Non-Aligned Clans
Though the Maderas and Zucco dominate Western politics, not every clan is a member of the two alliances. The remaining clans vary greatly in outlook and objectives but remain independent, keeping to themselves or pursuing their own agenda. New clans dominate this "unaligned" group, particularly in Fort James, though several First Clans have also remained aloof from the fictionalization of league politics.
Their power on a national level is limited by their numbers, but the non-aligned clans often wield considerable local power, and councilors from such groups are relatively common. Indeed, as Hasegawa Ichiro has shown, there is nothing to prevent members of non-aligned clans from rising to the highest offices in the land. Unfortunately, most non-aligned clans lack the political resources to have a widespread influence on WFP politics, and their initiatives are frequently voted down. Though the power of non-aligned clans is often denigrated, they hold a position similar to that of the WFP in CNCS councils: unable to advance their own motions but holding the balance of power between the two principal factions. As such, they have influence beyond their numbers, extorting concessions from both parties and serving as a moderating influence on Western politics.
In an attempt to strengthen their position - and to provide some protection from the predation of the two large alliances - many of the non-aligned clans work together in an informal alliance, in truth forming a third political faction. Several clans, most notably the Hasegawa, have attempted to bind this group into a formal alliance but to no avail. Their objectives (if any) are simply too diverse to find common ground, making anything more than a short-term alliance of convenience impractical. The Hasegawa are working to forge a local association in Fort James that they hope will allow Proconsul Hasegawa Ichiro to maintain his post and thus serve as the spokesman for non-aligned interests and as the self-appointed "voice of sanity" on the High Council.
Though caught in the middle of the Maderas-Zucco conflict, the non-aligned clans often serve as intermediaries between hostile factions, turning their predicament into a valuable opportunity. Many maintain contacts with both sides, mediating in disputes and facilitating trade otherwise prohibited by local politics. Indeed, several clans have become very rich on the back of such arrangements, though this has engendered resentment in some quarters and prompted mistrust of the non-aligned clans.
List of Non-Aligned Clans
Structure
No official organization exists for the non-aligned clans though several clan elders correspond on a regular but informal basis, discussing matters of mutual importance and debating the best cause of action. Key among these is Hasegawa Ichiro, Proconsul of Fort James and head of the Hasegawa Clan, who provides the group's voice on the Fort James military council and the High Council. Having served as councilor or Proconsul for almost twenty cycles, Hasegawa is well respected by his peers, but his popular support has slowly waned over the cycles as his exploits in the War of the Alliance have been forgotten. Hasegawa and his supporters are the driving force behind attempts to formalize a third power block as a means of keeping him in power. Those efforts, while yielding results, do not appear sufficient to stave off his eventual removal from office. The prospect of allying with one of the major powers - something he and his clan have steadfastly opposed - is becoming ever more appealing.
Public Agenda
Personal advancement and self-preservation
Current Concerns
The concerns of the non-aligned clans are diverse, though their status in the Maderas-Zucco feud is common to all. Most, if not all, are coming under pressure from the two alliances to take a side in the dispute, though most are fearful of the consequences. Early in the Interpolar War many of the more ambitious clans were drawn to the Zucco, but with the war in the South turning into a bloody stalemate there has been a shift towards the Maderas. These shifts are a cause for concern in and of themselves, holding the potential to seriously unbalance the status quo in the WFP. Hasegawa and other leaders have advocated caution but their appeals have largely fallen on deaf - or self-interested - ears.
An additional concern is the status of "neutral" Proconsul Hasegawa Ichiro. His popular support has steadily eroded and the non-aligned clans fear the political repercussions should a partisan Proconsul replace him. Several clans have banded together to support Hasegawa but it remains to be seen if their support will be enough to keep him in power. Fortunately, elections will not occur until after the current crisis, of which no end is in sight and which may yet provide an opportunity to revive his flagging career.
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