Midrasian Chartism
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Midrasian Chartism, sometimes referred to as simply Chartism is a variant of liberalism most prominent in Midrasia, but also present in a number of democracies throughout central Asura and other former Asuran colonies, particularly in Rennekka and Vestrim. The ideology is similar to classical liberalism in its promotion of civil liberties under the rule of law whilst emphasising strong economic freedoms with little intervention from the central state in the economy. Importantly however, Chartism is notable for its emphasis on retaining the role of the church for creating a moral society, as well as promoting a gradualist approach to democratisation, sometimes characterised as 'democracy from above' or 'gentry democracy'.
The term Chartist in Midrasia originally referred to anybody under the Old Republic who supported the creation of a Consitutional Charter to limit the power of the Consul whilst also empowering the legislature and codifying a set of rights and liberties enjoyed by all citizens. With the creation of a Midrasian constitution in 1791 the Chartist faction formed a new government under the leadership of Patrice Malouines creating the basis of an official Chartist Party which coalesced in the mid 1830s.
Though the Chartist Party of Midrasia collapsed during the 1870s its ideology and ideals continued to be upheld by a number of other political parties such as the Liberal League and the newly formed Republican Party. Ultimately, in 1902 with the creation of the 'New Political Settlement' which sought to end decades of political division and instability, the Chartist name was revived for the newly formed Chartist Bloc which now represents a wide spectrum of Midrasian centre-right to right-wing beliefs. Not all parties who subscribe to the bloc can be regarded as ideologically Chartist, however those which have historically been successful within the bloc adhere to policies compatable with traditional Chartism.
Overview
The origins of Midrasian Chartism can be traced back to the Old Midrasian Republic following the Midrasian Civil War. The first document which could be regarded as an official constitution for the newfound republic was known as the Instrument of Government. This document set out the operating procedure of the new state, as well as the powers endowed to parliament and the Consul. However, the document itself placed a considerable amount of power in the hands of the Consul, effectively making parliament a 'rubber-stamping' body for the Consul's agenda. Though the decision to create a powerful executive was rooted in the instability the republic faced following the civil war, over time considerable opposition grew to the current settlement, with many viewing the Consul as merely a continuation of the previous despotic monarchy.
Under the Old Republic Midrasian politics was generally split between the Devreuxan faction, who supported a strong Consulship, and the parliamentarian faction, who supported restrictions on executive power. Between 1648 and 1791 power tended to fluctuate between these two factions with Consuls from the house of Devreux tending to concentrate power in the Consulship, whilst those from outside of the family tended to empower parliament. By the late 1700s the parliamentarian faction had pledged its support to drawing up a new constitutional charter to permanently curtail the power of the Consul, a move which greatly angered then-Consul Jean-Jacques Devreux. This, in conjunction with a number of economic and political factors saw the Consul dissolve parliament marking the beginning of the Midrasian Revolution.
With the deposition of Jean-Jacques Devreux by the Parliamentarian Army and its international allies, the victorious parliamentarians set about creating a new constitutional document which sought to prevent any future abuses of power by the executive by empowering an elected legislative body and introducing national elections to the Consulship. The new Constitutional Charter also contained a bill of rights for Midrasian citizens.