List of Inanimate Objects in Government
A comprehensive catalog of non-living items that have held official government positions throughout history, ranging from household objects to natural phenomena.
A reconstructed scene from the Great Object Assembly of 1899, showing various inanimate objects arranged around a meeting table
Notable Historical Appointments
Ancient Era (Pre-1700s)
- The Sacred Stone of Wisdom, which served as Chief Advisor in the Kingdom of Mineralite from 1203-1245
- The Golden Weathervane that determined military strategy in the Republic of Windchester
- A mysterious pendulum that served as Supreme Court Justice in Medieval Swingland
Modern Era (1700s-Present)
- President Maxwell Quiche's grandmother's cookbook as Secretary of State
- The Eternal Flame of Bureaucracy, which served as Minister of Energy in New Phosphoria
- An antique grandfather clock appointed as Minister of Time Management in the United Chronological States
Most Successful Object Officials
The Office of Peculiar Appointments rates the following objects as the most effective government officials:
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The Spinning Compass of Direction, which guided national policy in Magnetica for 12 years
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The Great Abacus, which served as Treasury Secretary and successfully managed the economy of Calculand during the Mathematical Depression
The Great Abacus during its term as Treasury Secretary (1922-1934)
- The Wise Teapot, which negotiated peace treaties through ceremonial tea services
Controversial Appointments
The Filing Cabinet Incident
In 1956, the Republic of Papyrus appointed a filing cabinet as Minister of Organization, leading to the infamous Great Paper Jam Crisis when it began eating important documents.
The Mirror Ministry
The Kingdom of Reflexia created controversy by appointing a full-length mirror as Foreign Minister, claiming it would "reflect" other nations' true intentions.
The Mirror Ministry's main hall, where diplomatic meetings were conducted through reflections