Point 1: Well yeah actually you got it right on the nose someone OUTSIDE the empire is being exploited economically
Not Icarans.
Point 2: Well think of it like this fastfood companies have VAST turnover because no one wants to work there for long, and many of these people end up unemployed for quite a while (and I've met two that just went on wellfare for a good long while because nothing "suited them") the Icaran government basically says "No way in hell your quiting that fast food job until you get a better one lined up and prove it." they also don't give out wellfare so slobs can sit on their butts at home.
Think about how many wellfare people suck up cash in the US and don't do anything worthwhile in return (not counting those who literally can't work), instead of getting paid to sit on their butts and drink beer the Icarans only pay them when they are doing something productive for the Empire.
It actually creates economic growth because not only are you increasing productivity but you are increasing the amount of people who can buy goods thus increasing both supply and demand at the same time.
A "good wage" doesn't mean white collar, they do have minimum wage jobs yah know
And the government doesn't pay them the company the government sent them to does just like a modern company.
The problem with your argument over "Divine Right" is that Icarans have been raised for litterally GENERATIONS to beleive in this process, it's in their very "nature" to have a Praetor and it's hard if not impossible for them to imagine another form of government that could work.
Just like when you walk up to a guy who's from a democratic government and he can't imagine living in any other form of government.
Essentially Icarans are allowed to live their lives freely as long as they violate no laws and are productive citizens so why should they even question the status quo?
A generally content and well treated and cared for population that feels like their government is not above the law (which as I stated many times the Praetor and Nobility aren't) and is generally watching out for their well being has no reason to rebel just for the sake of it.
Hell you know how many people in America right after the Revolution wanted to establish a Monarchy?
The Icaranverse never had a "Democratic" revolution that succeded or if it did it turned into a bloodbath so Democracy to an Icaran or voting for leaders to an Icaran is as alien as having a Praetorship and Nobility is to us.
The point I'm trying to make El-Phil is history for them did not bring about the call for democracy or republic until long after the Icaran Empire left the sol system and by then no Icarans were around to think about "Hmm Democracy?"
Our idea of sainthood btw requires someone to be dead
Theirs does not so your argument there is flawed.
El_Phil you have grown up in a society where "Free will" generally means the right to question everything everyone else does and then moan about it as much as you want if you want or praise it as much as you want if you want.
Icarans grew up in a world where free will means you get to live your life for the most part as you see fit except that you follow a government that you were raised to beleive in and follow and defend.
Look at it this way the average Icaran is better educated then the average American, Canadian or Japanese, they always have the option of finding a job (even if it means joining the military)and they know that unless the seriously screw up and break the law they won't even have to worry about the government beyond paying taxes and possibly being drafted in times of war.
They aren't brutally opressed in every facet of life (unless they rebel and I doubt the US would take kindly to rebels either) they generally get to go where they want within their province (they do require passports to cross into other provinces) and do what they want.
They even have a freedom of religion (as long as it is one of the legal ones which are not state regulated) and in some extent freedom of press.
The average Icaran would feel safe because crime is punished with absolutely no appeal, and their police are better equipped and better trained then any we could match. Thus their streets are safe.
Anyone who even kidnaps a child (unless it is a parent and for rare circumstances) is hung in public so people aren't as afraid of letting their children play outside.
You don't seem to realize El_Phil that life inside the Empire is fairly good by our standards, so they don't have many of the freedom's we do but you can't miss what you never had in the first place can you? Especially when you're entire culture beleives that those freedoms are dangerous.
And there is nothing wrong with a culture that emphasizes community good over personal greed and self interest. Of course they compete with one another in the work place and in sports and the like but when it comes to the important stuff they are there for one another and they know they can count on their neighbors.
You automatically seem to assume that there are things like "thought police" roaming the streets beating people up and this simply isn't so.
And when it comes down to your other arguments again it's from the point of someone raised in a culture where we elect people and still wonder why the hell they are in charge lol I mean you know how many people VOTE for a politico and then turn around and go "Who put them in charge?"
I'm sure there would be Icarans wondering "Why are they in charge?" but they are the population that would do that even if they had elected the folks in the first place.
Oh and BTW most Nobles are not "born" to position most of the time they are selected by the Praetor and the Five High Lords (who are the only nobles born to rank). There ARE nobles born to rank but only when it is a family trait to excel in that given position.
In fact one of the reasons the Empire does absorb other countries relatively easily is that it selects the least rebelious leaders of that nation and makes them the local government, which has caused rebellions but has for the most part led people to be more peaceful in transition because it is someone they already know and trust.
Of course after 6,000 years of existance there have been dozens of rebellions, riots and border wars but for the most part the average Icaran is loyal because they have no reason not to be, and after a generation or so has passed even "new provinces" would start to see the major benefits of being a part of Icara and would likely be willing to go with the flow.
I mean El_Phil the idea of anything BUT a heredetary rulership is relatively newborn to THIS world, and theirs has had none of the major historic events that even got our ancestors thinking of true democracy and republic.
I mean I hate to break it to you but not even America rebelled because of the British Monarchy they rebelled because they were a pampered pet that got told they'd need to start paying taxes on par with the rest of England and they didn't like it. lol
"An unelected hereditary quasi-religious absolute and un-questionable leader. Possibly the worst sort of goverment I can imagine. "
And here's what an Icaran would say.
"An elected rich SOB who uses smeer campaigns and political double talk to reach officer, and makes promises he's not legally required to keep? And a Nation that practically forbids any form of religious expression in government Oh my God I can't imagine a worse form of government."
We tend to think along the lines that "we're right everyone else is doomed to failure and wrong." they simply have a different culture that beleives in a government we don't and the whole POINT of Icara is to take a look at humans who grew up differently from us and have faced threats we can't imagine that have shaped them differently then us.
Beleive it or not El_Phil even today there are governments that have Born leaders (there are also tribes that have born leaders though these barely count) and are perfectly happy.