What type would the worlds government be?

[JMISBEST]

Based on something on Traveller Campaign I planned but never even had chance to start 10 years back What type do you think the worlds government type would be with this ruler?

He pretends to be a insane, evil, ruthless, despotic and Megalomaniac like Tyrant even though he's not even 1 of those and does that in order to make potential invaders too scared too cross him

He taxes double the normal percentage of harvested foods but only so that if the worlds entire harvest theirs enough stored food to ensure that although everyone will have a lot less to eat no-one will starve

He taxes double the normal percentage of cash so that in the event of a planet-wide Illness he can buy enough medicines to save millions that would otherwise die

Most of The Planetary Navy are Ex and/or Captured Pirate Ships that he's made lots of people think still are Pirates but only too scare off real-pirates

So with that guy who is a very nice believer in The Ends Justify The Means as The Planets Ruler what type do you think the worlds government type?

 

[Galadrion]

Dictatorship of some kind, and based on this - " insane, evil, ruthless, despotic and Megalomaniac" most likely a non-charismatic one. And with those taxation policies - no matter what his motivation and actions might be - he's probably not going to be popular with the general population. He better have a highly competent bodyguard detail; someone is quite likely to try for an assassination.

 

[JMISBEST]

Dictatorship of some kind, and based on this - " insane, evil, ruthless, despotic and Megalomaniac" most likely a non-charismatic one. And with those taxation policies - no matter what his motivation and actions might be - he's probably not going to be popular with the general population. He better have a highly competent bodyguard detail; someone is quite likely to try for an assassination.

But don't forget that his wide-spread image as 1 of the most evil humans alive is 100% fake and designed to make invaders and pirates too scared to attack or raid in his system, plus his people know it

 

[phavoc]

So if everyone knows on the planet that his outward diabolical bluster is all trickery, how is it that he's never made an enemy on the planet and his secret has gotten out?

As for the taxation on food for food security, it's far easier for a government to set prices and purchase excess food and store it. The direct taxation of food ended around the same time the medieval period when people stopped paying their taxes in food, wine and goods and paid it in cash. If they have the technology to build starships then food should NOT be an issue with modern farming techniques.

The taxation to purchase medicines and such brings up a problem. How is that money stored? Vaults of cash and coins like Scrooge McDuck had are a thing of the past. A planetary government has no need of storing excess money if the people love the government - the government can simply issue bonds and purchase local goods and as long as the people believe in the government the currency is valid, regardless of inflation or money supply issues. Since you mentioned medicine that would, I assume, mean purchasing it from off-world sources. For that they would need either sellable goods or trade in order to create the credits necessary. Then again a planet would have the ability to purchase large quantities of anything since they have, well, a planet to back up their needs for loans and such!

You may want to go back and re-think these. There are some pretty large plot holes. You can't be crazy, amoral and despotic and have your people loving you (unless they, too, are crazy, amoral and despotic) - but then you'd have a crazy, amoral and despotic culture. So a lot of things would not be possible (like civilization, etc).

 

[Galadrion]

But don't forget that his wide-spread image as 1 of the most evil humans alive is 100% fake and designed to make invaders and pirates too scared to attack or raid in his system, plus his people know it

Doesn't matter. "Good" and "evil" are not addressed by the UWP; what is codified in the UWP is the form of government. Is he the sole source of government authority? Did he come to power by means other than inheritance or election? If the answer to both of these is "yes" then he is a dictator under the UWP definition.

Also, bear in mind that what will be reported in the UWP will be the information available to the reporting agency - it won't be indicative of privileged or secret knowledge. That means that plot secrets and other game master information should not be placed in the UWP for just anyone to read! UWP data are what "everyone knows"... or at least what a knowledgeable expert might know. It's "public information" - don't put things in there if you want them to be hidden.

 

[Pyromancer]

But don't forget that his wide-spread image as 1 of the most evil humans alive is 100% fake and designed to make invaders and pirates too scared to attack or raid in his system, plus his people know it

The UWP is distilled data published by the IISS. If they know that the insane evil dictator isn't really insane and evil and publish that via their UWP, everyone knows it. And that would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?

 

[Garran]

It's also rather difficult to present yourself as a wild despotic megalomaniac and not actually DO the things associated with that, in which case it isn't really an act even if there's an ulterior motive behind it.

An autocratic leader who isn't a wild despotic megalomaniac but constantly frets over supply levels and the need to store away food against contingencies would probably be seen as eccentric but also far more within the realm of what people would be willing to put up with for any length of time.

Either way it's a non-charismatic dictatorship, but the latter version is going to be a lot more stable.