Mare

This is an article about a Rossan political party. For the female equine, see horse.

Mare
Leader	Iolanda Marpecci
Founded	7-8 48 PC (original conference) 16-5 49 PC (party status formalized)
Membership	approx. 171,000
Ideology	Market economics State-market cooperation Rossan conservatism Free trade Internationalism
Party Color	Navy Blue
Symbols	Lighthouse
Advisory Council	2 / 6

Mare is an internationalist political party in La Rossa. The party advocates for private enterprise, high rates of government investment, as well as internationalism and free trade with the nations of the archipelago. Officially formed in 49 PC, it is the second political party to ever be formed on the island, following the creation of Isola, its main political opposition. The party's name stems from 40s internationalist government propaganda posters, promising a "Sea of Opportunity" (Mare di Opportunità).

History

The internationalist movement originated within the historical aristocracy of the Six Families, born as a reaction to the increasingly unstable economic conditions on the still-isolated island. Spearheaded by Dux Leo Minestrici di Mineria, running on the promise of international contact and economic rejuvination through free trade, the Rossan Opening would occur in 41 PC, when the Rossan government for the first time stepped into diplomatic relationships with the other nations of the archipelago.

The internationalist movement would begin to formalize into a party by the end of the decade. Following Dux Minestrici's pledge not to run in the 49 PC elections following increasing legislative gridlock, a broad internationalist coalition would assemble at the Mare Conference in 48 PC, in order to choose a successor candidate to continue internationalist policies, and prevent isolationist forces, led by Advisor Antonio Morobaldi, from seizing the throne. Winning a plurality of the vote, Vincenzo Barozzo di Tolia would receive the support of the coalition, and would be elected Dux.

The party would be formalized as a political organization in early 49 PC, following a similar declaration from Isola.

Ideology and Policies

Mare is described as an internationalist party supporting a government-supported market economy. With a mercantilistic focus on exports, the rule of internationalist Duxes has been characterized by great amounts of investment into major domestic industries, meant to stimulate the small island's competitiveness on an international level. The party is broadly accepting of immigration, and has used it to bolster efforts to increase the island's industrial productivity and military strength. Due to their vast strength as powerhouses of industry, a significant amount of government spending has been used to invest in Family-owned companies, owing to high economic benefits, leading to accusations of corruption and nepotism.

The Six Families hold a large, but diminishing sway over the party's politics, with the old merchant class being its largest financial backer. The party has been described as conservative, with critics claiming the movement has been born as a reaction to La Denunzia, in order to bring back hereditary aristocratic rule to the island after its overthrow. As the movement matured, however, more and more nominated candidates shared no familial relationships with the nobility. Regardless, the party stands in firm opposition to the welfarist, autarkic, and redistributional economic policy that traces its origins to the revolt, claiming that a certain level of inequality (which has risen under their rule) is desireable for economic growth, necessary for economic conditions to improve for all.

Mare is a firm supporter of the international House of Light alliance, the namesake of which it has taken as a symbol for itself. Following a short period of tariffs on trade (used to achieve a soft landing into the international economy), trade barriers have largely been abandoned with allied nations. A point of criticism, the isolationist opposition has often claimed that the alliance is used to enrich local elites by exploiting foreign workers, abandoning the Rossan working class in the process. The party, however, has argued that cheaper foreign goods and labor serve only to benefit the island of La Rossa, making manufacturing cheaper, and allowing for Rossans to enjoy a greater quality of life.