Government structures in WoW

In addition to the nerdy side of me that plays WoW, I have a geeky side of me that loves watching random shows on channels like the Learning Channel, A&E, and the History Channel. When I'm watching some of these shows, they often tend to peak my curiosity to go find out more.

The comic above should actually say Wikipedia, because for me its gotten to the point that if I want a general overview on some topic, I don't even google it anymore. I just go straight to Wikipedia.

So in the same vein, I do use wowwiki as lot as well. Wowwiki even has its own wikipedia page where you can find out little tidbits like the fact that wowwiki is the second largest English language wiki in the world behind wikipedia itself.

Anyways, I was looking up something on wowwiki, and I can't remember exactly how I got there, but I came across the fact that each major city has their form of government identified.

Exodar: Theocracy
Stormwind: Hereditary Monarchy, governed by the House of Nobles
Ironforge: Senatorial, Hereditary Monarchy
Darnassus: Elected Council
Orgrimmar: Tribal Chiefdom
Thunder Bluff: Spiritual Hierarchy
Undercity: Monarchy
Silvermoon: Hereditary Monarchy (throne vacant)
Shattrath: Theocracy
Dalaran: Magocracy

Dalaran is officially listed as a Magocracy. LOL. "Dalaran's magocracy is a technocracy/meritocracy with democratic elements, in much the same way most city-states in ancient Greece were run. Though the foremost leaders of the Kirin Tor's archmagi councils tend to be the nation's most skilled mages, they are elected democratically by all eligible". I should ask our mages Nkm, Vel, and Darc about this democratic election because I sure haven't heard about it.

I didn't know what a theocracy is, but it is "a state governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided". I'm not sure I realized there was House of Nobles in Stormwind... or that IF had a Senate.

A lot of the zones have their government structures identified as well. For example Western Plaguelands is listed as a dictatorship, whereas the DK starting zone the Scarlet Enclave is listed as a stratocracy, which is a form of government headed by military chiefs, a term derived from two Greek terms signifying army and power.

Some zones, such as Azshara, has their form of government listed as 'None', which is different from some other zones that make no mention of a government in their overview. The Barrens is listed as having Trade princes at Ratchet and an Elected council at Crossroads. The Blasted Lands' government is noted as "primarily tyrannical law within tribes" while the Burning Steppes is described as tyrannical dictatorships. LOL. Lots of tyranny!

Anyone notice not one mention of democracy so far? Well, Duskwood is described as a democracy, as is Redridge Mountains. The Swamp of Sorrows is described as a participatory democracy. Huh. I wonder what that means.

Interestingly enough none of the Outlands zones are noted with any specific mentions of their government structures. In Northrend, Howling Fjord is noted as having a Town Council, with Borean Tundra, Grizzly Hills, Zul'Drak as Tribal. Icecrown and Coldarra are both noted as Monarchies.

Seriously... I am such a nerd.