Talun

Mrenoja Governate

Kamyinese Empire

**Kilage Zugabe Talun** was a communist revolutionary and a Samaran political leader who led the Samara Union from 1965 to 1991. During the Samaran Civil War, he was the leader of the International People's Movement and went on to become one of the most influential politicians in the world. Ideologically a Serovist, he expanded on the ideology and synthesized *Serovism-Talunism*, which by its followers is seen as an adaptation of Serovism to the context of a global economy dictated by finance-capital.

He was born to a Kamyinese mother and a mixed (half-Suluri, half-Kalungan) father, who was a successful peasant farmer and wrestler until his assassination by Kamyinese nationalists in 1926. He adopted Serovism while working as a librarian at Lucata University and joined the Socialist Party in 1938. Following the coup by the Darmir Society in 1940, he and several other allies fled south to join the International People's Movement following a split in the Socialist Party. He quickly rose up the ranks and became a member of Marshall Syuvti's inner circle before he took his own life in 1944. By use of political connections, Talun ended the year-long succession crisis in the IPM and took charge in 1946. He synthesized Serovism-Talunism in 1952, which became widespread despite some internal criticism. After the civil war was won in 1964, he created a single-party state under the Communist League and his administration embarked on rapid industrialization and collectivization, instituting a mostly centralized command economy. He launched the Anti-Rightist Campaign in 1978 which was coupled by several republic-level initiatives against "old and barbaric" practices in an attempt to *modernize Samaran culture*. His death toll is disputed, but critics blame his policies directly for from 100,000 to several million deaths during his 35-year long reign.

A controversial figure throughout much of the world, Talun is used as a symbol of revolution by various groups and his name has become just as inseparable from communism as Serov's. During Talun's reign, the Samaran Union was involved in several other campaigns, such as the Jogaza War.

## Early life (1917-1940)

   Talun was born in the Mrenjoan town of Oluacuratti, then a part of the Mrenjoa Governate of the Kamyinese Empire. He was born on 19 December as Kilage Zugabe Talun, nicknamed Kile by his mother. His father was a peasant farmer and a wrestler, sometimes taking months away from the family in Satahar (a nearby city) to rake up money from wrestling matches, the lot of which were highly successful. His mother, a Kamyinese woman from Ajia Orman, was from a family entrenched in secret societies, which she fled to start a family with his father. His father was assassinated in 1926 by Kamyinese nationalists in Satahar, who considered him a *parasite*.

In school, Talun reportedly excelled academically, but was a known troublemaker. He was an outspoken student, often the favorite of his teachers despite his contempt for academia. By the age of 16, he was already engaged with politics and philosophy, having read the bulk of Serov's works and attending underground debate clubs. In 1937, he led protests against the Mrenjoa Governate. He joined the Socialist Party in 1938 before fleeing south to Kalunga with his mother following the 1940 coup. It is reported that he told his mother that they would 'one day return'. In Kalunga, he joined the International People's Movement and quickly rose up the ranks.

## Samaran Civil War & Provisional Socialist State (1940-1965)

#### International People's Movement

Upon joining, he was immediately promoted due to his association with the Socialist Party of Kamyin. Due to his calm demeanor, combat bravery, and developed strategy, he quickly became a member of Marshall Syuvti's inner circle. he was an astute and efficient administrator, and was rumored to have never taken a break except for his six-hour sleep. Marshall Syuvti committed suicide in 1944, which resulted in a year-long succession crisis. Talun's rival, Enrazh Juisha, attempted to forcefully oust Talun from his position. Talun responded by using his political connections to persecute Juisha and his allies and had successfully purged his enemies by 1946. At the young age of 27, Talun had become the leader of the International People's Movement.

#### Serovism-Talunism

For years starting from his involvement in the Socialist Party of Kamyin, Talun argued that Serovism needed to be adapted to the conditions of the modern geopolitical economy. This rhetoric only increased as time went on. It led to his creation of the Serovist-Talunist ideology, which was backed by the majority of the communist intellectuals involved with the International People's Movement from the lower to upper echelons. This was a result of years of dialogue with several figures, during which many were convinced by him of the necessity for ideological adaptation.

Following the establishment of the Provisional Socialist State, a brief civil conflict between orthodox Serovists and Serovist-Talunists occurred in the north, which was the manifestation of the political divide among officials within the Communist League. It culminated in the Buyango Uprising. The military, being composed entirely of Talun loyalists, swiftly defeated the uprising, cementing Serovism-Talunism as the successor ideology. Afterwards, Talun initiated a purge of orthodox Serovists in the Communist League, who he labeled 'left dogmatists'. Not all were purged, with some non-dissenters remaining, even in high positions. Still, this resulted in a major geopolitical split between orthodox Serovists (mostly in Kieeland) and Serovist-Talunists, which was utilized by Kieelish media to rally Serovists against the Samara Union.

## Leadership of the Samara Union (1965-1991)

### First & Second Five-Year Plans

Talun proclaimed the establishment of the United Socialist Republics of the Samara from the Golden Castle in 1965, declaring that *the people of the Samara have decided to work together peacefully*. From 1965 to 1975, Talun directed policies to the minutest detail. He launched the First Five-Year Plan (1965-1970) just a few days after the proclamation of the new state. The plan saw the militarization of Samaran society, the collectivization, sometimes forced, of agriculture, land reform, and the modernization of Samaran industry. The Second Five-Year Plan (1970-1975) brought record levels of mass industrialization, the further modernization of agriculture, vast production of consumer goods, and plenty more. As a result of these carefully-constructed economic plans, the Samara Union went from a semifeudal backwater to an industrial and politically developed society in a decade.

### Third Five-Year Plan & Anti-Rightist Campaign

After the success of the two five-year plans, the Third Five-Year Plan (1975-1980) was primarily aimed at the dramatically increasing agricultural output. The plan was considered a failure in this respect, although it was successful in some others, such as the further expansion of consumer goods. In 1978, while the plan was projected to fail, he blamed right-opportunists for the widespread corruption in Samaran society, and initiated the Anti-Rightist Campaign. During the campaign, corruption and dissidence was persecuted. Until 1990, thousands of officials were sacked from their positions and hundreds of thousands of people were sent to reeducation camps.

## State visits

 Kieeland | 28 June, 1964

During his leadership, Talun travelled outside of the Samara Union only twice: once to negotiate the handover of Sasoma to the Provisional Socialist State, and another time to formalize relations between Kieeland and the PSS. After the establishment of the Samara Union, he was not responsible for meeting outside of the country, although he practically dictated foreign policy.

## Final years

Talun became noticeably detached from political matters as early as 1988, often retreating to his log cabin in rural Kamyin. Despite safety concerns, he refused to have security on the premises of the cabin, even after it was discovered and trespassed by hunters. He began reducing his role in policymaking as the reigns of the Anti-Rightist Campaign were handed down to Amaji Nemungo. His death in 1991 was caused by an unspecified heart disease. Talun's body was embalmed and draped in the flag of the Samara Union. His body lay at the Great Hall of the Harmonious Union for eight days, where around one million citizens paid their respects to Talun, many of them displaying sadness, while foreigners watched on television.