Fortham School of Thought

The **Fortham School of Thought** is a philosophical school of thought in the Free Lands of the Selkie, concerned with all matters of life and death,

Usually, the Fortham School of Thought is associated with the left-wing, but the leading thinkers of the school deny that. The foundations for this school of thought were laid in Fortham. Leading thinkers emphasize time and time again, that it is a philosophical school and movement, not a political one, despite several tries to make it that.

## History

### Prologue: Yard Crisis

The Fortham School's origin lie in the Yard Crisis and in the Town of Seabhcóir, where a student of the local High School, Nolwenn Ceannairceach of the Tribe of Fermanagh, began to lead the Unrest of 1975 in Seabhcóir.

After the Gíománra was disbanded

Following her graduation in 1976, Ceannairceach began to study.

## Core Tenants

### Economy and society

Even in her earliest works, Ceannairceach acknowledges, that the economy is the flywheel of society and that society is the engine of the economy, one not being able to exist without the other. However, what was concerning to her was the ownership of the Means of Production, machines and factories, and the Materials of Production, the raw materials like iron ore and their pits, which, after the Yard Crisis, slid into less and less hands.

She in particular addresses the Banphrionsa-Family, which, after a series of strategic marriages and lucky bereavements (she addresses the persistent rumours, that there was a bit of aid in cause for these bereavements but also states, that these are baseless rumours and thus do not need to be further discussed), managed to acquire a vast 'empire' of companies all over the country, from Gabha Blacksmiths Limited and Gabha Motorworks Limited to the iron pits in Dún,

However, Ceannairceach also acknowledges, that the Free Lands are not a gargantuan industrial power, which pushes the agricultural first sector into the focus of her works as well. In her words:

*Most political and philosophical movements focus on Urban Elites, Industry and exploitation of the land until it ran dry. That is not the way. Those, who do speak of the agrarian sector, wish to own and centralize the ownership of the land by any means necessary. That, too, is not the way.*
Nolwenn Ceannairceach of the Tribe of Fermanagh, Statement of the Fortham School of Thought., Fortham, 1979.
In her words, instead of collectivization, the maximum amount of land a person or a family could own should be limited to a 'reasonable area', although she freely defers the judgement about the actual 'reasonable area' to those, who have more knowledge of agricultural matters then her. This 'reasonable amount' would not be limited to what the family needed to survive but by what they could till. Of course, mechanization of agriculture would enlarge that area, provided of course, that the farmers would have the resources to mechanize their production.

In general, Ceannairceach sees the mechanization of agriculture in the Free Lands, as it was promoted since the Mid-70s (the Bad Harvests of 1973 and 1974 proving a powerful incentive), as a revolution in and of itself, with the Farmer-Loans as a useful step in making it easier for everyone. The revolution, in her opinion, came from the increased efficiency and thus production, as well as yield, while at the same time sparing them from a huge amount of the tedious work, thus shifting the social hierarchy, including the fact, that students from rural areas could now attend school for longer then the mandatory times.

However, as most farms around the time were small, average size being around 10 to 25 acres, depending on the area, these machines could not be effectively employed, which gave rise to the idea of different farms sharing their machines, usually along familial ties, which, in turn, did not prove too effective. More and more farms were abandoned, their land bought up by larger farms for the original farmers to move to new areas, where farmland was made arable.

This mechanization caused one major problem: Unemployment. Abundant labour needed would become surplus, Ceannairceach predicted, and she was not wrong, which cause a mass migration abroad, the Selkie-Diaspora all over the world growing, but it also caused more and more Herders of cattle and sheep being employed in the areas known for ranching, as well as many farming communities suddenly needing mechanics, a role, which many of the unemployed were willing to fill after some training.

Another great deal of concern was spent on the relation of economy to society, thinking about how the economy could give back to the communities it works with, especially in more industrialized areas. These thoughts would later be echoed by Nora Cathlong of the Tribe of Cork and her work as CEO of SDY in Silverport and

### Religion

Religion plays an important role in the lifes of the Selkie - even more surprising is it, that the Fortham School does not concern itself with the

### Relationship of the Fortham School to Military Force

Seeing the state in which the forces of the SDF-Army came back from the Humanitarian Mission of the SDF to Kupandukira, and general tendencies of war and rearmament in the world, . In Ceannairceach's own words:

*We must realize, that the projection of a strength of arms is not a normal measure to conduct politics and international relations. We must also realize, that sometimes, the strength of arms is necessary to establish in peaceless regions as a necessity for aiding those, who need aid.*
*[...]*
*Our movement, thus, is a pacifist movement, but not one fed with the spoon of self-righteousness, but one, which is fed with the spoon of realism: That a world without armies and navies and air forces is desirable, but also a dream. That armed forces are necessary for the defense of the peace and of house and home. And only for the defense of these.*
Nolwenn Ceannairceach of the Tribe of Fermanagh, Statement of the Fortham School of Thought., Fortham, 1979.
### Sexuality, Gender Identity and the Fortham School

Not originally a part of the thoughts and concepts of the Fortham School, Finnya Araon of the Tribe of Fermanagh began to think in that direction, mostly due to her own motivation as an Intersex Person.

However, Sexual Orientation, in true Selkie-Tradition, is a non-issue.

### Individualism

Individualism, which emphasizes the moral worth of the individual and promotes the own goals and desires over the ones of the community, advocating the own interests over the interests of the group, always had a rough standing in the Free Lands,

*All we achieved, every house, every field, every boat that sailed from our shores and the wares it carried, every harvest, we achieved together.*
Finnya Araon of the Tribe of Fermanagh, *Individual and Community*.

## Leading Personages and followers

* Nolwenn Ceannairceach of the Tribe of Fermanagh.
* Ida Cíochach of the Tribe of Navan.
* Finnya Araon of the Tribe of Fermanagh.