It's the little things...

@Josephias

I'm wouldn't describe Fielding as liberal: if anything I'd think her views and those of ARC would value broad liberty and economic freedom more than the kind of state liberals typically want.

I stand corrected, "liberal" is quite a tricky term.

I was going for the European version, wich is normally used as right-wing libertarian (freedom of economy, as little state as possible).
 
Liberal generally means open minded. At least it did before politics high-jacked it.

In that sense, the description fits. Open to just about anything...
 
Politics tends to do interesting things to the definitions of words.
 
@Josephias
@Galgus

Three views I have of the ARC:

1. Eagleland Type 1
Under this type, the ARC would be a recovering Eagleland type, trying to recapture the spirit and traditions of America from before The Mistake. Heavy emphasis is placed on one's ability to care for yourself, and to care for those who cannot help themselves. Capitalism, liberty, and self-governance being their primary values.

2. Corporatist actually-free
While the nation is run by a super-corporation, the corporation still recognizes their citizens, and provides them significant freedom and (probably?) a mostly free market, if somewhat imbalanced in favor of the ARC, so not quite capitalism. Values would include probably nationalism and liberty, and the culture would otherwise fairly closely resemble the first option's.

3. Corporatist totalitarian state
The ARC is a totalitarian state; every citizen is enslaved, if not physically then mentally and emotionally to the state. Everything that is produced is controlled by the government and handed out as it sees fit; there is no representatives of the people, and the people don't care in the first place due to poor education tuned towards ideology and mindless following of the rulers (The Board? The CEO?) as opposed to cultivating free men. Any values this nation follows is entirely subject to the whim of the radical ideology of the party, which itself is designed by nature to ensure total compliance among the citizens, and to silence dissent.
 
Good points, and indeed, one of the key points as said, is to balance betwen personality and flexibilty to allow for several options. Your options can, indeed, all be seen in Suzzane oppening quotes, in example:


1. Eagleland Type 1

<< Excerpts from Colony Archives / Personal Log said:
I will start from scratch on this new planet, but I have done so successfully before. When I was just a girl, I helped my father run his business. Economics has never baffled me, as it has so many others. Such principles just make sense to me. I will lead my colony to great riches, and ARC will profit, once I have my share.


Moving towards 2...
<< Excerpts from Colony Archives / Personal Log said:
I want more – Responsibility, power, wealth. All of it. If you think I’m greedy, then you don’t understand ambition. Ambition isn’t a character flaw. It’s the means by which I envision the future and then bring it into being. I will make the most of my existence. Those who help me can only prosper.

2. Corporatist actually-free

<< Excerpts from Colony Archives / Personal Log said:
They think this will be a challenge. They don’t realize Economics is nothing more than Sociology followed through to its logical conclusion. If you understand the various factors which define people and their desires, you can be prepared to give them what they want. Once you know that, starting from scratch is easy. I will lead this colony to great riches, and ARC will profit, once I have my share.

Leaning slightly towards 3...
<< Excerpts from Colony Archives / Personal Log said:
I tell them this is for the greater good. They think I mean the greater good of Earth and humanity. I don’t. We are the ones being launched into space. The ones who will toil against the unknown. We are risking everything. If that risk pays off, humanity will survive, but we will reap the rewards.

3. Corporatist totalitarian state

<< Excerpts from Colony Archives / Personal Log said:
Everything has gone according to plan. The colony is mine to control. Who else could do what I do? Could lead with my skill? No one. ARC knows I‘m their greatest asset. The more responsibility they give me, the more invaluable I become


As has been pointed out several times... lore is there, just does not translate completely well into gameplay . Even if characters did live by their quotes, there is still an important range of variation in their behavior, and the game should take a bit more advantage of this.
 
@Josephias
@Galgus

Three views I have of the ARC:

1. Eagleland Type 1
Under this type, the ARC would be a recovering Eagleland type, trying to recapture the spirit and traditions of America from before The Mistake. Heavy emphasis is placed on one's ability to care for yourself, and to care for those who cannot help themselves. Capitalism, liberty, and self-governance being their primary values.

2. Corporatist actually-free
While the nation is run by a super-corporation, the corporation still recognizes their citizens, and provides them significant freedom and (probably?) a mostly free market, if somewhat imbalanced in favor of the ARC, so not quite capitalism. Values would include probably nationalism and liberty, and the culture would otherwise fairly closely resemble the first option's.

3. Corporatist totalitarian state
The ARC is a totalitarian state; every citizen is enslaved, if not physically then mentally and emotionally to the state. Everything that is produced is controlled by the government and handed out as it sees fit; there is no representatives of the people, and the people don't care in the first place due to poor education tuned towards ideology and mindless following of the rulers (The Board? The CEO?) as opposed to cultivating free men. Any values this nation follows is entirely subject to the whim of the radical ideology of the party, which itself is designed by nature to ensure total compliance among the citizens, and to silence dissent.

I think option 1 or 2 is more likely, if her line on the ARC being "inheritors of a four-century tradition of liberty and property" in her interview has any bearing.

She is ambitious, yes, but I just can't see her turning her back on free markets, though it could be crony capitalism.

Eagleland is more or less how I envision Purity Suzanne.
 
Option 3 is posible, if not in the "typical" portrait of a totalitarian state - you should see it as a "Corporate Dictatorship":
- everyone Works for the ARC, so they should behave as dictated by company strategy and internal practices.
- you will not be really "punished" (as in prison/torture), but advised your behaviour is not "good" for the company and maybe not rewarded as well as others.
- if your persist in good conduct, further disciplinary action could lead you through HR specialists for psicological re-conduction. On extreme cases, your contract will be terminated (with actualy means either exile or reclusión in a gettho)
- Of course, there is some liberty - just keep it private
- and of course, you can buy/use what you want, of the ítems the ARC decides to produce, of course.
- Enterpreneurship is awarded, as long as it fits into the company plan - otherwishe it is dismissed (with good words, but not funded nevertheless...).
- And the word of the CEO (Fielding) is of course law.
 
Possible, but I doubt it would form.

If any leaders would promote a laissez-faire colony it would be Fielding or Hutama, and I doubt / do not prefer that all the colonies are dictatorships of immortal rulers in-universe.
 
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