- "Better yet, declare everybody a Vor and be done with the whole bloody nonsense forever."
The Emperor laughed, then choked and coughed, sputtering. "Wouldn't that pull the rug out from under the People's Defense League? What an attractive counterproposal to assassinating the aristocracy! I don't believe the most wild-eyed of them could come up with a more radical proposal. You're a dangerous man, Lord Vorkosigan." - ―Aral and Ezar discuss radical politics[src]
The People's Defense League (PDL) was an anti-Vor movement that was in favor of democratization of the Barrayaran government by means of eliminating the Vor aristocracy after the Time of Isolation ended and galactic contact was re-established. Assassination may have been one of their methods or part of their propaganda, as implied by Emperor Ezar Vorbarra.[1]
The movement was weakened during Aral Vorkosigan's Regency, due to Vorkosigan's Centrist programs, such as the meritorization of the Barrayaran Imperial Service and the restructuring of the district citizenship process.[2][3]
Shortly after Vordarian's Pretendership, a splinter group of the PDL attempted to declare one district a republic; this was forcefully put down by the new Count and his District Militia.[4]
An Anti-Vor pro-galactic faction mentioned in The Vor Game may have been an offshoot from or descendent of this group.[5]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Shards of Honor chapter 15
- ↑ Barrayar chapter 1
- ↑ A Civil Campaign chapter 5
- ↑ Barrayar chapter 19
- ↑ The Vor Game chapter 11