Slavery

[Munro]

Hail Ricardo, Ruler of the land between the rivers, leader of the Babylonians, wise and long established ruler,

The Babylon and Scots have long been peaceful and respectful neighbours.  However, I must warn you that Babylon's standing as the last bastion of slavery on our continent is placing a serious strain on our relations.  Even as we speak a bill is in passage through our parliament that is set to outlaw the international slave trade (the depravities and mortality rate of overseas trafficking being of particular outrage to the Scottish public).  If passed in its current form , this legislation would even oblige the Scottish military to enforce this by force if necessary. 

Public opinion for this initiative has been galvanised further by the recent development of the 'tank' - a devastating military innovation which delivers an astonishing level of firepower and allows for the rapid deployment of troops to the front line.  Already there are calls for its use in an international anti-slavery task force.  I can't emphasise enough what a disaster this would be for Babylon!

Of course I am strongly opposed to such measures, but opposition parties in our parliament who support such an initiative have been making a lot of ground in our recent elections and it is becoming a cause for genuine concern.

Ricardo, I urge Babylon to pre-empt such calls for military escalation by taking decisive action now.  Please, close your borders to the international slave trade at once, and set your scholars to the study of Scottish democracy, such that you can adopt a system of emancipation at the earliest possible opportunity...

[r_rolo1]

In the name of the good relations we maintaned with Scotland until now, I'll respond to your parliament and the so-called "public opinion" of your country ( we know how voluble is the mob's opinion about any subject ):

Babylon is not ruled from your capitol. You are discussing the merits of having slaves or not, but fail to discuss if making the whole country slave of the state by making it the owner of everything... that is a heavy double standart. Atleast in Babylon some can avoid to be slaves ...

You can also discuss how did you obtained some of the crucial techs for making your tanks and the unhappiness your agents are creating in my lands. Or the secret services actions are suddently out of the democratic discussion, but the actions of a governement of other country are ? Strange standarts indeed....

Oh, and Babylon does not apreciate threats, as I thinked that the Scots also did not. Come back with a apology and with decent terms of negotiation or with a war declaration.

Ricardo

Ruler of the land between the rivers

P.S We are not afraid of your tin cans...

Tin cans make good coffins

[Munro]

Ricardo,

That is an absurd comparison.  Private ownership merely concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few.  In many ways it is just one step above slavery - since it creates economic slavery of a different sort.  The Scottish system of State Property could not be more different.  In our society, all profits go to the state, which provides employment and housing for all, regardless of caste or social standing.  This creates the ultimate in egalitarian society, where all have equal rights and enjoy an equal share of the nation's productivity.  Furthermore, our people enjoy free speech, freedom from slavery, and the freedom to vote.  This is a system of government which the Scottish people freely chose, and could chose to change at any time through the democratic process.  To compare such an egalitarian and free society to Babylonian slavery - where a few land and slave owners yield ultimate power and superiority over the oppressed and enslaved majority - is absurd.  

Nonetheless, the drastic and insensitive legislation recently passed in Scottish Parliament is uncalled for, and as you are aware, I vigorously opposed it.  On behalf of the Scottish government, I apologise for this.  Nonetheless, now it is out there and the threat exists to us both - to my position in office (since I will not countenance any military action under my watch), and of course the thinly veiled threat to Babylon sovereignty.  So I would like to work with you to find a constructive and workable solution to the threat which faces us both.

Here is my proposal.

• Babylon should enforce an immediate ban on the main trans-oceanic international human trafficking routes (OOC: close borders with certain intercontinental slave nations mentioned in my PM) and
• make good faith efforts to develop an alternate system of labor laws (OOC: switch out of the slavery civic).
• In return, I will immediately make available to Babylon access to Scottish equipment to help modernize the Babylonian defence force (at least until McWilberforce pushes through legislation to stop me ).  This should pre-empt the immediate calls for military intervention - or at least give pause for thought to my opponents within the parliament.  (OOC: I will sell you some discounted infantry and marines as a gesture of goodwill and for self-defence if you want them - see details in PM).  
• In addition, we will provide you with economic aid to help you research the theories of Scottish Democracy, and transition to a system of emancipation  (OOC: again, see PM with details of my offer).
  

Once again, I apologise that the situation within my country has escalated this far, and I hope and trust that Babylon will find the details of my offer to be a compelling solution to the current situation.

Regards,
Prime Minster Munro

[r_rolo1]

I'll not discuss matters of internal politics in here, but I think you are in a deep misunderstanding of the legality of the babylonian slavery system and you are probably putting in the same bag Babylon and other slavery using nations, that have far more barbaric laws. No one borns as a slave in Babylon and no one is traded. Slavery is mainly the last resort of endebted people that make unlimited service contracts with others. Slaves are not property and in fact they can own property ( some of them are extremely rich ). In that sense the Babylonian slaves are more free than the Scots, that can speak their mind and vote for governement, but have to remind themselves that the State owns their house, gives them all the jobs and that can even take their sons out of them for "better education".... But I digress...

Let's not pretend this isn't a pure use of the ultima ratio regis to fulfill interests that have nothing to do with the well-being of either the Babylonians or the Scots or with the slavery issue. If you want a blockade with other nations and force us to do things that we wouldn't do by ourselfes, just make a decent ultimate and don't pretend that you are in any way concerned with other issues. At least that was the idea that I had of the scots of the old days, whose governement had no qualms of calling things by their name.

The OB issue can be arranged quickly. but getting out of Slavery will need some preparation, given that, as the babylonians are a Organized people, our governement was always very decentralized. This will create the need of losing more time until the changes are minimally in place ( OOC: I'm waiting to get a certain tech to make a multifaced revolt, that includes getting out of Slavery, but not only ) I think your "congress people" will consider this sensible enough

Ricardo

Ruler of the land between the rivers