Epochianism

**"To be an Epochian means one thing above all: to be a martyr of the present, so that the future may be saved from the past."**

*-Kann Voz, commissar comandant of the ion divsion at the 463 graduation ceremony of the Hupal miltary academy on Koltrent.*

Epochianism is a materialist ideology espousing values of meritocracy, xenophilia and state-led paternalism. The ideology is best known as the state ideology of the Universal Technocratic Commonwealth, whose founder species, the Xer, were the ones to first adopt it. The ideology is furthermore highly influential in the UTC's sphere of influence and stands as one of the great idealistic forces in the galaxy today.

## **Classical Epochianism**

**"The duty of the state is to apply law equall and reliably, to advance the spread of knowledge and enrich the people."**

**"The duty of the people is to pay tax, receive education and defend the state"**

*-Engraving in the hall of overseers, former capital building of the Epochian Empire*

Classical Epochianism refers to the various philosophical principles embraced by the Epochian Empire on ancient Jura. It is from these philosophical underpinnings that modern Epochian thought would later arise.

### **Psuedo-Meritocracy**

One key aspect which set the Epochian empire apart from its counterparts was its early emphasis on meritocratic stratification, though implemented in a somewhat crude manner. All citizens of the empire were obligated to undergo a general exam after coming of age. Based on their results they would be assigned to one of several different social classes which would determine their further opportunities in life and overall societal rank. This system, whilst undoubtedly flawed, is credited with granting the empire much greater access to skilled leadership than it's rivals. The principle of earned privilege would become ingrained in all future forms of Epochian thought.

### **Consultive governance**

The empire was, by and large, governed in a top-down manner, with state magistrates having great authority to impose the will of the state. The empire did still work with a notable control mechanism, however: it was customary that whenever a decision was to be made or a project carried out, that all groups that were directly involved would be consulted for any insight or reservations they might have. Whilst this process was only ever purely advisory and state agents maintained full discretion for making decisions, it none the less helped to expose flaws in the decisions made at the top which could then be fine-tuned. This manner of governance was faithfully adhered to for most of the empire's existence and would be adopted to a large extent by the later UTC.

### **Positivism**

The early basis for the materialist worldview of Epochianism is in the empire's adoption of positivism. The enforcement of this system of belief formed the empire into a largely secular entity, though it was often preached with esoteric undertones.

### **Paternalism**

The Epochian Empire was ultimately a fairly authoritarian state, legitimizing its authority through its adoption of paternalism. The empire espoused that it was ultimately the fate of the wise to rule and the average to follow, but that this state of affairs was not unconditional. It was the obligation of the wise to better those who stood below them and to act as servants to the greater good. Whilst records of the empire show that it often failed to follow this ideal, it none the less inspired the enlightened statism of later Epochian thought.

## **'New' Epochianism**

**"Through Epochian might we survive, through Epochian progress we gain victory, through Epochian prosperity we make victory worthwhile!"**

-*Excerpt from the Epochian Manifesto, -111 AC*

After the downfall of the Epochian Empire during the apocalyptic exchange and the subsequent takeover of the Shamanate, Epochian ideals were driven largely underground. Its proponents would spend decades stewing in opposition as nostalgia towards the imperial times grew during the Shamanate's slow decline. When the War of Truth finally started, in large part due to the actions of Epochian aligned groups, these proponents managed to seize power in much of the old imperial territory. In the early years of the war, the disparate Epochian factions would gather to formulate the old ideals of Epoch into a coherent ideology fit for a new age. Efforts eventually culminated in the publishing of the Epochian Manifesto which mapped the key principles and worldviews of this new ideology. Aside from directly adopting prominent aspects of the empire, the manifesto also introduced several new elements. Chief amongst the new additions were the four guidelines and three goals of the state, which entailed the ideal constitutional principles of an Epochian state.

### **The Four Guidelines**

The four guidelines were presented in the Manifesto as the key traits which a successful state should have.

#### Efficiency

First amongst the guidelines is the principle of efficiency. What this entails is that the state must be capable of effectively optimising any task it is assigned through professionalism and expertise. In the words of the manifesto: 'The state is as a machine producing what is of great essence to us all. It is thus in the interest of all that this machine runs smoothly and capably. Just as gears must be properly measured, oiled and maintained; so must the agents of the state be knowledgeable and focused."

#### Autonomy

The second guideline is the principle of autonomy. This refers to the idea that leaders ought to be free to act to their best knowledge in service to the common good without being subject to the demands within society. This principle simultaneously excludes special interests, personal considerations and popular opinion from the governing process. The behind this is that individual actors within society are inherently shortsighted and selfishly minded whereas a ruler must be an impartial decisionmaker who considers longer-term consequences. In the words of the Manifesto: "When a ruler heeds not their conscience and best judgement, but rather whisper of the wealthy, the chant of the mob or the pleas of their loved ones, they are not acting not in name of the state and its people but in that of those who are affluent, violent or intimate."

#### Integrity

The third guideline is that of integrity. This entails that a state must be designed in such a way that its agents are dedicated to their tasks and responsibilities rather than their personal interests and ambitions. This guideline stresses the importance of fighting corruption and internal power struggle in order to ensure the state pursues its idealised goals. In the words of the manifesto: "A ruler dedicated to the improvement of the state is a symbol of stability and prosperity, a state dedicated to the enrichment of the ruler is a prelude to catastrophe."

#### Flexibility

The final guideline proposed is that of flexibility. This entails the ability of a state to adapt to the changing situation of the world in such a way as to ensure the previous guidelines are maintained. It was argued that the great failure of the Shamanate was its inability to adapt to the changes that took place in the world since it's founding, spurring the age of stagnation.

### **The Three Goals**

In addition to the four guidelines, which are the tools for a state to be effective, the manifesto also presented the three goals of governance. These three goals are what a state should be effective at achieving. Unlike the guidelines, these goals have an explicit ranking of importance.

#### Sovereignty

The first and most important goal of the state is that of sovereignty. This roughly entails the ability of the state to secure its own immediate survival against threats both within and without. To these ends, the state should thus secure internal stability and military strength before other considerations. This goal is presented as the most important, because it is stated that a state, no matter how utopian and attractive, is worthless if it is incapable of sustaining itself. Thus, only after the sovereignty of the state is secured can the other two goals be considered.

#### Progress

The second most important goal presented is progress. This refers to the states ability to keep up with, and preferably pioneer, advances in science, technology and general knowledge. Whereas sovereignty is concerned with immediate survival, progress is presented as the key to long-term survival. The more advanced a state is, the more likely it is to have the means necessary to adapt to changing conditions and the easier it will be to maintain its strength against foreign threats. It is thus posed that the state without sovereignty is doomed to suffer a quick death and one without progress a slow one.

#### Prosperity

The final goal outlined in the manifesto is prosperity, simply referring to the overall wellbeing and wealth the state is capable of guaranteeing to its citizens. In its initial iteration, prosperity was almost exclusively focused on material wealth, though later developments would revise this focus somewhat. The fact that prosperity is ranked as the least important goal does not imply that providing it is merely an afterthought; what the manifesto rather tries to convey is that whilst prosperity is the ultimate goal of any state, it must first be ensured that said prosperity is sustainable.

Overall, the guidelines and goals boil down into the following picture: the ideal state is one which can provide the most prosperity whilst still maintaining strong sovereignty for immediate survival and progress for long-term sustainability. The most effective way to achieve these goals would be to design a constitutional framework adhering to the four guidelines of efficiency, autonomy, integrity and flexibility.

### **Cultural Aspects**

Alongside the explicit political revisions made by the manifesto, there were also certain cultural shifts when compared to the classical Epochian ethos.

#### Intellectual Elitism

One of the changes in the new form of Epochianism was an increased exaltation of academic values in the stratification of society. Whereas more practical and personal skills were important alongside academic ones in the imperial days, the new doctrine promoted near-complete supremacy of academics within the social hierarchy. The symbol of Epochian leadership would no longer be that of the broadly knowledgable scholar but that of the calculated expert, an image which has more or less remained since.

#### Anti-Clerisism

Perhaps the most visible consequence of the decades spent in opposition to the Shamanate, Epochian ideology adopted a radical anti-clerical stance. Whilst the empire was originally mostly indifferent to religious organisation, the new strands of Epochian thought were marred with vehement and often violent opposition to anything resembling shamanism. This mentality would only worsen as the War of Truth progressed, in part due to the fact that later Epochian leaders aggressively promoted the attitude in order to promote unity with the Erat factions.

#### Materialism

The old principle of positivism was noticeably reinterpreted when adapted to the new ideology, transforming into Epochianism's characteristic materialist ethos. All esoteric elements of positivism were scrapped, alongside most of the more abstract ideals it contained. The new doctrine argued that focussing on abstract ideals left open the door to incompetent and malevolent leadership; poverty could be justified in the name of honour, starvation in the name of faith and theft in the name of destiny. It was argued that by making material improvement the only goal such situations could never be justified on any level.

### **Economic Rationalism**

One issue where the Epochian revolutionaries had to start more or less from scratch was that of economics. Since the days of the Epochian empire, Xerkind had greatly advanced in economic development and had entered the industrial age, though Shamanite rule severely hamstrung any major industrialisation efforts. With a lack of developed theories, an effort was started to build up a new economic model from the Epochian values of statism and rationalism, which ended up resting upon a combination of economic planning, aggressive pushes to industrialisation and the optimisation of traditional occupations using academic theories. The system led to mixed results overall; the Epochian regions achieved impressive rates of industrialisation and the use of innovative new production processes improved productivity in many areas, at the same time, similar efforts in the agricultural sector largely ended in failure whilst the bureaucratic strain of this form of economic organisation put a significant burden upon the fledgling state. So, while the Epochian league would gladly boast of its achievements in heavy industry, it became increasingly dependent upon the Erat-aligned regions for food and consumer goods, a fact which would lead to the eventual end of the experiment into economic statism.

## The Erathem Synthesis

"**The republic is the best chance for Epochianism"**

*-Part of the inaugural address of chancellor Kulgaf*

Following the joint Erat-Epochian victory in the War of Truth and the establishment of the Erathem Republic, a period of gradual harmonization began between the two ideological factions. This period of synthesis saw both sides adopt various values form the other, thus establishing a shared ideological basis for the republic. Whilst much of this was undone due to the re-emergence of Erat and Epochian fundamentalism during the War of Doctrine, some aspects of Erat thought remained part of modern Epochianism

### **Pragmatic Liberty**

Perhaps the most striking way in which Erathem-era Epochianism adapted to Erat ideology was through the inclusion of liberty as a form of prosperity. It was argued that all else being equal, greater freedom improved the lives of individuals just as material improvements would. Whilst Epochian ideology would never quite end up adopting liberty as a core value, it would continue to maintain the idea that individual freedoms should be left alone as much as possible as long as it did not interfere with the state's ability to bring other greater forms of welfare.

### **New Meritocracy**

Another way in which Epochianism changed during the Erathem period was through the redefinition of its perception of meritocracy to a more fluid and changeable system. Whereas previously individuals would be stratified based on one-off tests and evaluations, it would now be based on an individual's current abilities. This change shifted Epochianism greatly towards a more open view of individuals and changed its rhetoric from being about enabling the inherently exceptional towards lifting up the greatest number of people towards exceptionality.

### **Economic devolution**

By the time that the Epochian and Erat regions began to merge, it had become extremely apparent that the Epochian model of economics could not remain viable. While the approach of state-led industrialisation had made the Epochian regions more urbanized and the leaders of heavy industry and weapons, most sectors of the economy were inefficiently managed while shortages were rampant and working conditions were poor. By contrast, the Erat regions had run a far more decentralised economy based upon autonomous enterprises owned by workers instead of the state. These organisations had proven to be efficient, dynamic and popular, providing more reliable production than the Epochian system could, especially in agriculture. Even innovation, amongst the most treasured aspects of Epochianism, was achieved more reliably by the Erat enterprises. Even before unification, the Epochian league was facing increasing pressure to implement the Erat model as dissatisfaction with the Epochian model grew. It was clear that a change in course was needed.

Under the pressure to present a strong alternative to the Erat model, Epochian theorists took the concept of the worker enterprises and made its own variation more in line with Epochian principles. The final product would be the private technical undertakings or PTUs. These organisations would be created by any citizen (with government approval) to pursue a specific economic objective. Initially, these organisations were only allowed to supplement the economic policy of the state by taking over existing projects from government bodies. The PTUs were allowed to sell any excess production and pocket excessive funding for the benefit of its management. After initial successes, the PTUs were allowed increased autonomy and could be formed without the need for state direction, until finally they were allowed to sell a portion of themselves to private actors to raise their own funding. The PTUs proved remarkably successful in revitalising the ailing Epochian economy, drastically improving the supply situation across the board whilst quickly regaining the innovative advantage from the Erat enterprises. And so, when unification eventually came, the PTUs and the enterprises clashed in an economic war that ultimately developed an equilibrium where the Epochian model achieved dominance in industry and the Erat model in agriculture.

## **Klandraxian Thought**

**"Eternity belongs to the state which can bend along the irresistible currents of change, yet still maintain the same course."**

*-Excerpt from 'The Eternal State' by Gac Xal-Vo Kurac Klandrax, 172 AC*

Over the centuries many minds have added to and modified Epochian ideology in accordance with their own insights. There are few who would deny that of all those individuals, any have had, or will ever have, more influence than Klandrax. During his 57-year reign over the Commonwealth, he oversaw its transformation into an interstellar state and fundamentally redesigned it in accordance with his own particular views of Epochianism. These views remain the bedrock of modern Epochianism and would be essentially uncontested even decades after his death.

### **The Eternal State**

The key to Klandrax's views and policies was his concept of the eternal state. In a book with the same name, he argued that for the Commonwealth to survive as an interstellar state, it would have to be restructured in such a way that it could maintain itself in perpetuity. In his views, this meant that the Commonwealth had to simultaneously be dynamic enough to adjust itself to the inevitable changes it would face over time without degrading its defining values and institutions. In addition, an eternal state would need to be able to permanently ward off any emergence of corruption. Finally, the state would need to ensure that no single subdivision within it would be able to achieve dominance over it.

#### The Directorial System

The most well-known addition of Klandrax to the constitution of the Commonwealth was the directorial system. He observed how in the incarnations of Epochianism made up to that point it would either culminate in domination by unfit political ideologues or, in the case of the Commonwealth by the time he took power, undynamic bureaucracies. His solution to this was to establish an additional layer of power: the directorial branch of the state. This branch would be exclusively represented on the highest levels of state power and filled by academics and experts appointed directly by their peers. The idea behind this was to ensure that the upper leadership would not be constrained by the need to climb hierarchies and instead be elevated for providing dynamic new ideas with which to guide the Commonwealth. Klandrax reasoned that this class of leadership, when combined with the need to cooperate with the more efficient but less dynamic bureaucracies which control the lower levels of governance, would be the ideal recipe to long term sustainability.

#### Perpetual Integrity

Another key point which Klandrax asserted was the need to permanently and reliably ward of corruption, although this view was mostly adapted from Gavax Taculon, one of his closest colleagues and allies during his period of leadership. Taculon championed the idea that all states eventually gravitate towards what he called an oligarchy of interests, in which the functions of the state are purely used to serve the private interests powerholders at the expense of the common good of society. Taculon asserted that states in this situation were incompetent in all ways, perpetually poor, frighteningly weak and utterly unsustainable. In order to prevent this situation, it would be necessary to create a force powerful and determined enough to counteract the constant pressure by the forces of self-interest to divert the powers of the state towards private goals. In Taculon's view, the only force which could achieve this was the very self-interest which threatens the state. The solution provided by Taculon was thus to create an additional political class who would be provided with an overwhelming incentive to root out any and all corrupt behaviour. Any attempt to corrupt this class would need to be counteracted with even greater rewards for being on the straight and narrow. These ideas culminated in the creation of the department of civic integrity, one of the key branches of the Commonwealth which has successfully operated according to the principles of Taculon for nearly 300 Audean years.

#### Universality

The final key principle advocated by Klandrax was the idea of universality. This entails that the state must stand equally above all subdivisions beneath it. The argument was that any state controlled by one of its subdivisions was bound to be susceptible to separatism and internal division, as regions with less control would only accumulate resentment. This fed into the popular perception in Xer academia that societies could only scale up as equal coalitions whilst unequal dominions controlled by one member were bound to fracture. The principle was most famously worded by Klandrax during the announcement of the metamorphosis stage of the astral reforms, where he stated: "If we want our society to survive in perpetual peace and stability amongst these stars, we must do so as a unified commonwealth of all Xer, not as the empire of Jura."

#### **Iron Cage Economics**

Following the fall of the Republic, the issue of the economy once again reared its head amongst Epochian scholars. Despite their sucesses, the PTUs were never truly popular with Epochian ideologous, who saw them as a potential danger to the authority of the state. This caused a period of schizophrenic policy towards the undertakings filled with renationalisation, rule changes and venomous debates between internal factions. Though the war of survival put the dispute on hold, it was clear that some satisfactory resolution was needed for the long term. Klandrax sought to establish a compromise between the pro and anti-PTU camps through his introduction of the iron cage system. This system sought to politically disarm the PTUs without losing their economic benefit and allow them to stay as a permanent and reliable fixture of Epochian ideology. To achieve this, he sought to contain the PTU within a "iron cage" of legal limitations and state oversight. This involved several key regulations such as the breaking up of PTUs to prevent them from individually controlling multiple points of supply chains, the inclusion of state representatives on governing boards of PTUs of a certain size and the implementation of the three halves rule; whereby the ownership would be split in a private half which could be freely traded and a public half, which itself was split in half between the state and the PTU's management. Through these measures, Klandrax assured that the state would maintain permanent leverage over the PTUs and avoid the possibility that any would grow to large to form a political threat. This solution largely resolved the economic debate, though the exact balance of this policy would flare up again as foreign corporation started to make their entry many decades later.

### **Sapientism**

A final key aspect added to Epochian thought added during the tenure of Klandrax was the idea of Sapientism, though this was not on the initiative of the man himself. Klandrax had from the beginning maintained that the chance of advanced life existing beyond Jura was negligible and designed much of his doctrine around the idea of maintaining the cohesion of a state without any external threats. This view would be abruptly shattered with the encounter of an alien civilization in the form of the Hesokurs. This encounter would lead to a frenzied debate amongst scholars about what the role of other intelligent life should be within the Epochian worldview. The view which eventually won out was the idea of sapientism, which stated that all value in the universe derived from beings capable of sapient thought and that all such beings were, in principle, equal to Xer. Whilst there was still dispute as to whether actual integration of different sapient species was actually possible, it did lead to a generally cordial diplomatic attitude in the early days of stellar expansion.

## **Post-Klandraxian Epochianism**

**"How can we accept that in a state with dozens of planets and countless species, just 9 people have the final say on everything?."**

*-Cax-zra, one of the key founders of federalist Epochianism, 437 AC*

Whilst modern Epochianism has always remained within the framework crafted by Klandrax, divergences in doctrine have gradually emerged in the centuries since, giving rise to several debates and disagreements over its ideal form.

### **The Concentration Debate**

The most salient disagreement within Epochianism today is the so-called concentration debate. This entails the discussion over the degree of centralization and standardization which should exist in the Commonwealth.

#### Centralist Thought

Centralist thought entails all streams of Epochianism which advocate for greater centralization of power. In its most common form, centralism presents itself as a form of Klandraxian purism, wishing to preserve the balance of power put in place by Klandrax and preserve his legacy and success. This stance has been frequently criticized by other faction, however, who claim that the stubborn adherence by moderate centralists to Klandraxian orthodoxy ironically flies in the face of Klandrax's appeal to dynamism. Beyond this, centralists tend to be more suspicious of non-state, especially corporate, power and are thus advocate for greater government intervention in civil society and the economy.

##### **Maximism**

A more radical branch of centralism can be found in maximist thought. This particular branch of Epochianism advocates for the abolishment of planetary commissariats and the concentration of all directorial power towards Jura, favouring more expansive executive control over lower levels of governance. Maximists are additionally more extreme in their suspicion of non-state actors, particularly advocating for large reductions in economic freedom.

##### **Hierarchism**

Hierarchism is the most extreme and fringe variation of centralism, championing highly controversial viewpoints such as the abolishment of directorial power, the complete empowerment of the Executive bureaucracy and the total nationalization of society. Hierarchism is widely distrusted and disliked by other branches of Epochianism, most of which see it as an utter perversion of Epochian values. It is also easily the least popular Epochian branch, being almost exclusively followed by certain clubs of hardline executors and generals.

#### Autonomist Thought

Autonomist thought entails all streams of Epochianism which advocate for the decentralization of power within the current system. In most of its moderate forms, autonomism primarily wishes to restrain central power as much as possible within the current political framework without drastically altering the constitutional arrangement. In this form, it is consequently more about governing philosophy than concrete reform. In addition, autonomists have historically been more favourable towards economic reform and liberalisation. Though this has drawn criticism from the centralist side about opening the door to corporate interference with the state, especially in regards to the increasing presence of foreign megacorporations.

##### **Federalism**

Whilst moderate forms of autonomism merely advocate for restrained behaviour by rulers, its more radical form, known as federalism, goes much further and genuinely advocates for far-reaching constitutional reform and the restructuring of the Epochian system. Federalists argue that the modern Commonwealth is simply too vast to be at the whims of a single group of directors who can overrule all lower levels of the state. Federalists, therefore, advocate for the expansion of independent power held by planetary commissariats, as well as the introduction of directorial sub-planetary prefectures to increase directorial oversight of the executive bureaucracy. Federalists furthermore advocate for certain controversial liberalisation measures for civil society, such as the limited legalisation of protests. Federalism has gained large amounts of traction in recent decades and is expected by some to become a reality in the near future, as the current deputy Prime-director, Frolaxen, is known to be a prominent federalist.

##### **Particularism**

Autonomism in its most radical form can be found in particularist thought. This branch of autonomism shares the federalist view that planetary and sub-planetary power should be expanded. However, whilst federalists remain strictly within the Epochian framework for how these lower levels of the state should be governed, particularists argue that the populations of planetary and sub-planetary administrations should be able to decide on their own preferred method of governance. Particularists argue that whilst the directorial system is undoubtedly the best system for interstellar governance, it is foolish to try and assert that it works at every level of every world in a highly diverse state such as the Commonwealth. This stance has been broadly decried by moderate autonomists and centralists as giving subversive ideologies a backdoor into the Commonwealth, threatening the survival of Epochian ideology in the long run. Whilst mostly unpopular with the wider academic establishment, particularism has gained much popularity on fringe worlds and with historically discontented species such as the Endurgans.

### **The Expansionist Debate**

Aside from the concentration debate, the biggest source of divide within Epochian ideology is the question of diplomacy and expansion. The views on this subject fall roughly within three different camps: vanguardism, beaconism and pragmatism.

#### Vanguardist Thought

The first and most aggressive of the schools of diplomacy is vanguardism. Vanguardism espouses the need for military force and aggressive foreign policy to combat threats to Epochianism. Vanguardist factions have historically advocated for confrontational responses to what they perceive as anti-Epochian aggression by rival empires, though they are less concerned with adherence to Epochian ideology in states already under UTC influence, as long as they serve Epochian interests. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the vanguardist faction is its advocacy for eventual war against the Audean Dominion, considering such a confrontation as necessary and inevitable.

#### Beaconist Thought

The second and most prominent school of diplomatic thought is that of beaconism. Beaconists espouse that the triumph of Epochianism is inevitable in the long run, as its capability for development stands above all other systems. As a result, any rival force would become eventually trivial as Epochianism outgrows its competition, so long as the general galactic status-quo is kept. For this reason, beaconists shun the active pursuit of military confrontation with powerful opponents, especially the EAD. They instead support more covert methods, such as the sponsoring of native Epochian groups and containment of Audean influence in neutral states. Whilst not the most aggressive faction, beaconists are considered to be the most ambitious, as many espouse the conviction that the perpetual growth of Epochian power will eventually lead to all life consolidating into the UTC in one way or another, leading to a unified galactic hegemony under the Epochian banner.

#### Pragmatist Thought

The final school of thought is that of pragmatism. Pragmatists reject the ambitious ideologically driven goals of the other schools and instead urge for a more constrained conduct of diplomacy. Pragmatists believe that the preservation of the Epochian sphere should be the priority rather than military and ideological expansion. Subsequently, the UTC ought to present itself as an impartial partner to neutral states to improve the chance of cooperation and objective advantages for the Epochian sphere, arguing that doing so would deprive the Audeans of expansion possibilities and could even sway more stubborn states such as the Invithian Empire to the UTC's side. Unlike their counterparts, pragmatist factions don't have any explicit ambitions to 'win' the Silent War, preferring a policy of de-escalation whenever possible.

### **Omni-culturalism**

In the early years of interstellar existance, the concept of sapientism had helped to ensure smooth diplomacy with other races and extend the appeal of Epochianism beyond the Xer. As the years went by, however, the application of sapientism became a increasingly complicated question as more and more non-Xer were included into the UTC. Whilst initial alien populations such as the Cynn were relatively segregated from the rest of the Commonwealth and consequently did not raise many issues, an ever larger number of alien species had started to migrate to traditionally Xer dominated worlds for various reasons; first were the corporate emigres from the Hesokur Commerce League and later the many millions of arhnites who fled to the UTC during the Arnah refugee crisis. At that point in time, Epochian scholars were faced with a dillemma which would drastically shape the future of the ideology: should these alien species be segregated into their own worlds and live by separetly defined rules or integrated into the existing society of the Commonwealth through universal societal principles? This dillemma would ultimately be resolved by Prime-Director Frolaxen, who frimly took the universalist side of the debate and aimed to bring them into reality through the Plateau initiative, which aimed to universalise the legal code and societal processes in order to accomodate a multi-species society. Whilst the initiative was highly controversial and wrought with difficulties, it would ultimately be regarded as a success. From the foundations of the Plateau initiative a continuing effort began to construct a universal, Epochian, cultural framework which could encompass all of sapient life. The effort to build such a culture remains amongst the most bitterly controversial and divisive aspects of Epochian ideology; supporters see it as one of the most glorious products of Epochianism which is capable of bringing all of life together in unity, pointing to the success of the UTC's multi-species worlds and the sheer volume of migration towards them as a sign that the universalist cultural approach is not only successful but desired by the galaxy's inhabitants. The detractors of Epochianism see something much more sinister, however. According to them, the so called "universal" culture if merely an extention of the Xer way of life upon other species, which has only been possible due to the constructed and artificial nature of Xer culture. 'Epochian' culture is thus not an ascension of culture but the destruction of it, an empty slate the UTC enforces upon those within its power. This stark contrast in views drives much of the hostility towards Epochian groups outside the Commonwealth and what raises most fear in the path of its expansion, though hundreds of millions actively seek it out all the same.

### **The Abstractionist Debate**

A more minor but nonetheless frequent debate within Epochian ideology concerns the supposed growth of abstractionism. Orthodox Epochian materialism explicitly condemns the exaltation of abstract concepts, demanding that all actions must be justified by their ability to provide lasting prosperity. Many scholars have asserted that over the centuries this attitude has become more and more degraded as Epochian symbolism has become more pervasive and what were supposed to be mere tools towards prosperity have been reframed as goals in and of themselves. Critics have particularly condemned what they call the 'cult of progression', claiming that the concept of progress has been downright mythologized into the same sort of abstraction early Epochianism rejected. At the same time, many see consider such critics as overt puritans and claim that the usage of symbolism is an important part of the propagation of Epochianism and that the only concepts that are celebrated are the ones which directly lead to prosperity. This particular debate has largely been stuck at an impasse between the various sides, remaining an ever-present discussion amongst adherents.

### **Alternate Epochianism**

Beyond the more standard and well-known form of Epochianism found in the UTC, other variants of the ideology have developed outside of it over the years.

#### Epochianism With Invithian Characteristics

Perhaps one of the most important variations of Epochian thought has been the variant which emerged within the Invithian Empire. After its introduction into the empire, Epochianism was most successful in entering and eventually subsuming xenophilic anti-slavery movements, which put a much larger emphasis on its sapientist element. The movement largely seperates itself from the omni-culturalism enforced by the UTC and instead applies its own variant within the Imperial domain, seeking to create a common Invithian culture to replace the Gavzan dominated worldview currently held by the empire. Furthermore, the ideology was altered to fit in with the staunchly monarchical nature of the empire, as any legitimate ideology is expected to justify its views through the actions of the empire's founder, Invith. Invithian Epochianism points towards Invith's abolishment of noble titles, elevation based on merit and tolerant integration of conquered peoples as its ultimate justification. Invithian Epochianism considers it the role of the imperial monarch to nominate the people of greatest merit. Such a change does not sit easily with much of the UTC leadership, although this point is considered largely moot in comparison to the possibility of shifting the empire towards Epochian ideology.

#### Business Epochianism

Another prominent variant of Epochianism was created within the Commonwealth's longtime ally, the Hesokur Commerce League. Seeing the success of Epochian ideology in running the Commonwealth, some of the leaders of the League's megacorporations attempted to replicate this to business administration. The Epochian business model would gradually gain in popularity as more and more of corporate activity moved to the Commonwealth and is now the dominant doctrine within the league.

#### Directorial-Republicanism

A comparatively popular application of Epochianism has come in the form of directorial-republicanism, though it is sometimes refered to by other titles such as consensual technocracy. In essence, this variant seeks to apply Epochian principles within a wider, often semi-democratic, republican system alongside native institutions. The first and most prominent example of this has been the Directorial Republic of Havast. The product of one of the first major proxy-conflicts in the silent war, the DRH came into existence when an insurgency against the reigning monarchy chose to court UTC support by conciously adopting certain Epochian principles into it's rhetoric and policies. After the conflict resulted in a split between the now Audean-aligned monarchy and a new republic under Epochian influence, the effects of conscious adoption of Epochian rethoric cristalized into the directorial-republican model; where a directorial executive exists alongside a seperate legislature appointed via controlled elections.

While divergent from orthodox, Klandraxian Epochianism, this variant has been deliberately used by the UTC as a means of extending it's influence. Since the principles of directorial republicanism are much relatively maliable, it has proven to be a useful tool for co-opting local anti-establishment movements into tools of Epochian influence. As a result, a variety of forms exists within this ideological branch depending on the local traditions and institions of the cultures where it is applied, as well as the orignal character of the movements being co-opted. That being said, it is still treated mostly as a tool of convience by the UTC's leadership, to be replaced by mainstream Epochianism once it's grip has become sufficiently strong.