ANST - Has the Population Grown

[cward at awd.com]

> *Has* population grown, though?  I think SCA membership has been static
> for several yeasr (tho $35 full membership per year may have something
> to do with it; I just wrote a renewal check, and that plus first-class
> plus Complete Anachronist plus the BoD minutes set me back $72).
> Didn't I hear something about Ansteorran paid membership dropping,
> to where people were starting to worry about long-term status?

Sael og heill!

I guarantee you that we have many, many more times the people we had when 
Ansteorra became a kingdom.  I haven't looked at Corpora for the numbers, 
but it really doesn't take a huge population to be a kingdom.  In terms of 
sheer numbers of warm bodies, we have more than enough people to make two 
and possibly more kingdoms out of Ansteorra, much less form a principality 
or two.

Whether or not it is wise is another thing altogether.  As we discussed 
exhaustively the last time the P word got mentioned, in order for a 
principality to form several things have to happen:

(1) there must be a regional identity -- I think a whole lot of the 
argument previously was because the proposed principality lines seemed 
"gerrymandered" to some folks, and I had heard it said that the proposed 
divisions at that time were divided the way they were delierately to keep 
any group from successfully becoming its own kingdom -- kind of contrary to 
the purpose of a principality to my mind, which is "a tool to support and 
promote growth."

(2) the movement to make a principality must be a grass-roots thing, a 
cause decided upon and worked for by the people in the area that wants to 
be a principality.

(3) the group which desires to form a principality must have sufficient 
population, peers, and stability to support itself, else it could wither 
and die of isolation before it gets a chance to root well and grow.

(4) a whole lot of people have to get over the idea that their lives will 
disintegrate if the status quo is altered.  This is a big part of the 
"knee-jerk" reaction to the P word -- simply that people fear the unknown.  
For centuries nay-sayers have been telling the world why (fill in the 
blank) won't ever work, only to be proved completely, foolishly wrong.

I have thought for a long time that a principality or two would be a good 
thing for Ansteorra, in terms of new leadership opportunities, new heraldry,
 more pagentry, the possibility of more fun.  But I've also come to the 
conclusion that it cannot be forced.

If you're a proponent of the P word, you need to figure out what area would 
be in the principality you'd like to form.  You need to travel extensively 
within that area, and encourage your firends to do so as well.  Work to 
promote a regional identity.  Work at autocratting regional events, not 
just local ones. And that is how a principality will eventually form.

Ves heill,
::GUNNORA::

(writing from work, as always these days!)

home email: gunnora at bga.com

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