Libertine Party
| Libertine Party of the Pillow Fortress | |
| |
| Libertine Party flag | |
| Motto | "For Princess, State, and Pillowan" |
| Responsibility | Staffing the civil service, maintaining the Principality's values |
| Form | Political party |
| Estate | Fifth Estate |
| Subordinate to | n/a |
| Established | February 26, 0/2018 |
| Status | Activated |
| Abbreviation | LP |
The Libertine Party of the Pillow Fortress (Libertine Party, or the Party) is the sole legal political party of the Principality, defined as such by the Constitution. All government appointees, civil servants with policy making power, and most elected officials must be members of the Party. Although it has a monopoly on political power, the Party is technically a non-governmental organization, meaning that it is not funded by tax or other government revenue, but rather by membership dues, certain business ventures, investments, and donations. The Princess is the head of the Party, being its Secretary.
Etymology
In an ideal world, the Libertine Party would have been named the Libertarian Party, a more direct derivation from the word "liberty" owing to the Party's ideals of individual freedom, however "libertarian" already has multiple, sometimes conflicting, definitions with regards to politics, and attempting to add another would only confuse. "Libertine", while also a preexisting word, is far less common and lacks much if not all political baggage while sounding close enough to the word "liberty" to make its point. Derivations of different words which mean similar things, such as "freedom" were deemed clumsy and dissonant.
Purpose and Ideology
The purpose of the Party is to educate, train, select, and empower the Principality's leadership. Advancement in the government bureaucracy requires advancement within the Party, and advancement within the Party is attained through a combination of competency and the internalization of the core values of the Pillow Fortress, which are to be reproduced and replicated throughout society by means of law and policy. The Party's institutional dedication to the Fortressian Telos is the rationale behind its status as the sole legal political party.
There is no name for the ideology of the Party, as it is an eclectic mix of ideas and concepts taken from across the political spectrum, though it is ultimately left wing. At its core is the acceptance of Materialism, and more specifically Historical Materialism as presented by Karl Marx, that is, that historical developments are the result of changes in the relationship between mankind and the means of production, as well as accepting the Labor Theory of Value. Despite these Marxist features, the Party disclaims Proletarian Internationalism, revolution, and Communism both as a political program and as a desirable system for the end of history. The Party is, of course, monarchist, but a kind of modern, non-traditionalist monarchism which does not base its legitimacy on such things as the Divine Right of Kings or the unbroken line of succession from some other, pre-existing monarchical dynasty. The Fortressian monarchy is viewed in a technocratic sense, as a means of maintaining the long term stability and direction of the government.
Membership
Membership in the Libertine Party is open to all Pillowans age 18 and over who are ideologically aligned with the goals of the Party.
Compensation
Members employed full time in the administration of the Party receive one of three possible salaries depending on a combination of position and seniority. Monetary compensation is intentionally much less than what might be obtained in the public sector for similar work in order to discourage opportunists and careerists from joining, while selecting for those who believe in the Party's values to a high enough degree that they are willing to forego greater material wealth. Members employed in the civil service, appointed to government position, or elected to the Directory do not receive a Party salary. The Party Secretary voluntarily refuses the salary she is entitled to.
| Party salaries | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Amount | |
| Partmaximum | Equal to 2x Partmedian. | |
| Partmedian | Equal to halfway between Partminimum and Partmaximum. | |
| Partminimum | Equal to 2.5x the Fortressian minimum wage. | |
| Partmoot | Equal to zero. This tier is used in accounting for Party volunteers. | |
Branches
Commissar Branch
The Commissar Branch recruits, trains, and embeds political commissars into the Principality's militaries to ensure loyalty. Commissars are not technically members of the armed forces and hold no rank, however they have command authority equal to that of the commanding officer of the unit to which they are assigned.
Foreign Party Coordination Branch
The Foreign Party Coordination Branch participates in joint projects of the Libertine Party and political parties of foreign states which share ideological and political goals in common with it. Typically this takes the form of participation in the World Association of Libertine Party Organizations.
Local Party Chapters Branch
The Local Party Chapters Branch provides oversight to the individual Party chapters which operate at the local level as semi-autonomous organizations.
Party Businesses Oversight Branch
The Party Businesses Oversight Branch provides oversight to the Party's many independent businesses.
Party Discipline Branch
The Party Discipline Branch maintains the good conduct of the Party.
Party Information Branch
The Party Information Branch produces informative content about the Party, its purpose, and its function.
Party Intelligence
Party Intelligence maintains the security of the Party against internal and external threats. Unlike the other members of the Pillow Fortress Intelligence Community, of which it is an unofficial member, as a non-governmental agency it has no special legal dispensations, and so is constrained to act in accordance with the law as any other independent, non-governmental agency would. This has the effect of turning Party Intelligence into the Principality's de facto OSINT organization.
Party Membership Branch
The Party Membership Branch vets potential members and maintains the registries of current, former, and expelled members, as well as those who have been banned from ever being members.
Party Morale Branch
The Party Morale Branch maintains a high morale among Party members through a variety of community and organizational based activities.
Party Organization Branch
The Party Organization Branch staffs non-appointed positions within the Party.
Party Outreach Branch
The Party Outreach Branch partners with local non-governmental non-Party organizations to improve the Principality.
Party Security Branch
The Party Security Branch provides security for high level Party members and Party buildings.
Party Treasury
The Party Treasury is the accounting branch of the Party.
Chapters
Chapters are semi-autonomous organizations which operate with devolved powers at the sub-provincial level to more directly provide party services to individual members as well as the community. The geographic unit which bounds the area of responsibility of one chapter from another is the Chapteriat. For more on the internal organization of local party chapters, see Local Party Chapter. The list of currently extant local party chapters and their associated chapteriat are as follows:
Committees
Libertine Congress
The Libertine Congress takes place every six years and consists of delegates from all the Party chapters as well as certain approved Party factions which appoint members to the different leadership positions to serve until the next congress.
Politburo
The Politburo is the executive committee of the Party, consisting of the Princess as the Party Secretary, a Deputy Secretary, and the heads of the Party branches.
Flag of the Party Secretary
Flag of the Deputy Party Secretary
Flag of Politburo membership
Factions
Independent Agencies
Libertine Bar Association
The Libertine Bar Association is a professional society for members who are also lawyers and other legal professionals.
Libertine Historical Society
The Libertine Historical Society collects, maintains, and displays various artifacts of historical significance to the Party, as well as researches the Party's history and produces educational media.
Libertine Policy Forum
The Libertine Policy Forum organizes intra-Party roundtable discussions, panels, and debates on a variety of topics relating to politics, culture, law, policy, and history.
Libertine Social Club
The Libertine Social Club is a club for elderly members which keeps them active and engaged in their communities and in politics.
Libertine Sporting Club
The Libertine Sporting Club organizes amateur sporting events and leagues for Party members.
Libertine Students Association
The Libertine Students Association is the student wing of the Party, serving the needs of Party members who are university students, and engaging in different activities on campus, such as outreach, social gatherings, political rallies, and protests.
Libertine Tavern and Business Association
The Libertine Tavern and Business Association is a professional society of businesses owned and operated predominately by Party members and affiliated with the Party. Affiliation may bring certain perks and advantages, for example, a tavern may be selected as the meeting place of a local riding or a local manufacturer may receive right of first refusal on certain Chapter-level contracts.
Libertine Volunteer Agency
The Libertine Volunteer Agency connects Party members to charitable and volunteer programs within their communities, as well as organizing its own efforts.
Libertine Women
Libertine Women is the women's wing of the Party, serving the needs of women members, and functioning not unlike a social club, organizing events, debates, volunteer work, rallies, etc.
Libertines Abroad
Libertines Abroad provides news and information to Party members living outside the territory of the Pillow Fortress. Its activities are more general than those of the Pillowans Abroad Chapter.
Organization of Fellow Travelers
The Organization of Fellow Travelers provides information, services, and volunteer opportunities to those individuals who are sympathetic to the Party, its politics, and its goals but who themselves are not members for whatever reason.
Young Libertines
The Young Libertines is the youth wing of the Party. It serves to educate future generations about the Party as well as prepare the most dedicated for Party administration. Membership in the Young Libertines is open to the children of party members and those children who have been sponsored by a Party member.
Independent Businesses
Libertine AV
Libertine AV provides special effects, editing, recording, and distribution services to the Party, its chapters, and its organizations.
Libertine Press
The Libertine Press publishes the official newspaper of the Party, as well as the Party's scholarly journal.
Libertine Quartermaster
The Libertine Quartermaster oversees the acquisition of Party branded merchandise and items, either manufacturing them itself or subcontracting.
Offices
Office of the Deputy Party Secretary
The Office of the Deputy Party Secretary is the main organ through which the deputy Party secretary leads the Party day-to-day.
Office of the Libertine Party Counsel
The Office of the Libertine Party Counsel provides legal services on behalf of the Party.
Office of the Libertine Party Spox
The Office of the Libertine Party Spox speaks to the public and the media on behalf of the Party.
Office of the Party Secretary
The Office of the Party Secretary is the main organ through which the Party Secretary leads the Party day-to-day. Since the Party secretary is always the reigning Princess, she likely will be too busy to directly lead the Party, instead delegating that power to the deputy Party secretary. However, the power she holds is real, and she can assume command at any time. Her office remains fully staffed and capable for this possibility.
Schools
Libertine Academy
The Libertine Academy is the Party's wholly owned liberal arts university. Its purpose is to train the leadership of the Party, and its curricula reflect this, focusing on political education, administration, philosophy, and law.
Libertine Youth Academy
The Libertine Youth Academy is a private high school open to the children of Party members subject to certain academic qualifications as well as requiring sponsorship from at least one member of the Politburo.
Services
Libertine Design Service
The Libertine Design Service is the Party's in-house graphic design firm, providing services exclusively to the Party, its chapters, and its organizations.
Party Statistics Service
The Party Statistics Service collects data about the different aspects of the Party.