Scientific Institute of Lorriman
The Scientific Institute of Lorriman is a technocratic state within the Second Lordanian Republic. It is a technocratic republic, with a weighted vote system giving more power and say to the scientific community over those that simply exist on the planet. Despite having relatively few settlements on the planet, each habitation unit is the pinnacle of technology, and able to house many more than it currently holds. As a part of the Second Lordanian Republic, it is also considered a member of the United Nations of Sol-Aligned Systems. The Institute is isolated on the galactic stage, and has few friends within the UNSAS. Despite this, it is on the forefront of technological development, with many megacorporations and scientific academies working closely with Lorriman and the Institute.
Lorriman was colonised in a joint scientific effort by many of the Lordanian planets, spearheaded by Gabokane settlers in 2225, with the Institute itself being founded in 2229. Initially founded as a technocracy, with a council of scientific leaders serving as administrators and politicians of the colony. It was intended to be a place in which scientists could work and collaborate together, but rapidly grew into a sizable colony. During the reign of the People's Republic of Lordania, the Institute was reorganised under a single leader, Dr. Gauss, who served as Director and dictator of the Institute. Her work saw the development of human genetic testing and teleportation research, with teams under her supervision being responsible for the earliest of mass-produced human technology that would become the Vat-Growns. While some argue that many of these experiments led to a greater understanding of humanity, and that and the deathtoll attributed to the Institute is insignificant compared to other Unitarian Party atrocities, many others still see her as an authoritarian despot who perverted the duty of science to help the public. At some point, Dr. Gauss swapped sides and joined the Vidento Eight, passing vital technology to The Brotherhood, and assisting the Lordanian Revolution. Despite this, she was forced to flee in 2279, being consired a war criminal in absentia. During The Lordanian Interregnum, many PRL forces on the planet swore loyalty to the Institute, where they remain to this day, albeit in their old age. For much of this time, they remained leaderless, with their heads in the sand hoping to avoid the fallout of the lawlessness. With many rebel leaders demanding an invasion of Lorriman to secure the safety of its people, the planet instead swore itself to the newly arrived United Systems of Sol. The Institute holds a trial in absentia for Gauss, who fled during the Uprising, and places much of the Institute's actions within the PRL on her. Many critics of the 'show trial' claim that the Director had been part of the Vedento Eight, a key piece of evidence left out of her ostracism. However, the end result was the same, the Institute became a member of the Second Lordanian Republic when it was founded in 2287.
The modern Institute has adapted and evolved to the modern day, becoming more and more democratic. Though it is not considered a full democratic republic yet, the Directorship has made it clear that their end goal is a system that works for all Lorrimanians, not only the scientists. However, it has been twenty years, and their main focus seems to have been the export of Lorriman professionals into the wider Sol System. The Institute has grown quite rich, and quite discreetly influential in the halls of academia thanks to this approach. While Lorriman is typically seen as reclusive and isolationist to those outside scientific fields, it maintains close relations with megacorporations, as well as universities and research labs in Sol.
Structure
Lorriman is considered to be a scientific oligarchy, governed by the directorate. There is a rigid class hierarchy on the planet, and only those who are considered to be 'upper class' (Scientists, Academics, and Political Figures) are allowed to run for positions of authority. In public elections and referendums, the opinions of the upper class are worth more than the others.
Directorate
The Lorriman Board of Directors is comprised of ten individuals who wield power over the executive and legislative branches. There exists a balance of power between the Supreme Court and the Directorate. The Directorate appoint a total of sixty 'representatives', who serve as advisors to the government and are typically comprised of ex-ministers, local officials, and interplanetary representatives of scientific institutes and corporations. Below the directorate and appointed by them are the Ministers, who oversee the various arms of the government, such as health, education, defense, etc. Six of the ten Directors are considered 'elected' positions. Only those who experience in government and considered to be 'upper class' are allowed to run for the Directorate. From these candidates, a weighted vote is held, where only the upper class can vote. Once the twelve most popular candidates have been selected, the vote is then ran again to all citizens of Lorriman equally, from which six are appointed to the position. The remaining Four are appointed directly by the Supreme Court of Lorriman. The current ten elected officials are:- Dr. Johan Spauss
- Dr. Güçin Melek
- Dr. Wil Cledwyn
- Dr. Lennart Kimmo
- Dr. Xiulan Chun
- Dr. Maria Rojas
- Dr. Alina Grzegorzewski
- Dr. Ayodeji Sakakihara
- Dr. Lucy Baiocchi
- Dr. Gaganasindhu Venkataraman
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Lorriman is comprised of six individuals who are elected to serve for life as the head of the judiciary branch of government. The Supreme Court also appoints four people to serve on the Board of Directors. The Supreme Court has largely remained unchanged since the days of the technocracy under Dr. Gauss, with some of the oldest members of the court being appointed by Gauss herself. This has been a source of some controversy. The Supreme Court have tremendous authority in the Lorrimanian political system. Traditionally, there was one Director and six Judges, and under Dr. Gauss's administration, the two systems were fairly balanced. In the aftermath of the collapse of the People's Republic, the Directorate system was reformed to become more democratic and fair. However, the Supreme Court was left unchanged, either through inaction by the directorate or in some occasions, direct opposition by the Supreme Court. As such, the already vaguely democratic system is even more undemocratic, with most citizens having very little influence on their government. While this is a carefully balanced situation that could tip either way, the stability brought by the UNSAS, and the government's dedication to providing a capable social service network, there has been little reason for protest or complaint. The current six members of the Supreme Court are:- Dr. Hercule Jameson
- Dr. Cari Kapkin
- Dr. Eron Matic
- Dr. Jala Murphy
- Cadwyn Gwynn
- Oksana Borzakovsky
Culture
An individual born on Lorriman could have a vastly different experience depending on at which point they were born. Anyone old enough to remember anything before 2280 will remember a time in which they were raised in dorms, and taught from birth the importance of science and loyalty to the Institute. Under the technofascist teachings of the People's Republic, all people were oppressed in different ways. Modern (post-2280) Lorriman is far more liberal, and has instituted a massive push towards family units, social care, and individual identity. While the collective scientific goal is still the core identity of the Lorrimanian, they have begun to express that in a far more individualistic way. Children are raised by their parents, and told there is more to life than just progress and blind nationalism.
Culturally, Lorrimanians have a lot in common with their native home Lordania. They are a proud, academically-driven culture, that places emphasis on intelligence and logic. This is something that is encouraged in all Lorrimanian individuals. This is not to say they do not value art and entertainment, as many artists hail from the planet, however, their designs are often rooted in the beauty of mathematics and science. Calligraphy remains a very popular thing on the planet, though its religious symbolism has diminished, instead it is celebrated for its natural beauty. Life expectancy has increased to the point of fifth generation Lorrimanians rubbing shoulders with 1st generation Gabokaner, the original colonists from Lordania. A typical Lorrimanian will be educated from the ages of Three to Twenty-Five, progressing from Pre-School to a Doctorate. It is rare for an individual on the planet to not have at least one Certificate of Knowledge (comparable to a modern day Bachelor Degree). From there, they are free to do as they wish.
Many do not qualify for higher education, they make up the technicians and non-scientific personnel who often maintain the robotic workforce that handles daily maintenance in the harsh planetary environment. These lower class Lorrimanians are often discriminated against politically. Largely isolated from the scientific part of Lorriman, they are a diverse group that makes up most of the pro-Sol population, as they have the most to gain. This is not to say all of them are workers, and many choose different occupations either on or off-world.
Emigration from Lorriman is far easier than immigration, with highly trained, science-minded individuals being in high demand across space.
Public Agenda
The Institute has spent a considerable amount of time ensuring that loyal Lorrimanian scientists are spread across the United Nations of Sol-Aligned Systems. To many in the know, it seems as if the Institute was spreading its influence across the whole field, with its fingers in as many scientific and academic pies as possible. Their intentions are to ensure the Institute remains at the forefront of scientific research, but this has not stopped many conspiracy theorists suspecting otherwise.
Founding Date
2229
Type
Geopolitical, Technocracy
Capital
Government System
Technocracy
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Parent Organization
Location
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Comments