Difference between revisions of "Hell Bovines"

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== Geography ==
 
== Geography ==
  
Hell Bovines has a very diverse terrain, comprising both fertile grasslands in the northwest (known as "pampas"), lush rainforests in its center and south and an arid mountainous landscape at its eastern border. The Lakamul Rainforests, in the south of the nation, are known as an important tourist destination.
+
Hell Bovines is a large nation located in the north-western part of the Greenfields continent.
The main cities are [[Moo Moo Farm]], the national capital, Blackhooves' Barn, widely regarded as the industrial centre of the country, and Tiahuanaco, on the south, an important city both geographically and historically.
+
The nation has a very diverse terrain, comprising both fertile grasslands in the northwest (known as "pampas"), lush rainforests in its center and south and an arid mountainous landscape at its eastern border. The Lakamul Rainforests, in the south of the nation, are known as an important tourist destination.
 +
The main cities are [[Moo Moo Farm]], the national capital, and also the cultural and political centre of the nation, and [[Blackhooves' Barn]], the most populated city, and widely regarded as the industrial centre of the country.
 +
Tiahuanaco, in the south of the country, is an important city both geographically and historically and its believed to be the oldest city in the country.
  
 
== People and Culture ==
 
== People and Culture ==
  
 
Hell Bovines, a race of semi-humanoid, sapient bovinoids comprise more than 99% of the national population and so, are effectively the largest ethnic group in the country.
 
Hell Bovines, a race of semi-humanoid, sapient bovinoids comprise more than 99% of the national population and so, are effectively the largest ethnic group in the country.
The remaining percentage is mostly composed of human communities and groups, though there is an important presence of [[Biotopia]]ns and Catpeople.
+
The remaining percentage is mostly composed of human communities and groups, though there is an important presence of [[Biotopia]]ns and Catpeople as well.
The main religion remains the native "Cult of The Holy Cow" (67%), though in the recent years other Neopagan religions have been gaining popularity. There are some minor [[Christian]] communities, a legacy of the Galdagan rule, though they don't maintain very strong links with the Vatican.
+
The main religion remains the native "Cult of The Holy Cow" (67%), a local religion that dates back to the pre-colonial eras, and combines pagan myths, worship of Mother Nature and polytheism.
The main spoken [[language]] is [[Spanish]], but the traditional [[Mootish]] language is still widely spoken, especially in rural areas. Though not official, [[English]] is widely understood as well.
+
In the recent years, though, other Neopagan religions have been gaining popularity.  
 +
There are some minor [[Christian]] communities, a legacy of the Galdagan rule, though they don't maintain very strong links with the Vatican.
 +
The main spoken [[language]] is [[Spanish]], widely understood by almost all citizens, though the traditional [[Mootish]] language is still widely spoken as well, especially in rural areas.  
 +
Though not official, [[English]] is commonly studied as a foreign language, and is widely understood in the more cosmopolitan parts of the country.
  
== Government ==
+
== Politics ==
  
Hell Bovines has a very characteristic and unique government form. The constitution defines the country as an "Ecotopia"; a strange mix between Marxism, environmentalism and direct democracy. Under this government form, a Duque is democratically elected for all his life, but he must call referendums asking if he should stay in power or not every 10 years. Also, the Duque can only take small decisions; All major decisions must be asked to the populace through referendums. Thus, the citizenry turns into the legislative power itself.
+
''Related article: [[Political Parties of Hell Bovines]]''
Finally, under this government form, private property is illegal and the economy is entirely collectivized.  
+
 
 +
According to its constitution, Hell Bovines is an Ecotopia, a mix of democratic, socialist and environmentalist ideals.
 +
 
 +
Under this government form, the ''Duque'' is the Head of State of the country. He is democratically-elected for life, though he must face mandatory revocatory referendums every ten years. The duque can appoint a cabinet of five to twelve members, and has the authority to take minor government decisions. He is also, aided by a foreign affairs minister, the director of the country's foreign policy, and has the authority to sign treaties on behalf the government, even though his actions are later reviewied by the National Assembly.
 +
 
 +
The position of Head of Government is shared. The duque has the authority to take minor decisions, while all larger decisions must be taken by the National Assembly, a 508-member executive-legislative body of sorts, whose members are democratically-elected every five years.
 +
For special, important decisions, the constitution states that the populace must be consulted through referendums. Thus, on this occasions, turning the citizenry into the legislative power itself.
 +
In addition, the citizenry can overrule any government decision, provided that they gather a certain number of signatures (2.5% of the electorate) in favour of an "Overrule Motion", and that then, in the subsecuent referendum, the majority of the populace votes in favour of overruling the said government decision.
 +
 
 +
The Judicial Power is completely independent, and is composed on a hierarchy of civil tribunals, all of them leaded by the 9-member Bovine Supreme Court. The members of the Bovine Supreme Court are democratically-elected for life, though they can be removed through a recall referendum, if the citizenry requests one.
 +
 
 +
Finally, the current constitution also dictates that private property is illegal, and that the economy and the means of production are a collective property under the administration of the State.
  
 
== Economy ==
 
== Economy ==
  
The socialist, non-private property allowing, economy has achieved self-sustainability without harming the environment or compromising workers' rights. All economic activities in hell bovines are non-polluting and eco-friendly. Hell Bovines often refer to this as 'having resigned a powerful economy to protect the environment'. The biggest industries are book publishing, agriculture and cigar-manufacturing.  
+
According to the Hell Bovinian constitution, the country mantains a socialist and enviromentalist economic system, which combines state ownership of the means of production with democratic management of economic policy.
 +
 
 +
Under this economic system, all industries, corporations and worker cooperatives are state-owned, while the Central Economic Comitee, a legislative body of sorts, composed by macroeconomists, sociologists and other experts and whose members are democratically elected every four years, is in charge of directing economic policy.
 +
The constitution also states, however, that the economics minister has the power to veto decisions of the Central Economic Comitee, and vice-versa. If a week passes and the economics minister and the Central Economic Comitee can't reach an agreement, then the National Assembly has the deciding vote.
 +
 
 +
Under this system, all major corporations and co-operatives (the so-called "commanding heights of the economy") are directly under control of the Central Economic Comitee.
 +
Medium and small corporations and cooperatives have more autonomy, though, and are allowed to ignore most of the CEC's directives.
 +
All industry in the country, however, has to abide to enviromental laws and regulations, as well as respect worker's rights and provide its workers with an equal share of the products of the corporation.
 +
 
 +
Since independence, Hell Bovinian economy has achieved self-sustainability without harming the environment or compromising workers' rights.
 +
Most economic activities in Hell Bovines are environment-friendly, being agriculture, book publishing, milk production, cigar manufacturing and metalurgy the main ones.
 +
Most industry in the country is centered around the coastal city of Blackhooves' Barn and the nearby plains and Grasslands, though the capital, Moo Moo Farm, is also an important industrial center.
  
 
== International Relations ==
 
== International Relations ==
  
Since the Bovine Revolution, the country has pursued a policy based of the concepts of non-alignment, anti-imperialism, defense of the rights of [[Non-Human]]s and Third World unity. It is with this policy that Hell Bovines has gained many allies both in the (fair trade) capitalist and anticapitalist worlds.  
+
Since the Bovine Revolution, the country has pursued a policy based of the concepts of non-alignment, anti-imperialism, defense of the rights of [[Non-Human]]s and Third World unity.  
 +
It is with this policy that Hell Bovines has gained many allies both in the (fair trade) capitalist and anticapitalist worlds.  
 
Hell Bovines has become a founding member of the [[Non-Human Union]], alongside with Red Penguins, [[Clangerland]] and [[Biotopia]] and later, the interior minister of such organization.
 
Hell Bovines has become a founding member of the [[Non-Human Union]], alongside with Red Penguins, [[Clangerland]] and [[Biotopia]] and later, the interior minister of such organization.
 
The country is also an enthusiastic participant of the Third World Solidarity Conferences, having played a large role at the conferences hosted in [[Larkinia]] and [[Tanah Burung]], and a signatory of the [[International Fair Trade Agreement]].
 
The country is also an enthusiastic participant of the Third World Solidarity Conferences, having played a large role at the conferences hosted in [[Larkinia]] and [[Tanah Burung]], and a signatory of the [[International Fair Trade Agreement]].

Revision as of 00:53, 21 February 2005


Hell Bovines
hell_bovines.jpg
Flag of Hell Bovines
Motto: "All animals are equal"
Not available
Region Greenfields
Capital Moo Moo Farm city
Official Language(s) Spanish, Mootish
Leader Mooo IV, Duque of Hell Bovines
Population Around 3 billion (October 2004 estimated)
Currency Union Paw 
NS Sunset XML

At a Glance

The Ecotopian Grand Duchy of Hell Bovines is a large nation located on the western part of the Greenfields continent. The nation is mostly inhabited by Hell Bovines, a race of sapient, bovinoid, semi-humanoid creatures that resemble cows walking on their hinds. Hell Bovines is also a nation remarkable for its unusual laws (such as compulsory vegetarianism) and its unique government system, labeled Ecotopia, which combines direct democratic, socialist and environmentalist ideals. Though not a military or economic power, Hell Bovines has built a strong diplomatic reputation for itself, becoming one of the leading voices of Third World Unity and the promotion of Non-Human rights.

History

Main article: History of Hell Bovines

Hell Bovinian history is very old, starting with the migration of the primitive Hell Bovinian tribes from the South Pacific and their following decision to settle on the Greenfields continent. It is in this new land where Hell Bovines built a rich, sedentary culture, effectively abandoning nomadism and organizing themselves into city-states ruled by kings and monarchs. Things would change drastically, however, in the XVIII century, when soldiers and expeditionaries from Galdago would discover the coasts of what they called "Hell Bovines". Originally a despective term to the land's inhabitants, it would later become a symbol of pride among the sapient bovinoids. The Spanish-speaking Galdagans begun a massive campaign of colonization and subjugation of the local peoples, the hell bovines, effectively turning the territory into a colony.

Though the Galdagan rule brought technology and infrastructure to the country, most of the wealth remained in hands of the human colonisers and most Hell Bovines effectively saw themselves downgraded to the status of slaves or even cattle. In fact, hell bovinian was meat regarded as one of 'the finest and most expensive' meats of the world and its production was very profitable. The lumber industry also grew rapidly, becoming a major export of the colony to the pre-revolutionary Aperin.

But at the beginning of the XX Century, the long-lasting years of foreign domination resulted in a war later known as the Bovine Revolution, in which the native Hell Bovines, liberated by the "revolutionary hero" Mooo Blackhooves, effectively took control of the territory and expulsed the Galdagans from the land. Establishing a socialist and environmentalist grand duchy, Hell Bovines then became a founding member of the Non-Human Union and a rather important referent in the anti-capitalist world.

Geography

Hell Bovines is a large nation located in the north-western part of the Greenfields continent. The nation has a very diverse terrain, comprising both fertile grasslands in the northwest (known as "pampas"), lush rainforests in its center and south and an arid mountainous landscape at its eastern border. The Lakamul Rainforests, in the south of the nation, are known as an important tourist destination. The main cities are Moo Moo Farm, the national capital, and also the cultural and political centre of the nation, and Blackhooves' Barn, the most populated city, and widely regarded as the industrial centre of the country. Tiahuanaco, in the south of the country, is an important city both geographically and historically and its believed to be the oldest city in the country.

People and Culture

Hell Bovines, a race of semi-humanoid, sapient bovinoids comprise more than 99% of the national population and so, are effectively the largest ethnic group in the country. The remaining percentage is mostly composed of human communities and groups, though there is an important presence of Biotopians and Catpeople as well. The main religion remains the native "Cult of The Holy Cow" (67%), a local religion that dates back to the pre-colonial eras, and combines pagan myths, worship of Mother Nature and polytheism. In the recent years, though, other Neopagan religions have been gaining popularity. There are some minor Christian communities, a legacy of the Galdagan rule, though they don't maintain very strong links with the Vatican. The main spoken language is Spanish, widely understood by almost all citizens, though the traditional Mootish language is still widely spoken as well, especially in rural areas. Though not official, English is commonly studied as a foreign language, and is widely understood in the more cosmopolitan parts of the country.

Politics

Related article: Political Parties of Hell Bovines

According to its constitution, Hell Bovines is an Ecotopia, a mix of democratic, socialist and environmentalist ideals.

Under this government form, the Duque is the Head of State of the country. He is democratically-elected for life, though he must face mandatory revocatory referendums every ten years. The duque can appoint a cabinet of five to twelve members, and has the authority to take minor government decisions. He is also, aided by a foreign affairs minister, the director of the country's foreign policy, and has the authority to sign treaties on behalf the government, even though his actions are later reviewied by the National Assembly.

The position of Head of Government is shared. The duque has the authority to take minor decisions, while all larger decisions must be taken by the National Assembly, a 508-member executive-legislative body of sorts, whose members are democratically-elected every five years. For special, important decisions, the constitution states that the populace must be consulted through referendums. Thus, on this occasions, turning the citizenry into the legislative power itself. In addition, the citizenry can overrule any government decision, provided that they gather a certain number of signatures (2.5% of the electorate) in favour of an "Overrule Motion", and that then, in the subsecuent referendum, the majority of the populace votes in favour of overruling the said government decision.

The Judicial Power is completely independent, and is composed on a hierarchy of civil tribunals, all of them leaded by the 9-member Bovine Supreme Court. The members of the Bovine Supreme Court are democratically-elected for life, though they can be removed through a recall referendum, if the citizenry requests one.

Finally, the current constitution also dictates that private property is illegal, and that the economy and the means of production are a collective property under the administration of the State.

Economy

According to the Hell Bovinian constitution, the country mantains a socialist and enviromentalist economic system, which combines state ownership of the means of production with democratic management of economic policy.

Under this economic system, all industries, corporations and worker cooperatives are state-owned, while the Central Economic Comitee, a legislative body of sorts, composed by macroeconomists, sociologists and other experts and whose members are democratically elected every four years, is in charge of directing economic policy. The constitution also states, however, that the economics minister has the power to veto decisions of the Central Economic Comitee, and vice-versa. If a week passes and the economics minister and the Central Economic Comitee can't reach an agreement, then the National Assembly has the deciding vote.

Under this system, all major corporations and co-operatives (the so-called "commanding heights of the economy") are directly under control of the Central Economic Comitee. Medium and small corporations and cooperatives have more autonomy, though, and are allowed to ignore most of the CEC's directives. All industry in the country, however, has to abide to enviromental laws and regulations, as well as respect worker's rights and provide its workers with an equal share of the products of the corporation.

Since independence, Hell Bovinian economy has achieved self-sustainability without harming the environment or compromising workers' rights. Most economic activities in Hell Bovines are environment-friendly, being agriculture, book publishing, milk production, cigar manufacturing and metalurgy the main ones. Most industry in the country is centered around the coastal city of Blackhooves' Barn and the nearby plains and Grasslands, though the capital, Moo Moo Farm, is also an important industrial center.

International Relations

Since the Bovine Revolution, the country has pursued a policy based of the concepts of non-alignment, anti-imperialism, defense of the rights of Non-Humans and Third World unity. It is with this policy that Hell Bovines has gained many allies both in the (fair trade) capitalist and anticapitalist worlds. Hell Bovines has become a founding member of the Non-Human Union, alongside with Red Penguins, Clangerland and Biotopia and later, the interior minister of such organization. The country is also an enthusiastic participant of the Third World Solidarity Conferences, having played a large role at the conferences hosted in Larkinia and Tanah Burung, and a signatory of the International Fair Trade Agreement. Though not a member, Hell Bovines also maintains close relations with the Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies and its member nations and more recently has signed the declaration of the International Mediation Council, to strengthen international efforts to maintain global peace.

International Membership

Relevant Links

Hell Bovines Official Government Website

NHU Forums

IFTA Forums