Kyotakavian Nationalism (Koytakavia)

The flag of the United Federal Republic of Kyotakavia, formed after the third independence war.

Kyotakavian Nationalism is a political ideology and movement which asserts the right of the Kyotakavian people to have and maintain their own independent state, separate of the influence and intervention of Svozgarda. The movement has arguably existed since the Svozgardan conquest of Kyotakavia in 1727, and then given a vessel by which it could be politically expressed with the formation of the Protectorate of Kyotakavia in 1800 and was eventually successful at the conclusion of the Third Independence War with the establishment of the United Federal Republic of Kyotakavia. Post-war most major political parties retain the “nationalist” label though its modern context has referred more to a support for the retention of national military service and the maintaining of a large military for the purpose of national defence against future incursions by the Kingdom of Svozgarda. They also broadly support Kyotakavian projects to expand cultural traditions and adopt a hard-line position on building Kyotakavia as a separate and uniquely different nation to that of Svozgarda, standing it in antithesis to Loyalism, the political ideology of the vast majority of Svozgardan political parties that operate in Kyotakavia which which supported a retention of the union with Svozgarda, and now push for greater integration and cooperation between the two states.

Kyotakavian Nationalism stood as a more radical alternative to Kyotakavian Reformism, built in the 1830s, which promoted the changing of the existing agreement through political means, and altering the system of government in the Protectorate to build a more self-governing Kyotakavia. This radicalism has meant that the majority strands of Kyotakavian Nationalism have been almost always linked with paramilitarism, and both hard-line, and moderate nationalists took part in, or actively endorsed paramilitary units before the war, and support their continuation as a legitimate wing of political parties in the modern day.

Strands of Kyotakavian Nationalism

Do-or-Die Nationalism

Do-or-Die Kyotakavian Nationalism refers to the hard-line sacrificial-esque form of Kyotakavian Nationalism, whereby it is the duty of Kyotakavian’s to overthrow the Svozgardan overlordship at any cost. Broadly, Do-or-Die Nationalism believes that an armed struggle is not just necessary, but necessary at the present, and active paramilitary action is taken to force the withdrawal of Svozgardan political and military influence from Kyotakavia. The principle of constant, and total conflict until a full withdrawal is made from Kyotakavia is a central pillar to Do-or-Die Nationalism, and the belief that any human cost to the people of the Kyotakavia is worth enduring should it mean that the country can be free.

Despite this, its human cost comes more in the form sacrifice rather than in the expulsion of others who live in Kyotakavia, a principle built from the early days of the NLP which drew not insubstantial support from the Uzgoyan population of Kyotakavia. Foreign political analysts have often commented on the unique blend of civic and ethnic nationalism that Do-or-Die Nationalism represents, and whilst its current effects on the political climate of the country, as well as its physical presence on the streets of Kyotakavia, can not be denied, their remains substantial debate as to where the ideology may go should Svozgarda be forced to withdraw from Kyotakavia.

History

The first usage of the term Nationalist came in reference to an Kyotakavian political ideology that came about in the 18th century, with the invasion of Kyotakavia by Svozgarda, with its specific use being to describe remnant Kyotakavian military formations who continued to oppose the occupying forces for up to 35 years after the conflict had ended. It initially was used as a term of derision by Svozgardans, with the caricature of the “knuckle-dragging Kyotakavian Nationalist” a common feature in the press, however by the 1790s the term had been adopted as the name of the wider political and military movement that sought the ousting of Svozgardan influence in Kyotakavia at "any cost."

Do-or-Die nationalism, as a specific ideology, came into existence just prior to the 1800 Kyotakavian general election and was used as a distinguishing term to specify the difference in approach to Nationalism between the Farmers' Coalition and NLP with the latter being described as "hard-line" in its stance on independence and Nationalism with the early formative years of the NLP drawing a lot of its early political presence and membership from former Kyotakavian remnant officers. It pushed for immediate armed struggled against Svozgarda, and made use of its wealth of military experience in guerrilla warfare to build its paramilitary force and in the early years, the party was the main force of expression for hard-line nationalism. Politically, Do-or-Die Nationalism was the primary driving ideology behind the early nationalist movement in Kyotakavia and its influence on later political development in Kyotakavian Nationalism cannot be understated.

Today, Do-or-Die Nationalism represents neither a fringe, nor a mainstream political view. Whilst many will still call themselves Do-or-Die Nationalists, ultimately the NLP sees most of its support come from the border states of Kyotakavia or where a deep political dissatisfaction with ruling parties has come to emerge with its broad tent political appeal, and singular focus on the fight for independence, as well as its status as the oldest political party in Kyotakavia, means that whilst the NLP no longer retains super-majorities as it did in the early-19th Century, it has continued to remain a relevant and even crucial force in politics, and its ideology of Do-or-Die Nationalism is respected, and indeed in certain areas even revered.

Moderate Nationalism

Moderate Nationalism represents what could be termed a broadly more “patient” strain of Kyotakavian Nationalism, one which advocates for strike action to economically harm Svozgarda, along with political campaigns to frustrate efforts to claim tithes and restrict the ability of Svozgarda institutions and influence to move about Kyotakavia. Whilst paramilitarism is still deeply tied into Moderate Nationalism, an important distinction is in the role played by them. It is less about constant conflict with the Armed Forces, and instead more about building resources and membership for a future armed conflict if necessary. The broad political hope is for no conflict to be necessary through the building of a political movement that can ward-off Svozgardan intervention in the event of a declaration of independence just through its scale.

Colloquially, Moderate Nationalism is known as “Bullet-and-Ballot-Box Nationalism,” though unlike Do-or-Die, this isn’t a term that has come to refer to the political ideology as a whole, but rather just the strategy which its main political adherents, KUSSC and Alliance pursue.

National Puritism

National Puritism represents the extreme, ethnic form of Kyotakavian Nationalism, emphasising a belief that a state with the Svozgardan's is impossible and therefore there is a need to exterminate and force out the Svozgardan minority population from Kyotakavia for the purposes of securing an ethnically homogenous state in which Kyotakavian's can live, separate from what National Purists see as "malicious foreign elements" with an emphasis on the need to preserve traditional Kyotakavian practices and encourage large families to expand the population.