Government and Law

As one would expect the Azeryani government is both complex and highly structured. In theory the supreme ruler is the emperor and his word is final. He creates and modifies the law at will. In reality his power is tempered by the Nobles. Directly beneath the emperor is a large body of officials, all from the Noble class, each of whom has jurisdiction over some facet of running the empire. This pyramidal structure continues down to the level of the junior clerk working in any given city. Nobles typically serve 6 year terms in any given office before petitioning for a different office or retiring from politics. Which Noble holds which office is based on a complex procedure involving voting among the Nobles with the emperor holding veto power on any appointment. The strength of any individual's vote varies based on the current office he holds, his relative wealth, and his past participation in politics. To the outsider it is hopelessly complex and incomprehensible but to the insider it is a system fraught with opportunity.

The various higher government posts are all on their own cycles so no mass election happens every 6 years. This means that at any given time there are active campaigns for several offices and constant politicking is a way of life. The network of favors and obligations among the nobles created by this system is again extremely complex. Being involved in politics at the highest level is not a game for the unintelligent and it is also not for the faint of heart. Frequently the politicking becomes violent as factions vie for power. Occasionally whole clientages will erupt into violence against each other resulting in bloody street warfare. This same sort of political game is played out on a smaller scale in each city. Members of the Curiales serve 6 year terms in office and then vie for the same or a different post. Azeryani view all of this as normal and part of what makes politics exciting. It is a rare Azeryani citizen, at least in the urban centers, who is not well aware of local and imperial politics. Because of the depth of the patronage/clientage system, almost every Azeryani is on one side or the other of every political contest. Betting on the elections is a popular pastime in almost any drinking tavern.

Political factions which are routinely at odds with each other tend to take on a life of their own outside politics. Currently Meokolis and several of the other major cities have factions which identify themselves by colors, ie the Blues, the Reds, etc. Each is actually derived from a particular clientage and its allies and the rivalry now extends beyond politics. Reds and Blues will each put up teams in the local chariot or horse races or will fund teams of gladiators in the regular fights and so on. Beatings on the street merely caused by being in the wrong party are not uncommon.

Below the offices held by the Curiales and Nobles is the vast governmental bureaucracy. There are departments and offices for nearly anything imaginable. Every aspect of running the empire is organized, analyzed, and recorded for future use. Almost any activity requires a permit, sometimes several, and almost everything is regulated in one manner or another. The entire group of bureaucrats is made up essentially entirely of members of the Freeborn class. As a group they are well-educated, above even the norm for the empire. While the bureaucrats technically wield little power, in reality they can interfere with almost everything. Corruption and bribery are commonplace and accepted as the norm in doing business. Almost nothing happens without the correct palms being greased or favors exchanged. Having members of your clientage being in the appropriate governmental department can make or break a business venture.

Most bureaucrats are born into their professions and their parents' status strongly affects the level at which they hold office. Promotions certainly occur, sometimes based on merit and sometimes not. Demotions are just as commonplace. This again leads to politicking and hostility between clientages, though on a much smaller scale and lower down the pecking order than that mentioned above. Politicking at this level rarely leads to more than simple street skirmishes between rival clientages.

The Azeryani legal system is also complex and very detailed. A clear distinction is made between civil and criminal cases, in fact with many subtle variations which are opaque to the outsider. Fully seventeen grades of civil suit are recognized based on the relative status of the complainants and the type of dispute. Criminal law is similarly complex. This all leads to, or was perhaps created by, a very strong class of litigants. As Azeryani society is extremely litigious, litigants can earn substantial wealth and are frequently widely known with strong reputations.

All court cases are presided over by a member of the Curiale class, one of their many elective positions. Civil suits are settled by a panel of five jurists, and awards are usually monetary. The loser is expected to pay for the expenses of the trial as well as whatever award the jury imposes. Criminal cases are settled by a panel of three jurists and punishments are normally harsh. In addition, convicted criminals or their patron must pay the expense of the trial. If acquitted the cost of the trial falls on the Curiale supervisor.

Jurists are selected from among the more respected litigants in the city. After serving with distinction for at least 20 years, any litigant is a candidate for being designated a jurist. Which litigants serve as jurists on which case is determined by the litigants handling the case and the Curiale supervisor. In civil cases each side chooses two jurists and the Curiale chooses the fifth. In criminal cases two jurists are chosen by the litigant hired by the state and one by the defendant.

Cases of treason are tried as special criminal cases, with 7 jurists and presided over by a Noble. This happens fairly rarely, but often enough that it deserves mention. July 16, 2001

This page was last updated on January 23, 2002
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