Welcome to the new world of House governmental forms!

We will be introducing variations in House government:
- first, this announcement, with meetings to explain what is coming.
(One meeting has already occurred. For digest and discussion see:
(http://achaea.ire-community.com/index.php?showtopic=14451&st=0&)
- second, selection of governmental forms
(House & The Garden in consultation).
- third, transition to the newly-adopted forms.

This process should take an Achaean year or two to complete.


The Forms
---------
Elected Autocracy, Triumvirate, Dictatorship, and Oligarchy.
Of these, the first two involve elections and the last two involve
designation of successors.


Elected Autocracy
-----------------
This is the current form in place in all Houses, in which a single
leader holds office until contested and defeated in an election. We are
adding two major options to this:
1) leader may be restricted to a single consecutive term (or not), and
2) leader may serve a term of fixed length (or indefinite, as now).


Triumvirate
-----------
This form has three elected leaders, similar in nature to Elected
Autocracy.
1) leaders may be restricted to a single consecutive term (or not), and
2) leaders may serve a fixed term (or indefinite, till contested).

One of the triumvirate will have enhanced powers (to make house
appointments and to select the House patron). The name of this position
will vary from House to House (referred to generically as "Speaker"). At
least two of the triumvirate must support one of their number in order
to select a speaker.


Dictatorship
------------
The dictator holds power for a fixed term and then passes the position
to a designated successor, also called an heir. No relationship, such
as blood, is implied by the term successor/heir.

No contest or election is involved in this form, except that an heir may
challenge the current dictator and, if the dictator does not respond to
the challenge in a reasonable time, the heir will take power.


Oligarchy
---------
The oligarchs hold power for a fixed term and then pass the position to
a designated successor, also called an heir. No specific relationship,
such as blood relation, is implied by the term successor/heir.

There are three oligarchs. The terms of the oligarchs are staggered. No
contest or election is involved in this form. A successor/heir may
challenge the oligarch in order to assume leadership early. If the
oligarch does not respond to the challenge in a reasonable time, then
the heir will take power.


Conclusion
----------
There's a lot more to come. A great deal of it is elsewhere in the
forums. More will be revealed in coming meetings as we approach the
changeover.

Penned by my hand on the 2nd of Scarlatan, in the year 420 AF.