Reform Party

The **Reform Party** (Shingōan: 革新党, *Kakushintō*) is a political party in the Imperial Republic of Shingō. The party is one of the largest in Shingō, and it generally operates in opposition to the Liberty Party, its main rival. The primary policy goals of the Reform Party are increased military spending, increased subsidies towards farmers and military industries, stricter regulations on large urban corporations, protection of small businesses, greater powers for prefectural and local governments, and tariffs to protect Shingōan farmers. Some members of the party in Parliament have stated that Shingō needs to "reaffirm its maritime sovereignty" by using the military to protect fishermen. The party's leadership has historically opposed what it refers to as "crude urbanism" and advocates for a national return to traditional values and lifestyles; however, sentiment has become less popular throughout the party in recent years. While the party is generally anti-elitist and against the expansion of major corporations, members of the party have also criticized labor unions, describing them as "gateways to syndicalism and anarchy."

### The Populist Initiative

The modern party under the leadership of Shōgo Kobayashi, the current prime minister of Shingō, has undergone a slight shift in policy towards what has been deemed Kobayashi's "Populist Initiative." The core tenets of the initiative seek to target those largely seen as having been responsible for the 391 Tōkai Recession, namely large corporations. The Kobayashi government has forcefully broken up major companies such as Shingō General Manufacturing Co., which had been charged with predatory business practices and the monopolization of key economic sectors. The Reform-led government additionally removed the system of diamond-backing from the Shingōan Yen, turning the currency into fiat money.

### Global Democracy Initiative & Colonialism

The party has also come to embrace Prime Minister Kobayashi's Global Democracy Initiative, which seeks to use monetary incentives to promote democracy internationally. The initiative drew much public praise following the adoption of democratic elections in Ma Telan. This initiative has since been expanded to promote pro-colonialist ideas, with many in the party expressing support for the notion that Shingō should play a "more active role" in the domestic affairs of developing regions with "potential for democracy."

## History

The Reform Party was created on 6 March 375 as the successor to the Conservative Party, which had suffered a massive drop in public approval due to the military failures of the Second Shingō-Sabun War.

### Foundation of the Modern Party

The resignation of Daisuke Sato as leader on February 11, 379 G.E. marked the beginning of a new period for the party. Noriaki Kondō, its new leader, stated that the party was "returning to embracing the core values of the nation." Many members of the party have since distanced themselves with the policies and actions of the Conservative Party and the prime ministerships of Hiroki Mori and Daisuke Sato, which had come to be described by critics as militaristic, brutral, and elitist. This shift in philosophy resulted in the nationalist Shingō Independence Party (since renamed to the Restoration Party) renouncing its formal alliance with the Reform Party. Additionally, small numbers of Reform Party members defected to the Shingō Independence Party in response to these changes; however, these cases only occurred on the local level.

In the lead-up to the 77th Shingōan National Election, the party moderated its stances towards urbanism and adopted several policies in an attempt to appeal to urban voters who were hit especially hard by the 391 Tōkai Recession. Shōgo Kobayashi, the leader of the Reform party, promoted populist initiatives which targeted large, predatory companies that had utilized the mechanical advancements of the Industrial Revolution to dominate markets and drive their competition out of business. Kobyashi additionally expressed support for fiat money and the dissolution of the Central Tōkai Union Parliament, which many citizens had come to view as elitist and economically out of touch.

## Notable Legislation & Accomplishments

### Reform Party

Second Kobayashi Government

* Oversaw Shingō's victory in the Fourth Shingō-Sabun War (394)
	+ Oversaw establishment of the Protectorate of Sabun.

First Kobayashi Government

* Broke-up monopolies such as Shingō General Manufacturing Co. (393)
* Turned the Shingōan Yen into fiat money (393)
	+ Removed diamond-backing from the Yen

* Global Democracy Initiative
	+ Implemented democracy in Ma Telan (393)
* Police & Detention Reform Act (392)
* Negotiated abolition of Central Tōkai Union Parliament (392)

Kondō Government

* Forced extradition and trial of Sabunese terrorists (384)
* Treaty of Kitagura (384)
	+ Ended Ganak Plains War in Shingōan victory

### Conservative Party

H. Mori War Government

* Oversaw creation of Hiraya Prefecture (372)
* Treaty of Nishikō (372)
	+ Ended Shingō-Sabun War in Shingōan victory
* Aided Tsukimoto in Tsukimoto-Windsor Border War (371)