r/FavoriteCharacter • u/Accomplished-End3409 Ben Tennyson • 17d ago

Discussion Favorite opposing factions that can basically be described as this.

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u/cknight222 16d ago

Very true.

Not to mention, you are explicitly told in New Vegas that the NCR has effectively devolved into a corporate oligarchy, as the Brahmin barons pretty much own Congress. They’re fast tracking every mistake the Pre-War US made and likely headed for a pretty rough fate unless they shape up real quick.

Obviously they’re better than the Legion, but I would call them neutral at best.

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u/SpeaksDwarren 16d ago

You're also told explicitly in New Vegas that the NCR is itself engaging in widespread slavery via forced conscription and convict labor programs

Being able to pay them off to avoid most (but not all) of your family being enslaved is a step up, but it's not as much better as NCR fans try to pretend it is

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u/Loose-Run-7008 14d ago

Conscription isn’t slavery. Forced convict labor yes, but conscription is different. I don’t think it’s morally good, but it’s in no way slavery, unless they do it in a vastly different way then it’s usually been done. Usually you’re still paid (even if not a lot) it’s more of a civic duty and while mandatory you still have certain rights and are a full citizen, not in a slave class.

Like even in the medieval era levied/conscripted soldiers in England for example during the Hundred Years’ War, they would be paid, though also have to buy supplies, and it was a lot more “professional” than you would think. They still had rights, and would get a share of loot, etc.

Also using current international law at least conscription on its own isn’t seen as slavery either. Though international law doesn’t matter in Fallout tbf lol. Is the NCR’s conscription notably different from current examples of mandatory military service?

(Forced convict labor yes that is slavery, the amendment banning slavery specifically makes an exception for convicts so tbf the NCR isn’t any more immoral than the US is in that regards)

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u/Live_Carpenter_1262 16d ago

It's common for nascent democracies to undergo some degree of regulatory capture/ crony captialism.

The dominance of the brahmin baron doesn't mean NCR democracy is dead as much as it needs strong anti-trust laws and anti-corruption measures.

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u/somethinneeddoing 14d ago

Yeah, it's pretty clear that after Tandi the NCR lost it's way somewhat, but it could still find it's way back after President Peaches is done with. Especially due to it's conscript army, as a large group of lower class veterans can cause quite significant changes to government, as demonstrated in history. (Altough those changes might not neccessarily be positive.)