Democratization of Arcadia

The Democratization of Arcadia, known in Arcadia as La Liberacion(Greater Arcadian), A Libertação (Northern Arcadian), or La Liberazione (Western Arcadian) (All: "the Transition")is a period of modern Arcadian history encompassing the regime change that moved from the Medeirist dictatorship to the consolidation of a parliamentary system, in the form of monarchy under Leopoldo I.

According to scholars, the democratization process kickstarted in 1949 with the ascension of Silvio Faraghi as leader, although some say the stage for Faraghi was set after the death of the dictator Cezar Medeiros, in July 1945. Historians disagree on the exact date the transition was completed: some say it ended after the 1962 leneral election, while others place it later, when the 1963 Constitution was approved. Others suggest it ended with the failure of the 1967 attempted coup d'état. At its latest, the Democratization is said to have ended with the first peaceful transfer of executive power, after the victory of the Arcadian Labor Party (PTA) in the 1974 leneral election.

Often cited as a paradigm of peaceful, negotiated transition, political violence during the Arcadian Democratization was far more prevalent than is commonly attributed to the general public. Riots and protests were common throughout much of the 1950s. However, strong economic growth and Faraghi's personal popularity ensured that the Democratization process was not derailed by said violence.

Background and Context

Premier Secretary of Defense Cezar Medeiros came to power in 1923, following the years of instability, and ruled as a dictator until his death in 1945. In 1944, he designated General Angel Vasquez, a long time ally, as his official successor. For the next nine months, General Vasquez initially remained in the background during public appearances and seemed that he would follow Medeiros's footsteps. Once in power, however, his personal leadership style changed heavily from that of Medeiros.

Vasquez was a believer in moderate reform and courted a step by step plan to reinstall a more liberal government. While he eventually wanted to see a democratic Arcadia, he believed that years of dictatorship had sullied the ability of the Arcadian citizenry to participate in an election. Furthermore, Vasquez was a staunch republican and wished to continue with Medeiros's anti-monarchist policies. What is now called the Vasquez Plan was based in restraint and slow movements towards democracy.

Vasquez's hand was much lighter than that of Medeiros. Vasquez returned local governing power to local and provincial governments, decentralizing power away from the national government. However, Vasquez alienated many of the elites in the Arcadian Movement, the ruling party. Vasquez died suddenly of a heart attack at a relatively young age, only 57 years old. With no designated successor, the Arcadian Movement established a special council, the Committee of Nine to selet a successor for Vasquez. The Committee chose Silvio Faraghi, who Medeiros had designated as Premier Secretary for Internal Affairs. Faraghi was perceived as a hardliner who participated in the repression of internal dissent in the country from 1944 to 1949, and would be reliable holder of office.

Faraghi's Early Years

The first several years of Faraghi's rule were marked by a perceived normality. Faraghi indeed halted reforms, just as the CDA wished, and began to reinstate many reforms of the Arcadian Movement that Medeiros had not pursued but had promised. Social welfare programs were strengthened, unions were made stronger, and plans for a legislature were announced. However, Faraghi was not the hardliner he appeared to be in public.

Faraghi himself was a reformer, having been an idealistic college student during the coup. Faraghi had always claimed to have witnessed the arrest of President Montepilo during the coup. While he early on claimed to have been there as part of the crowd jeering the deposed leader, photographs emerged in 1968 revealing Faraghi as being on the side of Montepilo, and was arrested under a false name but was released under amnesty after the coup by Gregorio Molina, whose position Faraghi would ironically hold 25 years later. A staunch democrat and monarchist, Faraghi had opposed the regime of Medeiros and had secretly influenced him to choose Vasquez as his successor, knowing Vasquez to be a reformer.

However, the opposition Vasquez encountered and the response by the CDA radicalized Faraghi into believing peaceful resolution was no longer possible. Faraghi would write in his diary for the week of 4 December; It is clear to me that the CDA will oppose any and all reforms, no matter how slight. I no longer believe a gradual change is possible. If I ever hold the position of Head of State of Arcadia, I will need to act fast to accomplish my goals.

Faraghi's plan first took action in 1955, when he dissolved the department system and established commonwealths on the pre-coup provincial borders. These commonwealths were established under the guise of "eliminating needless bureaucracy" within the government. In reality the elimination of the departments served two purposes. First, it established loyalty within the heads of local governments and police forces. Secondly, it increased his popularity by ending the unpopular department system. And thirdly, it served as a test to see if Faraghi could indeed reform the state with no issue. Upon seeing major military officers and the CDA accept the new system without question, Faraghi realized he could take drastic measures without provoking a response.