From: aryk@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (A.J.S. Nusbacher)
Subject: Re: Why have the SCA, Inc.?
Organization: University of Toronto -- Office of the Provost
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 03:37:08 GMT


I had posted a snarky article answering Thos. Barnes's points about what the
Corporation does well.

In article <atterlep.719002131@vela> atterlep@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Montgomery J. Moose) writes:

Thos.'s point:

>>>1) Standardization of Fighting and Archery rules. So you don't have to
>>>reauthorize every time you go out of kingdom.

My reply:

>>Yeah, thank Bod for all those helmets that had to be retrofitted because
>>of the possibility that a 1 1/4" sword might penetrate a 1" occularium.
>>And I'm really glad that I could turn my hardwood spear into a tent pole.

Alan's comment:

>  On the other hand, you can fight at Estrella, Pennsic, and in any other
>kingdom without any trouble.  C'mon, Aryk, give them credit for allowing
>someone to move from Caid to Trimaris without having to re-authorize.

Back in the old, ancient days before unified armour standards, authorisations
were pretty routinely transferable between the kingdoms which had them.
I also wonder how transferable a Caidan authorisation is in practice when
you move to, say, the Middle.  A Caidan authorisation card is an all-or-
nothing proposition, with no picky details like whether you're authorised
in thrusting tip.

Besides, that sort of standardisation could have been accomplished by a joint
board of kingdom earl marshals or something.  If it were truly needed.

So no credit there.

Thos.'s point:

>>>2) Central source for publications for the SCA (officer's Handbooks and
>>>the like).

My reply:

>>Handbooks for navigating the corporation's bureaucracy, you mean?  Like
>>the handbook which explains the armour regulations as discussed above?

Alan's comment:

>  There are a number of useful publications that come out of the corporation,
>and which would not be possible without it (ever read the _Known World
>Handbook_, Aryk?)  TI is only one of these--Compleat Ananchronist is another.)

While the _Known World Handbook_ is a brilliant publication (which I had a hand
in, so I'm hardly objective), and as I said the TI is as well, I have little
admiration for most of the CA's.  Some good, but most are useless.  But aside
from those publications which require a mailing permit, any of those books can
be (and some have been) published independently.  The SCA's armorial and
ordinary is a great example of a publication which has succeeded without being
published by the corporation itself.

Point already conceded with respect to TI, now conceded with respect to the
KWH.

Thos.'s point:

>>>4) Standardization of rules for Kingdom organization and behavior.
>>>So that people have a "legal" recourse when King Swaetsochs the Obtuse
>>>decides that he wants to go against public opinion, good taste and commn
>>>sense with some folly or another.

My reply was that the board was generally clever enough not to get
involved, and had they ever done any good anyhow?

Alan's comment:

>  Again, the BoD has served a useful purpose in these cases ("Michael of
>Bedford" should ring a bell)

You mean the Middle Kingdom was spared agony and long-term trauma by the
clever intervention of the Board? Not really.  And wasn't it the Stew
and not the Board who finally dealt with that matter?

Thos.'s point:

>>>5) Insurance. Which started the whole fuss.

My reply was that the entire corporate machinery wasn't required in order
to get insurance coverage.

Alan's comment:

>  The cost of insurance for one organization is less than the cost for twelve.

There is no reason why twelve kingdoms could not arrange a single insurance
policy given a bit of organisational skill.  And even if some economy of scale
is realised by a single corporation buying the coverage with the aid of the
corporate machinery (and an ombudsman for the Corporate Dentist), does that
hypothetical saving outweight the cost of the whole operation?

>  Don't forget that centralization is actually cheaper than 12 orgs.  The cost
>of offices, furniture, and paid people for 12 organizations would be very
>expensive, and kingdoms would have to find some way to pay for the increased
>costs.

Offices? Furniture?  Paid people?  Why?  Maybe a rich kingdom like the West
would want to rent offices if they felt they needed them.  But a poor kingdom,
or a new kingdom, or a small kingdom might just have a corner of somebody's
basement.  Kinda like what they have now...

There are all kinds of good reasons to have a big corporation.  Not the least
of which is certifying kingdoms and telling the 100 people in place X that
they can't have their own king, and that sort of thing.  Or fostering a
homogeneous culture (which keeps the SCA from sliding into weird realms like
RenFair-ism or Japanese re-creation).  Or are those good reasons?

Aryk Nusbacher
From: Ruth.Woodring@f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Ruth Woodring)
Sender: FredGate@ocitor.fidonet