Race and racism in the Archadian Empire

[Big D]

So, I'm on my first re-play of FFXII and I noticed something: When the heroes are detained in the Nalbina Dungeon following the incident at the Rabanastre Palace, Judge Magister Gabranth has an interesting exchange with the Bangaa headhunter Ba'Gamnan. Gabranth says that Emperor Gramis is "willing to overlook race" for the sake of accomplishing something reasonably important, like tracking down a fugitive. It also occurs to me that I've never seen any non-humans in Archades...

Anyone else have info on the hows and whys of Archadia's 'human supremacist' policy? There might've been something about this in some in-game text, but I don't remember it. Humans are definitely the most widespread species in Ivalice, and if there are major prejudices against the other species, then that might partly explain why they eventually become the only race on the planet...

[PeneloRatsbane]

arcadia is racist, they look down on the others. Which is another aspects of Balthiers rebellion, hes of house bunansa and yet he is not racist and he hangs out with a Viera

[Elias_the_Belias]

if balthier wasn't with fran he would be a stupid, not a racist.

[Cleric]

Archades definately represents an "Old Regime" in its politics, and social attitudes. This is a lot of the reason that people are attempting to eliminate them from their lives. This is kind of a common thing in history if you think about it. White, privileged people invade other peoples countries and oppress them

[Big D]

Archades definately represents an "Old Regime" in its politics, and social attitudes. This is a lot of the reason that people are attempting to eliminate them from their lives. This is kind of a common thing in history if you think about it. White, privileged people invade other peoples countries and oppress themI like the fact that they avoided the 'white versus non-white' thing in FFXII, though. Rozarria, Landis and Dalmasca all appear to be majority white societies, at least in terms of their human population. What distinguishes Archadia is its treatment of non-humans; Bangaa seem to get some respect, but that's grudging.

But in comparison... none of the other major nations have non-hume rulers. Mqs. Ondore has plenty of advisors and underlings who aren't human, but the actual leaders are all humans. Except for isolated enclaves (the Viera, Urutan, Baknamy, etc) or special cases (the Gran Kiltias, or the Aegyl of FFXII's sequel).

[BG-57]

I strongly suspect that the Achardian Empire is modeled on the Galactic Empire in Star Wars (as was the Empire in FFVI for that matter). It had the same social structure: humans in the top echelons with a mixture of human and nonhuman flunkies. A similar political organization too: an Emperor with enforcers, an Imperial Senate (at least initially), and large millitary. Some of the expanded universe stuff like Crimson Empire makes this racism explicitly stated.

As it is there is not a single nonhuman in the Imperial family, the Senate, or the Judge Magisters. That's a different state of affairs from the Maesters of Spira, who included both Ronso and Guado. I don't recall a spoken human supremisict policy, but it's pretty implicit in the society's structure.

[Roogle]

Excellent observation, Big D.

It appears that there is a class structure based on race. I think that the game may shy away from racial issues in Humes because of the racial diversity of sentient species in that particular world. After all, I'm sure that if this planet had more sentient species, humanity would get more easily.

[Crescennt]

I think it said somewhere in the bestiary that Bangaa are as intelligent as humes, but that humes have some kind of derigatory word for them, which they use when they are not around.

It seems like this kind of thing is not just Archadian, though it might be stronger there.

[scrumpleberry]

There's one hell of a lot of this in games. There's always "YOU'RE NOT SO BRUTAL AND KILLAGEY...FOR A BEAST MAN"!!!!!!1111!!"!"!""!" "I THOUGHT ALL YOU ELVES WERE ALL LIKE SUPAR SMARTTTT" "YOU CANT TRUST PEOPLE FROM THAT CONTINETN THEYRE ALL LIKE NOT AS GOOD AS US OVER HERE"

and noone ever gets offended which I always find funny x)))

[Roto13]

There were a handful of other races in the shops and stuff in Archades.

[PeneloRatsbane]

yeah working, thats more suspicious, they aren't treated in the same way the hume arcadian gentry are. its like they are only allowed to be there if they have a job to do

[Wolf Kanno]

I think one of the reasons why Humes appear to be the dominant is mentioned in the Strategy guide and I think the Ultimania which states that the Humes are the most social and pioneering of the races. They are quite widespread and its a possibility that the other races either take advantage of the Humes handiwork (Seeq and Viera) while others see benefits for trade and cooperation (Bangaa and Moogles).

Its hard to judge how the racial structure works in XII since we are only taking part of a small part of the world of Ivalice but I'm pretty inclined to go with Big D on this. The Humes look down on the other races in some form another. Hell, I remember a moogle in the bar at Bhujerba yells at you when you talk to him cause he goes on about how stupid Humes are and how silly it is not to think moogles enjoy alcohol as well. I know the Seeq and Bangaa complain about racism from the Empire in Nalbina. The Nu Muo seem restricted to Mt. Burimasce so we get little info on them. All the races seem to look down on the Seeq.

[LunarWeaver]

I had never put much thought into the race situation. That's pretty interesting. Archades was pretty Hume-loving. Moogles would look hilarious upon an emperor's throne, though. It all works out in the end.

[arcanedude34]

I think it was just to give the game more emotion. I know a lot of people who have trouble connecting with the plights of non-humans. That's why the only non-hume PC was Fran, who's basically a hume with bunny ears and even less clothing (somehow). Otherwise, I'm sure they would have made Basch a Bangaa to reinforce that Bangaa are the brawnsy race. Maybe made Penelo a moogle. That'd be awesome.

[Wolf Kanno]

To be honest, the one thing that did disappoint me about XII, besides interactive airship battles, ok second biggest disappointment was the fact you didn't get too many non-Humes to join your party. Only during some of the Clan Hunts did you get a little more variety. I think it would have been nice to have a Moogle or Bangaa in your party :)

[Lexy]

I agree, having a Bangaa or Moogle in your party would have been awesome. I think a few of the Bangaa in the game are some of the more interesting/touching npc's.

[PeneloRatsbane]

I don't think basch should have been a bangaa.
I think Basch should have had main character status (Balthier could still yammer on about being the leading man).
and there should have been a bangaa in the party or at least have him join like Reddas did.
you get to use B'gamnan (my fav bangaa) in revenant wings tho

[fairweather]

A moogle in the party would have been too cool for words.