User:Premislyd/Equalism

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The three arrows topped with a book and right-facing torch is the most commonly used symbol for Equalism.
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Equalism (Gaullican: Egalisme), sometimes referred to as [Amathian Name]ism or [Amathian Name]]ism-Güerièrism, is a far-left ideology developed in Amathia and Champania during the 1920s and 1930s, formed from a synthesis of Nemtsovite and councilist ideologies. Equalists consider the ideology to be councilism adapted for the political reality of the more rural and poorer Euclean South, and it encompasses several detractions from orthodox councilism such as the inclusion of a vanguard party, emphasis on statism, promotion and promulgation of nationalism over internationalism, and rapid industrialization.

Equalism was first implemented on a state-wide level in 1958 when the Equalist wing of the Amathian Section of the Workers' International launched a self-coup and seized control of the party, and subsequently formed the Amathian League of Equalist Unity. Later in 1960, the Equalist faction of the Champanois Socialist Workers' Party gained control, and proceeded to establish Equalism as the dominant ideological current within the country. In 1963, the two countries merged to form Amathia-Champania, which elevated Equalism as a perceived alternative to the orthodox councilism in place throughout much of the socialist world, especially so after the decline of Tretyakism within Chistovodia. The Amathian Revolution saw a drastic decline in the influence of Equalism on the international stage as the landlocked SEPR-rump state was unable to maintain obligations. The dissolution of the SEPR and subsequent Champanois Thaw saw Equalism fall from grace in South Euclea, and saw it transition to the fringes of the global left.

Following the collapse of the SEPR, the ideology has undergone numerous transformations, as the ideology has seen the adoption of several Tretyakist tenets and a further rejection of orthodox councilism, including a de-emphasization on the importance of council democracy via curtailing the powers of local councils, the mass nationalization of self-governing, worker-controlled industries , and social conservatism. This Neo-Equalism, also called Champanian Councilism or Right Councilism, has seen a resurgence, particularly within Champania where it has been the dominant far-left ideology within the country since the mid-2000s.

History

Early

South Euclean People's Republic

Post-SEPR

Lorenç Cortamànxa, General Secretary of the PSOC from 2006-2015, was a key ideologue of Neo-Equalism.

The collapse of the South Euclean People's Republic resulted in the Equalist faction of the Champanois Socialist Workers' Party losing power. The subsequent Champanois Thaw and the adoption of Diorisme led to the relaxing of many of the hardline policies implemented during the SEPR. Some power was relinquished from the PSOC and central government, and portions of state-owned enterprises were sold and small-scale privates businesses had been legalized in 1990. Most of these policy reforms were seen as necessary at the time to ensure the continued existence of councilism within Champania, and to ensure that the Amathian Revolution would not spread.

It is within these socioeconomic conditions that Neo-Equalism arose as a reactionary movement to Diorisme. Hardline elements within the PSOC and bureaucracy argued that Equalism collapsed in Amathia because of "capitalist-functionalist sympathizers" within the All-Euclean League of Equalists rather than the authoritarian nature of the SEPR-era Equalist government and policies. This view was reinforced when Amathia joined the Euclean Community in 1995. Simultaneously, hardline factions viewed the stark rise of unemployment, drug-usage, and corruption during the 1990s as further cause for concern. The rise of a bourgeoning middle-class consisting almost entirely of entrepreneurs and "petty bourgeoisie" prompted the need for a "reinterpretation" and "transformation" of orthodox Equalism.

In the June 1997, Lorenç Cortamànxa, who was serving as Chairman of the Lièn City Council, published an op-ed in the party newspaper Ł'Humânite, titled "Transforming Councilism for the 21st Century." Throughout the article, he argued for a need to "adapt councilism to the needs of the Champanois people." Laying the foundation for Neo-Equalism, Cortamànxa wrote several more articles for the newspaper, taking advantage of loosened censorship laws that had been enacted during the Thaw. Cortamànxa's popularity rose, and he was elected as General Secretary of the Orangeois branch of the PSOC in 2001.

The Champanian economic bubble burst in 2005 with the 2005 Great Recession which exacerbated the effects of the rapid economic liberalization that took place during the Thaw. In the fall, Cortamànxa and his "Right Councilist" wing within the PSOC swept local and department elections. The 17th National Congress saw Cortamànxa elected as General Secretary of the PSOC and the Right Councilists take control of much of the politburo and central committee. Many of the economic reforms were repealed under the guise of "combating foreign economic sabotage," and initiated campaigns aimed at combating the societal effects of the recession, including harsher punishments for drug and youth crime, anti-drug campaigns, and anti-corruption campaigns. In 2011, the vast majority of economic reforms initiated during the Thaw had been repealed in their entirety.

The 2010s saw the rise of apparatchik cadres that grew up during the Thaw and the socioeconomic issues that accompanied it. These cadres gravitated towards the Right Councilists, and expanded upon the foundation of "Cortamànxa thought." In 2022, Premier Merxê Cruèsêłes was elected General Secretary of the PSOC at the 21st National Congress, and published the April Declaration. The declaration, titled "Proposed Measures for the Improvement, Development, and Maintenance of Ideological-Political Activity in Relation to Councilism with Champanois Characteristics," was the opening speech of the congress. The declaration and the acompanying launch of the Societal Reconstruction Campaign are considered to be the open adoption of Neo-Equalism by Champania.

Principles

Equalism detracts significantly from orthodox councilist praxis, and are considered by both socialist and liberal thinkers alike to be a different ideology entirely. On the surface, Equalism rejects two of the Three Tenets of councilism outright while promoting economic policies that contradict the third. The core praxis of Equalism encompasses a more Nemsovite view on revolutionary socialism, and features an emphasis on a vanguard party to guide the transition to socialism, promotion of militarism to defend the revolution from external and internal threats, abandoning of internationalism, and others.

These principles were solidified, and to a lesser extent seen as endorsed, following the Equalist factions of the Amathian Section of the Workers' International and Champanois Socialist Workers' Party coming to power in 1959 and 1960. Both groups quickly solidified power within their respective parties through the usage of fear and intimidation tactics. Through this, the other factions fell in line with the Equalists, allowing both to implement their policies unopposed.

Vanguardism

Nationalism

Equalism is unique when compared to both Councilism and Tretyakism in that it forgoes the notion of internationalism, and instead continued to emphasize the national struggle in achieving global communism, and that councilism needs to be adapted for each unique nation. The idea is tied with the idea that socialism should be strengthened within the country first and foremost. This contradicts both the orthodox Nemsovist-Councilist notion of permanent revolution and Tretyakism's "Councilism in All Countries." Nationalism become closely tied with Equalism initially in Champania, where the nationalist movement was co-opted by the socialist revolution, and the notion of an independent Champania became heavily entwined with the existence of a socialist Champania.

Equalism advocates what it calls "revolutionary patriotism," which promotes cultural nationalism and the material development of the nation and people. This has since evolved to encompass a "love for the country, for the achievements of socialism, and commitment to the revolution." Mass youth organizations, such as the Champanian Red Guards of the Revolution, are the primary tools used to promote and instill revolutionary patriotism, and a large portion of their agenda is geared towards such. Outings to cultural and heritage sights, military bases, and others are done with the primary goal of instilling patriotism.

Under the South Euclean People's Republic, a unique form of revolutionary patriotism would arise. Rather than promoting and focusing on cultural nationalism and assimilation, instead there was an emphasis on multiculturalism, and a shared heritage between the Champanian and Amathian peoples. The phrase "Unity and Fraternity" (Amathian: Unitate și fraternitate; Champanian: Ûnite e frâternite) was adopted as a slogan during the SEPR-era by the All-Euclean League of Equalists. It shortly became the official policy for inter-ethnic relations within the SEPR, which promoted a unified cultural identity ("South Euclean"), emphasized the interdependence between Amathia and Champania, and officially proscribed all peoples in the SEPR to be equal. Simultaneously, ethnic nationalism was opposed by the SEPR government.

Militarism

Militarism within the Equalist context is framed as a "defence of the revolution by the proletariat." More specifically, it advocates for a "military-first" policy, and equates the strength of the military with the survival of the nation. Equalism is largely similar to Tretyakism in its relationship with militarism, and echoes many of the same talking points. Like Tretyak, Güerièr and other early Equalist thinkers believed militarism was integral to the Weranian Revolution, but argued that it ultimately failed because the Weranian Republic did not devote enough resources to the military, and thus was unable to adequately defend itself nor export republicanism abroad.

Members of the Volunteer Reserve of the Workers' Militia, ca. 1986

To prevent the failure of the socialist revolution, Cazac

Economics

Largely similar to Tretyakism, more emphasis on state capitalism. "Military first" ideology possibly with war communism.

Social policy

Erosion of secularism, particularly with Neo-Equalism. Government emphasized population growth. Neo-Equalism less accepting of LGBT+, more influence of Sotirian Catholicism on social issues, pro-life, even more emphasis on population growth to combat defections to EC.

Notable Equalists

Criticism

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