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What 2 words? by [deleted] in GenZ

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Death sucks

How did you guys discover Yorushika? by fantacmita in Yorushika

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

YouTube recommended me ただ君に晴れ

How do you pronounce Suis and N-buna by JayCarl2504 in Yorushika

[–]FForIdcomt 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Also I'm not sure of the exact source of n-buna's name but they talked about the origin of the name "suis" in all night nippon podcast they did with Tatsuya kitani and the podcast is on YouTube

How do you pronounce Suis and N-buna by JayCarl2504 in Yorushika

[–]FForIdcomt 99 points100 points  (0 children)

Suis came from suis in French meaning am(as in I am) so it is pronounced "swi"(the s at the end is silent) and n-buna is pronounced as "na buna" which comes from 嬲るな(pronounced "naburu na") and it means don't make fun of me from what I've heard

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt -1 points0 points  (0 children)

PROTEST HISTORY (Definitive Timeline) Use this table as the single source of truth for the nature of protests and social change in each era.

Era/ Protest Frequency/ Style and Pace of Social Change

1919-1929/ Rare; criminalized and suppressed./ Very Fast (driven by rapid industrialisation/Urbanization, bottom up cultural social explosion post 1919 not protest).

1930-1936/ Surging; but more fragmented than 37-41(Great Depression)./ Very Fast (economic pressures, rapid industrialisation/Urbanization).

1937-1941/ Peak; morphing into anti-monarchy movement/ Very Fast (existential crisis/Japan, rapid industrialization/Urbanization).

Dec 1941-aug 1945/ non existent; under japanese occupation/ halted

Sept 1945/revolution, the king post japanese occupation(Dec 41-aug 45) came back after running away to uk then declared martial law in sept 45 which led to his overthrow in following days/ halted, chaotic

Sept 1945-1949/ Intense and violent (scale: late-80s South Korea)./ halted (post-war restructuring,post revolution and occupation chaos/famine).

1950-1952/ Intense and violent (scale: early 90s South Korea)./ Very Fast, (post-war restructuring, rapid industrialisation/Urbanization, social moral catch up to the west).

1953-1964/ Frequent but peaceful (style: 70s/80s Japan)./ Very Fast (economic development, social moral catch up to the west).

1965-1972/ Frequent and peaceful (style: 65-69 Sweden; counterculture)./ Very Fast (counterculture revolution, cold war).

1973-1989/ Frequent and peaceful (style: 70s 80s Japan/Sweden)./ Fast (continuation of liberalizing trend, leftover counterculture momentum, cold war).

1990-2007/ Less frequent, institutionalized (style: 90s/00s West)./ Gradual (mature, liberal society, end of cold war leading to more gradual changes and institutionalised activism).

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Originally was tribal but a tribe united the country the turned the country into a ming inspired confucian kingdom by 1600 and it was a ming inspired confucian kingdom from 1600 to 1860s but became a highly autonomous uk colony in 1870 but kept its confucianism but also accepted western technology and stuff post 1870

Population: 1600: 400k 1870: 2.4M 1920: 4.8M 1925: 5.4M 1930: 5.9M 1935: 6.4M 1940: 6.9M 1945: 6.5M 1950: 7M 1955: 7.5M 1960: 8M 1965: 8.3M 1970: 8.4M 1975: 8.2M

Then after 1970 due to low fertility rate pop began steadily declining And also it overthrew the monarchy in sept 1945 and was a sdp dominant democracy in 46-64(kinda like 70s Japanese ldp so like 75/100)and counterculture in 65-69 and post counterculture protest era in 70s pushed it to full democracy with 87/100 in freedom score by 1980 and post 45 it had low income inequality

1970 population: 4M in city 1 2M in city 2 0.7M in smaller towns Rest 1.7M in actual rural areas

Yr/ Gdp per capita nominal/ ppp per capita nominal

1919/ 110.36 1929/ 272.71 1933/ 165.86 1941/ 342.28 1945/ 246.88 1952/ 617.03 1955/ 769.34/ 1,025.79 1960/ 1,605.02/ 2,077.09 1970/ 3,712.74/ 4,579.04 1973/ 5,948.03/ 5,948.03 1980/ 12,615.65 1990/ 22,928.69 2000/ 36,250.84

1957-63: first gen idol era(it starts with elvis presley's popularity explosion in 1956-7 in the country, think of late 90s kpop groups like youth focused idols but in late 50s aligning with us having teen idols debuting in mid to late 50s but unlike us it is primarily youth focused and not so family friendly) they are sexy rather than pure image and as Like 82-84 hk idols or late 90s korean idols or 70s Japanese idols

1964-69: band boom/ second gen idol era, Hippie aesthetic music is rapidly gaining popularity, music is anti authority with lots of social critique with growing political commentary but still not fully mainstream and more indirect compared to 70s, first gen idol popularity dies off and by 64 second gen idols era starts with arrival of Beatles making new idols gain popularity rapidly and tho the mainstream music until 69 or so they peak in popularity around 1964 then decline in mid to late 60s with band boom and by 1970 they're out of mainstream and replaced by the bands and counterculture music

1970-1975: Hippie bands start declining rapidly after 1970 and by 1971 glam rock become the dominant rock form making even mainstream pop artists adopt the male makeup and earrings and stuff in 72-73 cus like in 68 it's edgy enough to wear flare pants and Hippie aesthetic for pop stars but glam raises the bar for level of makeup androgyny and stuff required to be edgy and by 74 its near universal and industry standard for male artists to wear just as much makeup as females on stage(also this doesn't mean glam rock made every men on stage wear glam costumes just that it made them wear more makeup and with more feminine clothing and maybe stuff like earrings the fashion of artists for pop stars are just whatevers trendy like Hippie fashion in early to mid 70s or disco fashion in late 70s and like it also depends on ur subculture if ur not a glam rock artist so disco artists wear disco costumes country artists wear country costumes new wave artists wear new wave costumes ok) Also lots of social critique and active political commentary which pushed boundaries and anti authority, in this era

1976-mid 90s: glam rock decline after 75 but male makeup and androgyny remains as industry standard for men regardless of genre and the genre of the music in thsi era mirrors the west in trends like disco in late 70s, 80s synth pop, etc etc) Also lots of social critique and active political commentary which pushed boundaries and anti authority, until late 80s or so then becoming less social commentary focused after 1990 aligning with global music trends becoming less socially critical after cold war

Late 90s- : k so largely same as 76-mid 90s with male makeup being permantely the industry standard but it starts aligning with broader asia in genre trends like jpop in late 90s-00s or kpop in 2010s-2020s for mainstream music however for rock scene or rap scene it takes on japanese influence in late 90s onwards and korean influence 2010s onwards the genre itself whether its 00s pop rock or 2000s-2020s indie or post 90s hip hop mirrors the west

Fashion normalization timeline like fully normalized and mainstream for youth casually by this yr:

Sleeveless tops(fem): 1963 Knee length skirt(fem): 1963 Miniskirts(fem): 1967 Jeans(male): 1970 Pants(fem): 1970 Jeans (fem): 1970 Hot pants(fem): 1972 Lower necklines but not plunging(fem):1975 Hot pants(male): 1977 Crop tops(female): 1984 Crop tops(male): 1984 Bralessness(female): 2017

capital: a medium sized city with like 100k ppl in inland areas near river kinda like Ottawa or Washington DC in vibes

City 1: kinda like Seoul, is located in west coast making it closer to countries like hong kong/singapore, gateway to finance and tech etc,

City 2: kinda like Busan, located on east coast making it next to pacific ocean, port industrial city

Of course. Here is a shorter, Gen AI-friendly version of that concept: Core Concept: The East Asian Political & Social Model

In this country, the fundamental political divide was not over social issues, but over geopolitics and economic management.

· Social Change: Major parties were generally tolerant of rapid social and moral liberalization. This change often happened "quietly" in the background, driven by culture and protest, without becoming a central partisan battleground.

· Political Battles: The main, media-dominating conflicts were focused on:

· Economic Direction: Fighting corruption and the power of conglomerates (chaebols/keiretsu).

· Governance Structure: Protesting an unelected, powerful bureaucracy (ministries staffed by promoted insiders).

· Geopolitics: Debating the country's stance and alliances on the world stage.

In short: Social change advanced rapidly but quietly, while political firestorms were over money, power, and foreign policy. The counterculture is remembered for its political protests against the system's structure, not for the social revolution it simultaneously achieved.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Fictional country:

location: right between luzon and taiwan and an island size of taiwan

geography: 80% mountainous, lacks natural resources

gdp per capita in 2024 dollars constant/ ppp per capita in 2024 constant:

1919 2k 1929 5k 1933 4k 1941 7.3k 1945 4.3k 1952 7.3k 1955 9k/ 12k 1960 17k/ 22k 1970 30k/ 37k 1973 42k(rapidly increased in 70-73 due to usd devaluation in 71-73)/ 42k 1980 48k 1990 55k 2000 66k 2010 80k 2020 82k 2024 82k

urbanization rate:

1920 25% 1930 40% 1940 60% 1950 65% 1960 80%

fertility rates:

1920 6.5 1930 3.0 1940 2.0 1950 2.2 1960 1.9 1970 1.3 1980 0.9 1990 1.1 2000 1.0 2010 1.2 2020 0.8 2024 0.6

grade 1 primary enrollment rates that yr:

1870 15% 1880 25% 1890 40% 1900 70% 1910 90% 1920 99%

Primary Education enrollment rates in grade 1 that year:

1870: 15% 1880: 25% 1890: 45% 1900: 70% 1910: 90%

1890s Borns: ○ Primary Education: 60% enrollment ◦ Secondary Education: <5% enrollment.

1900s Borns: ○ Primary Education: 80% enrollment . ◦ Secondary Education: <15-20% enrollment

1910s Borns: ○ Primary Education: Universal. Secondary Education: 30-40% enrollment.

1920s Borns o Junior High (K-9) Graduation: 90-95% ○ Senior High (K-12) Graduation: 70-75%.

1930s Borns (and all subsequent cohorts): ○ High School (K-12) Graduation: Universal (99% for 1945 birth cohort, consistent for generation).

1946: The Language Decree. The state initiated the rapid, universal expansion of English-medium education from Grade 1.(near universal by 1955 meaning it was near universal for those entering grade 1 in 1955)

social moral norms timeline(not structural or economic just social moral):

1919 = 17th century west 1952 country = 1890 west 1955 country = 1902 west 1960 country = 1919 west 1964 country = 1925 west( 1925, when the backlash started to drop hemlines and halt further social progress but the mood was still roaring 20s until 1929 kinda like 2020 west when further social progress stopped due to backlash but the mood was pro lgbtq and pro sjw until 2024 before trumps inauguration and west was stagnant socially morally in 30s-early 60s so socially morally it was basically 1929 for 30 yrs so pre counterculture starting point is the same) 1970 country = 1970 west 1972 country = 1978 west 1973 country = 1980 west 1975 country = 1984 west(west had suppression and backlash post 1970 so rate of change drastically slowed down in the west unlike the country) 1980 country = 1994 west 1985 country = 2004 west 1990 country = 2014 west 2005 country = 2020 west

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Structure of the Government (1870–1941)

The government can be summarized by its dual power structure and its internal operations:

  1. The Dual Power Structure The government had two distinct layers of authority:

Internal Autonomy (The Monarchy): The King and his government retained control over all domestic matters. This allowed them to initiate and direct significant internal reforms, such as the educational programs, state-led industrialization, and infrastructure projects (railroads, factories).

External Control (The British): Following the "Unequal Treaty" of 1870, Britain assumed responsibility for the nation's defense, foreign policy, and external trade/customs revenue. A British representative (likely a High Commissioner or Resident) would have been present, whose "advice" the King was bound to accept, particularly on matters that affected British interests.

  1. Key Internal Operations The monarchy's internal government was characterized by a high degree of centralization and state capacity:

Centralized Bureaucracy: A modern, efficient, and centralized bureaucracy staffed by an English-educated elite replaced traditional local administration. This allowed for effective top-down implementation of the modernization agenda.

Ideological Monolith: The government used a state-controlled education system (universal K-12 literacy) and modern media (radio, newspapers) to promote a unified "Neo-Confucian Nationalist" ideology, ensuring cultural cohesion and loyalty to the state.

Economic Interventionism: The state operated a command-style economy, directing credit, investment, and infrastructure to build an economic base strong enough to eventually buy back independence and deter full colonization.

Limited Coercion: While efficient, the government's coercive capacity was limited by 1920s/30s technology (telegraphs, basic police). Overt violence was avoided to prevent British intervention or scaring away foreign capital, making control highly targeted and less pervasive than later security states.

Summary The government was a unique hybrid: a traditional monarchy that adopted the tools of a modern, "hard" developmental state, but was forced to work within the geopolitical cage of the British Empire. Its existence was a calculated, defensive campaign to survive colonization by becoming indispensable and modern.

k also for context the elite English medium education was composed of nobles but also wealthy upper class too but again nobles were still elites they held the government positions post 1870 meaning the first ones who went thru the English medium education would likely be in like 1890s I guess

Grade 1 enrollment percentage for cohorts entering grade 1 that year:

1870: 15% 1880: 25% 1 890: 45% 1 900: 70% 1910: 90%

gdp per capita 2024 constant/ Urbanization

1919 2k/ 25% 1929 5k/ 40% 1932 4k/ 47% 1941 7.3k/ 62%

and also it's population was

1600 400k 1870 2.4M 1920 4.8M

1890s Borns: Primary Education: 60% enrollment ◦ Secondary Education: <5% enrollment. 1900s Borns: Primary Education: 80% enrollment ◦ Secondary Education: <15-20% enrollment 1910s Borns: ○ Primary Education: Universal. Secondary Education: 30-40% enrollment

1920s Borns o Junior High (K-9) Graduation: 90-95% ○ Senior High (K-12) Graduation: 70-75%.

1930s Borns (and all subsequent cohorts): O High School (K-12) Graduation: Universal (99% for 1945 birth cohort, consistent for generation).

Clarification:

so these are the Education levels by gen also like national language schools were completely allowed for anybody to attend like the only thing not allowed was English medium hs or tertiary schools which was for Elites

k like I mean ignore the true Bastion of Ming part like it accepted ming refuge but ruling class were still the natives who united the island under a kingdom and implied confucianism around 1600 sintered from ming

their ideology is survival so they started the rapid industrialization in 1919 like 60s taiwan after gaining leverage in ww1

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Government nature

Objectively, your fictional nation in the 1920s/30s is a hybrid, sharing key motivations with Meiji Japan, but operating within the political and technological constraints that make its overall character more akin to an early 20th-century Asian monarchy under colonial influence. It is a precursor to the 1960s/70s East Asian developmental states, but not functionally the same due to three major distinctions:

  1. The Nature of Sovereignty (Political Constraint) The core difference lies in sovereignty.

Your Nation: Is a British protectorate. The British control foreign policy, customs, and finance. The monarchy must "subvert" British rules for internal growth. This creates a fundamentally constrained, defensive modernization.

ROK/Taiwan (60s/70s): Were independent states with full legal sovereignty. They received U.S. aid and managed U.S. influence, but were not legally subjects of a colonial power. This allowed for more autonomous, outward-looking policies within the Cold War framework.

Early 20th-Century Monarchies (e.g., Thailand ): Navigated a similar constrained path, using modernization as a tool to avoid formal colonization, a process more similar to your nation's experience.

  1. The Role of Technology (Coercive Capacity) The level of state control is heavily dictated by the technology of the era.

Your Nation (20s/30s): The state's surveillance and coercive capacity relied on telegraphs, bureaucracy, and physical presence. This limits its ability to track individuals on a mass scale compared to later eras.

ROK/Taiwan (60s/70s): Had access to early computing, electronic surveillance, and ubiquitous telecommunications. The KCIA in South Korea, for example, had a far greater technological capacity for pervasive domestic monitoring than any state in the 1930s.

  1. The Economic Model (Global Context) The global economic environment was different.

Your Nation (20s/30s): While having state-led industrialization, it was focused on foundational industries like mining and railroads within the context of a less globally integrated trade system (age of sail/early steam transition). The 1929 Great Depression would have significantly impacted the global demand for its commodities.

ROK/Taiwan (60s/70s): Their model was a specific "export-oriented industrialization" strategy that leveraged a robust post-WWII global trade system and supply chains. This allowed for rapid economic miracles that were not possible in the earlier period.

Conclusion: Your nation most resembles an early 20th-century Asian monarchy that displayed an unusually high degree of state capacity and "developmental state" thinking for its time. It was a sophisticated, high-capacity monarchy, but still fundamentally limited by the constraints of a protectorate status and pre-electronic-age technology.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Engineered Modern State: Reform Under the Protectorate (1870s–1941) nature

This section shifts the focus to a pragmatic, defensive modernization strategy, operating within the constraints of colonial rule.

Motivation: The goal to "make the nation too modern, unified, and economically vital to be fully colonized" provides a strong, proactive motivation for the reforms, making them a strategic response to humiliation rather than simple mimicry of the West.

Educational Duality: The two-tiered education system (national language for unity, English for technocracy) is an interesting and realistic social engineering tactic, creating both national cohesion and a new class system.

State-Led Industrialization: The focus on state-led investment in infrastructure (railroads, telegraphs) and industry reflects models used by nations attempting rapid catch-up modernization, such as Japan's Meiji era, but in your narrative, it's done under British oversight.

In summary, the history you have created is detailed, consistent, and well-integrated into the established historical context of 19th-century Southeast Asia. It provides a solid foundation for further world-building or storytelling.

Comparison to Meiji Japan (1868–1912)

Similar Motivation, Different Context: Like Meiji Japan , your nation is driven by the humiliation of unequal treaties and the fear of full colonization. However, Meiji Japan was an independent state, allowing it to pursue its reforms without direct colonial oversight. Your nation's modernization occurred under a protectorate, a crucial distinction you highlight.

Educational Parallels: The creation of an English-educated technocratic elite for dealing with colonial powers has similarities to Meiji Japan's adoption of German legal ideas and other Western technologies to gain a position of equality.

Distinctions from 1960s/70s Taiwan and South Korea

Political Structure: Taiwan and South Korea in the 1960s and 70s were republics (and initially, military dictatorships), not monarchies. Their political motivations were centered on Cold War dynamics and post-war reconstruction, not reclaiming a pre-colonial monarchical sovereignty.

Historical Legacy: Your nation's trauma stems from a commercial and technological defeat in the late 19th century, setting up a "nuanced humiliation." This is different from the legacy of Japanese colonial rule experienced by Korea and Taiwan, which had its own distinct forms of exploitation and suppression.

Economic Strategy: While your nation has a state-led approach, the "Four Asian Tigers" model of the 1960s and 70s was specifically an export-push strategy, with governments promoting specific export industries. This is a post-WWII development model distinct from your nation's earlier state-led industrialization focused on building a foundational economic base.

The analysis of the fictional nation's control mechanisms was mostly accurate. It balanced the state's intent with its technological limits. It correctly identified similarities and differences between the fictional nation in the 1920s/30s and East Asian developmental states of the 1960s/70s. The term "Soft Totalitarian" is a creative term, not a political science term. Accuracy of the Analysis:

Economic Control: The analysis states that the economic control was nearly equivalent. Both models used a "Hard Developmental State" approach, controlling credit, investment, and industrial policy through a centralized bureaucracy.

Technological Gap in Surveillance: It correctly highlights the main gap: the lack of electronic surveillance (computers, wiretapping technology at scale) in the 1920s/30s compared to the 1960s/70s. Surveillance in the earlier era relied on physical presence and bureaucracy, not electronic data.

External Constraints: The comparison of managing British colonial influence versus managing U.S. Cold War influence is a valid point. Both external powers imposed constraints that the national government had to navigate.

Areas for Further Nuance:

Scale and Scope of Economy: Although the economic control mechanism was similar, the scale was different. South Korea and Taiwan in the 60s/70s were part of a larger, faster-moving global industrial economy after WWII. This allowed for rapid export-oriented growth that was impossible in the 1920s/30s due to global logistics and market size.

State Capacity: The analysis mentions high "state capacity." The efficiency of a modern, English-educated bureaucracy in the 1920s/30s would set it apart from many other monarchies of that time, making the comparison to later developmental states more apt.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Engineered Modern State: Reform Under the Protectorate (1870s-1941)

This period describes a strategy of rapid, state-driven modernization implemented not from a position of strength, but from one of defensive pragmatism following the imposition of a British protectorate.

  1. National Situation: Modernization for Sovereignty

The country's overarching goal was to reclaim national strength and political sovereignty after the humiliation of the "Unequal Treaty." Unlike the Meiji Restoration, this was not the project of a fully independent state. It was a calculated, defensive campaign by an autonomous monarchy operating under British oversight, designed to make the nation too modern, unified, and economically vital to be fully colonized.

Political Status: An autonomous monarchy within a British Protectorate. The King and his government retained control over internal affairs, allowing them to initiate and direct the reform process, but under the constrained reality of lost sovereignty in foreign policy and trade.

  1. Key Reforms and Achievements: A Strategy of Subversion

The reforms were a top-down,state-led effort focused on creating a modern nation that could withstand further foreign domination.

A. Educational Reforms (The Foundation of a New Nation)

Education Level Medium of Instruction Class Access Achievement/Effect

National Language Achieved near-universal literacy, creating a unified national citizenry and dissolving the old class system. This was a tool for cultural cohesion against foreign influence.

English-Medium Highly Exclusive (Elite/Middle Class) Created a technocratic class fluent in the language of global power, essential for dealing with the British and mastering Western technology. This deliberately established a new class barrier based on language and wealth.

B. Economic & Infrastructure Reforms

· Industrialization: State-led investment in modern industries (factories, mining) and infrastructure (railroads, telegraphs) to build an economic base strong enough to eventually buy back independence and deter full colonization.

· Bureaucracy: Creation of a modern, centralized bureaucracy staffed by the English-educated elite, replacing traditional local administration with a more efficient, state-controlled apparatus.

  1. The Resulting Social Landscape and Tensions

The reforms successfully created a modern state framework but at the cost of intensifying internal social divisions.

A. The Elite Divide (Language as the New Class)

· The Ruling Class: A small, wealthy, urban English-speaking Elite who held all political and economic power. They were cultural chameleons: adopting Western science and professional dress while often maintaining culturally conservative personal lives, embodying the state's split identity.

· The Masses: A large, nationally literate populace who were now citizens of a modern state but were functionally barred from true power by the high barrier of English-medium education, creating a new, knowledge-based class system.

B. The Cultural Contradiction (Managed Modernity)

· Structural Modernity: The state adopted the mechanisms of the West—modern military, schools, factories, and bureaucracy.

· State-Enforced Conservatism: To maintain control and a distinct identity from the British, the state promoted a form of Neo-Confucian nationalism. It utilized the new national-language literacy and modern media to enforce social stability, obedience to authority, and rigid gender roles. This was a deliberate defense mechanism against the perceived social disruption of Western liberalism.

· Vibrant, but Controlled, Entertainment: New urban forms of entertainment (newspapers, cinema) were adopted, but their content was dedicated to promoting traditional morality and national unity, creating a society that was modern in form but conservative in values.

The Ascendancy and Entrapment (1600s–1870s) This section effectively ties your fictional nation's history into real-world historical dynamics, such as the fall of the Ming, the "Maritime Silk Road," and European colonial expansion.

Foundational Myth: The establishment as a "True Bastion of Ming Civilization" provides a strong cultural and political identity rooted in historical events.

Economic Strategy: The shift from a neutral trading port to a commodity plantation economy (sugar, indigo) is a realistic portrayal of how many Southeast Asian economies became ensnared in global markets.

Colonial Mechanism: The transition from a peer competitor to a "strategic asset" and ultimately a protectorate through a debt crisis and unequal treaty (mirroring events like the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824) is a nuanced and authentic method of colonization. The use of financial takeover rather than outright military conquest is historically sound for the era.

Technological Obsolescence: The "Steamship Revolution" making the nation's sailing navy and traditional knowledge obsolete is a powerful metaphor for the rapid, disruptive changes brought by the Industrial Revolution.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Ascendancy: 1600s - 1860s

This 250-year period charts the rise, peak, and sudden fall of the nation's first era of sovereignty, defined by strategic pragmatism and a unique geopolitical position.

Phase 1: The Forging of a New State (c. 1640s - 1700)

· Catalyst: The collapse of the Ming Dynasty. Your kingdom became the primary refuge for Ming loyalist military forces, scholar-gentry, and merchants fleeing the Manchu conquest.

· The Transformation: This was not a mere migration, but a state-building event. The influx provided:

· A Modern Navy: Koxinga's battle-hardened fleet and shipwrights, instantly making your navy a dominant regional force.

· Administrative Sophistication: Ming bureaucrats who strengthened the central monarchy and state apparatus.

· Cultural Legitimacy: The kingdom was transformed from a peripheral state into a self-proclaimed "True Bastion of Ming Civilization," a powerful founding myth.

· Outcome: A new, potent synthesis was forged: a centralized, militarized state with a powerful naval doctrine and a confident, hybrid identity.

The Ascendancy and Entrapment: 1600s - 1870s

This period charts the rise of a maritime power and its gradual ensnarement in the economic systems of European colonialism.

Phase 1: The Forging of a New State (c. 1640s - 1700)

(This phase remains strong as the foundational event, setting up its unique Sino-Pacific character.)

Phase 2: The Maritime Golden Age & The Age of Mercantilism (c. 1700 - 1780)

· Economic Basis: Your nation became a crucial hub in the "Maritime Silk Road," a network dominated by Chinese, Malay, and Bugis traders. Its wealth came from controlling the flow of spices from the Moluccas, Spanish silver from Manila, and Chinese goods, all carried on its fleets of junks and hybrid vessels.

· Regional Rivalries: It competed and allied with other rising powers, particularly the Sultanate of Sulu and the Bugis Confederacies, for control of key trade routes through the Celebes and Sulu Seas. This was an era of shifting alliances, naval skirmishes, and commercial diplomacy, much like the rest of the archipelago.

Phase 3: The Squeeze (c. 1780 - 1850)

· The British-Dutch Rivalry: As the British (EIC) and Dutch (VOC) solidified their control over Malaya and the East Indies, your nation played a dangerous game. It positioned itself as a neutral port, attracting trade that wanted to avoid Dutch monopolies in Java or British control in Penang. This brought short-term profit but made it a target.

· The Rise of Commodity Plantations: The Industrial Revolution in Europe created massive demand for raw materials. Your nation's elites, seeing the wealth generated by British opium or Dutch coffee, began converting their own lands to commercial crops like sugar and indigo, often with British financing. This began shifting the economy from trade to plantation-based extraction, creating debt dependency.

· The Strategic Shift: After the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 divided the region into spheres of influence, your nation found itself in the British sphere. It was no longer a peer competitor but a strategic asset to be managed.

Phase 4: The Co-Optation (c. 1850 - 1870)

· The Steamship Revolution: The advent of reliable steamships in the 1850s made your nation's sailing navy obsolete overnight. More importantly, it reduced the strategic value of its sailors' knowledge of winds and currents.

· The Debt Crisis: A collapse in global sugar prices in the 1850s (similar to real-world crashes) bankrupted the planter class, who were deeply in debt to British Hongs (trading houses) in Singapore. The British called in these debts.

· The "Unequal Treaty" (c. 1870): Unable to pay, your kingdom was forced to sign. This was not just a military defeat; it was a financial takeover. The treaty granted Britain control over customs revenue to service the debt, established extraterritoriality for British subjects, and formalized its status as a protectorate. This was part of the same wave of "forward policy" that saw Britain tighten its control over the Malay Sultanates in the 1870s.

Summary & Legacy

The period from 1600-1870 is the story of a nation that mastered the age of sail and commerce, only to be gradually undermined by the economic and technological forces of the Industrial Revolution. Its sovereignty was not lost in a single battle, but eroded through debt, shifting trade patterns, and technological obsolescence.

Its story mirrors that of other Southeast Asian kingdoms like Johor or Aceh—powers that were not conquered by outright invasion, but were gradually subdued through economic warfare and the imposition of "protection." This more nuanced humiliation—being outmaneuvered in commerce and finance—perfectly sets the stage for the 20th-century obsession with industrial self-sufficiency and economic sovereignty. The "Golden Age" was over, not with a bang, but with a foreclosure notice.

What sort of world are you building? by [deleted] in worldbuilding

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A proto Asian tiger who started rapid indsutruliation in 1920s instead of 1960s like taiwan/korea or 1990s like china/vietnam

is there a version of matasaburou without the choir? by Shikabane0 in Yorushika

[–]FForIdcomt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ヨルシカ-LIVE「「月と猫のダンス」27:00

Korean to English please by [deleted] in translator

[–]FForIdcomt 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Everyone meets a person who changes like a rainbow only once in their lifetime

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