Avatar:Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se

"It's my job to oversee the rest of the city's resources, including the military."

— Long Feng to Team Avatar.

Through his position as Grand Secretariat, Long Feng used the Earth King as a mere puppet to enforce his will.

The Grand Secretariat is the head of government in Ba Sing Se and the Earth Kingdom. Answerable to the Earth Monarch, the secretariat serves as the sovereign's foremost adviser on internal matters within the capital city and maintains law and order in the bustling metropolis through the Dai Li. In 171 AG, however, the position had been reduced to nothing more than an obedient servant of the monarch.

Due to the anarchy in the Earth Kingdom, the position of the Grand Secretariat was rendered effectively meaningless by 174 AG, since there was no reigning government. Despite that, the Grand Secretariat and the royal cabinet still maintained the power to crown a monarch. After Kuvira's defeat following her attack on Republic City, King Wu announced his desire to abolish the monarchy in favor of independent states with a democratically elected government, which would make the position of the Grand Secretariat obsolete, as there would no longer be a central government.

Known holders

• Gun (Unknown - Present)
• Long Feng (Unknown - 100 AG)

Trivia

• Much like the Earth Monarch is the Head of State, the Grand Secretariat is the Head of Government, similar to the prime minister or president in some countries.
• In the imperial government of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), there was an administrative position known as the Grand Secretariat (首辅
  (Shǒufǔ)). Similar to the depiction in Avatar, the Grand Secretariat had a great deal of control over the emperor because he screened all the documents sent to the emperor from all other governmental agencies and sometimes drafted responses on the emperor's behalf. The Grand Secretariat also held power over the court and ministers, making him the de facto ruler at times.

See also

• Politics in the World of Avatar