One thing aplenty in the world of Eve is variety. The rule of plenty applies to the Governments of Eve as well. There are just 5 Empires in Eve, but within those five, you will find all types of governments our world has seen from the outset.
Variety in a Pack of Five
Nothing solid is known about the Jovian style fo government, but the rest of the races display a varied style of government, and values. The primitive tribal system of warlords is evident in the governing methods of the Minmatars. A corporate government, run by large business corps, providing a consumer based economy is the way of life for the Caldari people. Similarly, the Gallenteans practice democracy, which for them, is the all end all in terms of freedom. Lastly, there is the seemingly 'dictatorial tyranny' of a royal linage which can be seen in the presence of the Amarr Emperor and his Heirs.
Perhaps, the most important thing a player can remember about a government styles in Eve is the fact that, like the real world, you can't judge the people in black and white. The grey areas count as well. The people in all the nations differ, the things that are abhorrent to a Gallentean about the Ammarians may not be as bad as they seem to them if they judge them with their own set of rules. The races are not meant to be evil or good in totality, all races and their governing styles have their plus points. The world of Eve, in this respect, is pretty much like the real world, the misunderstood preconceived notions about another nation's beliefs drive the animosity between the nations!
Government Level Contacts
The Eve governments have matured enough to realize the need for the maintenance of government level contact. The inter-stellar transports ensure that the peoples of all the nations come into contact with each other on a regular basis. In such a scenario the diplomatic protocols become all the more important for them to avert the risk of an inter-stellar war in Eve.
Government and the Common Man
Though players don't directly control the government activities, the world of Eve is constantly changing according to the actions of the people in Eve. The people do affect the government policies and the game is better off because of that fact
The Amarr Heirs are the heads of the five royal families, the highest caste of the Holders apart from the Emperor family itself. Even if the emperor is the head of state his power outside his immediate vicinity is limited. The entrenched bureaucracy and the semi-feudal governing system means that all over the empire there are local lords that enjoy almost complete autonomy most of time. The Heirs are the most powerful of these lords. Each heir family has vast domains spanning dozens of solar systems. The power of the heirs can best be seen in the way each of them shapes their domain to fit his own wishes. The result is that the Amarr Empire is a patchwork of rules and regulations, customs and traditions. The power of the heir families originates in the changes made during the Moral Reform some 1500 years ago, when the influence of the Apostles was curbed. The Privy Council, the unofficial government of the empire, also dates from this time and all the heirs sit on it. Four of the current heir families are the original families given royal status during the Moral Reform. The fifth is a recent addition after the Khanid family was exiled. The five families are: the Ardishapur family, the Kador family, the Sarum family, the Kor-Azor family and the Tash-Murkon family (the new one). The heads for three of these families are introduced below. The Heir of the Ardishapur family is Yonis Ardishapur, a champion of the faith and avid collector of religious artifacts, some thought to date since before the closure of the EVE gate. The Sarum family has yet to name an Heir to replace Jamyl Sarum; its domains are currently run by its House Chamberlain.
Aritcio Kor-Azor
The last thing that Doriam Kor-Azor did before leaving for the inauguration ceremony was to name his son Aritcio as the new head of the Kor-Azor family, to the dismay of many. Aritcio is a master politician, having just the right mixture of dishonesty, paranoia and charm to ooze his way up the political ladder. Yet for all his slyness and cunning in carving himself a power position at the top Aritcio is totally clueless when it comes to the problems of the common man. His total naivety on the matter stems both from his sheltered life at the top, but more from his total lack of interest in the fate of the masses. Considered by most to be an egotistical, cold-hearted bastard, Aritcio was careful to cultivate the relationship with his father, who refuses to believe anything bad about his cherished son. The citizens of the Kor-Azor, used to the benevolent, fatherly rule of Doriam, are already trembling at the thought of what their new master might get up to. The only thing they can do is hope he doesn't suddenly become interested in fulfilling his civic duty and take an avid interest in the daily life of his subjects.
Uriam Kador
Uriam personifies all the traits that the Kadors hold so dearly: his tall, splendidly proportioned body gives him a majestic aura of grandeur, his keen intellect makes him a master of oratory and rhetoric and his refined manners inspire loyalty and respect. Uriam is a true leader of men, but his ambitions lie not in the realm of power and rule, but rather in the realms of the mind. A noted philosopher and poet, Uriam's view on life is very cosmopolitan. Not a true liberal or humanitarian, he is still positively enlightened compared to most of his fellow Holders. He has held various high-level posts within the empire, which have given him a thorough insight into every aspect of Amarrian society. He has already indicated that he will modernize the stale, conditioning education system within his domain, as well as streamlining the entangled, cumbersome trade laws. The only taint on his otherwise excellent carrier is his not-so-well hidden relationship with a Gallentean woman of high stature. His family hopes that Uriam, with his new responsibilities and duties, breaks these shameful ties with his mystery lover.
Catiz Tash-Murkon
Catiz Tash-Murkon is the youngest child of the late Davit Tash-Murkon. Yet it came as no surprise when he named her as his heir. When she was still in her teens she refused to follow the safe, but boring and restricting path her siblings took in the upper echelons of Holder society. Instead, she headed out on her own as a lone miner. From this humble start so many years ago she has slowly worked herself upwards, establishing a business empire to rival even that of her own father. All this time she has refused aid from her family, determined that what she built would be hers and hers alone. Now that she has inherited her father's vast domains to merge with her own the already formidable economical power of the Tash-Murkons is now stronger than ever. People are already jokingly saying that when Catiz sneezes the whole empire quivers. This is not far from the truth and many now anxiously wait to see how Catiz will wield her power. Few believe that becoming the richest person in the empire suffices to quench her burning ambitions.
