I made this a bit long so I could make sure to include the necessary details. Has this nation descended enough to qualify as chaotic?
In order to quell the rebellions in her Empire, which included several large territories that were conquered within the past few generations, the Empress Nanduri decided to codify an extensive set of laws and ensure they were uniformly and fairly enforced throughout her Empire. The laws governed everything from weights and measures and money, to standardizing the language to such minute details as how large the town walls and various
buildings could be and how wide the roads were to be. It was called Nanduri's Code.
To enforce the laws, the Empress created a rigorous intellectual test. Those that scored highest were made Governors of a province within the kingdom, while those that made the next level became Provincial Ministers (PM) and the next level were Town Ministers(TM), and so on and so forth. They were responsible for enforcing the laws of their specific territory. There was also a review board of Ministers-at-Large who reviewed decisions to ensure they were fair and impartial. Each Minister had a 10 year term. If they scored well enough after retaking the test after 10 years, they could be renamed a Minister. If not, a new Minister would take over for them.
Under the Empress' watchful eye, this system was implemented smoothly and led to a drastic reduction in the rebellions in her Empire over the last 20 years of her life.
The next few Emperors and Empresses continued the tradition of enforcement of Nanduri's Code and strict testing of Ministers. The Empire prospered and rebellions became a thing of the past as people from different kingdoms mixed and inter-married over the next several generations, and the rule of law became a way of life.
However, the leaders of the Empire became more decadent and negligent over time. Some took to appointing a few friends as ministers. These few friends under one Emperor became a few dozen under the next, while each of these friends started appointing Provincial and Town Ministers.
Eventually, it became tradition for the Emperor or Empress to appoint the 12 Governors and the Governors to appoint the PMs and the PMs appointed the TMs, while those who could afford it paid a Governor or even the Emperor or Empress to become a Minister at Large. The rigorous intellectual test became a thing of the past.
Unfortunately, this has led to haphazard enforcement of the Code. A TM could look the other way at strict enforcement for a friend or relative, but come down harshly on somebody he or she disliked, or was competing with their friend/relative. However, that could change the next day if the 2nd person came up with a reason for the TM to like them. Kickbacks and bribery of TMs and PMs becomes commonplace and laws could change from province to province depending on the governor's whim. A law that is strictly enforced by one TM might be ignored by the next town's TM, only to be enforced against the TM of the next town against his or her enemies. If the enemy attempts to go against the TM, he or she risks beating, arrest or worse unless they can befriend a higher level minister. Each governor, PM and TM take to hiring their own personal mercenary groups to enforce the laws as they see fit, and the State Army is employed haphazardly sometimes as and aid for those currently in the Emperor's favor, or to strictly enforce laws against those out of favor.
In order to quell the rebellions in her Empire, which included several large territories that were conquered within the past few generations, the Empress Nanduri decided to codify an extensive set of laws and ensure they were uniformly and fairly enforced throughout her Empire. The laws governed everything from weights and measures and money, to standardizing the language to such minute details as how large the town walls and various
buildings could be and how wide the roads were to be. It was called Nanduri's Code.
To enforce the laws, the Empress created a rigorous intellectual test. Those that scored highest were made Governors of a province within the kingdom, while those that made the next level became Provincial Ministers (PM) and the next level were Town Ministers(TM), and so on and so forth. They were responsible for enforcing the laws of their specific territory. There was also a review board of Ministers-at-Large who reviewed decisions to ensure they were fair and impartial. Each Minister had a 10 year term. If they scored well enough after retaking the test after 10 years, they could be renamed a Minister. If not, a new Minister would take over for them.
Under the Empress' watchful eye, this system was implemented smoothly and led to a drastic reduction in the rebellions in her Empire over the last 20 years of her life.
The next few Emperors and Empresses continued the tradition of enforcement of Nanduri's Code and strict testing of Ministers. The Empire prospered and rebellions became a thing of the past as people from different kingdoms mixed and inter-married over the next several generations, and the rule of law became a way of life.
However, the leaders of the Empire became more decadent and negligent over time. Some took to appointing a few friends as ministers. These few friends under one Emperor became a few dozen under the next, while each of these friends started appointing Provincial and Town Ministers.
Eventually, it became tradition for the Emperor or Empress to appoint the 12 Governors and the Governors to appoint the PMs and the PMs appointed the TMs, while those who could afford it paid a Governor or even the Emperor or Empress to become a Minister at Large. The rigorous intellectual test became a thing of the past.
Unfortunately, this has led to haphazard enforcement of the Code. A TM could look the other way at strict enforcement for a friend or relative, but come down harshly on somebody he or she disliked, or was competing with their friend/relative. However, that could change the next day if the 2nd person came up with a reason for the TM to like them. Kickbacks and bribery of TMs and PMs becomes commonplace and laws could change from province to province depending on the governor's whim. A law that is strictly enforced by one TM might be ignored by the next town's TM, only to be enforced against the TM of the next town against his or her enemies. If the enemy attempts to go against the TM, he or she risks beating, arrest or worse unless they can befriend a higher level minister. Each governor, PM and TM take to hiring their own personal mercenary groups to enforce the laws as they see fit, and the State Army is employed haphazardly sometimes as and aid for those currently in the Emperor's favor, or to strictly enforce laws against those out of favor.
