>This brings me on to my other point of what constitutes 'Lunarisation'
>particularly in the context of its effect on traditional clan society.
>FWIW I'm inclined to think that we can use the Romanisation of Britain
>and the Highland Clearances of the late 18th - early 19th century as
>useful analogues as in both cases what happens is that rather than a new
>ruling/landowning class being imposed from outside most of the old
>chieftains are fairly rapidly Romanised/Anglicised and with the support
>of the state convert their clan holdings to personal estates and either
>reduce their fellows to serfdom or in the Scottish case drive them away
>and replace them with more profitable sheep or cattle (which are also
>more useful for paying taxes in).
While the Romanization parallel has been used before, I'm uncertain that any clearances are taking place. The scottish clearances involved the deportation of the population to either the cities or overseas. Where are the sartarites going to go?
Secondly the Lunar Empire does not have any preferred system of agriculture. The farmers of the Lunar Empire are mostly peasants similar to those of Ptolemic/Roman Egypt or India rather than latifundae slaves or serfs (although the latter exists in Carmania). So long as the taxes are paid, the Lunar Empire is content. Even in the provincial parts of the Empire, much of the farming is still performed in the manner of their ancient orlanthi forefathers.
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