[Freeciv-Dev] Re: patch catalan.ruleset

[Markus <markus.buechele@xxxxxx>]

Dear Miguel,

I was happy to see someone working at the catalan.ruleset about two weeks
ago, whose original author was - as it happens - I myself. 

Thank you for your criticism. I would like to point out to you, why I was
sending in the patch. 

In the first place it was neither planned nor intended as a correction of
your additions. I had changed the title of Arquebisbe to Gran Inquisidor on my
system a while ago. Let me explain the reasons to you after I refer to your
doubts about my Catalan spelling of city names.

I cannot avoid the impression, that you are not a fluent Catalan speaker
and writer - as I am even though my name sounds rather German. You do not
seem to have been to Sant Feliu de Guíxols either. Otherwise you might have
spottet the accent on the letter "i". Besides that the accent is required by the
pronunciation rules. Without accent you would have to put the emphasis on the
"o". 

I can nevertheless imagine that I did indeed spell some names the wrong
way, even though I checked them all in the "Atles Universal Català", the
official atlas of the Enciclopèdia Catalana, which happens to be the
semi-official editorial of the Catalan government.

So far for the cities, let us now turn to the clergy. An archbishop has, by
definition, power over his subordinate clergy only (and the laity, but only in
spiritual matters). 

In the European history yet, especially in Italy and late medieval
Germany, one often finds that bishops ruled at the same time as dukes/earls
over impressive territories. Not because they were bishops, but because they
were dukes/earls. Concluding from that I would like to point out that secular
power was only attributed to a bishop because of his additional titles. In
the medieval ages, there was an extremely hard fight between the German
emperors and the popes just about that point. The question was, who of the two
would be allowed to appoint a bishop: his spiritual or his secular leader.

In Spain this has never been the case. Until 1479, when the Castillian and
Aragon/Catalan crowns were united, and afterwards as well, the church hierarchy
has never had a share in secular power. On the contrary, it was the king, the
dukes and other nobles who shared it exclusively. The church hierarchy, yet,
has always been closely attached to the monarchy and was used by it as a
political _instrument_ to secure its power. 

What might be confusing here is the difference between a clerical and a
confessional state, which is exactly the point in catholic Spain.

THE EXAMPLE for catholic christian fundamentalism in European history
is the SPANISH INQUISITION. This is even known there, where they speak about
themselves as being outside that continent, in England. Just take Monty Pyton's
flying circus as an example. 

The power of the inquisitors did not arise from their ecclesiastical
position, but from the powers the king granted them. The inquisitors were not
even bishops or archbishops, but mostly monks (Dominicans, etc. - watch the
film "The name of the rose"). No abbots, just ordinary monks. But because they
had their torturers with them and the protection of the Spanish king, they
could kill basically everyone they wanted (if it did not destabilize the king's
rule). Being a suspected witch/sorcerer was already enough.  And afterwards
the poor victim's property and possessions belonged to the crown. What a
useful coincidence! I do not want to go into further details here, but the
political framework of the inquisition is really interesting.

The one, who had the real power, thus, was _not_ the archbishop, but the grand
inquisitor. 

Do you agree with that?

In the 20th century during the Franco dictatorship, the same pattern
emerges again. This time it is the Opus Dei movement, which has an enormous
influence, behind the scenes. Yet again, the archbishop of Madrid is not it
leader either.

I hope that I was able to change your, let me quote it, "not at all humble
opinion" (did I get that right?). If so, I hope that I have helped you to
reduce your pride and increase your knowledge.

By the way, your nickname is not Sledge Hammer (see below), is it? ;-)

Please excuse my irony, I appreciate very much that both of us contribute to
this great game.

Yours,

:-)
Markus Büchele

------------


Am Die, 16 Jan 2001 schrieben Sie:
> Markus dijo/said:
> >
> >Hi, 
> >
> >Changes in catalan.ruleset:
> > 
> >- changed male form of leader of fundamentalism from Arquebisbe to Gran
> >Inquisidor
> >- corrected spelling and accenture of several cities
> >- added further cities
> 
> I am the author of the previous catalan.ruleset patch, and I have a
> couple things to complain about this new patch:
> 
> 1) I don't have a problem with the spelling corrections (and the new
>    city names), but I would have sworn that the correct spelling is
>    "Sant Feliu de Guixols" and not "Sant Feliu de Guíxols". I COULD be
>    mistaken, though.
> 
> 
> 2) I'm not so sure that the new leader title for fundamentalism is an
>    improvement: the title of "Inquisidor" clearly refers to the
>    Inquisition, which ruled in Spain for three centuries and did NOT
>    have political power per se, unlike the title of arquebisbe
>    (archbishop), that DID have it and has been in use for many more
>    centuries.
> 
>    From a historic point of view, I consider "Arquebisbe" a much more
>    suited title for the fundamentalist government in catalan.ruleset
>    than "gran inquisidor" (that's why I didn't change it in the first
>    place when I patched the file).
> 
> 
> So, IMNAAHO, the title change shouldn't be commited. How do I officialy
> issue a er... opposition... to this particualr change?
> 
> 
> -- 
> MIGUEL FARAH              //   miguel@xxxxx
> #include <disclaimer.h>   //   http://www.nn.cl/~miguel
> <*>
> "Trust me - I know what I'm doing."
> - Sledge Hammer
--