-- Monty PythonListen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony
It occurred to me towards the end of reading A Memory of Light, that the relationship between Two Rivers and Andor highlights an interesting political theory. Maybe theory isn't correct and 'truth'is more accurate. A truth that basically states that any and all governments exists because the governed allows it to be so. In relation to the books... the Two Rivers hasn't seen anyone one representing the Andorian government in so long that most of them didn't even know they were in that country. On the other side of the coin, the Queen and everyone, only see the Two Rivers as lines on a map.
The Two Rivers ended up referring to Perrin as 'Lord', even without any 'official' announcement as such. Of course, that got me thinking about how one becomes a 'Lord/Lady' or Queen//King'. I can only assume that it was something similar to that happened to Perrin. A natural leader came along and people followed. Somehow it started being assumed that bloodline would pass along the leadership abilities.
I won't go farther with my thoughts since it would cross into spoiler area for the last 2 books, so I'll leave this question... Do you believe that the Two Rivers area still be part of Andor, or given the right to govern themselves, or at least choice which of the major countries to be part of? I'm of the mind that the Two Rivers, given location and being left on their own for so long anyways, is more that capable of ruling themselves.