King Xipil's Revised Economic Doctrine

[Xyrael]

King Xipil looked over dozens of articles, a dissatisfied frown crossing his face. He's allowed small private sectors to flourish, the government providing them the necessary resources to maintain, but not increase, their production, while the allowing the national companies to champion the internal markets. The result was not only could the people fail to expand their companies, but their products were less sought after as their quality went down in an effort to expand their business. King Xipil was slowly watching his super companies creating a class division in their own right, and he was dissatisfied.

He sat in his throne room, pondering deeply. The problem was his large, national businesses were strangling what private economy there was, and people were growing dissatisfied. He did not want protests, nor calls for his abdication. He had dealt with fascists and capitalists alike, and he would not watch his own system bring him down. Already, to the south, another socialist nation was struggling to reign in her economy, and socialists throughout the world were fighting against the oppression of money. Surely he had to be on the right path, but he knew money was an integral part of life. He had to make money work for people, and not people working for money.

With a growl he rose to pace his chambers, his hands clenched at his sides, his mind working to unravel the problems he had created. Inflation was becoming a problem as well, the welfare that provided for the people was becoming less valuable, and it was often seen that people lived with only standard television sets and furnishings.

He looked at the portrait of the Prophetess hanging on his wall, watching over him. Light, I ask for your Guidance, he thought. He wished he could have her wisdom, but he had only himself. He was human, he had to forge his own destiny. He slowly strolled back to his seat with his distinctive trademark swagger. His blue eyes looked over another report as he held it to the light, waiting for an idea to dawn upon him.

He drew a peice of paper and a well used pen, and put down every problem he could think of. He would have to deal with the worst, and realize that some were the lesser of several evils.

[Xyrael]

He looked over his paper, reading it several times. This would not be easy to solve. People were taking advantage of the welfare system while selling their goods on a black market, avoiding taxes, many small businesses in the oil sector had failed. He even noted several attempts by businesses to either outsource their labor or create a system where their shares could be sold. This was all preposterous. His super corporations were inadvertently creating a desire for both regulations against monopolies, and deregulation of small businesses. Reform was absolutely necessary, but he had decided upon the first evil.

He had to loosen his grip on taxes, allow people to keep a portion of their personal incomes. Even if the portion was miniscule, it had to be done. But what should I set the new levels of taxes at? he asked himself. He wrote down "Decrease taxes" in a bubble on a sheet of paper, and proceeded to think.

The government was providing everything for the people. Yet, their desire for higher quality goods and the lack of supply was causing problems. He had to create competition. He had to continue supplying people with their basic necessities, Xyraeli medicine and education was among the best in the world, and he could not allow water and electricity to be put in untrustworthy hands. He drew another bubble and wrote within it "All public services will be provided for freely by the government". He would have to calculate the costs later.

He then read over a multitude of problems concerning his companies. The oil sector was dominated by Republican Oil, the arms manufacturing industry was dominated by Xyraeli Munitions Syndicate, the only areas with substantial private sectors were jewelry and electronics. He set down his pen and propped his feet upon the desk. How can I allow more privatization without losing control of the major industries, or creating strangleholds on an economy? he pondered.