Difference between revisions of "Patriconia"

Revision as of 13:22, 8 January 2006

Patriconia

Flag of Patriconia
Motto: Liberty'
No Map Available
Region	United Federation of Patricks
Capital	Charlestown
Official Language(s)	English (French and German minorities present but not official)
Leader	Carl Ostiguy (Liberal Party)
Population	500,000,000
Currency	Patriconian pound (£)
NS Sunset XML

The Democratic Republic of Patriconia is a federal democratic republic located in the United Federation of Patricks. It is a huge, economically powerful nation, notable for its punitive income tax rates. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, intelligent population is effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs. The populace has reasonably extensive civil rights, although these are mostly aimed at allowing them to buy whatever they like. The Democratic Republic of Patriconia may be referred to as either the DRP or simply Patriconia, and consists of 20 states.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Education, and Healthcare. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Book Publishing industry, followed by Arms Manufacturing and Information Technology.

History

Patriconia originally was a colony of the British Empire. It was established in the early 18th century and won its independence soon after the American Revolution. The nation was effectively ruled as a absolute monarchy by the former colonial governor.

Between the years of 1824 to 1830, there were large numbers of French immigrants coming into the country, to escape the reign of Charles X and the restoration of the Bourbon Dynasty. The period from 1919 to 1923 saw increased immigration from Germany because of the internal strife taking place at that time. For a brief time, German immigrants and Patriconian French youths clashed on the streets of major cities, with the German blaming the French for the conflict taking place in their country at that time. This animosity only increased throughout the 1920s and the Great Depression, reaching its peak during the Second World War. However, government intervention and the end of World War II saw a near dissipation of the violence, although distrust remained until at least the 1970s.

The monarchy remained in power throughout the 19th century and half of the 20th century, but as tensions during the Cold War rose, more extreme political philosophies became increasingly popular throughout the nation. Finally, during the latter half of 1968, a fascist putsch deposed the monarchy.

The fascist government was virulently isolationist and anti-communist. This was mainly in response to the French May and public sentiment against the Vietnam War. The fascists in control of the government feared of a similar Marxist insurrection led by French Communists infiltrating the country through the large French community. Any suspected Communist, particularly of French background, would subsequently be jailed and forced to denounce their past actions and the Communist Party. Starting in the early 1990s and after the fall of Communism, the country began experiencing democratic resistance which resulted in the weakening of the authoritarian government and the establishment of the National Republican Assembly. Beginning in 2003, riots and violent anti-government protests were common, until a republican coup finally overthrew the government.

The official founding date of the present government is October 5, 2005, when the National Republican Assembly deposed the previous dictatorship. A provisional government was setup up soon after the revolution and a constitution quickly drafted, modelled after the United States Constitution and Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The DRP's capital and largest city is Charlestown, which is found in the state of New Tipperary.

Federal Government

The federal government of the Democratic Republic of Patriconia is set up very similar to that of the United States of America and is an example of the presidential system. There are three branches, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch, each checking and balancing the others.

Executive Branch

The President of the Republic is at the highest level of the executive branch. Every six years, a President and a Vice-President are elected by popular vote. The President has the power to veto bills passed by Congress, however he must rely on his supports in Congress to propose bills he supports. A supermajority in Congress may override a presidential veto.

The President of the Republic makes numerous appointments for various positions such as Cabinet members and ambassadors, within the executive branch which must be approved by the Senate. Every year, the President is required to make a State of the Republic address to Congress and may issue executive orders and pardons.

Legislative Branch

The Congress of the Republic is the legislative branch of Patriconia. The Congress is a bicameral legislature, consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate. The House of Delegates is elected according the the population of each state, while the Senate gives equal representation to all states. Each state recieves three seats in the Senate, bringing the total number of Senators to sixty.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch of the federal government of the DRP is the Supreme Court of the Republic. There are seven judges appointed by the President and confirmed by the Congress. Each judge may serve for life or until their retirement. The Supreme Court's primary duty is to determine which laws are constitutional and which are not.

Politcal Parties

There are several political parties in the Democratic Republic of Patriconia, the two largest being the Liberal Party and the National Party.

Liberal Party

The Liberal Party is the representative of the liberal movement in Patriconia. It adheres to the values of classical liberalism, and does not concern itself with religious or traditional morals, unlike the National Party and the Patriot Party. It is found in all states, but is affiliated with local likeminded parties in the areas where it is less influential.

National Party

The National Party is the largest right-of-center party in Patriconia. It is comparable to the US Republican Party in that it is socially conservative and supports a return to traditional religious values. However, it is in favor of more government involvement in and control over the economy. It is found in every state, but is not as prominent as the Patriot Party in several. In cases where the National Party is less important in a state than the Patriot Party, it will support that party's candidate. In return, the Patriot Party is a close ally to the National Party in the federal government.

Patriot Party

The Patriot Party is almost identical with the National Party in political philosophy and will associate itself with the National Party in both state and federal elections. Regardless, the Patriot Party is a separate party, albiet much smaller than the National Party, and puts much more emphasis on states' rights than does the National Party.

Democratic Socialist Workers Party (DSWP)

The Democratic Socialist Workers Party (DSWP) is a far-left party which promotes a socialist revolution, first, by reforming society as much as possible, and then by violently overthrowing the government and purging it of all the "corrupt capitalist oppressors". The Democratic Socialist Workers Party is more commonly called simply the Socialist Party, Workers Party, or abbreviated to the DSWP, and is found primarily in the poorer urban areas and in scattered rural counties of several states. However, it has attracted a large number of university students and is extending its campaign into middle class neighborhoods.

Christian Democrats

The Christian Democrats is a group of liberal Christians, but mostly Catholics, who support the ideologies of Christian democracy. Their main goal is to counter the philosophy of socialism and labor unions in Patriconia, and they tend to adopt many Vatican positions on issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage. However, the Christian Democrats accept the separation of church and state and divorce, and strongly support the freedom of worship, not only for Catholics and other Christians, but for people of all faiths.

Green Party

The Green Party of Patriconia is the Patriconian branch of the Green movement. The party follows the Four Pillars of the Green Party; ecology, social justice, grassroots democracy, and non-violence. They are the main opposition against the compulsory two-year military service required for all individuals who understand the oath.

L'Association Nationale du Patriconie

L'Association Nationale du Patriconie (The National Association of Patriconia) is not a political party, but an organization representing the interests of all Patriconians of French ascestry.

Political Divisions

There are twenty states, all existing since the dictatorship before the establishment of the Republic, although some have been renamed to express the ideals of freedom upheld by the Democratic Republic of Patriconia.

• Aquidneck
• Blackstone
• Carroll
• Douglass
• Franklin
• Hallsylvania
• East Howard
• West Howard
• Jefferson
• Karlsland
• Montgomery
• Monocacy
• New Tipperary
• New Yorkshire
• Patapsco
• St. Patrick
• Providence
• Susquehanna
• Sussex
• Worcester

Language

Most of the populace of Patriconia speaks English, but a large minority speaks French as a result of the increase of immigration from France during the early 19th century. English is still kept as the only official language for historical and administrative purposes, and also to keep the country unified under a single language. However, all students are required to have a working knowledge of French and are encouraged to experience Patriconian French culture. Subsequently, students living in areas with French majorities are required to become fluent in the English language.

German also has a small hold in Patriconia, with many all German neighborhoods in the major cities, but it is not nearly as prominent as English or French. However, it is still offered as a language in schools and children learn about German culture in elementary and middle school.