Social Renovation Movement (Pelaxia)

Social Renovation Movement Movimento di Rinnovamento Sociale
Chairman	Cassino Moretti
Founder	Saviero Marino
Founded	18 August 1910 (1910-08-18)
Headquarters	Cantiere (claimed) Dunaird (current)
Newspaper	Lavoratore
Armed Wing	People's Defense Force
Ideology	Left-wing nationalism Revolutionary socialism
Colours	Red

The Social Renovation Movement (Acirian: Movimento di Rinnovamento Sociale) is a far left, left-wing nationalist political party and organisation active in Aciria, formed by Saviero Marino on 7 December 1910. The Social Renovation Movement has been labeled as a terrorist organization since the late 1930s following the radicalization of the organization under the rule of Maurizio Locatello. The leadership of the organization relocated to Carna in the 1950s following expanded crackdown against SRM activities by the state.

The SRM's armed wing, the People's Defense Force, was formed in the 1950s to combat the government crackdown against the organizations activities. While the activity of the PDF has been tumultuous, it has waged a low-intensity conflict against the Acirian government since the 1950s. The party is thought to have ties to the United Montanaro League, providing them with funding and following the breakout of the Second Montanaro Rebellion, weapons and manpower.

The number of members of the SRM is impossible to know due to its near century-long ban and the PAI keeping their intel on the organization closed off from the public, but the current spokesperson Cassino Moretti has claimed that there are hundreds of thousands of members.

History

Foundation

Founded in 1910 in Cantiere, Saviero Marino initially founded the organisation to encourage social reforms to reduce the vast poverty and economic differences present in the nation. The initial recruitment campaigns for the organisation were paid for by Marino himself, using his funds to print SRM leaflets which he then passed around through the bar his close friend Leo LiFonti owned. Cantiere, being a port city, allowed for the sailors that had joined the SRM to spread the word over on the mainland as well, through both word of mouth and leaflets that they'd have been handed by Marino.

Marino in the 1920s

As the membership of the organization slowly rose, so did the early militant branches of the organization - which Marino denounced, being a pacifist. One of these early militant branches was lead by Maurizio Locatello, who later became the head of the organization.

Decline

The explosion in popularity for the SRM had frightened the Imperial Seat, fearing revolution. In 1935 the organization faced a smear campaign started by the PAI, where the dangers of socialism were brought forth and reminded the people of the stability that the Emperor had brought to Aciria since 1783 and highlighted what risk socialism posed to this stability. Despite the smear campaign, the more members joined the SRM, albeit at a slower rate than before.

The most notable march that was held by the SRM happened on 12 August 1935 in Trossera. The state offered no protection for the SRM during their march, which lead to 23-year old Luca Trossini to charge from an alleyway and fire a pistol towards Marino. While not offering protection, the riot police overseeing the situation managed to rescue Trossini from the SRM. Their decision to rescue him lead to a riot in the streets, leading to many SRM members being arrested. During the riots, Marino was rushed to the Imperial Hospital of Trossera, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Marino's position as a public figure meant that the court case which followed was highly publicized by news outlets, and to the SRM's dismay, Trossini was found not guilty on account of insanity, and was locked in an undisclosed asylum. The decision to let Trossini live further angered the SRM, which lead to the militant branches gaining popularity; the less-charismatic LiFonti had now become the lead of the SRM, which he was unable to hold together.

Before the fragmentation of the SRM into various smaller left-leaning groups, Maurizio Locatello emerged as a charismatic leading figure of the SRM. Preaching revolution, Locatello alienated many members away from the SRM while radicalising others to see revolution as the only option to bring forth change in the nation.

Soldiers patrolling the destroyed courthouse

On 7 December 1936, a bomb was exploded in the courthouse in Trossera where Trossini was found not guilty, with SRM quickly being discovered as the culprit. Locatello refused to denounce the act, which lead to the Imperial Seat to declare the organization a terrorist organization and criminalize all its activities. Locatello left Cantiere to hide in the highlands of Montanaro country, where he remained in relative peace until the end of the Second Great War, when resources were freed that allowed for the PAI to crack down on the SRM, eventually leading to the assassination of Locatello himself. Locatello's death represented that Aciria was no longer safe for the leadership, which prompted the new leader Mario Marisi to relocate to Carna, where all the later leaders of SRM have resided.

Insurrection

The death of Locatello meant another change of direction for the SRM, as Marisi had little interest in terror attacks that could lead to deaths of civilians. Marisi instead began acquiring funds through various means to smuggle in weapons and equipment into Aciria following the formation of the People's Defense Force. Marisi instructed the People's Defense Force to prioritize attacks against the nobility and aristocracy, resulting in bombings of the estates of high-level nobility, including an attempted bombing of the Imperial Palace in 1961.

Marisi's policies are continued to this day, where the People's Defense Force is expected to protect and aid the lower classes with what they can, with current chairman Moretti having assigned the PDF to protect settlements from imperial aggression during the Second Montanaro Rebellion, aiding the United Montanaro League financially.

Publications

The SRM's official newspaper, Lavoratore, is illegal in Aciria. The newspaper has a website which is also banned in Aciria, with visiting the website possibly resulting in 4 years of jail time. The SRM has managed limited physical distribution of Lavoratore in Aciria through local printing presses with its distribution done almost exclusively with SRM members. The Lavoratore is headquartered in Dunaird along with the organisation itself.

Ideology

The organization claims to follow Marxist-Marino-Locatellian thought, where Marino's views as a leading figure are respected through egalitarian views of all peoples, accompanied by the revolutionary thought added by Locatello.