POL 102: Comparative Politics Fall 2010

Constitutional Engineering Group Project

This is a group assignment that asks you to work collaboratively over four weeks to design the basic institutional framework for a recently democratizing regime: Oz.

Here is the premise: A transitional government led by Lady Glinda (the “Good Witch”) is preparing to draft a new constitution. But before they sit down to write a constitution, they have invited a number of teams of institutional engineers to present to them the basic institutional framework for a new, democratic Republic of Oz.

The transitional government specifically asks each team to address the following questions:

Should Oz adopt a presidential, parliamentary, or semi-presidential system?

What kind of electoral system (FPTP, PR, or other) should Oz adopt—both for executive office (if it is presidential or semi-presidential) and for its legislature?

Should Oz adopt a unitary or federal system of government?

You may choose to address additional issues, but you must satisfactorily address the above concerns. Keep in mind, however, that your goal is not to solve Oz’s problems, but rather to design a democratic institutional framework that will help Ozians develop their own solutions to their current (and future) social, economic, or political issues.

Each team will present a report (or “white paper”) of 5-6 pages in length outlining its recommendations for an institutional design and providing a convincing rationale for why such a design would best suit the needs of a democratic Oz. In addition to the written report, each team will also give a public presentation (using any suitable multimedia).

Attached is a briefing packet on the Land of Oz, including a short history and some basic socioeconomic indicators. You are to take these into account as you develop a new institutional framework for Oz.

Because this is a group assignment, your entire group will collectively earn the same grade. This means that you should do your best to work together to produce the best possible final product you can. Team projects are common in the post-college “real world,” so this is an important skill to master. However, if there are significant reasons for concern, you should speak to me as soon as possible.

Country Briefing Report

Oz1

HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDOz is named after its female hereditary rulers, who bore the title “Ozma.” The Ozmas are a Gillikenese (see “Regions and Peoples”) noble family. However, adherents of Lurlinism, the folk religion of Oz (see “Religions of Oz”), believe the Fairy Queen Lurline left her daughter Ozma to rule the land for all time through reincarnation. For three centuries, Oz was a generally peaceful unitary kingdom tied symbolically to the Ozma royal line.

Thirty-seven years ago, a man known as the “The Wizard” led a successful coup. Only the young Princes Tippetarius managed to escape, but has not been seen since. Many Ozians (particularly those devoted to Lurlinism) are waiting for her to return and reclaim her throne.

1 Information in this briefing packet was adapted primarily from the revisionist Oz novels by Gregory Maguire: Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men.

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At first, The Wizard’s regime was lauded for its modernizing reforms. The first twelve years saw an unprecedented economic boom, particularly in The Emerald City, which grew rapidly. Over time, however, the new regime exhibited strong authoritarian tendencies, prompting a number of opposition political movements (see “Political Movements and Groups”). Ten years ago, the economic boom ended, producing a profound social and economic crisis.

Two weeks ago, The Wizard suddenly stepped down and fled the country. Since then, Lady Glinda, a Gillikenese aristocrat, has taken control of the state. She has promised to reorganize the country into a democracy, with new elections to follow as soon as possible.

REGIONS AND PEOPLESThe Land of Oz is divided into four regions, plus the Emerald City:

The Emerald City. The capital of Oz and home of the Ozma Palace, The Emerald City enjoys a central position in the Ozian political imaginary. The early years of The Wizard’s rule were a time of great prosperity and the city’s population doubled. That ended soon after an Animal rights movement launched an urban guerrilla/terrorist campaign against the regime. Though calm was eventually restored by the Ozian military, the following years saw an increase in the region’s authoritarianism and declining economy—particularly marked by rising income inequality, high unemployment, rising crime, and decaying infrastructure. Once the thriving social, political, and economic heart of Oz, today The Emerald City is rarely visited by others, though it remains a multicultural (though no longer idyllic) melting pot of the various peoples of Oz.

Munchkinland. The breadbasket of Oz, Munchkinland has the most fertile and productive lands in Oz, and the largest share of the country’s population. Primarily a region of yeoman farmers and small shopkeepers, Munchkinland has the lowest income inequality in the country. But it has not escaped the recent crisis. While most Munchkinlanders subscribe to the monotheistic Unionist faith, small pockets of Lurlinism remain (particularly among Quadling migrants). Recently, a there is a revival in fundamentalist Unionism. Though a minority of Munchkinlanders, the Unionist fundamentalists are very influential. Following The Wizard’s departure, they formed a militia and declared the independence for the so-called Free State of Munchkinland.

Quadling Country. Though rich in mineral wealth, this is by far the poorest region in Oz (estimates suggest 80% of the population live below poverty). Early in The Wizard’s regime, the Quadlings were forced to mine their lands and to build the Yellow Brick Road. Though this was done with significant military repression, few outside the region noticed. Quadlings refugees that arrived in Munchkinland and The Emerald City were dismissed as filthy beggars and mocked for their devotion to Lurlinism. Estimates suggest the population of Quadling Country, which is now a wasteland, is only half of what it was four decades ago.

The Vinkus. The western savannahs of Oz (sometimes called “Winkie Country,” after the derogatory slur other Ozians often use towards its inhabitants) are home to three semi-nomadic clans: the Arjiki, the Scrow, and the Yunamata. The strongest of the three clans, the Arjiki, launched an insurgency against The Wizard shortly after security forces executed their leader, Prince Fiyero. Since the destruction of the family’s fortress at Kiamo Ko, the conflict has subdued, though resistance continued, under the direction of Elphaba Thropp (the “Wicked Witch of the West”). Recently, the Scrow began an insurrection of its own. The Yunamata maintains an ambivalent position, though many served as mercenaries in The Wizard’s forces, which retains a presence in the region.

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Gilliken (and The Glikkus). The northern hills of Oz remain relatively untouched by the recent crisis. Smaller in population than Munchkinland, the region is wealthier and has an influential aristocracy. Already wealthy and developed by Ozian standards, Gilliken saw steady improvement in living conditions under The Wizard, even after the economy declined. Though sparsely inhabited, The Glikkus (the northeastern mountains of Gilliken) is also rich in minerals.

Animals. In addition to regular (non-speaking) animals, Oz is home talking Animals. Historically, most lived in The Emerald City, where they worked in the arts, the professions, business, or high-skill trades. Never more than 2-3% of the total population of Oz, they were a significant part of the country’s cultural and intellectual life. Soon after coming to power, The Wizard initiated a pogrom against talking Animals. Within a decade, Animals were barred from most jobs, were hunted down and sent to farm camps (though many escaped into the wild), and were forced to work as beasts of burden. It was the repression against Animals that inspired the first organized resistance to The Wizard’s rule.

POLITICAL MOVEMENTS AND GROUPSThere a number of significant political actors in Oz:

Animal Rights Resistance Movement. An urban terrorist/guerrilla movement dedicated to Animal rights in the Emerald City harassed The Wizard’s regime for some time, until it was brutally repressed 13 years ago. Driven out of the city and underground, the organization’s survivors are now scattered across Oz.

Special mention must be made of Elphaba Thropp, who joined the movement early and became a key leader. After the movement was driven underground, she fled to Kiamo Ko, eventually becoming de facto leader of the remaining Arjiki rebels. Though government propaganda dubbed her the “Wicked Witch of the West,” she became a mythic figure among surviving Animals and other regime opponents (some believe she is a manifestation of Lurline herself); many believe she was not recently killed, but is returning with a powerful army to wreak her revenge on The Emerald City.

Vinkus Clans. The peoples of the Vinkus have a long tradition of autonomy and were least integrated into broader Ozian life. However, they consider themselves Ozians—even claiming to be the “original” Ozian inhabitants, based on the Lurlinist legend that the first Ozma came from the Vinkus savanhas.

With the destruction of their fortress at Kiamo Ko and occupation of much of their territory, the Arjiki are currently leaderless and diminished (though many fled to the upper mountains to continue fighting). This left the Scrow and the Yunamata, historically suspicious of each other, as the two strongest clans. Currently, the Scrow are marching towards The Emerald City. It is unclear what the Yunamata will do, now that The Wizard is gone, but they worry about vendettas from the Scrow (or a regrouped Arjiki).

Munchkinlander Militia. Very recently, a Munchkinlander militia was raised by Shell Thropp (who declared himself “The Emperor Apostle”) under the banner of secession from Oz. In the region firmly under his militia’s control (about a third of Munchkinland territory), Shell has begun a forced expulsion of non-Munchkinlanders and harassment of practitioners of other faiths and mainstream Unionists who have called for tolerance.

The Armed Forces of Oz. The Wizard’s departure left the Ozian military demoralized, and many units evaporated overnight. One significant exception is small, but elite Gale Force. Another is The Emerald City’s Home Guard, which is less capable but highly motivated. Commander Cherrystone—who led the infamous Qhoyre operation (a Quadling city razed to the ground early in The Wizard’s regime) and the assault on Kiamo Ko—remains in command of The Gale Force and is acting commander-in-chief of remaining military forces (with Lady Glinda’s approval). The military officer corps (made up almost

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entirely of Gillikenese aristocrats) remains popular in Gilliken.

The Unionist Church. Although the official, organized Unionist Church became the official state religion during The Wizard’s regime, many members of the hierarchy defended their autonomy from the regime. This was particularly true among Unionist nuns, such as at the Cloister of Saint Glinda (Lady Glinda is named after the saint), which sometimes took dissidents (including Elphaba Thropp) under their protection (always secretly, of course).

RELIGIONS OF OZThere are two major religions in Oz: Unionism and Lurlinism.

Lurlinism.The oldest religion in Oz, Lurlinism is a quasi-polytheistic, mystical religion focusing on the Fairy Queen Lurline. A collection of rites, superstitions, and folk practices, Lurlinism was not an organized religion with a clergy or formal structure. A century ago, Lurlinism declined in favor of the new Unionist faith. Lurlinism is today most prevalent in The Vinkus (although most Yunamata have converted to Unionism) and among Quadlings (though a heavy missionary effort there has converted a quarter or more of the remaining Quadling population). Most Munchkinlanders and Gillikenese look down on Lurlinists. Nevertheless, many common Lurlinist folk practices and myths are still commonly held by Ozians, who still commemorate Lurlinemas (a winter holiday similar to Christmas).

Unionism. A religion devoted to The Unnamed God, Unionism is the official state religion of Oz. Nevertheless, Unionism is factional: The highly structured, organized Unionist Church (whose clergy’s salaries are paid for by the government) is dominant in The Emerald City and Gilliken, where worshipers attend weekly services (though most people retain a secular orientation in their day-to-day life, and many never attend services except for holidays or special occasions). A looser variation, dominated by independent lay ministers, is more common in Munchkinland. This variant includes fundamentalists, charismatics, and liberals. Most converted Quadlings are of the charismatic variety.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUESIn addition to the religious and other issues mentioned above, a few important economic and social issues should be mentioned:

First, the last decades have been particularly cruel to Quadling Country, which saw both its population and income decline. Today, the average Quadling is significantly poorer than the previous generation. The region has few schools, hospitals, or public utilities (water, electricity, sanitation). The region’s extreme poverty means that Quadlings continue to flock to more developed regions of Oz, which contributes to those regions’ problems of rising unemployment, homelessness, and crime.

Second, the recent industrial boom saw a rapid increase in the size of The Emerald City. Beyond the obvious pressures this put on the city’s infrastructure (which was never able to keep up, as shantytowns grew around the old city), this transformation put tremendous pressure on Munchkinland, which was heavily taxed (both in food and in currency) to support the city’s growing population. Today, most Munchkinlanders still farm with outdated equipment, but must support an ever growing urban population. This has contributed to the growing popularity of the Munchkinlander secessionist movement.

Third, The Wizard’s regime greatly benefited Gilliken, which nearly doubled in wealth. Today, the average Gillikenese is nearly twice as wealthy as the previous generation. Whereas previously only aristocratic Gillikenese had servants, today most of the middle class also has live-in or part-time servants (usually Quadlings). Taxes are also lowest among the Gillikenese, who also received much of their

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income through government connections (as military officers, government bureaucrats, or through subsidies to business and industry).

Fourth, after talking Animals were expelled from The Emerald City, those who did not escape into the wild were sent to forced labor camps. Typically, they were sent to Munchkinlander farms, where many talking Pigs, Goats, Cows, and others were bred (and slaughtered) as livestock. Additionally, may talking Horses and Mules were turned into beasts of burden. It is unclear how many talking Animals (or their offspring) still survive. But it is certain that many Munchkinlanders will resist allowing a careful inventory of their farms to determine if any Animals are in their possession. Further, there will not be an easy answer to the question of how or if to compensate talking Animals (or their descendants) for property, businesses, and homes seized by state and now in the hands of others (typically, Gillikenese).

Five, the final concern for Oz is what to do about any civil rights abuses committed during The Wizard’s regime. Guilt is widespread, as is fear of reprisals.

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