Xisheng Office of Contentment
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The Xisheng Office of Contentment - (XOC) is a state level office charged with the maintenance of high levels of contentment and enthusiasm among the native populations of Corummese Crona. To achieve this goal and in close cooperation with the National Opium Syndicate, it provides native Cronan households that have failed enthusiasm examinations with daily doses of opium and opium derivates for consumption by all family members. Consumption of opium by Cronans has been mandatory since 2000. The Office of Contentment is one of the world's leading institutions in advancing the science of drug induced coercion and mental manipulation of peoples.
History
The office of contentment came to be in the wake of the conquest of the Ixa'Takan heartlands of the western Nanseetucket confederation and its sizable Cronan urban population. The army's harsh methods of control were not properly calibrated for civilian use and caused too many casualties and likewise their attempts at gaining the trust of locals were limited to giving out aspic food rations. As a stopgap measure the army gathered civilian experts to create a new agency.
Administration
Masquerade as ancient custom? Real aim is state enforced addictions to maintain dependence and make compliance of unruly locals easier. Local officials work to come up with ingenious ways of giving more opium to people in race to comply with arbitrary metrics/gain brownie points that will ensure better posts in the metropole. Outsource distribution to native collaborators aka cronans killing cronans. Enhance compliance rates with dual approach of opium addictions and Three Alls approach on recalcitrant pops. Xisheng pops divided into compliant/reluctant, reluctants are sequestered in separate closed towns and delivered opium via water supply(laudanum)? opium powder mixed in flour? mind controlling soda aka Linge Chen's private reserve Pros: Local population reduced to dysfunctional junkies, can't/wont fight back against dope dealer government. Local ethnicities slowly erased via drug related deaths(counterpoint: slave/menial labor shortages?). If not freely provided, Cronans further squeezed of income to pay for drugs compounding their bad situation. Cons: Local population turns to shit(counterpoint: corumm wants it turned to shit), useless and unproductive workers(counterpoint: promise of more opium enhances productivity), increased criminality(counterpoint: police state so pervasive criminality is impossible), increased government expense on health budgets(counterpoint: cronans are worth nothing, healthcare not provided) Long term priority: creation of analogue agencies in varshan occupied territory and elsewhere-Ensure deniability/adapt aldous huxley's brave new world concepts
Responsibilities
The XOC's overriding responsibility is maintaining control of the Cronan population preferably through its programs and initiatives, but also through state sanctioned violence should it become necessary.