An Open Discussion on Praesidium Membership Amounts

Codex Memorial Garden The Magisterium
1

Magisters,

Early Monday morning (U.S. Eastern Standard Time), the Magisterium entered into a minor disagreement with regards to the increasing number of Viziers in our Praesidium. Delegate AMOM has stated - most recently in his nomination of our dear friend Cappedore - his commitment to a large Praesidium:

I personally prefer a vision of TEP where the Viziers are a body as large and diverse as they are, and deliver a broad and democratic outlook to governing the security council. I also prefer an environment where influence is widely and generously dispersed across such a large group of people that we all trust to safeguard it, because this is a very daunting obstacle for anyone who would want to turn this region into a monolithic autocracy.

Over the course of the last several Vizier nominations, concerns have been raised by members of this fair body that there is becoming an excess of Viziers, such that the efficiency of the body is in some question. I felt that this discussion had significant derailed Cappedore’s nomination thread:

[…T]his nomination thread is not the appropriate venue to discuss capping the membership of the Praesidium. […] This is Tommo’s nomination thread, and the nomination at hand should remain the subject matter in this thread.

On Monday morning, I made an executive decision: considering that this has been a discussion had by the Magisters informally and in various venues for a few months now, I’d like to see where everyone stands. I understand that these discussions have mostly produced consensus, but this thread serves as a more organized and dignified venue to hold this conversation as I understand objections have now been raised on multiple occasions.

All are free to state their case below, but please remember two things:

  1. This is an open discussion of the Magisterium. Magisters and non-Magister Citizens are invited to comment. I am proposing no legislation in this thread, nor will I sponsor any legislation at this time. This is a discussion thread only; if legislation is proposed, he who proposes it shall be the sponsor of said legislation. I claim no responsibility for legislation proposed as a result of this discussion thread.
  2. All discussion within the halls of the Magisterium is to remain respectful. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. Decorum is to be maintained, and the Office of the Provost will defer to moderation in cases where it is not. This is your only warning.
2

Three or four years ago I would have been so happy someone besides me was talking about checking our immortal Viziers. During the short time it felt like we had a Vizier CTEing each month, usually one of our heroes that has well proven their loyalty and promise to TEP very long ago, the interregional scene at large would laugh at us. How were we able to protect something so coveted if we couldn’t even make sure our protectors could stay logged into their nations? How could any threat to our democracy be combated if we first had to raise the dead to raise our shields? Why not demote our inactive to EPPS and only have the Viziers we know for sure are alive as Viziers, so we will know our protectors are watching?

But then I realized,

  • During Concrisis, everyone was alive. The time had some. Something crazy happened to our democracy. And the Viziers, even ones I had only heard of in stories before, were all alive, pounding the books, and after a solution to the verdict that turned everything on its head.
  • After landmark JR, Vizier Marrabuk now needed to be effectively reconfirmed as Vizier following a CTE prompting a lapse in citizenship. We had all along a solution to the “slap on the wrist”, at least a week’s suspension until our vote concludes and a chance to check in and ask the Vizier if they wish to continue.
  • When I became Delegate, I remembered seeing even storied members by our seniors’ stories active far beyond the scenes in our infrastructure, moderation, and oversight.
  • Who am I to say some of our best protectors over the years don’t deserve a say in matters of regional security anymore, by demoting them to a non-voting EPPS Officer vs. a Vizier?

This is not a perfect system, or a perfect body. It can be improved. But I learned it is enough to do the most important jobs it is assigned - stop the threats, trace the sneaky, protect the delegacy, and farm influence.

I feel reducing Vizier count to a fixed cap is not the solution here. If it isn’t broken, and especially if it’s doing better not in this state, don’t “fix” it. But as an imperfect construct there are some avenues that could be explored

  • As said, a CTE invites an opportunity to reconfirm an indefinitely serving official wants to continue during a lapse in citizenship. Is it possible to check in more often before a CTE? Should instead Praesidium be encouraged to roll call like we do?
  • Could “Vizier” be separated into different roles for different levels of activity? Could this something more active vs. retiree personalities enjoy, realizing that burnout with NS is very real with age?
  • What boons do we have in mind with HOG that will enable the Praesidium more than ever as forever holder of the in-game Delegacy?
3

The argument for a larger Praesidium is thus: Larger hordes of endorsements and influence to bulwark against enemies, more diverse and complete wisdom and backgrounds among our security officers, and more difficulty in planting enough Viziers to pass corrupt decisions.

The argument for a smaller Praesidium is thus: More delays in response time and no real solution to the problem of Viziers not doing their jobs.

To me, the balance is clear in any case. However, I do not find the argument for a smaller Praesidium to be founded in any truth.

When we had only three Viziers, we kicked into action instantly during the October 2019 coup attempt. Even ejected at update, one of our Viziers update surfed and got back in without losing their endorsements and influence. We wrestled back control with little delay.

When we had 15 Viziers, we kicked into action immediately. We organized resistance and security in the wake of the disastrous ConCrisis ruling. We put out a statement within 24 hours of a delbump attempt. We prosecuted immediately to curb LWU influence once logs were leaked of their hopes to plant their flag on a GCR. We stayed in constant communication with AMOM to advise and assist in the removal of Ernest Drake. We banned Crystalsummer when he came back. We worked with Spice Girl admins to block leaks. We worked with Exec to repair griefed links and secure new nations and regions when Vussul left.

I don’t see any delays here. Not when it matters. SOP amendments can be slow-going sometimes, sure, but where’s the security risk there? I just don’t buy the argument of a slow and bloated Praesidium.

Speaking to the arguments of Viziers not doing their jobs, I think that’s an entirely different issue, but one that, thankfully, we have 14 and soon to be 15 of the brightest minds in TEP working to solve it. Some aren’t endotarting enough, that’s true. We’ve implemented new technologies and frequent check-ins to keeps our senior citizens sharp. When they need to come out of the woodwork, they do, and in force. We implemented non-Vizier membership for CitiOffice. We have EPPS passively observing and reporting on suspicious activity.

If we had just 10 Viziers, we wouldn’t be any better off in any of these departments. The Praesidium would, however, have less influence, less endorsements, less variation in time zones and background, less institutional knowledge, less creativity, and less hands on deck when crises go down.

We’re enviable. We have a GCR. A feeder, no less. We bow to no region and no ideology. We have not one but two amazing roleplays. We have a powerful military. We make enemies. I sleep more soundly knowing that if I happen to take a personal day, the Praesidium is still operating at 10+ capacity.

4

I can’t add much to Aiv here. But I can assure you all, having been there in the 2019 coup as Vizier, with only 3 of us left to actively fight the coup as Viziers: you never ever want to do that again. Having a large Praesidium is the single most effective security measure in TEP since 2009, and I’ll fight tooth and nail against any effort to limit or restrain the Praesidium in any way.

5

I don’t believe we should be limiting the number of Viziers.

6

I believe that limiting the number of viziers would not really solve anything, it would just be placing a cap on something that would not benefit from a cap being placed on it.

7

Most of this was written a number of weeks ago, and apparently I’d forgotten to finish it.

I had previously said that I was, quote, “not inclined to comment until we have a more organized discussion about this.” Well, this is that ‘more organized discussion,’ isn’t it?

My thoughts on the matter are not incredibly lengthy. I remember the coup. Do I remember it well, no. This was before my time in the government, after all. Our security apparatus - e.g., the Viziers (“Praesidium” wasn’t a term in use at the time) - wasn’t very large. Although the Rahls were (fortunately) not very intelligent, it became obvious that our security apparatus needed to be… well, an apparatus, and likely more populated than our Conclave at the time.

Fast-forward approximately five, six, or maybe seven years. Cappedore’s confirmation gives us a fifteenth Vizier. Even the “lurkers” rise from the dead when times such as Concrisis or the 2019 coup hit. The Praesidium is an apparatus such that it is now our Fort Liberty. Is it a fair question as to whether our manpower must necessarily be funneled into the Praesidium in such high numbers? Yes. However, I trust that the Executive (whichever title its chief officer shall hold come the next autumn) is apt at gauging how much is too much with regards to Praesidium numbers. If we need more, we need more; if we don’t, we don’t.

In short: I do not feel it necessary to restrict the number of Viziers by law. I believe simple logic will best dictate where the balance lies in the size and strength of the Praesidium in the future.

8

Well . . . only in certain contexts. I mean, unless the Vizier nominee is also an actual or potential EPSA soldier, we’re not losing anything. They’re still able to do other things. We have Ministers, Magisters, Arbiters, and Roleplayers all. And the WA lock is huge, yes, but every single person who signs up for it, well, they signed up for it. Atlae rejected a Vizier nomination for that reason, and we’ve had and can still have Viziers resign to pursue military operations. We’re even having conversations about some form of lock waiver for a smaller subset of Viziers, if we reach a certain size. “For life” doesn’t actually mean “for life,” it just means that it’s flexible. So, I’m sorry, but even that argument doesn’t make one lick of sense to me.