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Revolutionary period of Empherias: Difference between revisions
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It was during this term that embassies in Ahitereira-Koresa were established formally, while new ones were opened in Karkuss.
=== Henry Watford's
{{See also|2412 Empherias general election}}[[File:Empheri-Hvede railway map 1.png|{{Color box|ff0000}} Railway Line, Palarya -> Vaiyeins|alt=Railway Line, Palarya -> Vaiyeins|thumb]]After nearly a year in office, Henry Watford and the broader Populist top officials believed that it was time for a new general election to finally achieve a majority government and end the back and forth of minority governments - and more importantly restore a populist prime minister. Thus, the party pulled out of the supply and demand agreement in late February, and triggered a vote of confidence in the Parliament. With all parties bar the Socialists wanting another chance at an election, the house voted 364–232 for no confidence in the government. Parliament was dissolved and a new election was held on 18 April 2412.▼
▲After nearly a year in office, Henry Watford and the broader Populist top officials believed that it was time for a new general election to finally achieve a majority government and end the back and forth of minority governments - and more importantly restore a populist prime minister. Thus, the party pulled out of the supply and demand agreement in late February, and triggered a vote of confidence in the Parliament. With all parties bar the Socialists wanting another chance at an election, the house voted 364–232 for no confidence in the government. Parliament was dissolved and a new election was held on 18 April 2412.
While the election saw little movement for the Socialists, it did allow for the Populists to regain some seats, mainly from Conservatives worried that the Socialists would sour Hveden-Empheri relations. The final saw the Populists regain the plurality, though not a majority, of 251 seats - short 50 for a majority - while the Socialists ended on 239, a technical seat increase. With Watford now the Prime Minister, Robert Webber was appointed his Chancellor of the Exchequer and Deputy Prime Minister. They hoped that they could count once again on the Socialists in a supply and demand agreement, but nothing official was ever signed and some of the Socialist cabinet were angry at the Populists for the no confidence vote.
==== Foreign policy ====
[[File:Hveden cecession to Empherias, 2412.png|alt=Railway Line, Palarya -> Vaiyeins|thumb|{{Color box|ff0000}} Hveden lands ceded to Empherias in 2412]]
Watford was keen to appear to repair relations with the Hveden Federation, as well as other neighbours of Empherias, to appease the right-wing of his base. He evaluated the possibilities of building a railway through the lava fields of Tbekien into the southwest of Hvede, but it was deemed impossible. He signed off on a deal with Hvede in October 2412 to begin construction of the Palarya-Vaiyeins railway line through the eastern corridor of the southern Hveden-border. This railway finished construction by 2415.
==== Territorial expansion ====
Throughout the early parts of Watford's term, he aimed to expand Empherias' territory to bring in more people to the country, and to take advantage of more natural resources. Being very friendly with Hvede, he often met with Hveden leadership to discuss swapping territories in the south. Hvede claimed a large chunk of the southern polar territories, known as Vaiya, but didn't occupy it outright, and Empherias was asking for just 6 percent of this land. The Hveden Federation agreed to the sale in return for a nearly insignificant amount of money and a policy of open borders.
==== Other policies ====
Watford, in an early address, re-affirmed a stance taken by Felix D'laminet after the 2407 general election to have further industrialisation. In Vreimer, several military factories were constructed to produce parts for conveys, civilian ships, and warships. They would then be transported by rail to the exclave of Nieuwbourg where these parts were constructed into ships in the port. This allowed for production laws to bypass the Nieuwbourg treaty and create more jobs for Empheri workers specifically. Some in government, such as Henry Alark, were worried that Empherias could be pulled into the Great War, and so wanted to rush production of many war ships specifically instead of focusing on trade primarily.
Forty new civilian factories were also built in 2412 alone under orders from the government. These would focus on producing consumer goods and processing new resources from the lands obtained from the Hveden Federation. One such hope laid out by Watford was for factories to be owned partially by the workers through extensive and powerful trade unions to bring wealth down further from the upper class. It was also thought that increasing exports could make Empherias more powerful economically and less attractive to invade in the war, while gaining a chokehold on smaller nations nearby.
Henry Watford issued a document later in 2412 to set out his governing agenda for the next five years. Between 2413 and 2414 he planned to build 60 new civilian factories, and 18 military factories to begin producing equipment. A further 75 non-specific factories were to built by 2417. By the end of his term, his government had built 57 civilian factories and 16 military factories total. He also wanted to have new research in technologies including for the military - though its hard to realise how the government aided these endeavours in his short term in office. With these new military factories, he wanted and succeeded in doubling the current stockpile of military equipment like rifles and uniforms. He wanted large-scale rail and road connections to all neighbouring countries - however this did not happen. In terms of the navy, he ordered 5 new battleships, 2 destroyers, 2 frigates, and 40 convoys. He also began training 50,000 new troops but they were not completed by the time he left office.
The government, alongside the Socialists, introduced a new National Housing Association of Empherias that would build, provide, and maintain incredibly small homes, similar to hotels, with shared bathrooms and kitchens for cheap - sometimes given away for free by the government. This was to replace the old welfare housing scheme which allowed the government to divert some tax money to other projects. Some criticised this scheme for the size of the houses, but did allow for rural people to move to the city much easier without having to qualify for welfare.
==== Economic recession ====
Entering into 2413, the country found itself in an economic recession not seen since the revolutionaries years of 2396 and 2397. Causes of it could be the large scale military conflicts going on around it, but action was needed immediately. Firstly, Palakkinen was invited to join the economic ESA alliance. Palakkinen, adamant on maintaining a gold standard, joined soon after.
Secondly, Watford pauses the National Housing Association's actions, leaving the country both without welfare housing or its new alternative. He did not decrease taxes, instead using it to pay for investment in brand new private companies. The government halted a lot of its naval production with military factories being converted to ones for consumer goods. He also delays his government agenda by two years.
==References==
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