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Doraltic Federalism, typically referred to by the various thinkers behind the idea (most prominent among them are Moser, Merle, and Van Willigen) or just as Federalism, encompasses the various ideas and concepts at the basis of the governing system of the United Republics of Dormill and Stiura. Doraltic Federalism focuses on the idea that the basis for representation in the central government is in the federal subject states, as opposed to the common citizen as seen in other democratic systems. Furthermore, Doraltic Federalism in its original form, as written by Alexis Moser, prioritizes a consensus-based form of government, where the Republics agree between themselves their course of action independent of their actions within Congress. Doraltic Federalism at its core does not prescribe any particular economic or social policy, rather it almost exclusively focuses on the formation and function of the central government and its relationship with the various federal subjects; this trait has allowed Doraltic Federalism to be applied across a wide range of socio-economic systems, but it functions optimally in a socially and economically liberal society.

“The Many-Headed Beast”

Though less emphasized in modern interpretations of Federalism, the idea of Consensus Democracy is a unique marker of the concept. In its most basic and most used form, Consensus-based politics demands that before any specific decision is made, or a specific policy is acted on, an agreement between the people involved in such a decision must agree on some aspects of the overall plan. The concept has evolved since Moser to be seen as modern “Plans to Congress”, papers delivered to Congress periodically (typically when a new government is formed) by the Ministries, the Republics, private individuals, industry leaders, and other subject matter experts that outline possible consensus-level decisions Congress should strive to do within the timeframe of five, ten, fifteen, or twenty years. For example, when Forwards gained the majority in the Forum in 2013, the Ministry of the Treasury delivered the “Plan to the Congress Dormill and Stiura in the Southern Sea 2030” which details three possible paths Congress could take to expand the economy of the United Republics by taking advantage of the vast amounts of possible trade wealth in the Southern Sea.

This concept of long-term plans and consensus-based politics is seen all throughout the United Republics and is common in governments that have adopted or were built from Federalism. In some cases, these plans have been compared to long term economic plans prominent in socialist and communist states, but proponents of Doraltic Federalism distinguish the system by noting that no plan is monolithic and no government has ever solely acted via said plans.

“Devolution before Evolution”

If it were not for the ever constant presence and importance of Congress, the United Republics could be easily confused for a confederacy or a political-economic union such as the Cooperative Union. This was an intentional design to keep in line with Consensus-based democracy, that the Republics themselves were the source of political power in the nation. The Republics are afforded many rights as a result of the Constitution, and equally as many responsibilities to each other and the nation as a whole. At its core, however, and in conjunction with other certain allowances such as interstate compacts (imported from the United States), the Republics can function almost as fully sovereign nations.

In the modern day, after decades of the Liberal Party’s expansion of Federal power, the importance of these rights have been diminished but still important in how some Republics operate between each other. Commonly, the French Republics (consisting of Lieruneux, Avillon, and Dormill) and the Dutch Republics (Stiura, New Friesland, and Zwolle) maintain close ties between each other and work closely together while Kapolder serves as the bridge between them. Ironically, the modern relationship between the Republics has been the standard state of affairs between French Gael and Dutch East Gael ever since the colonial era. This relic of the very unique relationship served as the inspiration behind the federal model of the United Republics, and was likely a major influence in future federal governments, but the lack of any concrete connections makes the likelihood of Federalism being the inspiration of federal systems of governance in the Isles low.

“The Republics Defend themselves; Cour Rouge Defends the Union”

Of the many things Federalism addresses, the most unique thing of notice was the heavy emphasis put on the status of the armed forces of the United Republics. It was believed that a Federal Army would become counterproductive to the defense of the nation once a long-term peace had been secured for the nation, and in several instances (most notably from 1798-1805) has been outright disbanded by the National Congress, leaving the Citizen’s Guard as the highest point of the militaries. As time passed, however, the importance of defending the United Republics had grown to outcompete the desire to keep the Army away, and so, the importance of this core theme is almost entirely irrelevant in a modern context. In fact, the only real importance the Citizen’s Guard serves is to serve as gendarmerie for the Republics, and as the first set of reservists for the Army, if they are ever needed.

A Flexible Economic Policy
Dormill-Stiuraian Federalism does not adhere to any particular school of economic thought, though Liberalism (a consequence of the era) is a focal point of corollaries. As a result of this flexibility in economic thought, Dormill-Stiuraian Federalism can be made to work in almost any economic environment, from the extremes of capitalism to the depths of communism. However, that is not to say that the commonly corresponding governing philosophy will permit the function of Federalism. Federalism demands that there is a “balance of power” between the central government of the nation and its constituent states, that one must always check and balance the other. If one were to begin to overpower the other, without response, the system is prone to an imminent collapse, which was observed during the Presidency of Ludovic Denis.