As we enter into the new era of strong states in Civcraft, I have noticed a trend that relit a small fire in my heart. You see, when I first heard about Civcraft I was damn near giddy — this server was the entire embodiment of my undergraduate degree on a minecraft server. International Politics, interactions between states, it was a real attempt to model something that is inherently unmodelable. Unfortunately, to my great disappointment, the server did not live up to expectations: widespread PVP and a lack of strong governments prevented a true State from being born.

Overview of States

This has, however, changed. To understand this analysis, you must first understand a critical theory on the development of the State. Now the idea of a State in international relations is somewhat fuzzy. What we are used to with State are the modern Nation-States: states that are (often imperfectly) overlayed territorially with a nation that make up the primary population group. However, in the past States have ranged from strong centralized governments (Roman Empire) to decentralized weak governments (pre-Christian Scandinavia), to gigantic empires with hundreds of ethnicities and nations (Persia, Mongolia) to tiny city states that band together in times of distress (pre-30 Years War Germany, Antiquity Greece). There were many different attempts at states, but statehood is a zero-sum game. There are no half-states — either the state survives or it dies, and if it dies then that form of statehood does not work. The merchant republics of Italy did not survive, crushed by stronger states elsewhere. The types of states that did survive were the Westphalian states, those states which survived the 30 Years War in Europe and went on to be the state model that was followed the world over via Colonization. (Please don’t be offended if you feel I’m discounting the states in other parts of the world. I don’t really want to get into that discussion).

Banditry and States

There are several different competing theories for why states form. The theory I’ll be discussing here is the Static vs Roving bandit theory. Essentially, it harkens back to the neolithic ages. The Neolithic age is a sort of pre-history time when humans started to settle down and farm, instead of running around hunting. When they did so, a contigent of these hunter-gatherers were discontent with the new backbreaking lifestyle of farming and decided they would rather steal the food they need. Once I’ve taken your food and burned your home, I have nothing left to gain: so I move on to the next settlement, and keep moving so keep myself satisfied. Eventually, I might realize you’re willing to give me some food in exchange for not burning your home down. This is better for me, since now I don’t have to risk death to get fed. However, while I am away another raiding group comes and destroys the village. And thus now I have no food.

Eventually, the smarter raiding groups realized that if they protected the settlements they could have an endless supply of food with relatively little work. This formed the very basis of taxation: we rule over you, keep you safe, you make sure we’re fed. In areas that its easy for the farmers to defend themselves, this isn’t as likely to happen: they’ll take their chances against the raiders. However, in places with large open space and no places to hide/defend, they wholeheartedly agreed to this deal. Thus, in Mesopotamia, river basins and coastal areas these proto-states cropped up and, with them, the start of civilization.

Alright, so static bandits + roving bandits + vulnerable farmers = states. Got that? Cool. now let’s talk Civcraft.

The States of Civcraft — Nox byproducts

Nox, formerly Libertas, formerly HCF, is a Kingdom of Raiders and pals. I couldn’t figure out how exactly they were doing so well, nor how it worked that these ex-raiders were somehow causing states to stamp their feet down in protest, write up criminal laws, firm up borders, established soveriegnty and generally act like states. Then, it hit me: instead of food, Nox was getting support. On Civcraft, resources are trivial to get. What isn’t easy to garner is support. In exchange for protection and the enforcement of their sovereignty, Mount Augusta and Chanada both gave their full fledged support for Nox. Nox has settled and become the static bandits, fighting now the roving bandits who haven’t quite realized the game is up. In many ways, out of the ashes of Nox’s raiding past they have unintentionally cause the rise of States on Civcraft, forcing now every settlement to seek some form of power(alliance groups mainly) in order to maintain their sovereignty and, in exchange, lending their support to their causes. It is frankly exciting to see such a development, because it might just mean the experiment has matured enough for us to become that which I always hoped it might be.

Thanks for reading!