Editing Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities (section)

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:'''  Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group. 


==Policies==

In principle, the goal of the Establishment government is to bring the benefits of French civilization to the area: religion, scientific progress, and so on. It mainly does this through the method of "Direct Rule".

Direct rule differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all residents of its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life, native traditions, or local mores. (French is the only language spoken in school or court, as well.) 

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (with somewhat more social intermixing than in the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'. This also means that local languages play no part in local governance. [IRL, Polynesian languages were not used in official documents or education until ''1980''.] 

The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home). 

In practice, the colonies are profitable. Aside from serving as a trans-pacific waystation (and, now, a source of tourism via air-travel), French Polynesia has plantations that are hugely profitable (copra, pineapples, coconuts, etc).  Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression- both imports and exports are at more than quadruple the figures for 1933. 

''Policy toward Port Cochere'': Officially, a blind eye. Over the last century-or-so, the French have ignored a lot, in order to get a lot out of it. So long as the Mayor of Port Cochere is doing his job properly, there is typically little in the way of direct engagement.

''Policy toward the Kamekame'': The Kamekame have shrewdly played the Establishment's game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then by "buying" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s. No Kamekame have ever sat on the Council when it had powers, and they continue not to, now that it's advisory in nature. For its part, the Governor's office have tended to depict the Kamekame to the outside world as too remote and isolated to deal with. 

(In theory, they could assemble troops to seize the lands, for example, but this would be costly on several levels, gain little that the French aren't already getting, and furthermore would upset a few Government apple carts: a lot of outside official attention would be turned to Ile Trouve (which is not what anyone wants), and the Republic would want an official explanation for why so many resources were needed.)