All Things Vargr

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

V. I think we could generally divide Vargr society into three general classes, which may sound familiar.

W. Citizens, freewolves, and slaves.

X. Now, you might be thinking, slaves, really?

Y. Besides the similarity with Hellenic social structures, they might not be technically property.

Z. Just Vargr, with very limited personal and professional options.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

1. Wageslave underclass would explain the large percentage of corsairs.

2. As the most convenient way to escape their constrained lifestyle.

3. Freewolves would, or should, have no obstacle to their exit of a Vargr polity.

4. Entrance might be another issue.

5. While migration tends to be a rather prominent Vargr characteristic.

6. Not all Vargr polities are welcoming to migrants.

7. But, usually freewolves have the means to move.

8. Wageslaves do not.

9. Thus, joining a corsair pack both scratches a wanderlust itch, and poses a potential windfall within reach.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

A. Wageslaves don't have the vote, and technically, don't pay income tax.

B. Freewolves pay taxes, but can't vote.

C. Citizens pay taxes and have the vote.

D. Rich freewolves probably could buy citizenship.

E. Most won't, since citizenship includes the obligation to bear arms for the city state.

F. Probably the primary reason that citizens vote to allocate funds to finance corsairs to do that, in their stead.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

G. If for some reason the leadership of the city state feel that they are over populated, they could scout out some suitable site to set up a daughter colony.

H. Or, it's has some strategic reason, like a nearby resource, to place settlers there, in order to control access and exploit it.

I. While initially supported, it eventually has to become self sustaining.

J. After which, direct control is withdrawn.

K. Though, the assumption is that cultural imperialism will keep the daughter colony within the mother city state's orbit.

 

[kilemall]

Vargr: Military Organization

G. If for some reason the leadership of the city state feel that they are over populated, they could scout out some suitable site to set up a daughter colony.

H. Or, it's has some strategic reason, like a nearby resource, to place settlers there, in order to control access and exploit it.

I. While initially supported, it eventually has to become self sustaining.

J. After which, direct control is withdrawn.

K. Though, the assumption is that cultural imperialism will keep the daughter colony within the mother city state's orbit.

Er, doesn’t Travellermap show a hodgepodge of local government types?

Perhaps the various interstellar polities operate as you outline or at least open to that interpretation, but I don’t know if the Greek pack state follows all the way through.

 

[Condottiere]

As I mentioned above, the city state model allows Vargr equilibrium in the politco socio economic sense.

But, all things pass, and internal and external pressures will force it to evolve into something else.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

L. At some point, the leaders in a city state realize that trying to physically conquer costs more than it's worth.

M. The method of imperialistic control they will adopt is that of hegemony.

N. All other polities, Vargr or otherwise, within their sphere of influence, will have limited autonomy.

O. The primary city state will dictate defence and foreign policy, and extract tribute.

P. Internal affairs and security are considered the tributary's problems, unless they aren't.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

Q. Having identified the ideal Vargr polity, we can, supposedly, figure out the ideal Vargr military (organization).

R. If you assume one in two hundred are in a military that is professionalized.

S. With corsairs making up ten percent of the population, you could siphon off the best one tenth of that.

T. Balanced by mandatory military service, as opposed to conscription.

U. Which I figure would be potentially from the remaining seventy percent, being the working population, and both genders.

 

[Condottiere]

During the Age of Pericles (461–429 BC), Athens had an estimated total population of 250,000–300,000 people, with only about 40,000 to 60,000 adult male citizens who could vote. The majority of the population consisted of women, resident foreigners (metics), and slaves, none of whom had political rights. The demographic makeup was structured with citizens at the top, followed by a large population of metics and even more slaves, but only the adult male citizens could participate in the direct democracy.

Athenian population breakdown (c. 430 BC)

• Total Population: Estimates vary, but the total population in Athens and its surrounding region, Attica, was between 250,000 and 300,000.
• Adult Male Citizens: Approximately 40,000 to 60,000 adult males could participate in government through the Assembly.
  
  • Citizenship required both parents to be Athenian, a law passed during Pericles' time.
  • Citizenship was restricted to adult males over 18, excluding women and children.
• Metics (Resident Foreigners): This group consisted of non-citizens living in Athens, likely numbering around 50,000.
  
  • They were a significant part of the population but were denied political rights.
• Slaves: This was the largest segment of the population, estimated to be at least 100,000.
  
  • Slaves had no rights and performed the majority of the labor in the city.

Implications for democracy and society

• Despite Athens being the "birthplace of democracy," the "people" who held power were a small minority of the total population.
• Pericles' reforms, such as implementing payment for jury service, made it possible for poorer citizens to participate in government, but only male citizens were ever eligible.
• Women, slaves, and foreigners were entirely excluded from political life, although they constituted the vast majority of the population.
• The strict citizenship law of 451/450 BC, which required both parents to be Athenian, reduced the number of citizens over time, weakening Athens politically and militarily, especially after the subsequent plague and Peloponnesian War.

Or so artificial intelligence tells us.

So, let's say twenty percent military age male citizens.

Let's match that with twenty percent female citizens.

Forty percent foreign residents.

Twenty percent underclass.

Let's say that's the ideal Vargr demographics.

 

[Condottiere]

The previous post posits my view as to the ideal Vargr demographics.

This probably is closer to our reality in a rather rich nation state.

Ratios skew to twenty eight, forty two, and thirty percent.

We're using the middle class to represent Vargr nomads and transients, who aren't legally tied to the state that they are currently residing in, and have the means to move on

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

V. Corsairs don't originate from one class or demographic.

W. Or mostly, since we'll assume that itch is approximately the same for all Vargr.

X. What likely would be a major factor would be economic pressure as to actually seeking a career as such.

Y. I'd say that one fifth, one twentieths of citizens, and two fiftieths, one tenth of residents, are corsairs.

Z. The remaining two fifths, one fifth thereof, are drawn from the working demographic.