What Is the Political Situation in the Mario Universe?

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What Is the Political Situation in the Mario Universe?

population. As the least-numerous faction, humans in the Mushroom Kingdom are under constant threat
from within and without. Internal threats include a significant terrorist faction led by Bowser, the leader
of the Koopas, one of the most populous species in the kingdom.

What Is the Political Situation in the Mario Universe?

By Quora Contributor
Posted Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at 1:10 PM

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It is important to note that Bowser does not command the allegiance of all Koopas, but those under his
authority are organized into paramilitary ranks or units (Koopa (species) - Super Mario Wiki) in a
caste-like system. This concentration of political power in a single leader arguably makes Bowser a
fascist. Although as he self-styles himself "King Koopa," it is apparent that he claims (or is seeking)
parity of esteem with Princess Peach; that is to say that he does not regard himself as a "terrorist," but
as a "freedom fighter" or entitled ruler in his own right.

What Is the Political Situation in the Mario Universe?

This question originally appeared on Quora.
Answer by Domhnall O'Huigin:
The first task in answering the question is to define the frame of reference: What is the Mario Universe?

It is precisely this self-contained, quasi-military structure that has allowed Bowser to remain a thorn in
Princess Peach's side for this long, culminating in his kidnap of her, in an attempt to force her to marry
him and therefore achieve "legitimate" control over the kingdom. Only the intervention of the
independent oligarch (or "war-chief," depending on your point of view) known as "Mario"see
belowprevented this from occurring.

Without going into too much detail, Mario (generally) lives and works in the Mushroom Kingdom, one
of the largest kingdomsbut not the only kingdom (see geo-political structures on Mushroom World
[Super Mario Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia], in the Grand Finale Galaxy in, yes, the Mushroom
Universe.

Externally, the Mushroom Kingdom is under continual pressure from its neighbors, for example, the
Beanbean Kingdom with which it shares a (South-West) border and whose ruler, Queen Bean, launched
an unprovoked attack against it while under the influence of outside agencies. Again, this was thwarted
by Mario, with the assistance of his brother, Luigi.

For the purposes of this answer, I will deliberately restrict the terms to discussing Mushroom World, as
a comprehensive answer on the entire Mushroom Universe would require covering 20 to 22 (depending
on how you count) Super Mario Galaxies, and frankly, I doubt it would be any more fun to read than it
would be to write.

Most serious of all external threats has been the recent extraterrestrial invasion attempt by the Shroobs,
led by Princess Shroob and her sister, the curiously named Elder Sister Shroob (this title may be an
inherited onethere is little extant documentation on the nomenclature of the Shroobs). While driven
by classic Platonic reasons (for invasion)lack of resources and/or lebensraum (The Republic - Plato),
this assault was nonetheless completely unprovoked and serves as an example of a typical external
threat to the political integrity of the Mushroom Kingdom.

So, let's focus on Mushroom World. Mushroom World is a very large and extremely diverse planet in
terms of its inhabitants, ecosystems, political systems, and types of governance. NB: While Mushroom
World does contain many Earth-like features, such as (some) fauna common to both planets, matching
ecologies (deserts, jungles etc.), it is important to note that they are in fact separate worlds, and transfer
between the two is possible only by means of Warp Pipes.
Mushroom World contains at least 202 separate zones or jurisdictions (Mushroom World, Super Mario
Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia). These include (but are not limited to) examples of:

In the context of this fractured and chaotic world, we must now consider the oligarch known as Mario,
and to an extent his brother, Luigi. Both are Italian-Americans of Earth origins and as such themselves
represent a foreign influence on Mushroom World. Mario, in particular has been an iconic figure in all
events of political significance in Mushroom World and the Grand Finale Galaxy as a whole. Opinions
differ greatly as to whether his influence has been a benign one. While he indeed saved Princess Peach,
Toad, and other notable leaders from the various threats described above, it is also known that his
enormous wealth (in the form of Gold Coins) has been accumulated through non-conventional means
and further, that he made extensive use of Asymmetric warfare techniques in combating what he
unilaterally perceived as threats to the status quo. These techniques include the use of incendiary
munitions, growth hormones, camouflage, and dimensional shifting, among others. He is known
indeed famous forritual drug use, specifically mushrooms, in prosecuting his attacks on others,
chiefly Bowser and various members of the Bowser, Boo, and Chestnut Nation tribes. In an analogue of
Earth-Cuba, Luigi can be seen as the 'prince-regent' of the Mario faction, sharing his brother's aegis and
appetites (wealth, the expression of violence, mood altering substances, and preference for
unconventional combat techniques), waiting for his opportunity to rule alone.

Imperium, e.g. Linguine Empire

Oligarchies, e.g. Mekanos
City-states e.g. Syrup Castle
Proletariat Collectivism, e.g. Robo Land
Theocracies e.g. Yoshi's Island (place). Although NB: you could also argue that Yoshi's Island
is a:
Necroarchy, or "ruled by the dead," e.g. Boo Woods, which itself is a sub-type of an:
Absolute Monarchy, e.g. the Mushroom Kingdom, Banana Fairy Island, and the Beanbean
Kingdom. Monarchies are the most common form of political organization on Mushroom World,
with the Mushroom Kingdom representing the main superpower currently, in much the same way
that the US fulfills this role on Earth, and with the same precarious dominant status.
Areas with no political organization at all and contested by various warlords, e.g. Big Island.
A variegated planet therefore, analogous to Earth in medieval times with an equivalent variety of types
of rule and organization: think of the kingdoms of feudal Europe with contemporaneous empires in
China, Japan, Mezoamerica, and theocracies, city states (e.g. Venice) etc.

In short, for everyone who sees them as saviors or "heroes," there are otheroften majorityvoices
who would call them rogue agents, using their wealth, unique access to the ruling clique, and foreign
technology to further their own agenda.

Of all these jurisdictions, the Mushroom Kingdom is by far the most significant, although its prime
position is under constant threat.

So in conclusion and to the question as asked: What is the political situation in the Mario universe?
It is a never-ending condition of war within and war without, fraught and constantly changing as one

The Mushroom Kingdom is currently ruled by Princess Peach, who is a member of the minority human

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faction or another vies for control, riven along racial and ideological fault-lines, and held together only
by the intervention of foreign interlopers, propping up the dominant superpower and whose ultimate
motivations are shrouded in secrecy.
More questions on Nintendo:
What does Nintendo have to do to be successful again?
How can I play the original NES Super Mario Bros. on my computer?
What made The Legend of Zelda so popular?

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