Oxford
The Humanist Alliance (HA) was created as a bold effort to create a perfect society, where citizens could live in peace and reach their full potential. Much like the doctrines of Revisionism in the Badlands and the North, the Humanist way was born of the terrible suffering of the Reconstruction era. Yuri Gropius, a bold thinker of the time, saw the blood and chaos around him and set out to better his world.
Using his own idea on behavioral science and borrowing from the philosophies of the ancient thinker Plato and the example of Greater Samarkand, a 30th century utopian state on Earth, Gropius built Terra Nova’s first true league of city-states and established a radical social system. At 16 cycles, after undergoing extensive testing, Humanists are assigned to one of three castes. A small minority become preceptors (the scientist-leaders of the league), a slightly larger number become protectors (the guardians, soldiers and police of the league) and the remaining 90% or so become commoners who undertake all other tasks. This system is designed to ensure that everyone ends up a position best suited to their capabilities and desires.
Gropius
Gropius’ utopian state survived his death and thrived for over two centuries. The central direction of the state’s resources proved very effective and allowed the Alliance to build an unparalleled high technology base. Gropius and his system came to virtually replace religion in the Alliance and his successors took on the title of Illuminatus (enlightened one). Unfortunately, technological advancement and planning was not enough to halt Republican troops for more than a few cycles and the Alliance was forcibly brought into the Allied Southern Territories in TN 1670. Since then, the Alliance has made the best of its position in the AST and tried as best it could to preserve Gropius’ dream.
The Republic has demanded certain “reforms” be made to the system and slowly some changes have been made. For the most part, however, the Republic is most concerned with ensuring that the high technology weapons developed in the Alliance are under their control. The Ghost stealth aircraft as well as the Fire Dragon and Damocles striders are only the best known examples of Humanist military technology. Some believe the Alliance has many more advanced vehicles and prototypes they keep under wraps.
The Price of Utopia[]
Perth
The “perfection” of Humanist life does not come without a serious price. Concepts such as absolute privacy, political freedom and unrestrained career choice are totally foreign to the Alliance. Many fundamental choices are made for the citizenry without any say on their part unless they happen to be high-placed preceptors. Social peace and happiness is ensured by aggressive programs aimed at eliminating “deviance” (what would be considered crime or alternative thinking in other leagues).
Hypnotherapy, reeducation assisted by drugs, and electronic surveillance are all very common in the Alliance. The Humanist Insight and Regulatory Authority (HIRA) is responsible for uncovering deviance and also deals with internal security. The pressure to conform can be overwhelming and while Humanists have a high life-expectancy and are guaranteed all basic needs, the league still has the highest suicide rate on Terra Nova. Some internal dissidents feel that Humanist society is too strict (even more strict than Gropius intended) and have taken to armed revolt. The most prominent of these groups operates in the city of Gropius itself. The Southern Republic also distrusts the Humanist system and has tried to force changes, with only marginal success.