In real life supranational governments do not typicaly work. Even if it is a heavily enforced dictatorship or type of monarchy. Eventually the members will get fed up, even if mass assimilation occurs. Each ethnic or cultural group wants to be ruled by its own people. That should be true for supernatural beings. Especially the ones that fundamentally are human, like witches. They would be divided by their ways of practicing their craft and the traditions and culture behind it. Thus each group would be regulated by a government made up of its own. And many will resist any attempts at assimilation by other groups. With curses and fireballs.

But what would be a realistic way of portraying these governmental systems? In a way that if the magic is removed from it it would not make sense? It has to be realistic but magic has to be a fundamental ingredient.

edited 2nd Jun '12 9:48:52 AM by GoldenCeres

I don't think that all these governmental system should *not make sense if the magic is removed*, but indeed magic is a fundamental bit of it.

These poses lots of variables, how much system of magics were out there and how many groups this divides them too? Were the Alchemists of America friends or enemies with the Alchemists of Europe?

Personally with so many variables, I like the idea of "right makes might" sort of government, with very powerfull figures at the top, being the only reason the lower ones aren't fighthing (and often also being the reason when they are fighting), that depends also how stable you want your setting to be? Does the most proeminent arcane politicans get killed every four years or they rule for 400?

Did you mean supernatural governments?

I think that with fiction, because it is fiction, people tend toward wanting to see things that are more plausible rather than some really strange examples from real life. In any case, I think it is important for you to describe what makes them supernatural because that would have differing effects on what the government may or may not look like.

Each supernatural group will have its own form of government, based on their tradition. But some group would have started to modernize or at least trying to. And attempting democracy, as much as they can in a setting where it would be common to send a sneaky curse or poisoned item to a political rival. Still I would like to take some inspiration from real life, especially the Balkans and maybe some empires. A bit of a unification vs. cultural autonomy theme.

edited 4th Jun '12 11:56:21 AM by GoldenCeres