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• 1 media/Steampunk blimp.jpg 2019-04-25T01:12:23-07:00 Animal Farm v 2.0 16 The rise of ethno-fascism in Everfair by Nisi Shawl image_header 2019-04-25T22:39:35-07:00 In the central African continent, a group of Westerners from various countries buy a significant chunk of land so they can establish a colony. Some hope to establish a socialist utopia, some only want to convert the natives to Christianity, others are fleeing racial oppression in their homelands. A native tribal king, King Mwenda, joins forces with them to fight against the Belgian regime in the Congo.The Westerners take him and his people in and, together, they use a hybrid of Western, Eastern, and African technology to defeat the Belgian regime in the Congo. Think steampunk blimps!
  
  The Battle for Freedom
   
  King Mwenda, flees his homeland in the Congo because of the atrocities of King Leopold II. Washington crossed the Delaware and surprised the British. This was one of the key moments in the Revolutionary War. In much the same way, King Mwenda fought against the occupying Belgian forces of King Leopold II. It cost much in national blood and treasure for these freedom fighters to remove the yoke of oppression. Despite the cost, these warriors fought and won independence for their respective countries.
   
  From Colony to Nation
   
  Much like the American colonials, Mwenda and his compatriots had to constitute a government after they freed themselves. The Everfairians began sending emissaries to other nations and established trade agreements and military alliances. What followed was years of prosperity, just as the American constitution facilitated in North America.
  
  
  
  From Nation to Ethno-nationalism
  
  
  Eventually, Mwenda wants the Westerners gone. What happened to everyone being equal? He offers them an ultimatum, leave or die. Much like this grand experiment devolved into ethno-nationalism, so seems to be the path of America. Later in the novel, a compromise is reached—the Westerners must kneel before the king and swear fealty. Nearly all do so, except for one man. Tink refuses and leaves for his home in Macao. He says that he bows to no man.
   
  Animal Farm redux
   
  We see in this story how Everfair evolves over time. First, it’s a colony where all are equal, share equally in the work, and share equally in the rewards, just as in America, just as in Germany after Arminius threw out the Romans. The goal was to make a socialist utopia and it seems they succeeded. Things are chugging along nicely, they even chartered a government and established foreign trade treaties. Then Mwenda decided that he had more of claim to the region than anyone else. It becomes a quasi-fascist sort of State.
   
  So, is it the natural order of things that this transition happens? What is it that causes people to seek power at the expense of those around them, those that help them achieve their goals?  Arminius defeated the Romans and gave the Gauls freedom, a they still ended up with Hitler.
  Washington defeated the British and guaranteed us a country, we still have Unite the Right rallies. In this story, Mwenda defeated Leopold and his atrocities, yet he seems to be speeding along the same course...