The Eastern Provinces Impartially Considered
...and even if we overlook the dubious moral and legal justifications
for hundreds of years of occupation of these two provinces, what
economic or military benefits can we derive from Morrowind and Black
Marsh?
Indeed, a few beneficiaries of Imperial monopolies in the provinces
do profit from exploitation of their wealth and resources. But does
the Empire as a whole benefit? Hardly. The vast machineries of the
Imperial bureaucracies cost far more to maintain than can be recovered
in duties and taxes. And the cost of establishing and maintaining
the garrisons of the Imperial legion in the far-flung wilderness
posts of these provinces would be cost-effective only if there were
evidence of a military threat from the East. But no such evidence
exits. No army of Morrowind or Black Marsh has ever threatened the
security of any other Imperial province, let alone the security of
Cyrodiil itself.
In fact, a greater threat to Imperial security lies in the idle legions
that the taxpayer spends thousands of drakes to support. The generals
of these legions, facing no enemies or opposition within the borders
of their provinces, may look with ambition to the West. With their
loyal veteran troops and coffers fattened by friendly monopolists,
they become unpredictable political factors in the uncertainties
surrounding the Imperial succession.
If the occupation of Morrowind and Black Marsh were motivated by
idealistic aspirations, perhaps there might lie some justification
for bearing the burden of Empire. But consider the shame of the Empire's
mute acceptance to the unspeakable practice of slavery in Morrowind.
Instead of using our Imperial legions to free the wretched Khajiit
and Argonian slaves from their Dark Elf masters, we pay our troopers
to PROTECT the indefensible institution of slavery. Within the ebony
mines of Morrowind, bloated monopolists under Imperial charters exploit
slave labor to harvest the outrageous profits assured by rampant
graft and corruption.
Consider the colossal arrogance of our proposition to bring Peace
and Enlightenment to the East, when in fact, we have only brought
our armies into lands who have never threatened us, and when we have
only exploited the most shameful and evil practices we have found
in Morrowind and Black Marsh simply to enrich the friends and flatterers
of the Imperial family.
Impartially considered, our occupation of the Eastern provinces is
morally corrupt, militarily indefensible, and economically ruinous.
The only conclusion is that we should disband the Eastern legions,
withdraw the Imperial bureaucracies and monopolists from the East,
and give these ancient lands and peoples their freedom. Only by doing
so may we hope to preserve the fragile ideals and fortunes of Western
culture.
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