You may have seen a short sentence scroll by on a news information bar: "Amarr Civil Service prepares for reorganization as Empress Catiz I oversees modernization efforts."
Behind these few words, a whole world is hidden. The Amarr Civil Service is by far the largest and most complex part of government. All empires have something like it to perform the actual administration of government. It is the very glue that keeps empires together. It takes care of the practical implementation of decrees on everything from taxes to mining permits to paying bills to contracting public works. In a vast Empire that encompasses many different worlds and peoples with different cultural habits, it represents a standardized reference point. It is the friendly and always helpful face of the Imperial administration.
Many historians relate the rise and fall of any empire to the health of its public administration.
There are many dangers: it can fall prey to corruption. Simony and nepotism can promote people who are unworthy of the task they are given. The service can get defunded and hollowed out by exaggerated austerity measures. All these evils can cause the vast machinery to sputter and malfunction. Then, the power and benevolence that flows from the Empress can no longer efficiently reach the outer worlds, and an Empire will start to fray at its edges. If nothing is done, the rot will spread to the core worlds.
Thank God nothing of the sort is happening to our own Amarr Civil Service!
Nevertheless, this does not mean that it cannot be improved still. Indeed, it needs to adapt itself constantly to the changes in our cluster. Especially with the growth in our prosperity, and the expected economic boon from the Blessed Exchange, it could be useful to cut some of the "red tape". Take for example forms that need to be handed in on parchment in triplicate, to three different bureaus, in proper order. Personally I do not mind the traditional and ritualistic aspect of such actions, but I understand that some entrepreneurs and our friends in the State want it all to go much faster.
Any reform will take a lot of time, and proceed in small careful steps, given the importance of the vast machinery that must continue to operate smoothly and without interruptions. Successfully implementing such a reform will be the first great (and probably unsung!) achievement in the second decade of the reign our beloved Empress!
((ooc: I guess also the Amarr Civil Service has been ordered to migrate to python 3.))
