Democratic Colonies
| |||
| Motto: Life is Short, Glory Eternal | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| National Anthem: For All Mankind | |||
| Establishment | January 1, 1963 | ||
| Government Type | Constitutional Republic | ||
| Map | Click Here to View | ||
| Capital | City of Viconia, Administrative Area of Vedra | ||
| Languages - National - Regional |
English Imperial Vedran, Res'Pago, Dutch | ||
| Population | 9,500,000,000 + | ||
| Gross Domestic Product (USD) | $364,796,641,760,000 | ||
| GDP Per Capita (USD) | Estimated $37,500 to $38,500 | ||
| Currency | 1 Democratic Colonies Credit (DCred) =
100 Democratic Colonies Cents (DCents) | ||
The Federated Union of Democratic Colonies is a collection of ten islands in the Pacific Ocean, united under a central government. It's economic data is regularly tracked, recorded, and made available for public consumption by the international NSTracker and NS Dossier organizations. The Democratic Colonies is a relatively young nation, having been formed on January 1, 1963. It is a democratic nation, with a two tier legislative assembly, and an executive Presidential office. The Democratic Colonies considers itself to be a pioneer in minority rights and a strong supporter of human rights, but is often criticized for what many perceive to be a institutional bias against religious organizations.
The Democratic Colonies is not a member of any mutual defense pacts or alliances, although does enjoy free trade with the United Kingdom of Oceania through the Free Commerce and Trade Association of Democratic Nations.
Contents
Government Structure
The Ten Administrative Areas, or Colonies
The Democratic Colonies is divided into ten Administrative Areas, commonly referred to as Colonies for historical purposes. The internal workings of each Colony vary slightly, but each does maintain an elected assembly that serves to create and pass laws, as well as a separately elected Governor that serves as the executive of the assembly. The governments of all ten Colonies are considered to be subservient to the central Federal Government, and are not permitted to pass laws in violation of, or in conflict with, any Federal laws.
The Federal Legislative Assembly
At the Federal level, there exists a two tier Legislative Assembly, consisting of the Congress and the Senate.
- The Federal Congress
The Federal Congress has 5000 members elected in a nation wide election. Every party registered to participate in the election gains a seat in the Congress for every .02% of the popular vote that they receive. Members of Congress are not tied to any particular geographic location. Members of Congress are elected every 5 years, and no limit on the number of terms served exists. Proposed laws, called bills, can be proposed in either the Congress or the Senate, but must gain the approval of both levels as well as the President before becoming law.
- The Federal Senate
The Federal Senate is composed of 100 members representing the individual Colonies. The Senate was created in order to provide citizens with officials directly accountable to them, since Senators are tied to specific Colonies. The number of seats an Administrative Area holds is based upon the percentage of the national population that the Colony contains. Senators are elected every 5 years, and no limit on the number of terms served exists. Proposed laws, called bills, can be proposed in either the Congress or the Senate, but must gain the approval of levels as well as the President both before becoming law.
The Secretaries
The departments of the Federal Government, such as Defense, Foreign Affairs, Education, Commerce, and so on, have Secretaries that oversee their operation. Secretaries are appointed by the Legislative Assembly, with approval by the President. Should a President disapprove of an appointed Secretary, a 75% majority in the Legislative Assembly is able to overrule the President. Should the President and a Secretary disagree on a matter, a Secretary with the support of 90% of the Legislative Assembly can override the President. The Attorney General and the Surgeon General, heads of the Department of Law and Order and the Department of Health respectively, are equivalent to Secretaries and hold "Secretary" as a secondary title. No limit to the time a person serves as a Secretary exists.
The President
The President serves as the chief executive of the nation, but is limited by the Legislative Assembly and the Secretaries. If the President-Elect receives less then 50% of the popular vote, confirmation of his or her appointment must be provided by a majority of the Legislative Assembly. The President is elected in a nation wide election every 5 years, and no limit on the number of terms served exists. The President can veto a bill but can be overridden by atleast 80% of the Legislative Assembly, or 60% and the support of the Federal Secretary whose area of responsibility includes the matters included in the bill.
The Federal Supreme Court
The Federal Supreme Court serves in one capacity to ensure that any laws passed by the Federal Government adhere to the Constitution of the Democratic Colonies, the Unification Act of 1963, and the Charter of Rights.
The Vedran Imperial Family and the Royal Family of Andromeda
The Vedran Imperial Family and the Royal Family of Andromeda serve a mostly ceremonial purpose in the modern government, primarily serving as symbolic figureheads for the legislative assemblies of their respective Colonies and carrying out the issuance of various federal awards, decorations, and titles.
Notable awards, decorations and titles issued by the Vedran Imperial Family and the Royal Family of Andromeda include:
- The titles of Sir and Lady, awarded to senior civil servants, specially awarded military personnel, and citizens of outstanding character or achievement.
- The Tear of the Vedran Empress, awarded to military personnel for acts of great self sacrifice and gallant chivalry. Usually awarded posthumously.
- The Sword of the Royal Andromedan Honor Guard, awarded to military personnel for acts of exceptional courage in the face of great danger.
- The Pauldron of the Royal Andromedan Honor Guard, awarded to military personnel for exceptional acts or conduct preventing or minimizing conflict that would otherwise bring about negative effects on the Democratic Colonies or its interests.
The Ten Administrative Areas, or Colonies
The ten Administrative Areas, or Colonies that today are the Democratic Colonies come from a variety of historical and cultural backgrounds, and continue to have distinctive language and culture unique unto themselves. English is the standard language spoken by nearly all citizens of the Democratic Colonies, but in many cases the languages of pre-unification live on, coexisting with the official tongue.
- Vedra
Vedra holds the nation's capitol Viconia, as well as Passchendale, considered the nation's cultural hub and home to the highly talented DC film industry. Vedra rests along the northern coast of the Colony, while Passchendale, a more industrially focused city, is situated on the southern coast. Mining of metals and ores occurs on a large scale in the central areas of the island.
Vedra was originally colonized by the United States of America in 1822. The original inhabitants of the island, ruled by an Imperial family and numbering only in the thousands, were entirely assimilated into the culture of the American settlers by the turn of the century. The Vedran Imperial family is continued today by descendants of the original Imperial family, and serves as a figurehead for the Vedran Congress.
Approximately 35% of the population of the Democratic Colonies lives in Vedra. Major cities are Viconia and Passchendale.
- Andromeda
Andromeda is one of the nation's most popular tourist destinations. Serendipity, the Colony's capitol, is situated on the island's northern coast, has the most attractive beaches in the nation, is home to many renowned live theatres and musical groups, hosts many extravagant casinos and other entertainment venues, and is the hub of the massive DC technology development industry. Due to an overall focus on high-tech industries instead of traditional industries, and the careful maintenance of natural reserves, Andromeda Colony is the cleanest, least polluted of the major Colonies. Due to the government's efforts to minimize the ecological impact on the island, nearly the entire population inhabits either Serendipity, or the coffee growing and agricultural settlements to the island's east.
Andromeda became a dominion of the British Empire in 1799, when Royal Navy Captain Willian Taggart challenged and defeated King Orti'Ago in a traditional battle to the death, and claimed the title of King of Res'Pago, renamed Andromeda by the British. The natives of the island accepted the leadership of Captain Taggart, and were eventually assimilated into the greater British culture. Today, the descendants of Captain William Taggart continue as the Royal family of Andromeda, and serve as a figurehead for the Parliament of Andromeda.
Approximately 20% of the population of the Democratic Colonies lives in Andromeda. Major city is Serendipity.
- Fairweather
Fairweather is a Colony that lies further to the west then any other. Its coastal capitol of Trademeet has benefited greatly from this western location, as it has served as a valuable commercial and shipping traffic hub between the more eastern Colonies and the nations of Asia. Trademeet is home to a large heavy manufacturing and industrial sector, including most of the Democratic Colonies' automotive and aircraft production plants. Trademeet forms the central hub of the island, with the City of Steelward situated further inland towards the metal mining, coal, and uraninite and other ore mining sites that make up most of the remainder of the Administrative Area.
Fairweather was originally uninhabited when the British East India Company established it as a port of call in 1860, where goods en route to and from the Orient could be inspected and processed.
Approximately 20% of the population of the Democratic Colonies lives in Fairweather. Major cities are Trademeet and Steelward.
- Athena
Athena is a mountainous and volcanic island that is for the most part, unsafe due to the risk of volcanic eruption. The capitol of Candle Keep is one of the few safe areas on the island. Athena is mineral rich, and is the primary source of the nation's metals, precious metals, precious stones, and mineral ores, and is also where much of the industrial production of the Democratic Colonies takes place, as well as a significant part of the nation's technical and scientific research.
Athena was originally settled by the British in 1890, primarily as a mining settlement, although its population quickly grew.
Approximately 10% of the population of the Democratic Colonies lives in Athena. Major city is Candle Keep.
- Wynford
Wynford is the primary domestic source of oil and natural gas for the Democratic Colonies. The capitol of Balmora is where most of the Colony's population calls home, and is a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, because of its lively nightlife, gambling, and social atmosphere. Wynford also contains the City of New Warnsveld, notable for its strong manufacturing sector.
Wynford was originally settled by Dutch explorers in 1755, but had most of its population lost to a hurricane in 1781. Following this, the Dutch government sold the island to the British Pacific Development Company, who ignored it for the most part. Wynford was purchased from the British Pacific Development Company in 1896 by an American oil tycoon named Alex Brooks, who used his personal wealth to settle the island. Upon Brook's death in 1916, the United States government, concerned about the well being of the island's American settlers, purchased the island from Brooks' estate, and then proceeded to lease large portions of the island to a variety of oil companies.
Approximately 10% of the population of the Democratic Colonies lives in Wynford. Major Cities are Balmora and New Warnsveld.
- The Five Minor Colonies
The Colonies of Kearond, Rinkus, Grace, Sagittarius, and Lockheart are referred to as the Minor Colonies because combined, they house only 5% of the population of the nation. They are of important economic value to the Democratic Colonies, notably Kearond because of its agricultural industry and Sagittarius because of its ore mining industries, but are considered to be culturally minor.
Current Government and Politics
The current political atmosphere in the Democratic Colonies is stable with a high degree of civic confidence in the state, although a number of key issues in recent years have driven the political mainstream further to the fiscal right than many long time politicians are accustomed to.
Current government budget data is available through the international NSTracker and NS Dossier organizations.
Current President, Legislative Assembly, and Secretaries
The current executive of the Federated Union of Democratic Colonies is Sir Gordon S. Lewis of the Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party. President Lewis enjoys moderate popularity with the public, with the most recent polls indicating a 65% approval rating amoung citizens of voting age.
The Legislative Assembly is considered by many analysts to be in a well balanced state, with power wielded by all three major parties as well as a number of minor parties and coalitions.
The Federal Congress currently seats:
| Party | Description | Seats in Federal Congress (5,000 total) | Seats in Federal Senate (100 total) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party | The Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party is a socially progressive and liberal party that endorses fiscally conservative and moderate policies. The Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party has been the driving force behind the massive tax cuts that have occured in the Democratic Colonies in the past 5 years, which has lowered the income tax rate for the average citizen to 45%, and have stated that they wish to continue to cut spending and lower taxes. The Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party believes that the current regulating system governing the conduct of business and commerce in the Democratic Colonies is overly restricted and complicated, and should be reformed. The Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party endorses limiting the involvement of the Democratic Colonies in international affairs, supporting only very limited trade agreements and military action only if they directly benefit the people of the Democratic Colonies. The three budget sectors that the Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party believes to be most critical are commerce, national defense, and education. | 1,848 | 28 |
| Liberal Party | The Liberal Party is a progressive and liberal party in both the social and fiscal sense. The Liberal Party party suggests an average national income tax rate of 50-63.5% in order to fund government spending, and believes that the Democratic Colonies should take an active part in the going ons of the international community, exerting its diplomatic and economic power to influence world events. The Liberal Party endorses moderately limited trade agreements and some free trade agreements, as well as specially designed trade agreements as awards to nations for behaving as suggested by the Democratic Colonies. The Liberal Party endorses the use of military power to exert pressure on certain nations in order to improve the human rights of people world wide, or to further the interests of the Democratic Colonies either directly or indirectly. The three budget sectors that the Liberal Party believes to be most critical are education, national defense, and social equality. | 1,417 | 23 |
| Social Democrats | The Social Democrats are a party fiscally to the left of the Liberal Party. The Social Democrats suggest an average national income tax rate of 55-73.5%, and believes that the Democratic Colonies should take an active part in the going ons of the international community, exerting its diplomatic and economic power to influence world events. In contrast to the Liberal Party however, the Social Democrats are staunch protectionists, endorsing only the most limited of trade agreements, and support the use of military power only in direct defense of the Democratic Colonies. The Social Democrats are the most environmentally friendly of the three major political parties, putting great effort into reducing the chemical emissions of the nation and planning to slow global warming. The three budget sectors that the Social Democrats believe to be most critical are social equality, environmental preservation and restoration, and education. | 838 | 17 |
| Liberated Market Alliance | The Liberated Market Alliance is a minor party. The Liberated Market Alliance endorses a flat income tax rate below 37.5% for all incomes regardless of income, the privatization of many vital services, and radical redesign of business regulations. The Liberated Market Alliance believes that the more free an economy is the more free a people is, and that with greater market opportunity comes greater opportunity for all. | 385 | 13 |
| Internationalist Group | The Internationalist Group is a minor party. The Internationalist Group believes that the Democratic Colonies should seek out new alliances and forge new relationships with the end goal of forming a single democratic super-state that will eventually become the foremost leader of humanity. The policies of the Internationalist Group are generally moderate or left leaning both fiscally and socially. The Internationalist Group supports large scale military expansion and government control of certain industrial production to insure national stability. | 313 | 11 |
| Socialist / Communist Aligned Bloc | The Socialist / Communist Aligned Bloc is a minor party. The Socialist / Communist Aligned Bloc loose association committed to transforming the Democratic Colonies into a worker's paradise, with proper redistribution of wealth to ensure greatest possible equality and a full command economy to ensure that the needs of the people are met. | 127 | 4 |
| United Glory Front | The United Glory Front is a minor party. The United Glory Front believes that the Democratic Colonies' immigration plan is severely flawed and that far too many immigrants are entering the country. The United Glory Front recognizes and respects the long and proud history of the Democratic Colonies and its predecessor colonies, and wishes to preserve the rich cultural tapestry that is currently threatened by the barely restrained flood of immigrants that has caused severe cultural erosion in the past decade. | 60 | 4 |
| Independent | Members of other parties or of independent background | 12 | 0 |
The core ten Federal Secretaries are currently:
| Position | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary of Foreign Affairs | Sir Neil Jaeger | Liberal Party |
| Secretary of Internal Affairs | Lady Alison Byrne | Liberal Party |
| Secretary of Defense | Sir Bruce Davison | Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party |
| Secretary of Law and Order / Attorney General | Sir Joseph Cox | Social Democrats |
| Secretary of Health and Wellbeing / Surgeon General | Sir Tôru Nakamura | Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party |
| Secretary of Education | Sir Leonard Brooks | Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party |
| Secretary of the Exchequer | Sir Claus Reiher | Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party |
| Secretary of Trade and Commerce | Lady Gail Castelluccio | Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party |
| Secretary of Science | Lady Nancy Warren | Progressive Fiscal Conservative Party |
| Secretary of the Environment | Sir Charles Satterfield | Social Democrats |
Military
The Democratic Colonies Military is composed of six branches, each a part of the civilian Department of Defense, which is led by the Secretary of Defense. Current military spending is at a much lower percentage of the budget then it was in previous years. During normal peace time, the military personnel form less than one half of a percentage of the nation's population, with less than 0.04% of the national population probably a more accurate figure. Both men and women can be accepted into any duty or position. The uniforms and body armour for all branches are mostly identical with relatively few identifying differences.
- Democratic Colonies Navy
- Democratic Colonies Marine Corps
The Navy is the largest single branch of the military, and includes the Marine Corps as well as its own special operations units under its authority. The Navy is considered by politicians and citizens alike as the most important branch of the military, for it is by sea that the vast majority of the nation's oil, food, and other vital imports arrive. The Navy is also the primary tool of power projection for the nation through combined use of aircraft carriers and battleships in Naval Action Groups, as well as difficult to detect missile-equipped submarines.
- Democratic Colonies Air Force
The Air Force provides long ranged heavy bombing capability for the nation, and provides protection of Democratic Colonies airspace. The Democratic Colonies Air Force maintains a sizable fleet of aerial tankers to ensure that the Air Force is able to project power to even distant locations, although Air Force power projection capabilities remains inferior to those of the Navy in many regards.
- Democratic Colonies Army
The Army is regarded as being less important than the Navy and Air Force because of the Democratic Colonies' existence as a cluster of ten islands. The Army is a proportionally small service compared to the Navy and Air Force, but maintains sufficient personnel and equipment levels to present a feasible force projection and defensive capability.
- Democratic Colonies Judge Advocate General's Command
The Judge Advocate General's Command is responsible for investigating and prosecuting misconduct by military personnel from any of the services. Personnel from the Judge Advocate General's Command are attached to military units of the other branches at a battalion or equivalent level to observe and record operations, ensure adherence to fundamental protocols, the laws of war, and moral behavior, as well as accept, investigate, and if needed intervene in cases of clear command incompetence.
- Democratic Colonies Strategic Deterrence Command
Strategic Deterrence Command is responsible for the operation of the nation's weapons of mass destruction. When weapons of mass destruction are attached to units from other military branches, personnel from Strategic Deterrence Command are also attached and are in direct legal command of the weapon of mass destruction itself.
- Democratic Colonies Peacekeeper Command
Peacekeeper Command is tasked with peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian operations. Special training in negotiation, peaceful conflict resolution, and less-than-lethal tactics are used. A reserve auxiliary of civilian teachers, skilled tradesmen such as plumbers and electricians, and engineers and other technical experts is maintained for possible deployment by Peacekeeper Command in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Internal Affairs.
