Meanwhile, Back in the Consulate...
Speaking strictly from the Zhodani point of view:
You know, I think we're looking at this in the wrong light. We are
trying to compare the Tavrchedl' to a legal system (of sorts even
in Judge Dread). These are not `Beat Cops'. However, the
Tavrchedl' are *not* a LEGAL system at all. Analogies to any sort
of legal system are right out.
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Well it *seems* to that it takes the place of a legal system &
so that's why I compare it as such. (This is similar, IMO, to
the old trekkie controversy about whether or not Starfleet is
or isn't a "military organisation".
Phil
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(Scott says)
Catie says that under the Zhodani system there are no judges, no
juries, no lawyers, no trials, and no appeals. This is true.
However, since we are not discussing a legal system, these ideas
just don't apply here.
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Well I'm sorry but I must disagree. They can consider themselves
anything they wish. I still reserve the right to classify them
as I feel appropriate & evaluate them accordingly. Calling them
med-techs instead of cops doesn't change much, IMO, about what
their real function is.
Phil
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(Scott says)
The periodic examinations of the people and the roving patrols of
the Tavrchedl' which locate the afflicted are not `Police'. They
are Emergency Medical Technicians and Ambulance Riders. This is a
MEDICAL system. The Re-education centers are not prisons, they are
*Hospitals*.
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Well the former USSR had a system that was strikingly similar. If
you got out of line you could be labelled "sick" & sent for "treatment".
It wasn't an experience I would recommend.
Phil
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(Scott says)
If you want a court of appeals or a lawyer, to prevent the "Judge,
Jury, Executioner" syndrome, then I must point out that Hospitals
rarely have only one doctor. The Tavrchedl' who makes the `arrest'
will probably not be the one who administers treatment. Thus,
there will be an almost automatic `appeal' as a second opinion will
be called into question.
Scott 2G Kellogg
"Kellogg is just plain nuts!" -- H. Beam Piper
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Once again similarities to the former USSR's psych. hospitals abounds.
In sum I feel that the potential for abuse in this sort of system
is enormous. I have always been surprised the GDW itself always
maintained that the Zhodani were really quite benevolent when
they seemed to take such pains setting their society up as a car-
bon-copy of the USSR. Especially now that so much more info is avail.
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree?
Phil Pugliese
[email removed]
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(M. Scott says)
Which reminds me of another gripe I have about the MT/TNE background.
Apparently Deneb is safe from Zhodani invasion because the Zhodani no
longer consider them a threat. Now, maybe I've got my history wrong,
but I thought there had been five Frontier Wars and the Zhodani started
all five of them. Who's threatening whom? Besides, if I were Supreme
Zhodani, or whatever title is used, I'd consider the fact that some time
in the future the Imperium is bound to re-form, and remove the "threat"
from Deneb while it is easy to do so.
- - --
"Keyboard? How quaint!" - M. Scott
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GDW has *always* been very solicitious towards the Zhodani. Almost
apologetic. The Imperium, especially after the Civil Wars, was never
any real threat to Zhodane, except that it showed that another form
of human society could be successful. Once again the allegory to the
former USSR is apparent. It was the Imperium's fault for "provoking"
them. My opinion is that the Zhodani attacked because it's the nature
of such forms of gov. to do so. Nothing is perceived as a greater threat
than an alternative form of gov. Especially one that ,like the Imperium,
tolerated a diversity of cultures instead of imposing the "One True Faith"
(tm), or ,at least, attempting to do so. In effect it was the mere exis-
tance of the Imperium that threatened them. Now, or so the theory goes,
that there is no Imperium, the threat is gone. I think a far more likely
responce would be that the Zhodani would, at the very least, "Finlandize"
the Regency. I didn't like much about MT but I think the idea that the
Zhodani Core Expeditions had stirred up so many problems for them that
they didn't have any effort to spare was alot more plausible than the
TNE 'line'. Too bad there wasn't enough time to develop it. Just another
of the casualties of the "New Order", I guess.
Phil Pugliese
[email removed]
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