture movement of the 1960s and 1970s, its association with the United Commonwealth greatly damaged the ideology's creditability in Superior.

In contemporary times, republicanism has remained as a political ideology in Superian politics, albeit a minor one. As of 2023, the Superian monarchy has retained high approval ratings, specially after the COVID-19 pandemic, while only 12% of Superians actively support its abolition. A total of two out of the ten political parties represented in the Parliament of Superior consider republicanism as a party ideology: the Farmer Labor Party and the New Labor Party. However, the New Labor Party is the only one of the two that actively calls for the abolition of the monarchy, as the Farmer Labor Party has re-shifted most of its focus towards progressive politics.

Ideology and beliefs

Part of the Politics series
Republicanism
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Federal representative democracy

Superian republicanism has always been supportive of the country's historic and current system of federalism favoring autonomy for the individual states with their own governments, legislatures, individual leaders, and laws so long as they don't violated federal law nor the Constitution of Superior. The current system of federalism is one that the republican movement supports, however they do support the replacement of the monarchy with the position of the presidency and seeks to alter state legislatures and political systems to be reflective of a republican government, however reforms to the federal government are the main focus due to the federal government being where the monarchy is the most prominent.

Accountability and transparency

Superian republicans believe that an elected head of state would be more transparent and could be held to a greater level of accountability than a hereditary sovereign. As an elected position, the head of state would be held accountable to the Superian people through frequent elections according to Superians for Direct Democracy. The organization also argues that parliament would more easily be able to hold the head of state accountable as well. Republicans also argue that an elected head of state would be inherently more transparent than a hereditary sovereign. Citizens for a New Republic argues that an elected head of state would be inherently transparent as subjected to "necessary public scrutiny" as "[they] are the democratically elected representative of the people", while the current hereditary sovereign is inherently "un-transparent" as they are not subject to public scrutiny on the same basis as elected officials.

Elected leadership

The core principal of the Superian republican movement is the replacement of the hereditary head of state with an elected position. Superian republicans universally support the establishment of some form of elected head of state, and argue that the monarchy at its core is an inherently anti-democratic and authoritarian institution that is actively inhibiting the democratic processes of the Superian government and rights of the people. While nearly all republicans support this principal belief, there is division on whether a republican head of state would serve in an executive or parliamentary capacity. Regardless of the divisions, republicans argue that an elected head of state, whether executive or ceremonial, would be net positive for Superian democracy.

Advocates

Individuals

Organizations

Political parties

Opposition

Main article: Monarchism in Superior

See also

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