Intellectual Schools within the Realm

The era of fragmentation within the Realm, which has lasted for more than two centuries by now, has ironically given the Imperial civilisation a great intellectual boost even as its political authority and external prestige dwindle rapidly. In response to the chaos prevailing throughout their lands, many different schools of philosophy and thought have arisen, seeking to offer new answers to the questions of politics, diplomacy, warfare and social order where the old answers - the venerable rituals and rules which form the basis of Imperial culture - have crumbled.

The following is a list of some of these schools of philosophy, their ideas, and some of their leading thinkers.

Note on the Kingdom of Iru
The Kingdom of Iru, relative to many of the other kingdoms within the realm, lies at a considerable disadvantage where thinkers and intellectuals are concerned.

One such factor is geographical; being situated in the far east of the Realm, where the hold of civilisation has always been relatively weak, it is often seen with a little contempt by the great thinkers and schools, which are mostly sited in the west and south of the Realm.

Another such factor is historical; Iru has had an unfortunate history of punishing and purging scholars within its borders, often at the behest of nobles or as collateral damage in political struggles. The current instability within the royal court at Shuganak, and more implicitly between the King and the two Princes, adds to this sense that being a thinker in Iru tends to be a dangerous course.

That said, neither of these disadvantages are absolute. Indeed, the distant position of Iru - and the Appanage of Mar in particular - makes it a good hiding place for thinkers who have been rejected elsewhere, while its proximity to the Easterners of the Fisewa River - many of which are highly developed cultures themselves - open it to an alternative source of intellectual vigour. And its unsavoury reputation would be a good background against which a master can shine, if he takes care to be known as a lover and nurturer of talent.

Segerists
The Segerists are named after the great thinker Segeras of Augaru (c. 150 years ago - c. 90 years ago). They are known for advocating the study of historical precedents as an aid to governance, and therefore are also known as the Historians.

In terms of their social views, they agree largely with the Legalists that men are by nature selfish, foolish, and inclined towards evil. However, the Segerists believe that the thriving of human endeavour despite these flaws points to potential within humans, and they think that the way to achieve this potential is not through ritual, or other metaphysical processes, but through rigorous study and the accumulation of knowledge.

In terms of political views, they are advocates of the promotion of learning, as well as the encouragement of urban growth and trade. To them, learning is the greatest qualifier for officialdom, and they view cities, with their conglomeration of learned people and dense populations, as being ideal centres for the nurturing and testing of qualified men. In their conception of the social order, the nobles' greatest credit to their country is the nurturing of gate-guests; the ruler's greatest task is not his own ability to rule, but his ability to delegate and judge talent, placing them where their abilities are most effective.

Legalists
The Legalists do not have a unifying central figure, though some of their major figures include Akoseg and Usuginar, the formidable Chief Minister of the Kingdom of Mihar which, six decades after his death, still remains one of the strongest Kingdoms in the northwest of the Realm.

Their main conception of man is a bleak one; humans are, by nature, selfish and greedy; yet mostly too short-sighted to be able to do anything wise. Unlike the Segerists, they don't believe that the growth of civilisation is proof of a potential within humanity; rather they believe that it is the effective use of non-human institutions, such as law, punishments and bureaucracy, which has managed to channel the energies of people and secure order and prosperity.

In terms of political views, they believe the ideal state to be one where a strict legal regime, tightly enforced and with strict punishments, creates a large reservoir of manpower and energy which can be managed by a centralised bureaucracy. This 'national strength' can then be channelled by the ruler, who ideally possesses the foresight which most other people do not have. At the same time, though, the institutions and legal measures that marshal a kingdom's strength also act as an insurance against abuses from the ruler; if the ruler is capricious, he will run up against institutional checks, and if the ruler is incompetent, then at least the tasks of keeping order and enforcing the law are carried out smoothly by the bureaucracy.

Economically, the legalists tend to believe in autarky and the strict governmental control of human resources. Since humanity is greedy and foolish, giving too much freedom to trade and congregate is only likely to increase the chances of dissent, disagreement and abuse. Thus the government and bureaucracy must tightly regulate economic activity, focus on the production of food and the capacity of the military forces, and at all times prioritise order within the state.

Menegists
The Menegists are named after Meneg of Buso, and therefore one of the earlier schools of thought to have come into view. They have a far more optimistic view of humanity, believing that the general inclination of man in his natural form is towards the good. The fulfillment of both good and evil lies not within a person himself but rather with the environment, or community, he is in; therefore the key of good governance and social order is not the design of government itself, but the shape of the community being governed.

The Menegists, whose founding figure bemoaned the decay of the rituals which gave a sense of hierarchy and belonging to a society, believe heavily in the use of rites, rituals, and a sense of 'natural' hierarchy as the cornerstones of a good community. As such, they stress the role of the family and clan as a social unit, bound by blood and filial piety. Yet, since these ties of family are natural, they do not involve government directly; where the issue of government is concerned, the Menegists mostly advocate the allowance for social mobility based on talent, while keeping within the limits prescribed by ritual and propriety.

The government in a Menegist's ideal state is an exemplar and a force for good. By the correct observation of rituals, and the promulgation of exemplary behaviour, they encourage emulation by the society; meanwhile, by instilling order via management and incentive rather than suppression and punishment, they promote the willingness of each social group to do its part for the social hierarchy and the country as a whole.

Nahurists
The Nahurists are named after Nahuras, a former slave who was educated and emancipated by his kindly master, and then spent nine years studying with They tend to agree with the Menegists on a positive view of human nature, though they believe that the government itself should not be delegated with the role of promoting, or attempting to 'design', a proper community.

Nahurist thought, where government is concerned, states that 'laws are built around communities'. Communities cannot be designed; laws can only be there to gently guide people towards morality. They believe that a law which is hard to enforce is, regardless of its moral intention, a bad law; they also believe that the government should be strictly circumscribed by different communities under its rule, for the communities are what makes laws effective.

In terms of morality, the Nahurists adhere to a vision of 'universal care'; they believe that families, important as they are, are an insufficient basis for the society to function.

Deragists
The Deragists school was named after two brothers, who founded a large monastic community on Mount Derag about a century ago which still survives now, supporting a large community of thinkers and monks. Deragists take a negative view of government in general; they believe that human nature is good, but deformed by the power invested in government which leads to inequality, resentment and corruption.

As a result, Deragists believe that morality is independent of government, and that the best government can do is to 'rule by doing nothing'. They feel that the reason government was created was because the sages of the past naturally led people to follow their virtue, and this followership was then abused by less virtuous descendants. As a result, the only way to redress this while preserving government is to have leaders emulate the sages, be neutral and impartial, and interfere weakly if at all in the working of society.