Society of the Friends of the Revolution
| Society of the Friends of the Revolution | |
 Cockade of the revolutionary movement, became a symbol of the fight against the Imperial authorities in the final days of the civil war. | |
| Abbreviation | Kakumei Society |
|---|---|
| President | Marius Gallo |
| Secretary-General | Wang Wei |
| Slogan | The State. The Law. Liberty. |
| Founded | 1699 AN. Port Nevermore, United Thanedom of Dalmacija |
| Headquarters | Somewhere in Arboria |
| Newspaper | The Ziyou Chronicle |
| Membership | Unknown, mostly refugees (Post-Chidao Troubles) |
| Ideology | Abolition of the monarchy, independence of Jingdao/Kildare from Great Apollonia (before reunification with Shireroth) |
| Colours | Gold - silver - blue |
The Society of the Friends of the Revolution, or Kakumei Society (Revolution Society) was an organisation established in 1698 AN, during the latter days of the Post-Chidao Troubles. Meant as council to coordinate the civil war efforts of the Thanedom and Xianbei, it eventually evolved into the most important representative of those governments-in-exile. From 1735 AN and henceforth, the Society became a political faction within the Legislature. Despite its success, it remained a small player within the Folksraad and Adelsraad. Its members became known as Sakuragists, after their newest and most popular member, Ren Sakuragi.
History
Early History within Jingdao
Under pressure of the revolutionary Wang Wei, who advocated more cooperation between the remnants of the Xianbei government and the United Thanedom of Dalmacija, the Society was established as think tank and political club to align both nation's interests. Marius Gallo, who first declined to join what was perceived as a chain around his feet, was eventually pressured by his fellow compatriots to at least pretend to be willing to form a united front.
In 1699 AN, the situation was already bleak for both the Thanedom - which was slowly pushed back northwards - and the Xianbei state - which had more or less lost all its major cities and was fighting a desperate guerrilla war. The Society increasingly became a place to organise its' members impending retreat and evacuation.
The cooperation between Jing and Kildari, the promises of fairer treatment of the millions of Jing within Dalmacija - which angered Marius Gallo - and eventually the establishment of a Jingdaoese division which would fight under Wang Wei all strengthened the idea of a renewed fighting spirit. On 28.IX.1699 800 soldiers and 34 officers of Jing descent signed the 1699 Xinshi Denouncement, ending their bound with the Heavenly Light and expressing desire to overthrow both the monarchy as Tianchaodao.
Hopes of success, however, were shortlived. The end of 1699 AN would see a last desperate attempt of the Society to defend Hongsejiamen at the Zhang River. Its fall meant the collapse of the frontline. Wang Wei, surrounded and wounded, fled on New Year, 1700 AN, to Senya, while Marius Gallo was seen fleeing Port Nevermore when the city was surrounded.
While the war seemed lost, both would eventually meet again to re-establish the Society as a revolutionary and rebel movement, vowed to liberate Jingdao.
Views at the time
While a loosely knit political faction, the Society vowed to reach certain goals:
- Establishment of Jingdao as a free republic.
- Male universal suffrage.
- Abolition of bound servants.
- Abolition of the monarchy.
- Abolition of Tianchaodao.
- Disbanding the Tegong.
Marius Gallo's Leadership
Marius Gallo, exiled from Greater Kildare after the fall of Port Nevermore, remained the de facto leader of the Society. Despite his initial reluctance to engage with revolutionary politics, Gallo’s strategic mind and fiery rhetoric turned the Kakumei Society into a potent force within Shireroth. His exile officially ended in 1735 AN when the Shirerithian government permitted his return on the condition that he would not act against the Imperial Republic’s wishes. Gallo used this opportunity to expand the Society’s influence within Shirerithian politics, leveraging its growing support among the disenfranchised.
Growth and Influence
The Kakumei Society attracted members across Shireroth, from moderates advocating gradual reform to radicals seeking immediate revolutionary change. By 1735 AN, it had become the most voam revolutionary organization within the Imperial Republic. Despite its diversity, the Society maintained several unifying goals:
- The establishment of Shireroth as a republic.
- The principle of imprion populi—imperium held by the people, not a monarch.
- Universal male and female suffrage.
- The abolition of servitude and hierarchical privileges.
- The disbandment of oppressive institutions such as the Tegong.
The Society operated clandestinely in some regions but gained open support in the Folksraad, where it became known as the Sakuragist faction after its most prominent new member, Ren Sakuragi, whose fiery oratory galvanized public support for radical reforms.
Role in the Mango Anarchy
The Mango Anarchy provided the Society with a fertile ground for its ideas. Economic despair and political fragmentation allowed the Kakumei Society to position itself as a champion of the common people. It played a significant role in organizing protests, strikes, and petitions demanding reform during the 1737 Recession.
Revolutionary Committee of Shirekeep
Members of the Kakumei Society, including Wang Wei and Ren Sakuragi, were instrumental in the formation of the Revolutionary Committee of Shirekeep in 1737 AN. The Committee effectively operated as a shadow government during the upheaval, enforcing policies aligned with the Society’s goals. While the Committee’s more extreme policies alienated moderates, they solidified the Society’s reputation as the vanguard of republican ideals in Shireroth. They also led to a period of oppressive republican attempts to destroy imperial power, during the period of the Regime of the Bloody Cleansing.
