Difference between revisions of "Ericrea"

Revision as of 23:54, 24 July 2005

Ericrea

Flag of Ericrea
Motto: "Veritas Vos Liberatis"
None Available
Region	Averencia
Capital	Dionopolis
Official Language(s)	English
Leader	President Dion
Population	Low Millions
Currency	Ericrean Dollar
NS Sunset XML

Introduction

The small, coastal nation of Ericrea is a relatively peaceful place. It was founded upon the ideals of its first and current leader, who is also the country's namesake. The Ericrean people value isolationism, security, capitalism, learning, and the environment. Ericrea is an accepting nation that people from almost all walks of life can enjoy as a calm and comfortable place to spend their days.

Geography

Ericrea is situated in a serene corner of the world that perfectly suits the Ericrean way of life. The northern border is an ocean that provides not only a beautiful shoreline (and therefore tourism) but also access to international trade. On the southern edge of the country is a mountain range, which also curves northward on either side of the nation to create parts of Ericrea's eastern and western borders. The eastern border is completed by a river running from the mountains down through a semi-tropical rainforest that extends a good distance into the country. Ericrea's interior is characterized by rolling hills near the mountains that fade into plains as one moves north. It is in these plains that Ericrea's capital, Dionopolis, is located. Dionopolis is situated on the only major river that is entirely in the nation. Just south of the city is a large lake frequented by Ericrean citizens and tourists alike.

System of Government

The Ericrean government is not easily defined, but could be compared to a constitutional monarchy, although the leader is not truly a monarch and in fact has more actual power than one typically found in today's governments of that sort. There has only been one Ericrean leader, and he is referred to as "president," mainly due to the lack of a better term.

The Ericrean people are allowed to vote on issues and leaders, though these are almost always restricted to local affairs. Every so often, Ericreans are allowed to vote on issues of national importance, including the election of top officials, though the president retains the power to dismiss the results of these votes and do as he pleases. The Ericrean Constitution, created by the nation's founder and experts in the fields of government, law, and economy, lays out strict laws and codes of conduct to be adhered to by the Ericrean people.

The Constitution does not, however, specify the term length for Ericrea's leaders. The current president is expected to remain in office until either his death or the point where he considers himself incapable, but it is not known whether the next leader will be appointed or elected.

Civil Rights

Every law-abiding citizen is considered equal in Ericrea. Hate crimes are severely punished, and therefore very uncommon. Every citizen has the right to vote in the aforementioned elections, own property and a home, live in peace, speak freely, and practice any religion they wish. (The Ericrean government tries to downplay religion in any way it can short of putting actual restrictions on it.)

Ericrean citizens are also given the right to purchase and own almost anything they would like (to be further explained in the Economy section). Since Ericrean citizens have so many freedoms given to them by their constitution, the Ericrean government feels that they have little to complain about and so their otherwise all-inclusive freedom of speech is restricted in that public gatherings with the intent of protesting the government as well as private parties are outlawed. Any complaints are expected to be brought forward by more professional and orderly means.

Gay marriage is legal. Abortion and euthanasia are both legal, but special conditions may apply. If the time frame is not satisfactory (in the case of abortion it is past a certain point, and in the case of euthanasia it is before a certain point), a private hearing will be held during which a credible medical source must convince a judge that the procedure is necessary. Suicide is typically frowned upon by the populace; the only government intervention is the strong recommendation for suicidal persons to be admitted to institutions to be monitored and/or rehabilitated.

Economy

One of the only extremes present in the Ericrean way of life is that the economy is almost purely capitalistic. Based upon the idea that if dangerous things aren't taboo there will be no incentive to use them, Ericrean citizens have access to any product within reason (military-grade weapons, human body parts, and other extreme examples are still outlawed, however). But while Ericreans may have access to firearms and drugs, the involvement of items such as these in a crime is considered intolerable (to be further explained in the Justice section). Every Ericrean citizen knows that they are expected to act with a certain amount of responsiblity in exchange for their right to buy almost anything they want, and each one knows that they will receive no pity from the goverment if this trust is breached.

Because of the focus on capitalism, the Ericrean economy is very strong. The nation's coast allows it ample opportunity for foreign trade, and one of the greatest past-times of tourists in Ericrea is making purchases without the restrictions they may experience in their own country. Many of these tourists somehow fail to realize, however, that what they buy still won't be welcomed into their homeland, and a good deal of Ericrean products end up confiscated by foreign governments.

The Ericrean economy is fueled mainly by arms production, agriculture, and high-technology industries such as medical equipment and computers.

Justice

The Ericrean justice system is one based largely on the concept of "you get what you give," though not in the extreme "eye-for-an-eye, tooth-for-a-tooth" notion of ancient governments. The death sentence, usually performed by a firing squad, is a common punishment for murderers and rapists, but thankfully does not have to be used often thanks to its deterent nature. Extreme periods of isolation are also excercised as an alternative to the death sentence, often on the request of the victim or the victim's family. Shorter periods of isolation, as well as hefty fines, are used to deter crimes such as theft and inflicting bodily harm.

Because Ericrean citizens have access to a wide variety of products that could be considered dangerous, strict laws are in place to deter advantage being taken of the capitalistic system. While they are legal to own and use responsibly, items such as weapons, drugs, and other potentially harmful products that are used in crimes can have a huge effect on the sentencing of a criminal. Even the mere precence of these items at the crime scene can multiply the terms of a punishment many times over. The use of such an item in a crime can mean the difference between whether or not a criminal will ever see the light of day again. This has proven to be an effective method for keeping violent crimes to a bare minimum.

Foreign Policy

One of the principal values upon which Ericrea was founded is that of isolationism. Ericreans see little need to get involved in the global community, feeling that it is no one's responsiblity but their own to handle their internal problems. The only time Ericrea would request the aid of foreign governments would be in the case of Ericrea's ideals being threatened by an external force. The only matter which Ericrea has petitioned to the rest of the world is environmental protection, as that is an issue Ericrea believes affects everyone and everything on the planet.

Defence

Though Ericrea has never in its short history been actively involved in any international conflicts, it maintains a large and well-trained military to ensure the protection of its ideals. Though the size of the Ericrean military is generally considered abnormally large in relation to the size of the country, the Ericrean people value the protection it offers. The Ericrean military consists of three major branches: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force.

Probably one of the most controversial aspects of the nation in any regard is the fact that military service is compulsory. Every man and woman is required by law to serve their nation's military in some way. Special accomodations can be made, and there are very few people exempt. There are very good benefits attached to living up to this duty, and so there is little complaint. The minimum amount of time can be surpassed for added benefits; career soldiers are said to live quite well.

The military is an ever-present part of Ericrean life, and it has come to be something to take comfort in by the citizens of the nation. Armed soldiers regularly patrol the streets, and military aircraft are a common sight overhead. Since every Ericrean citizen eventually will have been, has already been, or is currently in the military, these patrols are met with little opposition and great respect by the Ericrean people. Tourists, however, have been known to find the sight of armed and armored soldiers intimidating or alarming.

A large percentage of government funds are put towards military research, maintenance, and training to ensure that the military is operating as effectively and efficiently as possible. The current standard issue weapon of all branches of the Ericrean military is the FN-P90 sub-machine gun. The Ericrean government is also seeking a collaborative effort between its own arms manufacturers and FN to create an assault rifle variant of the weapon. The standard sidearm of the Ericrean military is the Berretta M9, though Desert Eagles and Colt .45s have been known to be issued upon request.

Rank in the Ericrean military follows the same pattern as many other modern militaries, consisting of several pay-grades within the enlisted, non-commisioned officer, and commisioned officer categories. Ericrea has a single military academy that provides almost seamless transition to officer status.

The uniform for the Ericrean military draws influence from armors and uniforms both ancient and modern. Full battle dress uniform is a complete set of body armor that covers the head, torso, and limbs. Typical uniform for city patrols consists only of the helmet and chestplate, though armor for the forearms, hands, and legs is also sometimes worn in those conditions. Cosmetically, Ericrean armor resembles a mix between that of the Ancient Romans and modern militaries, but, in composition and function, it is on the cutting edge. Outfitted with extensive protective and communications technologies, it makes each soldier a force to be reckoned with. In non-combat situations, and even sometimes in combat, rank is clearly denoted by uniform. Enlisted wear only their armor and uniform, NCOs wear a belt-cape, and officers wear a belt-cape and cloak.

Public Relations

The Ericrean government makes great effort to be on good terms with its citizens. Patriotic events are often held and patriotic messages often transmitted. The Ericrean people seem to enjoy this greatly. Founding Day, the primary Ericrean national holiday, is one of the most anticipated and festive days of the year. (The lack of a dominant religion may also add to the popularity of Founding Day.)

The Ericrean government has very little hand in the media. They offer an official news channel, but private news channels are still available. The government also offers several public access and special interest channels. Their ratings fare just below those of the independent networks.

The strong military presense is also one of the government's main public relations tools. It is a sign of the government's on-going care for its people when the troops are out patrolling the streets. Soldiers are encouraged to make contact with the citizens during their rounds to increase the trust in those, particularly the young, who have yet to understand the value of a strong and dedicated military.

Education

Art and Science

The Environment