Political Parties

Politics in ES2 coalesce around 6 political ideologies, with 3 pairs of opposing viewpoints.

Almost all events that happen in the game, whether it be exploring a curiosity site, building a ship, erecting a building, growing population - even flying out into unknown space and discovering new systems, will cause members of your population to lean into a certain political ideology. Many of these effects are fairly intuitive - building combat fleets and declaring wars will result in a surge of militarist thinking, while signing peace treaties and forging alliances will lull your population towards a pacifist outlook on life.

The primary purpose of these political parties is to assume control of your government, and then to provide a set of **laws** which, generally at the cost of influence  Influence per Population, will provide empire-wide bonuses. Depending on the type of government, you can have one or multiple parties sharing power. This page exists to document the individual parties and their laws.

**Most of the mechanics of government are listed on the Senate wiki page.**

Note that as parties participate in your senate, they internally gain "experience points", which gradually unlock new laws.

The numbers in parenthesis ( ) are law effects with a Republic government.

The numbers in closed brackets { } are law effects with a Dictatorship/Autocracy government.

## Independent

 Politically neutral, Independents do not cling to any ideology, preferring a pragmatic approach to problem-solving.

Independent Party Laws are always available and do not cost  Influence to enact/maintain.

Curiously, you can "unlock" the independent party through debug tools, allowing for Independents to be represented in the senate, but this has no gameplay effect.

## Industrialists

 Industrialists believe that progress is something that happens brick by brick, system by system. Problems of hunger, pollution, and education are treated with improved factories, better technologies, and more advanced schools; advanced societies can build their way out of problems.

Industrialists do not get along with the squeamish Ecologists, and are closer to Militarists and Scientists ideologies while being farther away from Pacifists and Religious ideologies.

## Scientists

 With a science-focused political mindset, your population will support laws and policies that foster scientific advancement, planetary welfare, and technological development. An ideology of rational, evidence-based thinking that benefits all!

Scientists are rationally opposed to the Religious nutjobs, and are closer to Industrialists and Pacifists ideologies while being farther away from Ecologists and Militarists ideologies.

## Pacifists

 For the pacifist, laws and policies that promote peace between races not only minimize bloodshed, but simultaneously strengthen economical and cultural wealth. Under this ideology, your population will support stances that oppose warfare. Prosperity through peace!

Pacifists constructively disagree with the Militarist warmongers, and are closer to Scientists and Ecologists ideologies while being farther away from Religious and Industrialists ideologies.

### Laws:

 Tools and Fools (Hissho affinity)

## Ecologists

 Respecting the environment as it is rather than changing it to suit their needs is important to ecologists. They are less convinced than others that factories and research labs are the answers to problems; sometimes the answer is to do less, with a lower impact, rather than more.

Ecologists resoundingly object to the careless Industrialists, and are closer to Pacifists and Religious ideologies while being farther away from Militarists and Scientists ideologies.

## Religious

 While the galaxy is advanced enough to know that faith and science are not incompatible, there are nevertheless beings for whom a philosophical and devout mindset brings greater peace of mind and well-being than all the gadgets of advanced technology.

Religious devotees reject the faithless Scientists, and are closer to Ecologists and Militarists ideologies while being farther away from Industrialists and Pacifists ideologies.

## Militarists

 You win or you die. A population with a militarist ideology understands very well that the survival of their race is ultimately predicated on one thing alone: the elimination of competitors. Under this regime, your citizens will endorse laws that privilege military development over all other metrics. Warmongers unite!

Militarists are opposed to the Pacifist pansies, and are closer to Religious and Industrialists ideologies while being farther away from Scientists and Ecologists ideologies.