ObTrav (maybe):

In North America, the government of both Canada and the 13 Colonies (US) was at one point British. Lower Canada had been won from France, but Seigneurial law still applied there for matters of property and other things, the British just had the broad rule and collected the taxes. 

This was an administration at great distance (4000 mile wet ditch between the Eastermost areas of the huge land area of North America and England). Of course, that meant (like Traveller) they had to govern by a Governor. To avoid adventurism by locals or by other colonial powers, they also had to have British military garrisons.

The problem was a) they picked some rather poor Governors and b) governing at a distance makes any issue (important to the locals) less critical to the distant rulers (and they can't see how upset the locals are). That led to the British in America finally breaking away from Britain and throwing out the British military. They took a shot at Canada too, but here the British Commander had a strong bond with the local First Peoples and they held back the US attack (sadly, losing the British Commander and a chance at a real, lasting, more equitable relationship with the First Peoples).

The ObTrav is that Imperial authority in a region (military governor or local nobles) could easily be concealing (from higher authorities) real problems in a system (or just be unwilling to see them). The local government (governor or noble) may be using Imperial forces to 'protect the Imperial interests' in a way that just exacerbates rebellion. There could also be corruption involved.

I think a version of the Imperium (I will call it The Decadent Imperium) sees an Imperial Court distant from the ruled, many Sector Courts the same, and the Imperium holding power through force more than good governance. Rebellions could be a very common and incessant reality. The Decadent Imperium might feel a bit like the Codominum of Pournelle or even a bit like Dune (the Houses of the Landsraad (sp?)).

Tom

On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 10:32 AM David Johnson <xxxxxx@zarthani.net> wrote:
Timothy Collinson  wrote:

The ObTrav of that last writes itself.

As for distance/space, the experiences above are always something I keep in mind when players visit a *world* with population codes of 6 or less.  OK, so the starport is likely to be busy/crowded perhaps - especially if it's an enclosed habitat type of world, but step outside and it could well be a *long* way between people; even on a small world.

Wonder what these "100 miles versus 100 years" perspectives look like for different folks across the Imperium.  In some sense, even the Sylean/Third Imperium is historically "new" compared to the history of folks who grew up on Vland or Terra. Might it be the case that "home grown" Vilani and Solomani don't travel much, e.g. most folks raised on Vland (and nearby, long-settled worlds) seldom get as far as Core or the Spinward Marches? Do folks born on Terra (and nearby, long-settled worlds) also seldom get to Core or Ilelish?

On the other hand, do folks in the Marches--or Glimmerdrift Reaches--perhaps travel a bit more broadly but have less expansive perspectives on history?

Cheers,

David
--
Victoria, British Columbia
48° 25' N, 123° 21' W

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