Borogravian Political Officers

In the Borogravian Armies there are certain members who spy on their colleagues making sure that they obey Nugganitic Law, and that they say and do the right things or they will be reported on and 'disappeared'.

These politicals are not to be trusted under any circumstances; one such member is Corporal Strappi who we encounter in Monstrous Regiment

Annotation

In Roundworld terms these resemble Communist Political Commissars. These were the supervisory political officers responsible for the political education (ideology) and organisation, and loyalty to the government of the military. Historically, the commissaire politique (political commissary) first appeared in the French Revolution (1789–99), guarding it against anti-Revolutionary (ideological) thought and action, and so "ensuring the Republican victory".

The idea was taken further by the Soviets during WWII until 1943, and reinstated after the war (lasting through the Cold War period until the dissolution of the CCCP in 1991), for a period of which the political commissar held military rank equalling that of the unit commander to whom he was attached; moreover, the commissar also had the military authority to countermand the unit commander’s orders when required.