Government
The Centauri Republic is a major power in the Babylon 5 universe and noted for being the first alien government with which Earth had open contact. The Republic is based on Centauri Prime but spans a number of other colonies and worlds. Despite its "Republic" moniker, the Centauri Republic is a nominal constitutional monarchy ruled by an Emperor, or, in the event of an interregnum, a Regent. The Emperor has enormous power in Centauri society, and all Centauri are taught to be deferential to the ruling monarch. The Centauri are not a democracy; the average citizen has little or no political power within the Republic. The Centauri Republic considers slavery legal, but as a form of social stratification, not racial discrimination – many slaves are disenfranchised nobles.
The only real check on the monarch's power resides in the Centaurum, an assembly of the leaders of the major noble houses. Nobles able to manipulate the Centaurum successfully are able to wield great power. The Centaurum can vote to overturn a decree of the monarch, although this would appear to be a rare practice. An exception to the power of the Centaurum came about during the brief reign of the Emperor Cartagia, whose personal madness drove him to have his enemies in the Centaurum assassinated, allowing him to rule despotically. The Centauri appear culturally obsessed with rank, social position, wealth, and power. They are quite Machiavellian in their political games and treachery. Everything seems to involve strategic moves and countermoves, strategy games "for keeps" with covert or overt ruthlessness.
The Centauri Republic reflects many imperial cultures of Earth, though J. Michael Straczynski specifically makes the comparison with "the British Empire once upon a time... It was a great military power. But slowly, as can happen, they grew content, and lazy, and gradually their own empire began to slip between their fingers". In the film The Gathering, Babylon 5 ambassador Londo Mollari laments that Centauri Prime has been reduced to "A tourist attraction... See the Centauri Republic, nine to five... Earth time"'.
Read more about this topic: Centauri (Babylon 5)
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