Administrators and Councils

In times of relative peace and stability, the administration of the Gorean city-state is the responsibility of a council of administrators elected by the high castes of the city. What we understand of this type of government is that the administrator or leader of the council does not retain sole power and that decisions in matters of the state are subject to vote by council.

"...In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the city's high council. Most Gorean cites are governed by an executive, the Administrator, in conjunction with the high council." Slave Girl of Gor

It remains a matter of perspective what constitutes a state of peace on Gor and more often than not the reader will find that council government is more prevalent in trade centers, peasant villages and cities where a relative neutrality is important to maintain open markets and ensure the city's survival.

There are few examples of councilled cities which are not governed by merchant councils but the actual type of council which Matthew Cabot describes in Tarnsman of Gor, Ko-Ro-Ba being first in our memory. The City of Port Kar's council of captains government would also fall into this category though membership to the council is adapted to the Port Kar reality. Indeed in a city where shipping feeds the majority of the population, it is fairly easy to see why the rulers would be those with the largest fleets.

As is the case for Port Kar, council governments seem to shape themselves after the individual character of the city, placing the power in the hands of those more likely to influence growth and stability.