Autoforza

The Autoforza, literally meaning "self-strength", was a policy created by the Head of Imperial Defense Galadino Farinaldi following the end of the Second Great War, intending to make Aciria and its armed forces free from foreign imports of weapons and equipment. The policy was signed into effect by Giovanni II in 1950 and unofficially ending in the 1990s, lasting throughout most of the Occidental Cold War.

Farinaldi's draft presented to the Emperor detailed which imports to limit and when, alongside the expected year for self-sufficiency on various equipment, with the plan starting off with the research and development of reliable small arms. Farinaldi understood that the policy would likely outlive him, which is why he closely worked with the Heads of Imperial Defense that came after him, desiring to eventually not only rid Aciria of all weapons imports but have a large enough surplus to export to friendly nations.

Overall, the plan was a success, despite the widespread criticism Farinaldi and the Autoforza initially received. While unable to create a completely self-sufficient Aciria, the imports of arms and equipment drastically declined following the adoption of the Autoforza, and the domestic weapons manufacturing has been a large employer in Aciria for decades.

Reasons for the Autoforza
Aciria faced many military disasters during the Second Great War, with most notably the Montanaro battalions facing unprecedented casualties. Despite attempts at covering up these numbers, the public became aware of the casualties following a SRM leak of PAI documents. To save face, the armed forces decided to shift blame on the foreign-made weapons and equipment received from the Acirian allies during the Second Great War, claiming that foreign powers, allied or not, could not be trusted to provide quality equipment required to protect Acirian sovereignty and its people. The shift of blame, initially a simple scapegoat for the military disasters, gave Farinaldi the idea to begin work on what initially became the Autoforza.

Controversies
Since the 1960s, weapons manufacturers across the world have accused Farinaldi's plan to have encouraged industrial espionage, with even suspected PAI involvement. This became a notable topic of discussion in 19XX when INSERTCOUNTRY accused Aciria of stealing their weapons design for the Acirian FA-XX rifle.

Legacy of the Autoforza
Farinaldi's vision of a self-sufficient Aciria never came true, with the Autoforza unofficially ending in the 1990s when Aciria began regular import of weapons manufactured in the neighbouring Caphiria. The Autoforza directly lead to the stark rise in weapons manufacturing in Aciria, with many modern Acirian conglomerates having their roots in the subsidies provided by the state for weapons manufacturers following the adoption of the Autoforza. The weapon manufacturing industry has also been considered a stable career in Aciria due to the government-backed companies that require personnel not only for manufacturing, but for research and development.