[jason taylor]

"The brute". Not an official title but one of the most important roles in government. He is the one who has enough leverage (in clientage, proxies, and in my case votes owned in a Senate organized like a joint-stock corporation) to choose the cabinet or at least veto other people's choice, as well as to guide policy. He is a power from behind the throne but brutes have been in this culture so long as to be an institution. Despite the humorous name, the role is not necessarily unpopular as long as the holder uses enough discretion so as not to give provocation.

A brute is not the same as a cabinet member (those are chancellors) or a noble (that is a doge, or archducca depending on whether it is the city or commonwealth level). Nor is he a legislator. If he has any of those roles that is as another hat. A brute is someone who makes politics "go" and theoretically may not have an official title at all though that is unlikely. In any case his role is not Constitutionally instituted.

Incidently, the idea was inspired the "whip" in English terminology. The best comparison though is to a "boss".