Garth Rattray | Our quixotic sovereignty

The country of Juvenilia was owned and managed by Rexland for several centuries. Rexland acquired Juvenilia by way of a hostile takeover. In the early days after the acquisition, many people in Juvenilia were treated like chattel. Eventually they were allowed their freedom to be whomever they wanted to be in life. However, over time, the citizens of Juvenilia longed to manage their own affairs and they became restive.

Juvenilia was becoming a liability, so Rexland transferred ownership to her citizenry and empowered them with the ancient scrolls outlining procedures for the rule of law and order throughout the land.

Although Rexland inserted her culture into Juvenilia’s society, there was another alluring social influence near and dear to the people. Many people from Juvenilia were drawn to their powerful neighbour to the north, Omniterra, like moths to a flame.

The lights were brighter in Omniterra. The grass looked greener in Omniterra. The open spaces were bigger in Omniterra. The buildings were grander in Omniterra. The compensation for labour was greater in Omniterra. The people of Juvenilia went to Omniterra in droves and by whatever means they could.

In Omniterra, Juvenilians found opportunities to earn, to grow, to save, to not only survive but to secure their future. Many in Juvenilia left their motherland and were adopted by Omniterra. However, the vast majority never abandoned their family in Juvenilia. They worked very hard to provide support for their loved ones back home.

Comparatively, most Omniterrainians lead a very flashy lifestyle. They stand in stark contrast to the Rexlanders who lead very conservative lives. The glitz, the glitter, the opulence, the opportunities, the ease of doing business and the remuneration for any kind of work done are irresistible to most.

However, Omniterra is very territorial. She guards her surroundings and her backyard zealously. This gives her little neighbours security in the knowledge that aggressive, super-powerful nations would never even contemplate acquiring them by another hostile takeover. A friendship with Omniterra is a guarantee of safety.

But, in life nothing is truly free; there is always a price to pay. Many decades ago, the administrators of Juvenilia were uncomfortable with the compensation offered for their natural resources. Additionally, the people of Juvenilia were in need of significant social reform to benefit the underprivileged.

Sovereign Juvenilia sought to launch policies and programmes designed to deviate from the accustomed socio-economic models for the sake of its disenfranchised. But, in doing so, the administration sought to borrow some techniques from a next-door neighbour, Cocodilia. That country’s administration had aligned itself with an enemy of Omniterra.

That administration of Juvenilia was not only put in its place, but it was also squashed. This was the first sign that Juvenilia’s sovereignty was grandiose idealism. Big nations intertwine themselves into small nations in such a way that the small nations cannot survive without them. They do this in a multiplicity of ways.

Big and powerful nations control small nations with their sphere of influence. This involves an array of economic, military, political and cultural tools to subtly or overtly project power and control. They utilise strategic infrastructure lending, trade monopolies and economic dependence, currency and financial systems, security alliances and sometimes, military basing.

Larger nations may use diplomatic and bureaucratic coercion, or supply weapons, train local forces, and offer security guarantees. The goal may be to ensure that the smaller nation’s military cannot function independently. Large nations may even engage in subterfuge to prop up puppet rulers or even sway elections.

Other techniques involve the use of ‘soft power’ through media and technology hegemony. Social media platforms, television, music and educational systems can reshape consumer habits, values and political alignments.

Humanitarianism via aid, voluntariness and NGO penetration afford large nations the ability to influence small nations. So too can organisations that provide disaster relief, educational, technical and development assistance.

ENTER THE DRAGON

Although Omniterra provides direct and indirect assistance to Juvenilia, many infrastructural and developmental necessities remain unmet. The people of Easternia have always enjoyed strong relationships with the people of Juvenilia. Their government offered unique ways of supplying labour and the technical know-how to ameliorate long-standing problems with infrastructure and construction. This drew the gaze of the Omniterrainians.

Their leader briefly visited Juvenilia and, just before returning home, he made it clear that the little nation should beware of Greeks bearing gifts. But this did not deter the Easternians’ consensual involvement in the affairs of Juvenilia. The benefits far outweighed the risks. Consequently, the eagle eyes of Omniterra remain fixed on Juvenilia, but no interference has been made, so far.

The relationship between Cocodilia and Juvenilia is long-standing and predates Cocodilia’s entanglement with the enemy of Omniterra. The Cocodilians have always provided technical and medical assistance to Juvenilia. They have done so under the weight of sanctions and embargoes imposed by Omniterra in an all-out effort to effect change in Cocodilia’s administration. Omniterra cites human rights abuses and lack of political freedom as its reasons for putting pressure on that nation. International petitioning, protestations and pleading have never swayed them from their course.

This year, Juvenilia abstained from voting to condemn Omniterra’s economic embargo against a severely suffering Cocodilia. But this should come as no surprise. Hanging over Juvenilia are several ways to punish unfaithful friends: the denial or withdrawal of visas, punitive trade rules, dissuading tourists from visiting, the withdrawal of aid, and interference with the all-important remittances.

This begs the question: does our sovereignty truly exist?

Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice and author of The Long and Short of Thick and Thin. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.