Kalistan

[Doc]

Sir George Alvarez Speaks on "Dave Thompson Show"
Former Monarch discusses new book "Exile in Suldanor"
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
December 15, 5669


Former Baltusian King George Alvarez discusses new book with Sulari's Dave Thompson

"I will say, my time here has not been without event," began the former King of Baltusia, Sir George Alvarez, SKC, who made an appearance on the "Dave Thompson Show" on KRTVN-1 last night. Dave Thompson, a comedian turned Talk Show Host usually has musicians and public figures on his show and interviews them to get their take on the day's events. It was only a matter of time before the show had Mr. Alvarez on, and his new book tour for the memoir "Exile in Suldanor" provided the perfect opportunity.

The former King was given the opportunity to discuss his book on the hour long, wide ranging 1-on-1 interview. "The thing is," said Alvarez, "I was born and raised in San Luis State, lived their most of my life, and was a businessman in San Luis, the city, you see. But, my family, of course, is from Kalistan. Understand, we Alvarez' used to be Anantos. My Great grandmother was Duchess Margaret Alvarez-Ellison, and my great grandfather was Duke Mark Ananto, and of course, his grandmother was your Empress Nicolette The Great. I am related therefore by blood to the late Emperor Fredrick the II, as well as the current King of Egelion and the current Queen of Hutori, as well as the Grand Duke of Kalistan here and etc... We are what are left of the original Anantos, and we are all cousins of Her Imperial Majesty by adoption through Carolina. So you see, I am both quite Baltusian in a very real sense, and also very Kalistani. This book kind of tells the story then of what happened not only to me, but also the the Baltusian branch who settled in Athosia after Mark Ananto married Margaret Alvarez."

The former king was asked how he was finding his time in Kalistan. "I definitely miss my home. I feel that the Empress may easily travel back and forth to San Luis, but I don't necessarily feel that I can. I am not sure whether I will be arrested if I cross the border into Baltusia." He was asked why he thinks he would be. "Well, I read in the paper the other day that some people have called me a traitor for escaping from house arrest, for abdicating, and for moving to Kalistan. Since coming here I have been a leading voice for cooperation with Baltusia, and have consistently pressured both the Empress, and also the Crown Prince to continue to treat Baltusia with dignity as an equal sovereign nation. It stings that people might call me a traitor for escaping house arrest. I would happily return and resume my crown if I believed I could. As it is, Kalistan is still safer, for me, than Baltusia is right now, so perhaps in the future if there is any interest in my return to San Luis, I am open to any suggestions, assuming I am allowed to live at liberty."

Asked about the passage in his book which discusses his social life, the Former Monarch answered that he had indeed met a woman in Lucid, where he currently lives. "It is difficult to travel through life without a companion at your side. But I didn't have a lot of time to date while I was under house arrest and really wasn't allowed to marry when I was King, or even to really get to know anyone, you know. And yes, there is someone here who I care for very much. So we will see where this goes." Mr. Alvarez said he hoped to protect his love interest's identity, but said she is a television actress. "No I don't think marriage is in the cards, really. I'm a few years older than her, and I think my marrying days are over, but we do live together in Lucid right now, so marriage isn't really all that necessary anyway."

When asked what he thinks of the hard economic liberal turn Baltusia appears to be taking, the King seemed unconcerned. "The thing is, when economic liberalism is instituted in a formerly nationalized state, and a lot of stuff is privatized, those with lots of money tend to do really well--workers tend to bear the pain of that system. But Baltusia is not a socialist country. Socialism never really worked there. Baltusia has always been much better with free enterprise. I just happen to believe that workers who are getting kicked out of state-guaranteed jobs now, and suddenly find themselves having to compete for lower wages, less job security, and fully privatized social services will look at a place like Kalistan, or a place like Gaduridos, and say, 'I kind of liked the security my family had when I had a job guarantee, and free health, and cheap housing,' and many workers at least will likely turn their back on the free market. But I can more likely see them coming here to Kalistan to live and work, rather than staying put and suffering.

"The upside for Kalistan," continued the King, "is a new batch of skilled labor, but I think even more so: When Baltusia privatizes, it will fling the door open for international capital inflows, and Kalistan, I believe stands really ready to invest into Baltusia, to take a lead role in private sector investment. Kalistan has long wanted to help Baltusian development, especially in San Luis, which certainly affects its own economy in a major way. The massive inflow of capital will have the opposite effect of privatization: Instead of undermining worker power, it will create a boom in job creation, and there won't be enough workers to fill the ranks, or there will be a major skills mismatch for all the new industry, and even if Baltusia doesn't lose a significant chunk of its workforce to the lure of security in Kalistan, that will give the workers more power vis-a-vis the capitalists, who will be forced to cut profit margins so they can raise wages to attract workers. In short, it will create a situation that Kalistan likes to see, where employers are forced to compete against one another for workers, rather than having a system where workers have to compete against one another for wages, all while increasing trade opportunities for the Empire connected, on both sides by a short rail trip. Privatization in Baltusia works to Kalistan's advantage in both directions."

All of this is covered in the former King's new book. Early reviews for the book note the former King's obviously pro-Baltusian bias. He even offers very soft critique for his Host, Her Imperial Majesty's attention on Athosia, saying it is not really for him to speak on Kalistan's historical focus on the state, (which he refers to by its Baltusian name of San Luis throughout the book) but opines that Kalistan would do well for itself internationally if it surrendered a claim it can't ever enforce, especially since it is highly unlikely that Baltusia will ever be occupied by a government interested in surrendering it.

"Perhaps Kalistan should see Athosia as simply lost forever," said Alvarez. "It may be difficult for the Empress to hear, but it might allow her to sleep easier to simply surrender on Athosia, acknowledge it as Baltusian by rights, seized legitimately as spoils of war during our National formation, and unrecoverable. But I do know the sentimental attachment her family has for the territory, and when I was king 'the Athosia issue' was something we simply did not touch. Leaving that subject undiscussed and on the table ensured that Kalistan still believed they had a chance someday, and ensured we were able to stay on good terms with them. I trust that whatever else it does, the new Baltusian Government will do the same thing. It's really just better for everyone to allow the Empire to maintain their pipe dream, unattainable under any circumstances, but still available for the monarchs to dream about at least."

The King did note that, despite the Baltusian Government's patent unwillingness to surrender the territory under any circumstances, there was still heavy monarchist sentiment in San Luis, and with it, a not insignificant number of people in San Luis who are at least somewhat sympathetic to the Athosian cause. "Most members of the Alvarez extended family who I have ever had any contact with still refers to the land as Athosia, as do a fairly sizeable population in San Luis, and other places. Generally speaking the closer you get to the border, the more sentiment for that you will find, though it is still very much a minority position, probably not more than single digit support. Baltusia never took a survey, so there is no way to actually tell."

Other reviewers called the book a riveting tale of the Alvarez family in Baltusia, or remarked on the adventurous instances surrounding the elevation and then abdication of the King of Baltusia, a first in millennia for that state. One reviewer found the account of Alvarez' imprisonment and escape to be "harrowing" and said it was an appropriate climax for the book that would rival any survival novel printed in Kalistan.

"Obviously, I am honored by the praise for the book," said Mr. Alvarez, "but also, I would like people to read it so they can better understand the Baltusian people, especially those in San Luis. Understanding the people of San Luis is key to good relations between Kalistan and Baltusia, I think. And not just because I am from San Luis. I think that Kalistan has such a long history of coveting that stretch of land that every time Her Imperial Majesty utters that word, it sends chills through the political establishment in Johnston. But, who really cares, except the Anantos, how we got it originally? All of those people, the people who took it with the assistance of Luthori, and the people from whom it was taken, they are all long dead now. I hope Kalistanis understand that while Baltusians do not hold the sort of reverence for San Luis that Kalistan does for Athosia, we also want to keep what we see as now rightfully our territory, and a permanent settlement of Athosia is not possible as long as Kalistan dreams of stripping it from Baltusia. It's just a matter of fact. We can have peace and free movement over the border, as nature intended, or we can fight over where the border is. None of it changes the fact that the Baltusian flag, not the Kalistani flag flies in San Luis right now. I want the readers to understand that."

The office of Her Imperial Majesty issued a no comment, and that was mentioned by host Dave Thompson during the broadcast. The former monarch was not put off by that: "It's understandable that the Empress would not comment. Privately, I know she read the book, and we have had the opportunity to talk about some parts, but we definitely did not talk about the status of San Luis." The former monarch said he was more interested in the opinion of the Crown Prince. "That will tell me more about the future of Kalistani-Baltusian relations." When asked if the Crown Prince spoke with him about the book, Mr. Alvarez said," Not really. He said he read it during Order Day festivities. That's all he really said."

@TheRepublic