just the top 5:
- slavery of non-channelers
- a megalomaniacal oligarchy that's developed fanatical devotion, and believes everyone belongs to them
- the wide (& horrible) use of terangreal to brainwash, hurt, and control for the creation of violent, will-less Power-wielding slaves
- a super-secret police striking fear into everyone
- national self-righteousness, superiority complex, and other stupid customs (no eye contact?)
- slavery of non-channelers
- a megalomaniacal oligarchy that's developed fanatical devotion, and believes everyone belongs to them
- the wide (& horrible) use of terangreal to brainwash, hurt, and control for the creation of violent, will-less Power-wielding slaves
- a super-secret police striking fear into everyone
- national self-righteousness, superiority complex, and other stupid customs (no eye contact?)
1)
Well, in the books, have you ever see Aiel WOs without gai'shain? Each one may only serve one year and one day, that just means as long as there are at least one raid per year, there will be a constant supply of gai'shain.
Imagine yourself at school, and every time some bully beat you, you give your lunch money to him for one week. It may not be the same bully every week, but does that makes any difference?
Most of the times, it is going to be the same less skilled warriors who become gai'shain, just to different enemies at different times.
If on average, 5% of warriors are gai'shain, how much difference does it make if it is the same 5% all the time(like what the seanchan has), or it rotates among the 50% lower skilled warriors(like what the Aiel has)?
2) Every country believes everything should belong to them. Remember the hate between Tear and Illian? Recall the ship captain who took Mat away from Tar Valon. He marveled about the thought of salting Illian's field and putting all of them in chains.
They all want to do it, just were not able to do it, that is all.
3) The adam is as strong as the Oath Rod.
4) In Tear, they don't need a secret police to strike fear into the populance. There are different laws for High Lord versus regular folks. A High Lord wants something from you, like your daughter, can strike fear into you without any secret police.
In Seanchan, like in Artur Hawkwing's Empire, laws apply equally to everyone, including the Daughter of the Nine Moons. That is why there is a secret police, to gather evidence to use in front of the court.
If what the High Lords say are the law, who needs a secret police to gather what people are actually saying? If the High Lord said you said so, you said so, no evidence necessary, no secret police necessary.
A secret police is worse than a open and transparent police. But it is better than an unequal justice system.
5) Now that is uncalled for. Why is eye-contract a must? Why must people shake hands? Why not a bow? Why not man hug every time you meet?
So purely cultural customs are the reason they can not take over the world?
Seanchan Takeover of Randland
22/01/2011 11:25:36 PM
- 2171 Views
I would be mostly okay with it if they abolished slavery first
23/01/2011 12:19:48 AM
- 1128 Views
Hopefully the Dragon's Peace (not the one Avi saw the effects of) those concerns. *NM*
23/01/2011 03:21:04 AM
- 524 Views
You mean utter anarchy and a dangerously stratified society?
23/01/2011 07:24:48 AM
- 905 Views
The situation in Seanchan isn't that unique
23/01/2011 07:49:28 AM
- 944 Views
there's tons of problems there, but 20+ leaders/royals killed? Disaster anywhere... *NM*
23/01/2011 11:38:57 AM
- 459 Views
Funny; Caemlyn's succession crises aren't nearly as bad. *NM*
23/01/2011 11:00:45 PM
- 451 Views
Rand deserves some credit, he did get involved early and held the Lion Throne for Elayne. *NM*
24/01/2011 08:47:42 AM
- 481 Views
The anarchy is what happens in the absence of Seanchan power.
27/01/2011 01:10:56 PM
- 881 Views
Yes. That is a flaw of Seanchan governance.
28/01/2011 01:54:00 AM
- 806 Views
It's not the Empire's fault, and that flaw is not being duplicated in the wetlands
28/01/2011 11:24:00 PM
- 1058 Views
Wait... the indegenous Seanchan haven't changed in a thousand years?
29/01/2011 02:09:05 AM
- 827 Views
Re: Wait... the indegenous Seanchan haven't changed in a thousand years?
29/01/2011 01:10:36 PM
- 905 Views
Re: Wait... the indegenous Seanchan haven't changed in a thousand years?
29/01/2011 10:02:27 PM
- 755 Views
Re: Wait... the indegenous Seanchan haven't changed in a thousand years?
30/01/2011 03:56:23 AM
- 961 Views
It's like you don't even read anything when you post. My posts, the books themselves...
02/02/2011 06:41:10 PM
- 932 Views
They treat channelers like DOGS! so, No. *NM*
23/01/2011 07:56:22 AM
- 455 Views
Dogs never broke the world or created Shadowspawn, so they have it coming *NM*
27/01/2011 01:07:32 PM
- 430 Views
The Pattern certainly has some plan or purpose for the Seanchan.
23/01/2011 10:59:33 AM
- 993 Views
That's what's scary. In many ways, the Seanchan embody the goals of the Pattern
23/01/2011 11:41:35 PM
- 825 Views
If we're going to personify things, we should be personifying the Wheel, not the Pattern.
24/01/2011 12:13:49 AM
- 856 Views
I think it's interesting
24/01/2011 09:23:40 AM
- 862 Views
Re: That's what's scary. In many ways, the Seanchan embody the goals of the Pattern
24/01/2011 12:38:38 PM
- 777 Views
Um, no
23/01/2011 11:36:24 AM
- 932 Views
look around you again
23/01/2011 03:24:01 PM
- 893 Views
Seanchan equality before the law
23/01/2011 04:09:54 PM
- 938 Views
Mostly, yes.
23/01/2011 05:57:17 PM
- 844 Views
Re: Mostly, yes.
23/01/2011 06:10:10 PM
- 872 Views
I see them as neccessary evil to eventually eliminate channeling.
24/01/2011 08:04:21 PM
- 961 Views
Re: I see them as neccessary evil to eventually eliminate channeling.
25/01/2011 10:40:58 AM
- 776 Views
Re: I see them as neccessary evil to eventually eliminate channeling.
25/01/2011 05:55:13 PM
- 818 Views
Re: I see them as neccessary evil to eventually eliminate channeling.
26/01/2011 12:10:54 AM
- 1021 Views
"We" don't know of the One Power existing, so obviously it disappears. *NM*
26/01/2011 12:14:19 AM
- 466 Views
Lack of knowledge doesn't mean the One Power vanishes or is destroyed.
26/01/2011 04:03:22 PM
- 776 Views
If OP still existed, you'd still have sparkers even "today". *NM*
26/01/2011 06:34:50 PM
- 449 Views