Knootian Boycott Act
The Knootian Boycott Act was an act of the Pantocratorian Imperial Parliament preventing the import of goods from Knootoss into Pantocratoria, which led to the downfall of the Pantocratoria First Party Government of Princess Irene. It was in response to a request to the nations of the world from Tanah Burung for trade sanctions to be placed against Knootoss in an effort to pressure Knootoss to end its military occupation of the country.
Contents
Foreword of the Act
Act Forbidding the Import of Goods Originating in the Dutch Democratic Republic (or, the Knootian Boycott Act)
Be it henceforth enacted by the Emperor's Most Catholic and Imperial Majesty that no item shall be imported by any Imperial citizen which originates in the Dutch Democratic Republic (henceforth referred to as Knootoss), nor from any source in which there is a Knootian commercial interest.
Further, let any product currently stored in warehouses, retail outlets, and other places of commercial distribution or storage, the import of which would be forbidden by this Act, be seized henceforth, and in cases where any payment be outstanding to any Knootian commercial interest for a product, let that product be returned to the Knootian commercial interest without payment. In cases where no payment be outstanding, let the product remain impounded by the Imperial Port Authority until such time as this act is repealed, after which time it the product shall be returned to he or she from whom it was confiscated, without compensation.
Further, let any legitimately established publicly owned business incorporated within Imperial jurisdiction in which there is a Knootian commercial interest of over 50% (that is to say, in which the principal ownership is Knootian in origin) suppress the voting rights of its Knootian stockholders and take such measures as it deems fit according to all applicable acts, laws, and edicts to compel the divesture of any Knootian held shares. But where the Knootian commercial interest is less than 50%, let Knootian shareholders keep what stock they will, but not purchase more.
Be it noted that the Imperial Parliament is to consider the repeal of this Act at such a time as the free nation of Tanah Burung be no further molested by undue Knootian aggression.
Passed into law in the thirtieth year of the reign of the Dread Sovereign Andreus, Pantocratorian Emperor, Autocrator of the Romans, Equal of the Apostles, King of France and Navarre, et al.
God Save the Emperor
Passing
The 106th Imperial Parliament was dominated by a narrow Pantocratoria First Party majority. The only opposition party at that stage was the Loyal Christian Front. The Pantocratoria First Party Government, especially the pro-business Treasurer and Deputy Leader, Isaac Comnenus, and pro-trade Foreign Minister Sir Jacques Antoniou, had enjoyed fairly cordial relations with Knootoss despite the general antipathy felt by members of the public of both countries towards the other. Due primarily to their lobbying, the Pantocratoria First Party decided against responding to Tanah Burung's request to boycott Knootoss.
The Loyal Christian Front was seeking political traction with an electorate which saw them, more so than the other UCF offshoot, the Pantocratoria First Party, as the heirs to the previous government's undemocratic and unpopular methods. Prince Basil, the Loyal Christian Front leader, was seeking an issue on which he could "out-populist" his populist sister. The Knootian Boycott Act was designed as such an issue. Prince Basil had maintained friendly relations with several Pantocratoria First Party members of parliament, and knew that there was significant dissatisfaction with the Government's lack of a response on the Government's backbench, much of which wanted to take a stand against what they saw as an unjust occupation. Prince Basil therefore submitted the Knootian Boycott Act as a private member's bill - it attracted enough attention from the Pantocratoria First Party backbench to pass into law.
The Knootian response, directed to Foreign Minister Sir Jacques Antoniou could be categorised as surprised and indignant. Sir Jacques, in an effort to allay the fears of his Knootian counter-part, Hans van Mierlo, assured Knootoss that the Imperial Government did not support the Knootian Boycott Act and expressed the opinion that it would soon be disposed of. In doing so he committed an act of gross ministerial misconduct - as Foreign Minister, his duty was to represent the Crown in dealings with foreign powers and, if the situation called for it, defend any legislation enacted in the name of the Crown. In the Imperial Parliament, Prince Basil produced a leaked copy of the letter and argued that it constituted misrepresenting the Crown to a foreign power by acting against an act of Parliament. A vote of no confidence was successfully passed in Sir Jacques as Foreign Minister, and before one could be passed in the Government, Princess Irene advised Emperor Andreus to dissolve the parliament and call fresh elections.
Impact
Economic
The Knootian Boycott Act's primary economic impact was felt by the Pantocratorian consumer. Pantocratoria's economy is primarily agricultural, and relies on imports for most elaborately transformed manufactures. The exclusion of Knootian imports resulted in higher prices for many consumer goods and a corresponding reduction over time in demand. There were enough other sources of the sorts of products Pantocratoria imported from Knootoss however for the long-term impact on the Pantocratorian consumer to be fairly negligible.
Pantocratorian-Knootian Relations
Initially, the Knootian Boycott Act constituted the most significant strain on relations between Knootoss and Pantocratoria since the Second War of Insolence. The cultural emnity which had long existed between the two countries shortly came to the fore again, and had a marked impact on subsequent foreign policy - Pantocratoria began to regard with apprehension the advance of Knootian influence in the Excalbian Isles in particular.
Chantouillet Negotiations
When the Drapeur Government was elected in Pantocratoria, it extended invitations to Knootoss and Tanah Burung to attend negotiations at Chantouillet at which it would mediate a settlement between the two nations. During the time of those negotiations, the Knootian Boycott Act was temporarily rescinded. When the Galadriël Government refused to honour the agreement reached by Hans van Mierlo and Mari Alkatari at Chantouillet after the negotiations in response to Pantocratorian involvement in the Saxmerean secession movement, the boycott was reinstated.
Repeal
After the Knootian withdrawal from Tanah Burung, An Act Repealing the Act Forbidding the Import of Goods Originating in the Dutch Democratic Republic was entered as a Government bill on the agenda for debate in the Pantocratorian Imperial Parliament by Treasurer Isabelle Folquet. With the high level of tensions between Pantocratoria and Knootoss over the question of Saxmere's independence and Knootian influence (through the Order of the Invisible Hand) over the Confederation of Sovereign States, the act managed to be deferred to the next session of parliament at five consecutive parliamentary sessions in 2005. Following the signing and ratification of the Treaty of Courtland, the Knootian Boycott Act was finally repealed by the Imperial Parliament in early 2006.
