Democracy Now
Sarna News
A political movement in the Lyran Commonwealth/Lyran Alliance, Democracy Now was dedicated to removing the Archon in favor of a democratic expansion of the Estates General.[1]
History[edit]
Early Years[edit]
Born in the waning years of Alessandro Steiner's reign, the Democracy Now movement was centered on the Alarion Province planet of Novara, a world noted for its extremely liberal democratic government. Spending most of its early years attempting to lobby and support politicians on Tharkad who shared its view,[2] by the era of the Lyran Alliance the movement had switched its strategy to one of grass-root expansion, sending advocates to worlds across the entire breadth of the Lyran realm in an attempt to convince local governments to adopt a more egalitarian system.[1]
While only experiencing moderate success, by 3067 the movement enjoyed substantial support on many worlds of the Alarion Province, especially near the Rim Collection, a nation Democracy Now's then-leader Kalvin Strauss hailed as prime example of the nature of government Strauss envisioned for the Lyran nation.[1]
Jihad - Expansion and Destruction[edit]
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Puzzle.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. |
3071[edit]
A faction of Democracy Now led by Lindon Ashley turned violent in March 3071, when the organization led an open rebellion on Enzesfled.[3] The fleeing nobles sent out a distress call, which inspired Cumberland's Missiliers, who happened to be waiting for their JumpShip to recharge in system, to intervene. Though the DPA outnumbered the Missiliers on the ground the mercenaries were able to achieve air superiority, deliver the DPA a defeat, and rescue the nobles they had been pursuing.[4]
In May, Ashley called for the secession of Alarion Province from the Lyran Alliance.[5] Also in May, the planetary guard on Kaumberg belatedly responded to the distress signal Enzesfled's aristocracy had sent. Even as the Kaumberg Planetary Guard relieved Enzesfeld, Batajnica and Calafell were beset by revolts, with more systems falling under unrest into the summer.[6]
In June, Ashley publicly contracted Eriksson's Einherjar.[5]
In August, Grandin's Crusaders were hired by an unknown party (who they suspected to be Lindon Ashley) to attack and destroy an agricultural processing plant on Mercedes. In reality, the agricultural complex was a well defended ammunition factory owned by Kalvin Strauss. The destruction of this "economic infrastructure" by "pirates" while the local militia failed to intervene was used by Lindon Ashley's faction of Democracy Now as propaganda, winning him substantial support at the same time Strauss found himself cut off from a substantial portion of his income.[7]
On 21 December, assassins killed Kalvin Strauss, though an attack on Lindon Ashley failed.[8]
3072[edit]
Ashley returned in March 3072 to take up the reins of Democracy Now on Novara.[9]
In August 3072, the forces of the Kaumberg Archonette invaded Novara. The Democratic People's Army was bolstered by Grandin's Crusaders, who had been coerced into assisting Ashley by Interstellar Expeditions board member David Styles outside of their regular contract. Kaumberg forces crushed the DPA, but this was due to their being deliberately unsupported by Grandin in order to make Kaumberg Planetary Guard overconfident. The Crusaders were able to drive the KPG back from Democracy Now's headquarters, but quit the field when they discovered Ashley had already evacuated (and took their pay with him).[10]
3075[edit]
On the 4th of March 3075 agitators from Democracy Now bombed the Capital Arcology Complex on Ferihegy, which caused a massive backlash against the movement.[11][12] Lindon Ashley released prerecorded messages on a number of worlds claiming both responsibility and that the attack would have been impossible in a democratic society, but the absence of any mention of Ferihegy or of explosion suggested that the message had been prepared in advance for use in the event of any major incident for which Democracy Now could claim credit.[13]
In May 3075, the DPA and KPG were engaged in fighting on Vermezzo. Cumberland's Missiliers again opposed Democracy Now, saving the KPG from defeat, but moved on before the battle for the planet ended.[14]
List of Leaders of Democracy Now[edit]
| Name | Reign |
|---|---|
| Kalvin Strauss | 3067 - 3071[1] |
| Lindon Ashley | 3067 - 3075[1][13] |
Known Members of Democracy Now[edit]
- David Styles was a Democracy Now supporter on Interstellar Expeditions' board.[10]
- Mario Lavallos was member of the Democracy Now movement in 3071.[15]
References[edit]
- ↑ a b c d e Handbook: House Steiner, p. 128: "Political Movements - Democracy Now"
- ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 94: "Internal Politics and Policies"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 13: "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 98-99: Storming the Balance
- ↑ a b Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, pp. 22–23: "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, pp. 16–17: "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 106-107: "Oppression"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 20: "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 21: "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ a b Total Chaos, p. 121: "Going Nova"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 15: "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 53: "The Jihad in Review"
- ↑ a b Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 20
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 141-142: "Heat Lightning"
- ↑ BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [09/09/3071]: "Strauss-Ashley Rift Widens over Democracy Now Extremism"