[Ansteorra] Provinces, a clarification

[HerrDetlef at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/23/2006 9:11:27 PM Central Standard Time, 
ferret at hot.rr.com writes:
My new concern is that (from what others have stated) that they were
*eminently* capable of being a Barony, yet they *deliberately* chose a
modern, egalitarian model; instead of a Medieval (or even Rennaissance) one.
This bothers me, on several levels.

Now, I admit, this is an assumption...but, IMHO, we gather together in the
SCA to enjoy the *differences* between the Modern, Mundane world, and a
Medieval/Rennaissance model (choose your favorite one; but Feudalism is the
accepted standard.)

This group fought (and won), an argument *against* the Medieval model, in
preference to a Modern one.
This appears to lay the onus not only on the originating group, but on the
Kingdom Leadership that allowed it.

I continue to be disturbed, and disappointed.
Don Alden, your concerns are worthy of being taken seriously.  This is 
definitely a new step for the Kingdom of Ansteorra, and there's no harm whatsoever 
in wanting to be assured of a good reason for innovation.  I guess there are 
two paths to take towards a better understanding of the situation.  

First, you should know how the people of Mooneschadow came to the decision to 
apply for provincial status, and how the kingdom came to the decision to 
allow the change to take place, as well as their reasons for going that route as 
opposed to the traditional baronial route.  I am sure there are good reasons, 
and that the process was undertaken with the greatest seriousness and 
deliberation.  So many e-mails have been flying back and forth that I've lost track of 
who said what, but I would IMAGINE that Modius would be the person who could 
speak with the greatest authority on the kingdom level.  Also, speak to the 
people of Mooneschadowe (sp?) themselves.  I am a total outsider to the situation 
here, and I know I am not the only outsider on the list.

Second (and this is not an either/or proposition.....both paths must be 
traveled here), the populace of Ansteorra--being new to such an institution--should 
be assured of a historical precedent that allows for the creation of a 
province that is not headed by nobility of any kind.  My first inclination would be 
to look to the chartered towns of the Hanseatic League....many of them were 
quite republican (little "r") in their polity, not under the lordship of any 
prince but responsible directly to the German emperor.  Of course, there is a 
territorial disparity between a chartered town and a rural province.  I don't 
know enough about the politics of Italian city-states during the late 
medieval/Renaissance periods to know if they set an historical precedent.  We may have to 
go to the Roman period to find a precedent for the creation of a province, 
but I'm not all that sure that everybody in the SCA would be comfortable with a 
pre-medieval paradigm.  A republican form of government is period, but is it 
period in the way that we're trying to do with creating provinces?  These 
things really should be addressed because they are a real concern to people.  It's 
not like we're quickly becoming the Society for Anything Goes, but we need to 
know that changes that are made in political structures within the Society are 
done deliberately, for admirable reasons, and with a reasonable historical 
precedent.  That really isn't too much to ask, and I know that it can be done.

I worry about all this heaping of emotion on Don Alden.  I've never known him 
to be anything other than an admirable gentleman of great reason, and his 
concerns are not those of a troublemaker or a lunatic.  They are the concerns of 
a man who has been involved in the SCA for many years, who has served kingdom 
and society and who is wary of changes that, undertaken without care, could 
lead to a loss of vision.  It bothers me the way he has been responded to (yes, 
an English teacher did just end a sentence with a preposition......it's 
period, and the rule is artificially applied).  A little respect goes a long way.  
Disagree all you want, but be prepared to support your position with reason and 
logic (okay, that's more of a classical ideal than a medieval, but we are 
dealing with anachronisms here....), and approach each other with respect and 
kindness.  The tone of this discussion has gotten very discouraging, and nothing 
will be accomplished either way with a lack of respect.

I hope I haven't stepped on any toes here.  I am a bit clumsy, and I do that 
quite a lot.  A thousand apologies to those whom I offend with my words.

P.S., long story short:  If you're happy for Mooneschadowe, be happy.  If you 
have concerns, have concerns.  This is a period of adjustment for our 
kingdom, and we're going to have a range of responses to the changes taking place.  
Let's respect each other as we go through it.

Detlef


Indicabo tibi, o homo, quid sit bonum 
et quid Dominus requirat a te, 
utique facere iudicium, 
et diligere misericordiam, 
et solicitum ambulare cum Deo tuo. 
Micah 6:8