Provincism
Provincism refers to the ideology and type of government used by historical and current Greater Metro East micronations.
Provincism, in its broadest sense, is a micronational government that uses a small amount of administrative provinces for governance, has a strong nationalist belief, and is only slightly totalitarian. The use of few provinces allows key cultural groups to allow their opinions to be direct concern of the legislative branch.
The first initial uses of an old form of provincism was in the early governments of Schpecktenia, namely the Second Republic of Schpecktenia and the Third Imperial Schpecktenian Republic. Though the old form focused on ease of control rather than control by the culture, the early Schpecktenian government influenced the Taydrostian cultures in their independence from the Imperial Federation of Schpecktenia. The Taydrostian culture then moved to govern in favor of the people of three provinces with less totalitarian ideals.
Ideals
Provincism follows various key ideals, such as few states, cultural representation, and nationalism.
Few States
A provincist nation could use a few provinces, where it gets its name, to administer key cultural groups. A provincist nation would unite the cultural groups into one governing state, but at the same time keep the cultural groups separate enough to keep them content. If a nation has many states with few people, the government could merge the states with similar culture into one larger province to choose one representative. The government would have to change up the election process, ensuring that the people freely vote on the province’s representative.
The positions of high power in a nation fundamentally keep the same amount of administration and overall power in a provincist state. The representatives of the provinces are the ones speaking for the people, allowing speakers of legislative bodies to remain in position. A provincist nation has a legislative branch focusing on elected politicians of each province in one convocation. Through this form, the people of the provinces get to express their actions through their representative and their elected senators.
Culture
The striving factor of provincism is its need for cultural celebration and representation. The ideology focuses on the various cultural groups’ interest just as much as the government interest. Provincism ensures that a leader of a province is someone that a culture is loyal to and respects, making the leader an accurate representation of the group. Provincism values large provinces with key cultures. The culture of a province's government focuses on maintaining rights in law and cultural development, allowing the people to focus on their own community's beliefs and concerns.
Nationalism
The government of the entire provincist nation, known as the state, pushes for cooperation and mutual acceptance between the few provinces. The provinces, known as the people, respect the unity of the entire nation, knowing that they are spoken for and represented in the state government. The state has the power of the people's loyalty as long as the people respect and support the state as a whole. Still respecting their own culture, the people also celebrate the state just as much.
Taydrostian Provincism
The Great Taydrostian Empire, formerly NITM, used a slightly different but similar provincist government. All the ideas of provincism existed in Taydrostia, but the nationalist values were more prominent. Taydrostia had three provinces, the Province of New Drostia, the Taydrostian Republic of Ersholstia, and the Free Taydrostian Republic of South Meadowen. While the actual government of the Free Taydrostian Republic of South Meadowen was recognized as an independent country, it was more of a semi-sovereign republic of Taydrostia. South Meadowen used its autonomy to govern itself differently and engage in positive foreign diplomatic relations. South Meadowen was entirely still in the control of Taydrostia, and did contribute to the provincist aspect of the nation.
Following the end of the Greater Metro East War during the War of the Third Front, Taydrostia was jointly annexed by Schpecktenia and New Prussia. By April 2024, Taydrostia was mainly under the control the control of Schpecktenia as a non-sovereign colonial duchy.
Schpecktenian Provincism
Schpecktenian intelligence gathered that Taydrostia's government was highly effective, and officials began a restructuring of government in early February 2024. Schpecktenians planned to use new provincism but without too many authoritarian ideas.
On 15 February 2024, Schpecktenia fully converted to the Provincist Republic of Schpecktenia. Schpecktenia now used a reformed provincist ideology similar to Taydrostia, and made the executive roles of the Second Executive Officer more powerful along with Representative Provincial Directors. Schpecktenia now adopted an original ceremonial feudal system, and ruled by province. As of April 2024, the two administrative districts of Schpecktenia are the Province of Shadoweghn and Province of Hawth-Koufax.
On 25 March 2024, provincist supporters of the Secessionist Party of Schpecktenia founded the National Provincism Party of Schpecktenia, one member getting elected into the Grand Assembly of Schpecktenia.