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The Powerful Role of the Fantasy Bureaucrat in the World
Sunfire
CONTENTS
Introduction
A fantasy country needs a government to manage its affairs. However, a government simply doesn’t exist by itself; it needs people to fill in the many positions found across it. These people are tasked with enforcing the laws of the land which can make them unpopular with the general public. The fantasy bureaucrat is not to be trifled with.
No matter the rank, the bureaucrat is sworn to be faithful to the laws of the realm. He is to meticulously follow it to the letter and punish those who violate them knowingly or not. Many bureaucrats do so out of a sense of patriotism but others have more sinister reasons, namely to enrich themselves or their friends.
The fantasy bureaucrat is one of many who staff the government. Each one is assigned a position alongside with the powers that come with it. He is to help keep it running, even during nebulous times like war. Bureaucrats are found all over the realm, from local governments to their national counterparts.
When it comes to dealing with the citizenry, the bureaucrat interacts with them in several different ways. Depending on the situation, the bureaucrat will make them angry or happy. For instance, tax collectors have an affinity for taking every cent the government is owed which makes them among the most despised government employees.
Due to his status as an official worker for the government, the fantasy bureaucrat plays a meaningful role in the world. Besides being a stickler for the laws and rules that everyone must abide by, he can forge relationships with his peers both nationally and abroad. Some public servants have the power to discuss treaties on behalf of their rulers.
This is the twenty-ninth article in the series going over the different types of fantasy occupations. If you want more, they can be found on our blog page!
The Fantasy Bureaucrat and the Government
The bureaucrat is an agent of the government. What he can do is largely dictated by his position which can be either an asset or a hinderance. Even those with little power ought not to be underestimated since they have alternative methods to get what they want at the expense of others.
A good chunk of the bureaucracy is in administrative positions. These positions exist whether the government is a republic, theocracy, or a dictatorship. They perform duties that keep the country running. Duties like collecting taxes or issuing fines for those who violate the rules like not keeping their buildings up to code are commonplace.
The fantasy bureaucrat can be found all over the realm in many positions. The majority of these are on the lower end of the scale such as conducting research on various projects the government is contemplating whether to pursue or not or performing official duties like checking to see if the cargo on a ship that arrived is in compliance with the law. These positions are the ones that interact with the public on a regular basis.
Moving on up, there are middle positions. These are more like lower-level management where a supervisor is in charge of a group of people. They receive instructions from their superiors on changes to the law or unexpected situations that warrant urgent attention. In turn, they relay them to their subordinates and expect regular reports.
And finally, you have the most powerful bureaucrats. They’re typically the head of the agency, only reporting to the ruler of the realm. Whenever he issues an edict or signs a bill into law, the top-tier fantasy bureaucrat is expected to faithfully implement it into his agency regardless if he agrees with it or not.
How the Fantasy Bureaucrat Interacts with Citizens
With the bureaucrat performing routine administrative duties, it’s inevitable he will cross paths with the general public. He does so knowing that many of the realm’s citizens will not be elated to see him. Despite the public dislike of the government, he has a job to do and he does so with gusto.
The fantasy bureaucrat is generally considered a cold, heartless soul from the public’s perspective. This perception increases the chances of a meeting between the two sides quickly going sour. For instance, when it comes time to collect taxes, government agents do everything in their power to ensure they get everything the government is owed, even threatening to take away their assets. Their overzealousness in enforcing the law can lead to a backlash or cause trouble for the government.
Depending on his position, the bureaucrat has the power to imprison people. If he is in law enforcement or is in a powerful agency, he can issue orders to arrest them or do it themselves. Most of the time, the arrests are for those who have broken the law but there are times where they abuse their positions to remove an obstacle standing in their path. The latter can generate a public outcry and turn people’s opinions against him.
Another way the bureaucrat interacts with the public is to hold an open forum where they discuss things like road maintenance or unveil new projects such as building a shipyard. They gauge the public’s reaction to see if they will have opposition or not. Some agents are willing to work with them to reach a deal that will work for both sides but far more aren’t.
Other times, the bureaucrat will be doing official duties such as inspecting the cargo that came from another country or checking the papers of foreign visitors when they enter their country. Most of these situations go smoothly but there’ll be times where they’ll find drugs or other illegal substances or they discover that these papers are fake. In those events, they arrest them and seize the cargo in order to protect the country from them.
The Role the Fantasy Bureaucrat Plays in the World
A country doesn’t operate in a vacuum, even if it is an imaginary one. It is full of people living their lives, working to make a living for their families. The bureaucrat’s main purpose is to keep the government running so that the realm’s rulers can focus on the issues that matter the most to them.
The fantasy bureaucrat is expected to enforce the laws that are on the books. This means punishing those who aren’t in full compliance. These punishments can be a simple fine, imprisonment, or seizing the person’s assets. He does so to ensure that nobody gets away with breaking the law.
Every year, new laws go into effect. The bureaucrat works to interpret them and then implement them. Citizens who are affected by them are expected to read up on them and work to comply so they can avoid being penalized. Sometimes the bureaucrat will send letters to the affected citizens, giving them the information they need to know about the new laws; other times, they’ll have to do it themselves.
The bulk of the government is in administrative duties. Here, the fantasy bureaucrat receives papers every day and he goes through them and sorts them accordingly. While they’re not glamorous, these duties are essential to the government functioning.
Only a very high-ranking bureaucrat has the power to make deals with his foreign counterpart. In that respect, he is considered the representative of the country, meaning he’s speaking on behalf of the person running it. His sole goal is to make as good of a deal as he can for his fellowmen while letting the other side get something out of it.
Tying it all Together
The occupation of the fantasy bureaucrat is an integral part of worldbuilding. It shows your audience a world they haven’t seen much of since the decisions the government makes affects everyone’s lives. The bureaucrat is a glimpse into the inner workings of the government, shining a light on its decision-making process.
From top to bottom, the government is staffed by bureaucrats. Enshrined within each position is the power to fundamentally change people’s lives, both for good or ill. While many don’t abuse their positions, there are those that do which can cause public sentiment to turn against the government.
Each day, a fantasy bureaucrat interacts with the public. Most of these interactions are uneventful and fairly routine. Other times, they receive quite a bit of attention, especially if someone is being arrested or having his assets seized for breaking the law.
The bureaucrat’s main role is to enforce the laws of the realm. Enforcing them can make them universally hated among the public, especially if said laws are notoriously unpopular with people. He can also negotiate deals with other countries, that is if he has the power to do so.
Many stories feature a bureaucrat in some capacity. Sometimes he will be in conflict with the protagonist, other times he’ll be a stalwart ally. Regardless if this occupation appears in the plot or not, it helps keep things going in the background and is an important part of creating a fantasy world. That means if you haven’t taken much time to think about bringing this one into yours, there’s no better time to start than today!
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Thanks for reading this and until the next time,
Sunfire
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