Hogs Head

From NSwiki, the NationStates encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search
Hogs Head
vanuatu--67.jpg
Flag of Hogs Head
Motto: "Oink! Oink, snort... Oink!"
No Map Available Yet
Region Almost Off Topic Tropics
Capital Pig City
Official Language(s) English, Boarish.
Leader PM Hoggy
Population 2.5 billion (as of 2005 census)
Currency Tusk 
NS Sunset XML

Factbook

Government

  • Government Type: Democracy
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Hogg Alberto HOGGY
  • Head of State: Symbolically vacant since impeachment of President Phil Bass in 1822 A.D.
  • Conventional Long Form: Parliamentary Republic of Hogs Head
  • Conventional Short Form: Hogs Head

People

  • Population: 2,575,000,000 (2005 Census)
  • Population Growth Rate: 0.25%
  • Nation Age: 310 Years
  • Literacy: 89.75%
  • Age of Consent: 17
  • Suffrage: Universal at 18, Convicted felons are not permitted to vote while incarcerated.

Telephone system

  • Telephones:
    • 40,552,357 miles of underground cable
    • 318 million cellular phones (based on official sales)
  • General assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system
  • Domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic *satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries *mobile telephone traffic throughout the country
  • International: country code - 45; 64 terabit ocean cable systems in use; 128 terabit land cable *systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (47 over Pig City and 16 over other areas), 5 *Netsats (Wilbur region), and 4 Telesat

Radio broadcast stations:

  • AM: 16,322
  • FM: 12,842
  • Shortwave: 189

Television broadcast stations:

  • Five state-owned (HHC1, HHC2, HHC3, Channel Six, and Parliament TV)
  • Three commercial (HTV, XYZ, and PIG) – each station has ten main affiliates
  • Three main 24-hour news (ZNN, HogNews, and MSPIG)

Note: Budgets of state-owned television stations are paid through a 25% government subsidy plus television license fees. Privately-owned stations are funded through advertising fees. The three news channels are funded partly by the Hogs Head News Information Act (33%), the Parliamentary Media Liason Committee (22%), and commercial advertising fees (45%)

Internet

  • Internet country code: .hh
  • Internet hosts: 315,000
  • Internet users: 90.2 million

History

Hogs Head Colony

Hogs Head was founded by a band of 500 hardy families fleeing political and religious persecution from a across the Great Inland Sea. The Founding Families were led by Silas Hogger; great-great-great grandfather of the current Prime Minister. Upon arrival on the shores of the previously unexplored lands, the first settlers gathered in the shadow of Boar's Peak and gave thanks to the Divine Snout. Thus, Pigtown, the first settlement on the mainland was founded.

The first ten years for the early settlers were harsh ones. Starvation, disease, short-lived (yet bloody) family feuds, fear of the unknown, all of this claimed many lives. The first decade of the Pigtown settlement focused on survival, not independence. After 15 years, the Empire of Antioch sent their own "official settlers" to claim the peninsula for the Crown of Antioch. Thus, Hogs Colony was able to grow and flourish. On the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Hogs Head colony, four province-cities had been founded: Pigtown, Boar's Head, Wilburville, and Snowball. Despite the fact that Hogs Colony was under the authority of Antioch, it was self-sustaining. Ships laden with timber, precious metals, and grain left Snout Harbour on a weekly basis, returning with farming tools for the colony's wealthy landowners to cultivate their property.

The establishment of Hogs Head Colony's first colony-wide legislative body, the College of Colonial Affairs hoped to quell the growing call for independence by the middle- and working-classes by giving the colony some semblance of independence on its centennial. In theory, the College gave the colonists autonomy over the day-to-day decisions in ruling the colony; led by a Crown-appointed Lord Governor. Unfortunately, given the strict requirements for candidacy (and suffrage), this was viewed as a means to grant the colonial aristocracy with even more power. The calls for independence grew louder, and even reached the debate chamber of the College itself! As Hogs Colony was the most profitable of all of Antioch's protectorates, Emperor Józef V did not want to give up any of his centuries-old kingdom. In response to the three-hour pro-independence speech by Delegate M'Shell of Wilburville, Józef V ordered the dissolution of the College of Colonial Affairs and declared martial law.

Revolution

Immediately after the Emperor officially dissolved the College of Colonial Affairs, the leadership hierarchy met in secret at the now-infamous Truffle Pub and declared themselves the first members of the First Independent Parliament. After the expulsion of the Pigtown-based garrison of Royal Army troops, the provincial congress was declared the headquarters of the new Second Independent Parliament. Delegates from the seven provinces were immediately dispatched to Pigtown. Envoys from the igneous peoples were also granted access, although they were not permitted to vote. With a vote of 6-0, the motion to declare independence was passed (the delegations from Wilburville and Snowball provinces abstained). In direct response, the Royal Army attempted to destroy this fledgeling independent movement by using naval forces to attack harbors lining the Great Inland Sea and rivers. However, the newly named Independent Republic of Hogs Head foiled this attempt by sabotaging battleships that sailed into the harbor, or near the mouth of any of the major trade-rivers.

Józef intended to quell this "little rebellion" by overwhelming the comparatively outgunned volunteer forces with brute strength and enormous amounts of conscripted platoons and capture the military and civilian leaders for execution in Antioch. However, he (and his advisors) underestimated just how hated the Empire of Antioch was in the Colony. In the early years of the revolution, at least one family was represented in battle. Indeed, the Royal Army had never had to contend with putting down a popular revolution before, and to deal with defections to the other side at the same time was unheard of. Add to that the problem of military tactics. The Royal Antioch Army had become used to commonly-used military tactics (for the time), and anticipated the Hogs Head military leaders would continue to use those methods. Instead, guerilla tactics were used -- random hit and run attacks on military installations, Imperial-held property, supply depots, and so on.

Despite the Antioch Army's unfamiliarity with such tactics, and despite the fact that Hogs Head was quite alone in this fight; the revolution lasted 8 years. Antioch's only solid victory was the firebombing of Pigtown, in the hopes that destroying such an important symbol of the colonists' newfound nationalism would demoralize the Hogs Head Independent Army and resistance would crumble. Józef V and his advisors were stunned when the siege and destruction had precisely the opposite result. Six months after Pigtown was razed, spies from Hogs Head infiltrated Antioch Castle and kidnapped Józef V. The ransom? Immediate recognition of an independent Hogs Head and an unconditional cease-fire. Unfortunately, Józef V was killed while attempting escape; and as his daughter Alexandra was only three years old at the time, the Queen’s Regent took it upon himself to declare a cease-fire anyway. Thus, Hogs Head was granted independence, and the Royal Army returned home after transferring control of the Royalist-held lands and cities to the fledgeling republic. After a week of celebrations, the Revolutionary Parliament took it upon itself to formally dissolve, and re-form as a permanent governing body. In honor of the first settlement in the new nation, Pig City was painstakingly designed as the capital city and built on the remains of Pigtown. City-provinces were dissolved, and new provinces were established, dividing the country into seven main provinces.

Thus, Hogs Head was granted independence, and the Royal Army returned home after transferring control of the Royalist-held lands and cities to the fledgling country. Ten years after Hogs Head was granted independence, Antioch was destroyed in a brief but bloody civil war that split the once-mighty empire into twelve small principalities.

The Parliamentary Republic

Suffrage

The vote comes to every Hogs Head citizen on his or her 18th birthday, provided he or she is without mental illness that affects one's capacity for independent, rational decision-making. Initially, suffrage was to be restricted only to men of good standing in the national community. However, the delegates from the newly-established Boar Province (which had already granted their women the right to participate in provincial debate and, therefore, elections) insisted upon universal suffrage, for they would not allow over 50% of their citizens to become disenfranchised overnight. After several hours of heated debate, Boar Province agreed to a proposed provision to exclude the mentally ill from being permitted to vote. After 300 years, the definition of mental illness has been narrowed to only the strictest of maladies, only if those illnesses have been proven without a doubt to affect the citizen's capacity to make a rational decision as to the elections; as well as those who are incapable of living independently. The milder forms of learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia) were not considered "mentally ill" after the Supreme Court case Jane Doe, Wilbur Learning Institute, et al v. Hogs Head Elections Board in 1910. Schizophrenics, manic-depressives, and others who are capable of functioning fully provided they take medication regularly are granted suffrage, provided they are monitored by provincial health evaluation boards. Those who are incapable of being helped by medication (or actively refuse to take it) are provisionally disqualified from voting. Despite repeated appeals, the courts have upheld that the severely mentally disabled who are not able to function in society (e.g. the severely autistic) are incapable of making informed, independent decisions as pertains to elections. Regardless of these rulings, the courts have refused to establish a baseline IQ as far as suffrage is concerned, requiring the Elections Board review each case on an individual basis. Incarcerated citizens (be it in a correctional facility or house-arrest) are not permitted to vote during their sentence.

Political Candidacy Qualifications

To participate as an elected official is considered one of the most honorable professions in Hogs Head. However, the Framers saw it fit to establish some basic requirements in order for one to qualify to register as a candidate in any of the political offices, in addition to the basic requirements laid down in the suffrage laws:

  • The candidate must be over 30 years old to run for a seat in the National Parliament.
  • The candidate must sign a pledge affirming the Oath of Clean Campaigns
  • The candidate must belong to one of Hogs Head's official political parties, and provide documentation attesting to this fact
  • The candidate's criminal record may not be an issue in regards to qualifying for political office, with the following exceptions:
    1. He or she cannot have a prior conviction for a violent felony or have a dishonorable discharge from the armed forces or Merchant Marines.
    2. Adult drug convictions involving fines, probation, or jail time disqualify one from running for political office for 15 years after a guilty plea is entered in one's record -- deferred sentencing agreements resulting in the sealing of said convictions are exempt from this rule.
    3. A conviction of political bribery, perjury, corruption, and election law-related crimes result in the permanent disqualification from the political field.
  • Potential gubernatorial and national parliamentary candidates must have lived in the province or parliamentary district he or she is running for office in for not less than one year prior to formally registering for candidacy.
  • A candidate's professional, political, or military record may only be used in campaigns by other candidates and political parties as regards to the person's moral character, and not as an issue as to whether he or she is qualified to be in the relevant position. A qualified candidate's criminal record (if any) may only be used as pertaining to his or her moral character.

Note: Many provinces have established more stringent regulations as pertains to the governorship, provincial parliament, and city councils. In the case of a provincial regulation conflicting with a federal one, the federal regulation takes precedence. That is, if Dakur province requires a candidate to have lived in a parliamentary district for two years, a candidate with a one-year residency record is permitted to run for a national parliamentary seat. However, candidates for the Dakur Assembly may be restricted to a two-year minimum residency.

The provinces of Hogs Head

  • Boar Province

Boar Province is the largest in area, spanning from the northern shores of the Inland Sea to the craggy peaks of Boar Mountain. Since the founding of Hogs Head, it has been a primarily agricultural province, with an emphasis on wheat, soybeans, corn, and cattle. Boar Mountain is home to many wintertime recreational resorts, where the citizenry enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and bobsledding. Given the large number of Ministry buildings, Boar's Head has been considered "Hogs Head's Second Capital." Provincial capital: Boar's Head.

  • Wilbur

Wilbur is Hogs Head's second-smallest province, made up of a single peninsula jutting out of Snowball Province into the Great Inland Sea. Predictably, it is also home to Hogs Head's major naval ports, serving the Hogs Head Navy, Merchant Marines, and commercial traders. Wilbur province boasts twice the population of Boar. The very tip of Wilbur Peninsula is known as Snout Harbor. Provincial capital: Wilburville.

  • Snowball

Snowball also boasts a considerable percentage of Hogs Head’s coastline. Because of the Great Inland Sea, Snowball province’s main industries include tourism and commercial shipping. Because Snowball province has very few freshwater sources, six solar-powered water desalination plants are anchored offshore. There are also three offshore oil-drilling platforms. Provincial Capital: Snowtown.

  • Pig City

For the first 25 years of Hogs Head’s independence, Pig City was a city in its own right, independent from any provincial government; subject to the laws of the nation, including those passed by a locally elected city council (headed by a parliament-appointed Mayor). However, since the Federal Constitution stipulates provincial representation in Parliament, residents of Hogs Head were not permitted to vote for a parliamentary representative. Ratified in 1817, Amendment C formed the provincial territory of Pig City out of the original borders of Pig City, plus three surrounding suburban towns. Although Pig City is a de jure province, it is the only one without a local provincial parliamentary structure – the original city council still regulates the parliamentary budget. Amendment C also granted the denizens of Hogs Head the power to directly elect a Mayor-Governor. With an area of 575.70 square miles, Pig City is the smallest province in the country.

  • Snout

Snout is one of the most uninhabitable provinces of Hogs Head. 80% of it lies in the Boar Mountain Range, just to the northwest of Boar Province. Cities are few far in between. The province is sparsely inhabited, partly because of the rugged terrain. The arctic climate also contributes to the image of inhospitality – which is precisely how the Snout inhabitants like it. In addition to a limited tourism industry geared to skiing, bobsledding, and other winter sports; Snout is home to some of the most profitable mining companies in the country. Provincial capital: Fargo

  • New Antioch

New Antioch is the only province held entirely by Antiochan forces during the War of Independence. As New Antioch was relatively left untouched during the war, it is the only province that boasts of pre-war architecture. Józeftown is the site of the Imperial Military Headquarters. The entire Old Quarter of Józeftown has been painstakingly preserved as a museum. New Antioch boasts a prominent tourism industry. It is also home to the country’s dominant fashion industry, centered in New Antioch City. New Antioch City, home to 10 million people, is the largest city of the nation. Provincial Capital: Rams Hollow

  • Dakur

Dakur province is home to Hogs Head’s timber and fishery industries. Centuries ago, schools of salmon, tuna, and halibut filled the rivers that lace Dakur province almost to the point of bursting. Excessive fishing over the years led to the near-extinction of many species of salmon. Now, the majority of fish for human consumption are raised in fish farms in Lake Horn and off the coast of the Arwen Sea, although efforts to increase the population of wild fish have been met with considerable success. Provincial capital: Cymru

  • Remote Islands Territory

The Remote Islands lie 5,000 miles from Hogs Head, in the tropical waters of the Inland Sea. It is not an official province, for the island group was captured from Antioch forces in the Battle for the Islands, the most famous of all the post-Independence skirmishes. The Remote Islands enjoys economic autonomy, and while they may not vote in Parliamentary elections; for the past 50 years a elected representative has been sent from the Remote Islands as an observer, yet the Territorial Representative does not have a vote in Parliament. This island group is made up of three main islands: Telmath, Droon, and Wotika. There is a strong campaign for provincial status in the major population centers, the capital included. Because of the Remote Islands’ isolation from the rest of Hogs Head, tourism is the only viable industry, although there is a limited agricultural market for the tropical fruit that grows there. Territorial capital: Armagath (located on Droon)

Government structure

The national government of Hogs Head has three main branches. Laws have been set down to ensure that no one branch is any more powerful than the other two.

Executive

The executive branch is the most visible, yet has the weakest power. The President of Hogs Head is the Head of State. He (or she) is appointed to a single nine-year term by Parliament. While his (or her) duties are limited only to the ceremonial: the signing of laws, hosting of state dinners, and so on. This position is strictly nonpartisan; appointees are usually highly senior members of Parliament.

After a president leaves office, the Prime Minister nominates a replacement, usually two or three candidates. The ad hoc Parliamentary Executive Committee then vets the candidates. After the candidates are given formal approval (in the entire national history, only one candidate has ever been rejected; and this was because he had died two days into his vetting hearing), the list of candidates goes to the public for a vote.

The office of the President is unique in that it requires a candidate be in elected office for not less than thirty years.

Legislative

When a citizen hears a reference to the legislative branch, one word comes to mind: Parliament. However, Parliament itself is made up of two chambers: The House of Commons, or "The People's House." A term of Parliament lasts three years. By law, Parliament is required to formally disband by Presidential order on request by the sitting Prime Minister six weeks prior to an election. During the election, citizens vote on their preferred party, and the 534-seat body is divided up according to the percentage of votes going towards a particular party. The House of Commons introduces legislation regarding taxation, social welfare, and the common defense of the nation. It also debates and votes upon judicial legislation that has passed the Senate. In addition to the 534 seats, it also hosts the nonvoting delegate of the Remote Islands, who is not a member of any political party. The Prime Minister is the head of the government, usually the senior MP of the party that holds a majority in the House of Commons. In rare cases when a minority government forms (when no single party has a 50%-plus-one majority), the most senior member of coalition of parties is chosen. The Prime Minister is the most powerful of the political figures, and wields very real power. The Prime Minister is the only one empowered to ask Parliament to use the armed forces in acts of war or peacekeeping.

The Senate was formed to reflect the wishes of the provincial legislatures. Candidates are directly elected by provincial parliaments during the election period when Parliament has disbanded. Should a senator die or be impeached prior to an election period, the provincial governor directly appoints someone to complete the term. The Senate’s function is to introduce legislature regarding judicial matters, ratify international treaties, approve politically appointed cabinet officials, as well as debate and vote on laws that have passed the House of Commons. The Senate President also serves as the Prime Minister’s chief advisor in legislative matters.

Judicial

Hogs Head's legal system is one of fairness. A presumption of innocence until proven guilty is one of the most sacred credos in the nation. Jury trials are required in criminal matters, although defendants can waive this right in favor of so-called "bench trials", in which case three judges preside over the trial.

Federal judges are nominated by the Senate Judicial Committee and must be approved by more than two-thirds of the entire Houses of Parliament. The Hogs Head Supreme Court has nine justices, and they serve for life unless otherwise incapacitated. In the case of a vacancy on the High Court, the Senate Judicial Caucus nominates and selects a senior judge based on his or her tenure in the federal judicial system. After the committee approves the nomination, the name is sent to the people for a special election to vote on a straight up-or-down vote on his confirmation. The Supreme Court Justice-nominee is not permitted to actively campaign as a parliamentary candidate would, however, he or she is permitted to release a brief manifesto (no more than 15 pages or 2000 words long, whichever is more) explaining why the Supreme Court would benefit from his or her unique legal perspective.

Provincial Governments

Each of Hogs Head's provinces has their own local government. With the exception of Pig City, they are modeled after the national legislative structure, with three exceptions:

  • Provincial parliaments (usually called assemblies) are unicameral – that is, there is no localized version of the Senate. Rather than a "Prime Minister" to run the legislative body, a Speaker is appointed.
  • The citizens of a province directly elect the governor, who is head of the local executive branch.
  • State judges are nominated by the governor of a province, and the assembly votes to approve (or reject) the nominee.