History of Constancia under Primo de Aguilar
The Primo de Aguilar era, also known as the Primokratía (Rule of Primo) refers to the period of direct governance of Jaime Augustin Joaquin Primo de Aguilar on the Free Associative Kingdom, and later Imperial State, of Constancia, from his minor Court appointments to his reaching the pinnacle of national authority as Autokrator of Constancia.
Early years
Kanikleios Strategos of Thema Oranjesion Kyvernitis of the Basileusan Bank Symvoulos of the High Court
Autokrator
Dislocation of the State
Reconstruction and consolidation
Add something about the privatization and corporatization of the State for greater efficiency and effectivity, compared the moribund, sclerotic autocratic monarchy that was starting to lose influence and relevance outside Vey
Magna Carta
The nascent Imperial State
The social and economic turmoil resulting from the dislocation of the Free and Associative Kingdom necessitated structural reform of the State. A new fundamental law was promulgated in 1667, known as the Magna Carta, outlining the relationship between Crown and People. The Kingdom was dissolved and reborn as an Imperial State, in order to further stress the glory of the Basileus as an institution, and as a sop to faltering national pride.
The new Imperial Synkletos
Rights of the people were constitutionally codified, and to appease the ruling classes, the Synkletos was to have an Imperial Senate, composed of lifetime appointees, which was somewhat representative of the elite factions within Constancian society. The promise of a more representative Synkletos was tokenism; despite the constitutional command that elected members of the Synkletos serve, the constitutional command of Article 35 was explicit, stating that this provision of the constitution would be implemented "according to the provisions of the law of election". In the first seven years that the Magna Carta was constitutionally in force, not a single Imperial Senator introduced a Bill providing for a law of election. That would change in 1674, with the convocation of the 3rd Imperial Synkletos, or so many thought.
Hopes that the Synkletos of the Imperial State would be an improvement from the multiparty bedlam of the Synkletos during the era of the Free and Associative Kingdom were somewhat optimistic. Prior to the adoption of the First Amendment to the Magna Carta, the Magna Carta commanded the annual convocation of the Imperial Synkletos. The 1st Imperial Synkletos was duly convoked in 1667, in Aqaba on the 12th day of the 10th month of Psydros 1667 in the 48th year of the Reign of the Basileus, and constitutionally adjourned nine months later, in accordance with Article 42 of the Magna Carta, on the 12th day of the 4th month of Heliotropios, 1668. Article 42 provided authority, "In case of necessity, the duration of a session may be prolonged by Decree, but shall not go beyond the calendar year of the existing session," but this was never exercised. In fact, two whole years would pass before the 2nd Imperial Synkletos was convened in Astérapolis on the 12th day of the 1st month of Phoinikaios 1671 in the 52nd year of the Reign of the Basileus, which also adjourned without much accomplishment, nine months later, on the 12th day of the 9th month of Artemisios 1671.
The 3rd Imperial Synkletos would be summoned another 3 years later, at Astérapolis on the 12th day of the 1st month of Phoinikaios 1674 in the 55th year of the Reign of the Basileus. Sessions of the Imperial Synkletos proved to be perfunctory, in general. It was said to be the most exclusive debating club in the entire world.
The Democratic Alliance
Pro-democratic forces took advantage of Magna Carta protections. Article 29, for example, provided that, "Constancian subjects shall, within the limits of law, enjoy the liberty of speech, writing, publication, public meetings and associations", and Article 30, "Constancian subjects may present petitions, by observing the proper forms of respect, and by complying with the rules specially provided for the same".
Theoretically redress of grievances could be had by directly writing the Autokrator or Mesazon, or any Minister of the Government (the Autokrator had an entire bureau, known as the Correspondence Secretariat, to deal with such trifles, see Primokratía), but no Constancian subject, except perhaps the well-connected, dared show such temerity, for fear of reprisals.
The inadequacy of policy and political reforms from 1667-1673 gave birth to a loose coalition of democrats, who soon united under the banner of The Democratic Alliance.
Government Service Delivery
Education
The University of Vey was founded on 3.XII.1632 under the patronage of the Royal Family [1]. On 17.I.1635, the Education Act 1635 was granted Royal Assent. This Act mandated:
- Basic Education - every Constancian citizen and/or a citizen of an allied foreign nation is entitled to free 2 year degree of BS
- Professional Education - every Constancial citizen is entitled to a free 3 year degree of PE. Citizens of allied foreign nations are entitled to a 3 year degree of PE after paying a fee set by the Mesazon
- Education Universitat - every Constancian citizen and/or a citizen of an allied foreign nation is entitled to 4 years degree of EU in the Universitat tou Vey after paying a fee set by the Mesazon
It also recognized the Universitat tou Vey under the law, and provided for its administrative structure. On 4.X.1653, the Synkletos confirmed the appointment of Uthman Habib Attar as Minister of Education and Prytanis of the Universitat tou Vey. The Universitat was destroyed, along with Vey, in 1666.
Under the regime of the Magna Carta, Zenaida Arnhus was appointed Minister of Education on 13.X.1667 [2]. On 23.XIV.1670, the Permanent Standing Committee of the Imperial Synkletos adopted the Provision of Foundation Education measure, which created a Bureau of Education Services under the Ministry of Education, with the purpose of supervising the education of the children of citizens and subjects. For each community of more than one thousand persons, a Foundation School to impart the rudiments of writing, numeracy, and loyalty and obedience to the Highest Divinity, to children between the ages of five and ten years of age, was established, while each district of the provinces was authorized to mandate a poll tax of 4% of net worth upon adult subjects over fifteen years of age, for the purpose of paying for the establishment and maintenance of the Foundation schools. A system of examination was directed to be established by the Bureau Chief of Education Services, where certification based upon the results of the examinations, endorsed by the Bureau of Education Services, must be awarded to children at the conclusion of their foundational education by the Foundation Schools into which they have been enrolled. Euran University was founded in 1668 by the ESB Group, mainly to tend to the educational needs of employees and partners.
Imperial Senator Theresa Leventi was elected as Chair of the Committee of Education of the Second Imperial Synkletos on 14.I.1671.
National Finances
The Banks and Banking Act was enacted by the Synkletos in 1639, establishing the Basileusan Bank as the central bank of Constancia, and authorizing the incorporation of other domestic banks within Constancia.
The first Minister of Finance, International Trade and Industry, and concurrent Kyvernítis of the Basileusian Bank, was appointed on 6.X.1653
Healthcare
Mesazōn Andreas Metaxas was one of the first to allocate a government budget for healthcare in 1642 [3]. Aretina Rossou was appointed Minister of Health on 11.I.1656. Andrea Pandes was appointed Minister of Public Health on 13.X.1667.
The Basileus Petros III Charitable Hospital was established in Raspur, in accordance with a treaty concluded on
Imperial Senator Acastus Vlahakis was elected as Chair of the Committee of Health of the Second Imperial Synkletos on 14.I.1671. That same day, Imperial Senator Hercules Nikolaides introduced A Bill Institutionalizing Palliative and Hospice Care, which was referred to the Committee of Health.
The Basileus, at the Speech from the Throne on the opening of the Third Imperial Synkletos on 12.I.1674, commanded the Synkletos to strengthen our national institutions, and to focus on national education, national health, national defense, and national welfare. Imperial Senator Acastus Vlahakis was elected as Chair of the Committee of Health of the Third Imperial Synkletos. That same day, Imperial Senator Hercules Nikolaides reintroduced A Bill Institutionalizing Palliative and Hospice Care, which was referred to the Committee of Health. Imperial Senator Viljo Kaljurand introduced A Bill Providing for Military General Hospitals, which was referred to the Committee on Defense.
On 21.IV.1676, the Dos Gardenias School of Medicine established a campus, now known as the Nivardom Medical College.
