Democracy in the Freikantons

Among the proudest values of the Swordbrothers is the importance they place on freedom and individualism, believing that the truest state of mankind is that in which they may choose their own destinies free of the oversight of noble masters. To this end, the Freikantons grant a considerable amount of power to their residents - perhaps even greater than that of the republican City-States or Valossa.

The methods through which direct rule by the people is implemented and carried out vary between the cantons - part of this ethos is, in fact, that each canton should be allowed to govern themselves as they see fit, and as such, different regions have developed different interpretations on the ideal. The Freikantons are divided into city cantons and rural cantons - city cantons are mostly indistinguishable from the imperial cities of Vardessy, with the people electing a burgomaster who presides over a council of officials, guildmasters, and other luminaries, and together they discuss what issues impact the people and make laws to address them.

Rural cantons, however, are different. These cantons tend to be quite decentralized, with their population spread between several small villages; often, it is only by virtue of limiting geographic factors (such as the tight valleys of the Halvards) or the presence of a powerful Swordbrother company that they have not been gobbled up by their neighbors. These cantons are characterized by the use of a cantonal assembly, in which the entire population of the canton gathers to vote on issues.

At certain times (depending on the canton, these assemblies may be held anywhere from once to four times a year), all who wish to participate in the cantonal assembly gather in a field - sometimes, a particular site or village is designated as the site for this; in other cantons, the location rotates from year to year. There, a magistrate calls out a number of issues facing the canton and the laws proposed to deal with them, and the people vote on each by a show of hands. Usually, it is obvious enough to see where the consensus falls; if not, the magistrate must either meticulously go through the crowd and count heads, or defer to their own judgment. As can be expected, these events can last several hours at a time - to make this easier on voters, these assemblies are often held during festivals, both to draw in more voters from throughout the canton to achieve a truly representative sample of the populace, and to give the people something to do other than standing around.

Not everyone in the canton attends such assemblies, of course. Beyond the logistical problems of getting everyone in the canton in the same place, slaves and serfs (there are some cantons where some level of nobility, however weak and vestigial, does exist) are traditionally barred from voting. Because these classes are not allowed to bear arms in much of Vardessy, most rural cantons require all attending the assembly to present the presiding officials with a sword to gain entrance. This isn't as much of a barrier as it may seem - due to the influence of the Swordbrothers, most freemen in the Freikantons carry a sword, if only for ceremonial purposes. The voters then hold their swords aloft when casting their vote, serving as a symbol of their freedom.

Every two years, one of the issues voted on is the nomination of two delegates from the populace of the canton to represent their people at the Confederation Council, an event held several times a year, rotating between the capital cities of each canton, in which representatives from each canton meet to discuss matters that impact the entire confederation. Although each individual canton has considerable autonomy, there is still the issue of matters that impact multiple cantons, and foreign relations beyond that. Each canton can govern themselves as they please, but matters that extend beyond their borders are decided on by consensus among these representatives. This, like the requirement for each canton to provide military support if one is attacked, is held to be one of the provisions the cantons must make to ensure the safety and longevity of their freedom.

The Swordbrothers hold that their form of governance is the only way to truly ensure that all men may live freely. By having issues decided upon by the people, they ensure no citizen has any more of a voice than another, and that people will promote their own interests rather than being subject to the whims of corrupt kings or doges. In practice, however, the Swordbrothers are influential forces in the political sphere. Not only are they the Freikantons' strongest military force, curtailing the possibility of resistance, they exert considerable soft power through their glamorous image and their reputation for bringing wealth, safety, and stability to their communities. Since votes are cast openly and all may see who votes for what, there is a good deal of pressure - conscious or unconscious - to vote in agreement with the Swordbrothers. As more than one observer has noted, often the interests of the Swordbrothers shape the future of the canton, for good or ill.