Difference between revisions of "Esternarx"

Revision as of 23:02, 1 March 2006

Esternarx

Flag of Esternarx
Motto: "Per Libertas, Prosperitas"
Region	European Continent
Capital	Esternarx
Official Language(s)	English
Leader	The Liberty Party
Population	210 million
Currency	Trade Credit
NS Sunset XML

Note: This NSwiki was last updated March 1, 2006

Summary

The sprawling metropolis of Esternarx is a city-state, similar to those of ancient greece. It is a relatively new nation that splintered off from TheNeoRomanEmpire on January 15, 2006. Since then, it has gone through two major political upheavals that set it apart from it's former mother country. Keeping in tune with the national motto, Esternarx currently has the second strongest economy and one of the highest civil rights ratings in the region.

Current NationStates Stats

UN Category: Capitalizt

Civil Rights: Excellent

Economy: Powerhouse

Political Freedoms: Very Good

The Free City-State of Esternarx is a huge, economically powerful nation, notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, intelligent population of 210 million enjoy some of the most opulent lifestyles in the region, unless they are unemployed or working-class, in which case they are variously starving to death or crippled by easily preventable diseases.

There is no government in the normal sense of the word; however, a small group of community-minded, pro-business individuals is effectively ruled by the Department of Commerce, with areas such as Social Welfare and the Environment receiving almost no funds by comparison. Income tax is unheard of. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Information Technology, Retail, and Uranium Mining industries.

It's a common sight to see angry commuters with grenade launchers mounted on their vehicles, strict term limits have been applied to all elected offices, ethnic minorities are often refused admission to some of the nation's best schools, and the nanny industry has had a boom after maternity leave was recently banned. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is crippling, and the police force struggles against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Esternarx's national animal is the winged snake, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the trade credit.

History

The Birth of Esternarx

On January 15, 2006, a fairly large political party from TheNeoRomanEmpire who were not being taken seriously in anything but local politics boarded several ships bound for the unclaimed area known as Norway and settled on the western coast. They founded the city of Esternarx, naming it after the only land entrance to the vast city, The Eastern Arch. Due to disagreements about the way their newly found independence should be treated, the group split into three separate political parties, The Moore Party, The Liberty Party, and The Patriot Party. The Moore Party, led by President Erik Moore, immediately seized power and the government held sway over almost every part of the new country, including the economy, which the government kept an especially firm grip on.

Political Power Shift

Less than a month after Esternarx was founded, Erik Moore disappeared without a trace. The Liberty Party quickly gained the majority in Congress and The Liberty Party candidate, Emais Freedhelm, became president of The Free City-State of Esternarx. Vast, sweeping reforms in civil rights, political freedom, and economic liberty were put into place as soon as the new president could sign them. Esternarx was fast becoming freer and more prosperous than ever under their new leader.

The Fall of The Arx Corporation

Ever since it's birth, The Arx Corporation, founded by Jacob Vargas, was the biggest and most powerful company in the nation. They were even more powerful than the government itself at one time. It alone accounted for almost half of the GDP of Esternarx and owned almost one-fourth of the property. Arx Corporation business ventures included a massive computer manufacturing wing, an automobile manufacturing wing, a bank, and multiple retail and food businesses. It even began a controversial mercenary business that sold terrorist cells, chemical weapons, and biological weapons. Ultimately, it was this that was their undoing.

Biological weapons were unleashed in Arkotech Labs, killing hundreds of employees and effectively ending the development and production of all biological and chemical weapons. It is still uncertain as to exactly how this happened, theories ranged from a terrorist attack to a vast government conspiracy, but the final verdict was that it was a mere computer malfunction. Arx Corporation stock dropped like a bomb and the international share holders were left holding worthless stock certificates and lawsuit notices. Jacob Vargas commited suicide a day after the incident. The shattered remains of the company were sold off to the highest bidder and the only remaining monument to the former power and prestige of The Arx Corporation is The Arx Tower, now owned and operated by various businesses and companies.

One Party Government Control

Not long after the fall of the Arx Corporation, the national elections proved disappointing to the two minority parties as together they were completely eliminated in the government as The Liberty Party took full control of all three branches. Emais Freedhelm was re-elected in a landslide and in a speech stated that even though Esternarx was a one party state, democracy would be upheld and the people could elect whoever the majority deemed worthy, regardless of their political affiliation. Despite this assurance, the remaining members of the Moore Party and Patriot Party protested to no end as the last remnants of their power were torn from them. The popularity of an alternative currency known as Trade Credits had been rising signicantly since major economic collapse in NeoRome inflated the NeoCoin past all hope of recovery and finally Trade Credits were considered the official national currency. Esternarx, despite (or perhaps because of) these political changes, still has one of the most free nations in the region and has the second most powerful economy.

Esternarx Map Breakdown

Arch District

A rough and tough area of Esternarx, the arch district is known for its many casinos, high class strip clubs, whore-houses, and recreational drug stores. The poorest of the poor live in shanties down the dark alleys while nearby some of the wealthiest people in the city live in penthouses and high rise hotels right on the strip. Being so close to the Arch, many wanderers and gypsies from the unclaimed lands of Norway do business here. While little of what goes on here is actually technically illegal, it is still considered immoral by most people.

South Central

The south central area of Esternarx is made up mostly of upper middle class neighborhoods and residential property. There is also a small commercial area along the coastline, made up of beach houses, condos, and luxury hotels.

North Central

Lower middle class residents are the dominating property owners in the north central area of the city. Small commercial fishing enterprises and shipping businesses along the coast struggle to compete with the massive trade fleets of Esternarx Shipping Incorporated.

Downtown

Massive skyscrapers cluster together in the downtown district of Esternarx, owned and operated mostly by major businesses. The towering buildings are quite intimidating and can be seen for miles around, shining like a beacon of capitalism and economic power to all who gaze upon them.

South Coastal

The south coastal district of the city is an industrial wasteland. It is home to Paladin Manufacturing and many other business facilities, including many power plants, factories, warehouses, and laboratories. A perpetual cloud of smog fills the sky above this huge industrial zone, made by thousands of smoke stacks pumping air polluting waste smoke into the atmosphere. The coastline of this area is extremely toxic because of all of the chemical and biological waste flowing directly into the ocean, making the water for miles around completely uninhabitable to all aquatic life. Recently, Paladin Manufacturing's research and development into cleaner and more efficient nuclear power has begun to clean up the environment here.

North Coastal

A coastal paradise for the richest and most powerful people in Esternarx, the north coastal area is known for its beautiful views of the ocean and the huge palace-like mansions built along the beaches. This area of the city is home to many golf courses and beautiful parks, all the playgrounds of the extremely wealthy.

Political Parties

The Moore Party (M)

History

The Moore Party was founded by Erik Moore, who advocated a reasonable amount of government control in almost all areas of life. With his party the majority power in the congress and courts, he was the president of Esternarx for less than a month before he went missing unexpectedly, leaving behind no clues to his whereabouts. Many blamed The Liberty Party because they seized power soon after his disappearance but no charges were filed because they had no proof. The Moore Party has since then lost all political power in Esternarx and been completely eleminated in the government by majority vote.

Politics

Moore Party politics include government interference in the economy in the name of protectionism, a strong military, a pervasive police force, aggressive public education programs, and large government programs to protect the environment.

The Liberty Party (L)

History

The Liberty Party was founded by Emais Freedhelm, who believed in personal freedom and personal responsibility. His party remained just behind The Moore Party in the congress majority until Erik Moore's disappearance, when they overtook The Moore Party and Emais Freedhelm became the president. Since they gained power, The Liberty Party has reformed the government towards a freer and more prosperous Esternarx and more recently have eleminated all competition from other political parties in the government.

Politics

Liberty Party politics revolve around minimal government interference and maximum personal, political, and economic freedom. Their platform is to allow people the freedom to do whatever they want, as long as they don't interfere with the equal freedom of others. They advocate a free market economy and civil liberty as among the highest priorities. They see any law that takes away from individual freedom in any way as unnecessary and immoral.

The Patriot Party (P)

History

The Patriot Party was founded by Erronius Intessimas, who claimed that Esternarx should become a NeoRoman province and not remain independent. It had remained a small and minority party ever since its founding in spite of suspected unilateral diplomatic action with NeoRome. The only successful political victory they had was in keeping the former currency as neocoins for as long as they did, despite its massive loss in value due to inflation in NeoRome. Even that failed eventually as the popularity of the more valuable Trade Credit grew and the NeoCoin was eleminated from use in the country. They have since lost all power in the government and have no elected officials in power at any level.

Politics

Patriot Party politics are nearly the exact same as those of TheNeoRomanEmpire. In regards to the governing of Esternarx, they intend to turn over the government to TheNeoRomanEmpire and make Esternarx a NeoRoman province when and if they gain power.

Other Information

Current Government

President: Emais Freedhelm (L)

Congress: 30(L)

High Court: 10(L)

National Data

Conventional Long Form: The Free City-State of Esternarx

Conventional Short Form: Esternarx

Inhabitants: Esternarxians

Official Language: English

Official Religion: N/A

Currency: Trade Credit

National Motto: "Per Libertas, Prosperitas" (Prosperity through Liberty)

Major Businesses

Paladin Manufacturing

Paladin Manufacturing is a massive industrial corporation, owning factories and power plants all over Esternarx. The CEO, Gordon Myers, is a self made man and has contributed much to society along with making himself into the richest man in the country. It manufactures everything from planes and ships, to plastic sporks and toilet paper. It has been the largest company in Esternarx ever since the fall of The Arx Corporation and while it recently began a large private security forces agency that has more soldiers and better technology than the government controlled military, it's still smaller and less advanced than the former Arx Corporation private military was.

Esternarx Shipping Incorporated

Almost all trade, both imports and exports, goes through Esternarx Shipping Incorporated. It has a massive fleet of freight ships and owns nearly all of the coastline property of Esternarx. It works closely with Paladin Manufacturing as practically the only shipping company in Esternarx. It ships goods all over Europe and to parts of South and North America, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.