Daxom is implied to have a strong oppressive monarchy. This seems to be aggreed on by everyone (though the King and Queen see it as more paternalistic then oppressive) But it also says that Daxam was a 'party planet' because they kept the people drunk and entertained enough not to notice that they were oppressed. And that doesn't quite fit.
Now if it were a party planet because that attracts wealthy space tourists that would make sense. But the idea that the people of Daxam were oppressed by being well fed and entertained doesn't quite add up. Putting aside the fact that this sounds exactly like the sort of thing Soviet propaganda would say about the US during the Cold War, the fact is this isn't really possible. The reason dictatorships oppress their people isn't because dictators are evil (not just because they are evil, anyway), but because dictatorships are set up so that the will of the people is irrelevant to maintaining power.
See video in the link below
Rules for Rulers
Maybe it's just me, but isn't there something contradictory about oppressing your people while still feeling compelled to keep them happy?
Is there something I'm missing?
-
Gavagai
- Supergirl General Discussion
- Saturday, 01 April 2017
Actually, it sounds a lot like the Roman Empire's concept of "Bread and Circuses".
Keep the people ("the common mob"
well fed and give them (brutal and vicious) games like gladiator contests, and the rulers can engage in wars of conquest and target political opponents, because to the public at large, it just looks like business as usual, and they don't care. Meanwhile keep a well-paid, professional military (the Legions) to deal with internal and external threats.
It basically worked through quite a few Emperors- the competent, the incompetent, or the crazy as a loon, for a long, time, historically speaking.
(Any resemblence to a modern governmental system is, of course, purely coincidental.)
Keep the people ("the common mob"
well fed and give them (brutal and vicious) games like gladiator contests, and the rulers can engage in wars of conquest and target political opponents, because to the public at large, it just looks like business as usual, and they don't care. Meanwhile keep a well-paid, professional military (the Legions) to deal with internal and external threats. It basically worked through quite a few Emperors- the competent, the incompetent, or the crazy as a loon, for a long, time, historically speaking.
(Any resemblence to a modern governmental system is, of course, purely coincidental.)
- more than a month ago
- Supergirl General Discussion
- # 1
The bourgeoisie and aristocracy party while the working people and other less fortunate get oppressed. No contradiction there. Mon-El being the royal guy would only describe and experience the lifestyle of the ruling classes.
In the year 2166, my planet Krypton was dying. I returned with only one goal, but my pod got knocked off course, and by the time I got here, an accident made me the impossible.....
- more than a month ago
- Supergirl General Discussion
- # 2
Actually, it sounds a lot like the Roman Empire's concept of "Bread and Circuses". .)
Okay, but if I recall correctly the bread an circuses thing occurred during the fall of the Roman empire. So this would imply that Mon-El's family dynasty would probably have ended within a few generations anyway. Also the Roman empire was an empire, which meant they had to incorporate conquered people and lands into their country, unless Daxam colonized other planets Daxam is not an empire.
Keep the people ("the common mob"
Hmm... I don't recall mention of this sort of entertainment, not on Daxam any way. I got the impression that it was a planet wide frat party, not hunger games. I can't help thinking that Kara would have called them a site worse than "frat boys" if this was the case
Meanwhile keep a well-paid, professional military (the Legions) to deal with internal and external threats.
And this where it breaks down because any money spent on bread an circuses is money not spent on the legions. Money that rivals can promise said legions if they switch loyalties. Also, well fed people make better revolutionaries than starving people do.
This setup seems like it would make coups a regular thing which if I'm not mistaken was true of the Roman empire as well. It doesn't seem like it lends itself to a long-lasting dynasty, which Mon-El's family is implied to be.
- more than a month ago
- Supergirl General Discussion
- # 3
Okay, but if I recall correctly the bread an circuses thing occurred during the fall of the Roman empire. So this would imply that Mon-El's family dynasty would probably have ended within a few generations anyway.Mon-El did tell his father their house would have fallen.
Mon-El did mention going to a war planet. Perhaps since Kara was a child her parents kept things from her when describing Daxam.Keep the people ("the common mob"
Hmm... I don't recall mention of this sort of entertainment, not on Daxam any way. I got the impression that it was a planet wide frat party, not hunger games. I can't help thinking that Kara would have called them a site worse than "frat boys" if this was the case
- more than a month ago
- Supergirl General Discussion
- # 4
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