> I > think Venice especially shows that "republic" doesn't entail > voting or individual civil rights. Wikipedia says, "The > Republic was under the titular sovereignty of the Doge, a > nobleman elected to the post for life. However, the doge had > little real power, and actual authority was exercised by the > Great Council, an extremely limited body in which only > members of the great aristocratic families of the republic > were allowed to participate." That's very possible. A Tekla Republic implies that the leader is chosen by the people in some fashion but it doesn't neccesarily follow that the government at large is representative of the people. Even under normal circumstances, Zerika and Sethra have both emphasized the fact that the Emperor is both powerful and powerless at the same time. Real power resides in the beauracracy. Sure, you've got a Tekla President or something like him, but do you really want Fred the Farmer acting as a Warlord or would you feel more comfortable with a Dragon in that role? Should Sally the hedge wizard be made Court Wizard or would that more appropriately be handed to a trained noble, preferably an Athyra? It may well be that when the dust of revolution has settled that the Imperial Beuracracy doesn't look all that different than it did beforehand. It just turns into a senate or a parliament or house of lords or something for a couple of millenia. I'm reminded of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: "So", said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?" "It honestly doesn't occur to them", said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want." "You mean they actually vote for the lizards?" "Oh yes", said Ford with a shrug, "of course". "But", said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?" "Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in." - Douglas Adams, So long, and thanks for all the fish, chapter 36, 1984 It may be that the outward form of the government during a Tekla reign is all that really changes.