Caldari
Contents
History
A state built on corporate capitalism, the Caldari State is run by a few mega-corporations which divide the state between them, controlling and ruling every aspect of society. Each corporation is made up of thousands of smaller companies, ranging from industrial companies to law firms. All land and real estate is owned by a company which leases it to the citizens, and government and policing are also handled by independent companies.
Although this gives the corporations dictatorial powers, they are just as bound by Caldari customs and laws as the individual, and the fierce, continual competition between the corporations ensures a healthy, consumer-based social environment, which benefits everyone.
While the Caldari State may not be nearly as big as that of the Gallenteans, let alone the Amarrians, they are still universally feared and admired. Their economy is strong, and their military might parallel to that of the larger empires. Coupled to the fact that they are more unscrupulous than the Gallenteans and more combative than the Amarrians, this makes them in many ways the most meddlesome of all the empires. As most Caldari trade is conducted by individual companies rather than the State itself, this makes it difficult for the other empires to deal with them at a political level. If a company is found guilty of unethical business dealings, it simply disappears into its parent corporation, and before long another one appears to take its place. But if a Caldari company is threatened, the whole corporation and often the whole State backs it up with full force.
Caldari society is steeped in military tradition. As a people, its members had to fight a long and bloody war to gain their independence, and even had to surrender their home planet to their hated enemies, the Gallenteans. It was at this time that the corporations established themselves as the driving force behind creating and maintaining the new Caldari State. Even if the Caldari have not engaged in war for many decades, they still strive to be at the cutting edge of military technology and their vessels, weapons and fighting methods are inferior to none but the enigmatic Jovians.
To curb their aggressive tendencies, the Caldari actively pursue and sponsor a range of sporting activities. Many of these are bloody, gladiatorial-like competitions, while others are more like races. But whatever the sport, the Caldari love betting on the outcome, making gambling a massive industry in the State.
The Caldari State offers its citizens the best and the worst in living conditions. As long as you keep in line, do your job, uphold the laws and so forth, life can be fairly pleasant and productive. But for those who are not cut out for this strict, disciplined regime life quickly becomes intolerable. They lose their respect, family, status, everything, and the only options left to them are suicide or exile. Although not xenophobic as such, the Caldari are very protective of their way of life and tolerate only those foreigners that stick to the rules.
Bloodlines
Deteis:
Deteis symbolizes Caldari in every way; they're efficient, dutiful and hard-working. Deteis can commonly be found in positions of authority within military or political spheres, something that suits their temperament very well. Their firm belief that the good of the whole must come before the needs of the individual has greatly influenced the shaping of the Caldari State since its foundation.
Civire:
Civire are the backbone of the Caldari State. Their diligence and unselfish efforts have built it from the grounds up. The Civire are cool, level-headed and relentless in their approach to both trading and fighting. They are more comfortable acting than talking and are never happier than when embroiled in the midst of frenetic activity. They can handle pressure extremely well, an invaluable aid in combat and other stressful situations. Many of the best bounty hunters around are Civire.
Achura:
Achura has been part of the Caldari State for three centuries, joining and leaving the Federation at the same time as the State. Yet the Achur have always remained a mystery to others. Hailing from the inhospitable Saisio system in The Forge, the Achur are as reclusive and introverted as an entity can be while still participating in galactic affairs. Intensely spiritual, the average Achur has little interest in the material world's transitory doodads. Achur pilots have been few and far between in the past, but the recent sacrilege of their home world prompted them to take to the skies in greater numbers.
Notable Individuals
State of the Caldari State, 110.06.11
The State is riding high on a wave of jubilation today: It has finally proved its undeniable superiority over the Gallente Federation, and the ancient homeland of Caldari Prime is once again sovereign Caldari territory.
Citizens
Despite the declared holiday, the majority of State workers are already back at work and toiling harder than ever. Heth's exemplary leadership has given new meaning to their individual contributions, and they're eager to ensure that the State does not fail to capitalize upon its recent successes through lack of effort on the part of its people. Productivity is up, morale is up, and there's a new feeling of camaraderie between workers of all stripes. Where before they were working simply to keep their jobs (and to line the pockets of executives), today they are working for the glory of the State.
Most don't expect to understand the political maneuvering they know must occur at the highest levels of the State; while some murmur about the exact mode of Heth's rise to power, the fact that he now appears to be a true Caldari leader is enough for the vast majority of workers. When it comes to the Gallente, they're enthused by the State's demonstration that it truly is militarily, politically, and economically superior to the Federal model, and now that they've claimed their rightful place as the dominant power in this part of the cluster, they're keen to use the opportunity to correct other perceived inequities.
Military
The State militaries (i.e., both the Navy and the paramilitary bodies of the various megacorps) still have a lot of work to do in the wake of yesterday's surgical strike, but on the whole they're comfortable with the situation. Opinion is divided, though, over the merits of pre-emptive strikes in general and of this operation in particular: Some feel that the primary goal should be simply to ensure the defense of the State and that taking major risks to secure non-military targets is foolish; others counter that a demonstration of superiority is often the strongest deterrent, and that the consequences of retaking [Caldari Prime] thus make it a worthy target.
These concerns aside, there's very little dissent over the execution and outcome of the invasion. Even those arguing that it was an ill-advised plan admit to feeling a renewed sense of worth and purpose, and they certainly wouldn't go so far as to criticize the civil administration for doing what it did, at least publically. The State military defines itself by its professionalism, and every man and woman, from the lowest recruit to the highest-ranking admiral, knows that it is not the military's place to second-guess its political leadership. Thus, their opinion regarding Heth is often that it's not their place to have an opinion―at least, not while they're in uniform.
Leadership
Where the rest of the State is uncharacteristically united and calm, the upper levels of the megacorps are still divided and disoriented. Heth's combination of popular support and seemingly limitless financial backing has made him almost unassailable, but his victories have come at the expense of many of the most powerful individuals and cartels in the State. His recent reforms have fragmented the field of play, sending everyone else scrambling to secure political territory. While there are a few executives who wholeheartedly support Heth and his ideals, the majority see him as a threat and a menace to be controlled or removed as soon as the opportunity presents itself. While ideological positions still place many of the big players at odds with one another, shady alliances that would have been inconceivable a year ago are coming into being.
Players at this level, while they may be ideologically motivated, do not survive without the ability to be extremely pragmatic and realistic when required; they know they can't make a move right now, but they know they need to be absolutely ready when an opportunity presents itself. If military conflict provides that opportunity, they're all for it, but right now all it seems to be achieving is to strengthen Heth's position.
Political Groups
For the most part, what passes for political affiliation in the State is achieved at the corporate scale, with the majority of employees being indoctrinated into their corporation's prevailing philosophy. There are exceptions, particularly where employees have transferred between corporations, but these are few and far between. Although each individual corp is also a unique study in and of itself, containing within it many different positions and dogmas, the political mindsets of the Caldari can still roughly be grouped into three main factions.
Practicals
The Sukuuvestaa, CBD, and Nugoeihuvi Corporations between them make up the Practical faction, which cares little for limiting concepts like ethics. Generally the most pro-Heth of the three political groups, the Practicals appreciate the new opportunities he's delivered, and while being forced to cede political control to his Providence Directorate is not a slight that they will easily forgive or forget, they're generally prepared to play along with him for as long as his actions remain productive. They're fully aware, though, that this state of affairs won't last forever, and they're quietly assembling plans to ensure that when he is brought down, the Practicals won't find themselves hamstrung by the other corporations. If in the end they have to topple Heth themselves, then that's what they'll do. In the meantime, they're content to beat the war-drums and use the fighting as a cover for their other activities.
Liberals
Comprised of the Hyasoda and Ishukone Corporations, the Liberals find themselves in a severely weakened position following the death of Otro Gariushi and the undermining of CONCORD authority by the Minmatar Elders. Espousing fair treatment for all, both within the State and without, they're somewhat ambivalent about recent events; though disquieted by the sneak attack against the Gallente and the atrocities that surround it, they recognize that it would be unwise to criticize Heth's actions publicly—and though they prefer not to admit it, they too have been invigorated by the State's recent military victories.
Overall, then, the Liberals are ambivalent when it comes to the Heth question. While they disapprove of his methods, many of his stated ideals resonate strongly with the faction. They're waiting to see what happens before deciding which side to come down on, but regardless, they are prepared to take decisive action to prevent their own goals from being subverted.
Patriots
Generally regarded as the most powerful faction, the Patriots are an alliance of Lai Dai, Wiyrkomi, and the mighty Kaalakiota, who between them and their subsidiaries possess capabilities rivaling those of the other two Caldari political factions combined. They are genuinely patriotic and extremely proud.
However, that rather jingoistic pride has been mortally injured by Heth's politically vicious rise. As a result, they generally refuse to admit, even to each other, that many of the things Heth has done are exactly what they themselves have wanted to do all along. While the wounds are still too fresh for them to feel anything but hatred for him, they realize that to defy him openly would harm the State (and their dominant position within it) immeasurably, so for now they play along with him and pretend (as much to themselves as to anyone else) that they're not immensely enjoying giving the Gallente a black eye.
Disassociated
Standing outside the traditional power structures are two distinct groups of Caldari who together make up the "disassociated." The first group is composed of those who've fallen off the bottom rung of the megacorp ladder. While they retain their citizenship, in practice these few people simply fall through the cracks between the megacorps and have essentially disappeared from the system, usually permanently. The second group includes those who've found themselves moving between two or three different corporations—usually upper-middle management transferred between corporations in a giant game of pass-the-personnel—and who have in the process realized quite how thoroughly indoctrinated the average employee is.
Those from the first group tend to take part on some level in the criminal underworld, while those from the second often end up doing very well in non-standard careers or in unlikely places within the corporate structure, united solely by their lack of adherence to any franchised corporate ideology. Their opinions as a result are incredibly diverse, and as long as this discreteness remains the case (and their membership stays as small as it traditionally is), they'll continue to exert little significant pressure on State affairs.