they're certianly competative

@Harazu Keshtah well capitalism requires a level of trust, too

I think that's what Gryphons lacked

but I reckon they're capitalists in the same way Ferengi are.

and no sane businessman would follow the rules of acquisition.

@Deleted User It's time to clean the floors.

@AiarUther fair point there's also a lack of education might be contributing to it.

perhaps

but surely education would be a commodity that could be sold

@M4Gunner how could we annoy you then?

true but it's not valued. what I really want to get off my chest is the power politics. if I were a rival nation of equestria I'd be shitting a brick at this point just look at what's been hapening lately in terms of geopolitics

Well the new school is helpful to equestria

they're pretty much teaching everyone else to become ponies

depending on the nation it would make me more paranoid.

why?

equestria has knocked out a major geopolitical rival and now they're trying to spread forigen influence to their recently conqured territores. what if I'm next?

I'm not sure what you mean?

"what if I'm next"?

heck if I was an outside nation, I'd pull an imperial japan

I'm taking the position as if I'm the queen of one of equestria's stronger rivals

Figure out what equestria is doing and figure out how to beat them at their game

I mean clearly what equestria is doing is making it successful

because that's likely what a maceovelian monarch is likely thinking after watching the storm king get beaten up

they've also flipped a lot of major enemies into what could easily be described as vassals

And being competative doesn't mean being aggressive

or saber rattling.

Well seeing as you're the only one crying about it, how about you go there instead?

It'll be okay

I mean Japan only became unreasonably violent to other western nations after a while

I take a mild interest in real politik kind of things and that's what my main point is. I'd be preparing an invasion. and if celestia has any sense of the matter she'd make absolutly sure to try and keep the exact details of the storm king's defeat under wraps

Well you could do what switzerland did

just make invasion such a nasty prospect that there's no reason to invade.

and then make trade and co-operation too profitable

if it were a weaker nation maybe but a nation of comparible military power on the other hand. and based on the goverments around equestria I have my doubts her biggest geopolitcal rival is a liberal democracy

Well again

Liberalism is probably what is making equestria great

make your country great

Like Meiji japan

if it were me personaly probably but I doubt a emperor or empress would be so willing to give up too much control

Well honestly I think a saber ratling dictator like that would deserve a bit of humbling