Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke Bunyip
So, in summary: - I have no fixed ideas on what it should be in totality, just what it shouldn't be, and the elements it would contain;
- Guilds would be important;
- Clans would be important;
- If you have nothing, you can always get free accommodation, free food, but with the requirement of providing unskilled labour for a minimum of 75% of your free time (leaves the other 25% for personal profit, education etc);
- A similar arrangement could provide for the basic necessities for journeymen;
- If you dig it at your own cost, you own it; and
- It isn't quasi-socialist*. Capitalism** seems like a natural fit for dwarves.
<snip see quoted for footnotes> |
For governance, a king seems legit as any, although I like the idea of perhaps a differnt kind of king. Maybe a lead project manager.
For economics I generally percieve dwarves as builders of metal things and that they live in mountains. So there are essentially 2 value channels, that which you dig out of the mountain and that which you add value to through craftsmanship. We cast this in side of a mountain with your constraints and this is what we get. To add to that, the ability to structurally cut your way thorugh a mountain in a liveable fashion is also I think reasonable for a career path.
You essentially get 3 different career paths for dwarves. Those that dig things up, those that forge and build things, and everyone else. It must start with the diggers.
Diggers
When the first dwarves 'settle' a mountain IM sure that there is some parceling of the interior of that mountain. The amount of volume that a dwarf can claim at one time must be limited somehow as opposed to a few dwarves dividing up an entire mountain upon arrival. (A mountain, unlike a planet, is not percieved as an infinite resource so huge land grabs must be kept in check). In the begining, everyone is a digger as they must tunnel out for themselves a place to live. If a law exists that says what ever you dig out of the ground is yours, then their original starting wealth comes from whatever they find in their initial settlement volumes in the mountain.
So now we have a certain division of dwarves with whatever wealth has been gained from diggin out thier original caves. As the wealth of a mountain is not distributed homogenously, then it stands to reason that there is the initial disparity in wealth. Those with less natural resources must then apply the only value they have left. The value add of Craftsmanship.
Craftsmen
Raw ore has little value, but ore that has been refined and honed into something is worth a great deal more. Enter the craftsmen. Left a bit short by the natural resources that were in their original living volume, they will make up for it with the sweat of their brow. Originally, they will be the ones that forge the Picks and shovels, but once the economy begins to grow beyond self sustenance, they will be the ones that forge the much sought after dwarven goods such as Armor, Weapons, Jewelstones etc. Note that although not exactly common, it is also from this class that the original stone workers and sculpters will come from.
Govt Workers
The caves that are not living areas, but are pathways and the internal supports that keep the mountain from collapsing in on itself must be managed and handled with great care to keep the movement of people and goods through the mountain flowing smoothly. Slightly different from the craftsmen in that that they do not compete against one another. What they do is for the public good and they are police, safety inspectors, and architects as well as being the stone cutters that fashion any 'common good' structures.
Everyone Else
Dwarves need food, entertainment, traders and a host of other proffessions just like any society.
Progression
When a new dwarf is born, they are assigned a volume of mountain that will be the dowery to thier adulthood. When mature, a dwarf seeks his fortune in the earth and hollows out his haul,normally on the next level down in the mountain. As older dwarves Die, thier homes are either reverted back to the state or simply carved out clean for the purpose of ventillation. In this way, as the dwarven colony grows, it goes deeper and deeper still into the mountain with a growing communal area. As the mountain evolves, the Diggers are always on the lower levels, the crafstmen in the middle, and the public areas on top.
Tribute
Although there is a tax system it is common and reasonable for a small tribute system to be seen to, child to parent. In practice, this functions as a form of Social Security as the children and grand children offer up money for the care of their elders. Note that this makes it strategically sound strategy to have many children and dwarven families are often quite large.
Taxes
Taxes are leveled flatly and are normally used for the maintenance of the infrasturctural caves and when the need arises for the raising of an army.
Nymdok