Study Buddies discussion

The Territory of Ixia is ruled by military dictator. How does the book go against the stereotype of a dictatorship? What did you like about the Commander's style of governing? Do you think having the population wear uniforms suppresses their individuality?

Wearing the uniforms totally would suppress individuality. Some days I sort of think that a uniform might be nice (because I never know what to wear!).
I didn't go to a high school that had a school uniform, but my friends who did said they never minded because the discrepancies between rich and poor wasn't as noticeable, and it removed one more decision every morning. Point and case for removing individuality, maybe.
And even if I think a uniform might be nice sometimes, I'm sure I'd get annoyed after a while.

I've always been a fan of uniforms, but ironically enough it wasn't mandatory at my school.

In school you're taught 'dictatorship=bad bad bad' because the dictators in history (Castro or Hitler for instance) were men who abused their power and brought nothing but misery, death and awfulness to their people. The Commander's dictatorship by contrast is what could be achieved through such governing. An idealistic dictatorship if you like.

He rewards the hardworkers, the gaps between wealth, middle class and the poor are barely evident (and those who are wealthy are wealthy because they worked hard to earn it, not because they knew the right people or was born into it), unemployment is non-existant, crime is a very low rate and general population morale is moderately content for the most part. That's all in favor of it.

Unfortunately the straight Black and white scope of the laws is what led to a person like Brazell being able to commit the crimes he did for as long as he did. He did the paperwork, had a front for his child gathering ways (he's a Philantropist! He gives these orphaned children homes and love!), did the pretty when the Council met and wormed his way up the ladder of trust because he was a hardworker at being deceitful and cunning.

As for suppressing indviduality...I suppose so, but when the opposite extreme was their life before when the wealthy wore silks and the poor wore sacks, I'm guessing its a hit they were all right with taking.

Just on the question of uniforms, it would annoy me to have to wear one all the time with no adornment. But in Ixia I think two things make it okay. One is that they can adorn it, Yelena puts ribbons in her hair to go to the festival, I'm sure there are other individual touches one can add. More importantly, the citizens don't have to pay for the clothes. Having variety would make the costs go up and the government shouldn't have to pay for people's individuality. If the government is going to pay for your clothes, you take what they provide and are happy for it, provided it fits, and is weather and culturally appropriate.

When I first thought about the commander, my first thoughts were, "Oh, he's a communist!" But when you see the commander you see the true price of the peace in Ixia. The people may not have certain rights but no one is really complaining. There country is peaceful and because the commander has only been in power for ten years, he wants to keep the peace without allowing for opportunities that lead to conflicts.

Sitia has more flexible laws and doesn't require uniform, but you see the destruction and price that is paid. However, in Ixia everyone is the same, no magicians means that no one can have too much power except for the commander...no exceptions creating a sense of unity among the Ixians.

Your individuality is not suppressed by uniforms. Still, the amount of people who hate them is probably proportionate to how extreme they are. My Mom went to a school with uniforms and hated it. It was a catholic school and the dress code didn't really allow for the socks and such that Tracy mentioned. Also, it was thirty years ago, so there was less of the colourful shoelaces and wnatever available.

We in the west look at people like Hitler and Castro as say communism is bad, but that's only our point of view. Before hitler came into power, german marks were useless. You couldn't buy anything for them. Unemployment was rampant, and the country's morale was lower even than their dollar. He did some horrible things to minority's, but basing thoughts on a system of government on teh actions of a leader is incorrect. hitler managed to pull a downtrodden people out of the rut they were in, stabilize teh currency, and build a powerful military in the middle of a worldwide depression. The commander really is just an idealized communist leader. his being a good preson deep down is the only difference between that dictatorship and some of the true ones in our world.

People are perfectly capable of making the system work for them in any governmental system. Brazell flaunted this one, but could easily have done similar in another system. BEing a manipulative jerk is a benifit in any system. Think of high school if you don't think it's true. Within any class there was at least one person who got away with everything. His actions depended little on the government.

Every system has flaws. I agree that the only reason this government works in the book is because it is that. A book, a work of wonderful fiction. The commander's way of governing wasn't that different from other types, just presented through a differnt veiw

Lynx it was stresemann that brought in the rentenmark not hitler but the rest seems right

i just have to say that i HATE uniforms. true they are better for making everyone equal and at times more practical but in my school girls have to wear tights all year round -no socks black shoes not slippers and the scarfs are not allowed to be coloured-must be black plus no facial jewlery only sleeper or stud earrings and no nail polish either

the worst bit is that the skirts have to be to your knees!!!!!!! not pleasent along with the blazers
the girls have the worst of it

id have to say that dictatorships work for keeping the peace but to keep the people happy you deffinatly need a democracy in place id would love to have a country the same as is protrayed in the book but i agree with lynx that it only sounds cool because its a book...we can still dream though

I always though the idea of uniforms was a way to force school girls to get more creative with showing their individuality. I wonder if some Ixians wore their pants baggy, their buttons opened down the chest, or wore funny socks.

Haha!
Jane- I would love to see an Ixian with baggy pants! But you have a good point about finding unique ways to expressing individuality.

I personally don't like the idea of wearing uniforms, however there are problems with not wearing uniforms.
In non-uniform settings, most people like to categorize people. For instance in high school, how one dresses indicates if you're a jock/emo/ druggie/popular/etc. Therefore, the way you dress still acts like a uniform in that you are suppressing your identity and putting on the identity of a group. Isn't that the same as wearing uniforms? The only difference is that you get to choose which uniform you wear and don't have someone choosing for you.

Rachel wrote: "Haha!
Jane- I would love to see an Ixian with baggy pants! But you have a good point about finding unique ways to expressing individuality.

I personally don't like the idea of wearing uniforms, ..."

Now that is very true, I dont know If I would like to have uniforms but you do make so excelent point to have them.

I have thought about Ixia and Sitia a lot actually. I could never really work out which place was the 'good side'. Through Poison Study, I think I felt like the Sitians were the 'good guys', but as the series progressed, I began to feel as though the rules of Ixia were much better than the 'freedom' of Sitia. They are probably both as bad as each other, in differnt ways, but I couldn't help but feel that the Commanders way of running things was a lot better for all involved than Sitia.

I do believe that democracy is important, but the Commander had made sure that everyone had a job, everyone was clothed, watered etc. yet, in sitia, there were children begging in the street, and to me, that is a lot worse than having to wear a uniform.

Growing up in England, I had to wear a uniform to school, (and I have had to since, through different jobs I have done) and I really did not care. The kids made fun of me, no matter what I was wearing. :) We did have 'non-uniform' days, which were fun, well, not fun, but it made a change. Too much importance is placed on how we dress/look and I think its probably a good thing that fashion and things arent problems around Ixia.

I know that the Sitians didn't have a uniform, but they, in a way, made their own. Each clan had their own way of dressing, and just because they wore pretty colours and fabrics, doesn't really make it any different in my eyes. You'd know the Zaltana Clan from the Bloodgood Clan, just the same as you'd know the MD-5 from the MD-2.

Shley wrote: "I have thought about Ixia and Sitia a lot actually. I could never really work out which place was the 'good side'. Through Poison Study, I think I felt like the Sitians were the 'good guys', but as..."

That was one of the thing I really liked about the books: I came away thinking neither was the good or the bad side. They had differences in ideology and political structure, and obviously had issues with each other because of that, but neither were perfect countries.

no government is perfect but i think having the choice of which government to live with and the choice to move would be better as then the people are free to make their own minds up, much the same as we can in the european union. it offers people a better chance of making a life for themselves.

Mawgojzeta wrote: "Shley wrote: "I have thought about Ixia and Sitia a lot actually. I could never really work out which place was the 'good side'. Through Poison Study, I think I felt like the Sitians were the 'good..."

I totally agree, it makes it more believable.