Authoritarianism

(Cosmic safety disclaimer: everything in this chapter is a reasonable fictional scenario conceived to serve the plot within an imaginary setting. It is not intended to spread any harmful ideology. The language and events are solely for advancing the story and have no connection to reality. Dear reviewers, please go easy on me.)

The Cabinet conference room, Capitol Building.

Xi Yan pushed open the door and walked in, his deep black eyes sweeping around the room.

He saw the seat at the head of the table reserved for him, along with six seats around it.

They were assigned to the chief science officer, the secretary of state, and the three heads of Military Headquarters. All five seats were already occupied.

"Everyone's here. The Cabinet meeting will now begin."

He walked over to his seat and sat down.

Those present were Ailiveer Yan, head of the Secretariat and secretary of state; Yu Shuo, captain of the personal guard, standing behind her; Chief Science Officer Mardun Elwin; and the three generals, Veronica Yan, Ning Zhiyuan, and Prigozhin.

Mardun Elwin was a refined-looking man who fit Xi Yan's stereotype of a scientist perfectly.

They stared at Xi Yan without a word.

Xi Yan leaned back and frowned. "What's wrong with you people? Why isn't anyone talking?"

The little-girl secretary of state was instantly exasperated. Tapping the table, she said, "Marshal, you're the one who chairs Cabinet meetings."

"Oh, is that how it works?" Xi Yan remembered the notes about Cabinet meetings on his schedule.

"You didn't read any of it, did you?" Ailiveer wore the world-weary expression of an old person.

"You didn't read any of it, did you?" Beta's virtual avatar wore a world-weary expression.

"Are you a broken record?!" the little-girl secretary of state snapped.

"Anyway, all you need to do during the Cabinet meeting is tell us what you want to do, and we'll discuss it together."

Xi Yan immediately brightened. "Now that sounds good."

"Ahem!"

Putting on a serious expression, Xi Yan said gravely, "We've already settled the redistribution of power and the establishment of new institutions. I've looked over the relevant documents, and there don't seem to be any omissions. Now we need to turn our attention swiftly to public ownership reform."

"The public ownership reforms will begin soon, and they won't be limited to the institutional level. During this period, we need to carry out a planned transfer to public ownership across the Empire. In particular, we must forcibly bring the bourgeoisie's private property into public ownership and systematically eliminate the bourgeoisie."

"General Prigozhin."

"Present." The middle-aged Russian straightened in his seat.

"Have your Army quickly take control of every urban area on the Ring World and ensure that the entire Ring World can be locked down. Then await my orders. Prioritize confiscating the property of the wealthy and the capitalists. No trial is necessary; you can downgrade their citizen rights directly." Xi Yan casually laid out a terrifying plan that could shake the entire Ring World.

"Well..." Prigozhin was startled.

"What? You've maintained such a large Army all these years, and you can't control one measly Ring World?" Xi Yan asked flatly.

Prigozhin began sweating profusely again. "Those capitalists also maintain large private armies. I'm afraid a larger conflict could break out and threaten the colony's stability."

"Good. Private armies? Classify that as rebellion!"

"Daring to rebel right under your sovereign's nose? Time to wipe out their entire extended families!"

Xi Yan roared, then turned to Prigozhin. "As marshal, I now order you to mobilize the entire Army immediately after this meeting. Prepare to arrest all rebels and confiscate the property of their supporters!"

"Wait, how do we determine who their supporters are?"

"Whoever controls the bulk of the private enterprises, whoever possesses more resources, is a supporter of the rebels," Xi Yan said through gritted teeth.

"Resources concentrated in these people's hands serve no purpose. All resources should belong to the Empire and ultimately benefit every imperial citizen!"

"Yes." Prigozhin nodded helplessly.

If the marshal wanted to forcibly abolish private ownership, his first step had to be eliminating the bourgeoisie. That process would certainly not go smoothly.

But the marshal was far too decisive. He was not even afraid of the risk of the country splintering, choosing instead to strike swiftly and finish it in one blow. No one would dare do that without absolute power and absolute military superiority.

Still, temporary instability was better than leaving the problem for later.

"Right now, our Empire is still very, very small. Small enough for me to mold however I like. That way, once we grow stronger, the Empire won't suffer from institutional problems." Xi Yan spoke earnestly. "So we need to strengthen our ideological work and ensure the next generation firmly supports our new system."

"Mr. Mardun!"

"Present!" answered the chief scientist, who had been slacking off.

"Mr. Mardun, get our sociologists involved in educational reform immediately. Cultivate their obedience and loyalty!"

Extreme authoritarianism, kid!

Anyone who disobeys the Empire's decisions or causes trouble for the Empire gets downgraded to food tier or raw material tier!

"That's straightforward, but it will take a great deal of time," Mardun said helplessly.

Xi Yan had considered everything, from politics to economics to the way people thought.

But with absolute power and military superiority, it would amount to no more than a few growing pains.

Once the thorough reforms were complete, the entire Empire would rapidly grow stronger through its absolute institutional superiority!

"And Military Headquarters!"

His blood fired up, Xi Yan turned to Ning Zhiyuan and Veronica.

"General Veronica, make sure there's plenty of ammunition this time to support General Prigozhin's operation. General Ning Zhiyuan, keep all faster-than-light ships under your command on standby. Also, send faster-than-light construction ships to establish a stellar base in the Kolmakian System immediately!"

"Get those mining stations and research stations built!"

The Colonial Expansion Department was subordinate to Military Headquarters, and Military Headquarters answered only to Xi Yan. As long as Xi Yan committed himself to pushing it forward, nothing would stand in the way of a vigorous era of expansion.

The Empire's sweeping reforms and territorial expansion had to proceed simultaneously!

It was easy to imagine the entire Empire being thrown into turmoil over the next few days.

But there was no doubt it would be beneficial.

----------Your friendly scene divider, currently building construction ships----------

In the days that followed, a news report set the entire Ring World segment ablaze.

First came the marshal's purification of the state's upper ranks!

The useless impurities had been purged, leaving only the finest officials behind.

Since the Empire's institutions and media had already become Xi Yan's personal mouthpieces, once his heavily doctored news was released, every resident of the Ring World knew that Marshal Xi Yan had forcefully eliminated all rebels and corrupt officials immediately upon taking office, sweeping the political arena clean.

People perked up.

What, two generals had rebelled?

What, there had been that much corruption within the Empire's institutions?

What, the marshal had killed them all?

Holy shit, good riddance!

The citizens of the Interstellar Human Military Junta all had a ruthless streak in their bones.

Otherwise, they would not have followed Marshal Xi Lie in breaking away from the United Nations of Earth twenty years earlier.

Seeing the new marshal act so decisively-and seeing that those he purged were the lofty corrupt officials who preyed on ordinary people-they were naturally thrilled. They applauded and cheered, declaring that the marshal truly was a wise and admirable ruler!

As for the various wrongful killings and false convictions along the way, Xi Yan had thoughtfully sent their entire families to the Generator District anyway. They probably would not be making much trouble later.

Wrongful killings? The news never reported any, so what wrongful killings? You're clearly spreading lies to mislead the public. Your whole family is going to the Generator District too!

Xi Yan carried out the marshal's reign of terror effectively. His purges targeted entire families, and in this impersonal future society of 2200, the disappearance of a family attracted little attention.

This was the distinctive authoritarianism of the Interstellar Human Military Junta, and most alien empires in the universe operated the same way.

As long as it served the development of the entire Empire and their own civilization, everything was justified. In a universe riddled with danger, any softheartedness could lead to catastrophe.