Thomasian Nationalists

The Thomasian Nationalists are a political party in Mordusia. The party follows the ideas and philosophies of Geraint Thomas, Chancellor of Mordusia during the mid 22nd century as well as the works of his followers. Thomasianism is broadly a progressive socialist and liberal movement with strong Mordusian nationalist characteristics.

Origins
The first party which today is recognised as being Thomasian was the Liberal Socialist Union founded by Geraint Thomas and Nicholas Amazuka. Originally a purely Social Democratic party the LSU became gradually more nationalistic in its actions and behaviour and eventually reflected what today would be called Thomasian values.

Thomasianism as a Religion
Geraint Thomas became widely respected within much of Mordusian society and following his death in the 2160s began to be venerated, as was common in Mordusian culture at the time. With his veneration came the discovery of a vast volume of work written during his life time by his son Edward Thomas the publishing of which led to an explosion of the interest in Thomas and the true start of Thomasianim as a singularly Mordusian philosophy. Vetween the end of the 22nd and the start of the 23rd century observance of the teachings of the "Prophet Thomas" overtook the formerly dominant Mordusian Catholic Church and Plinioism (an Ascetic religion based on the teachings of Plinio Alditia) as the largest religion in the nation. Paulus von Boran leader of the Thomasian Nationalists, Church of the Prophet Thomas and Chancellor then King of Mordusia for 20 years between 2189 and 2209 enforced strict observance of Thomas' works for all Mordusians and attempted to bring all areas of public life under the control of the church with a great deal of success. However to many he was seen as a dictator, an idea which was anathema to the ideals of the prophet and he was soon overthrown and the organised church disestablished. Thomasianism went on to become a far more moderate movement but the efforts of Paulus von Boran had a great deal of effect on the movement and the public perception of it.

Decline of Thomasianism
The policies of Paulus von Boran soured much of Mordusia to the efforts of the party and it declined in the face of capitalist opposition despite reforms made by Charles Arena who took over the party after Paulus. Thomasians as an active political force finally dissapeared 2269.

Rediscovery
Although knowledge of the Thomasian period and even small churches dedicated to the prophet continued to exist little interest existed in reviving Thomasianism with much documentary evidence of the period destroyed and lost of the centuries and much church belief based on myth and rumour. However this changed in 2530 when Christian Baynes-Thomas discovered his own relation to Geraint Thomas and through further research of family archives discovered the original copies of Geraint's work on an ancient computer. The documents fascinated academics and philosophers across the nation as an unadulterated version of Thomas' work as well as providing detailed descriptions of Mordusian society from several hundred years previously. Over the next decade interest in Thomasian Nationalism once again erupted and 2539 Christian refounded the party.