Difference between revisions of "Niploma"

Revision as of 10:21, 12 March 2006

Niploma

Flag of Niploma
Motto: Democracy, Liberty, Peace, Social Rights and Freedom.
Region	The Anumist Alliance
Capital	Failegn
Official Language(s)	English, Gaelic, Pali and Arabic.
Leader	Niplomian Premier
Population	659 million
Currency	SDRN Credit
NS Sunset XML

The Social Democratic Republic of Niploma is a large Liberal/Socialist Democracy situated in The Anumist Alliance region. It's population is currently hovering at the 659 million mark and the country is also a UN Delegate for over 125 days.

History

Introduction

Niploma used to be ruled by an Oligarchy, always consiting of two Kings. In this system the so called 'ruling classes' ruled the people through corruption and 80% of the population considered to be working class were left to their own devices. Famine and riots were common place.

However by 1963 problems reached a height when 250,000 armed peasents and workers marched on Failegn demanding a coup' and a Communist Republic be installed. The Kings' army was sent to intercept them and a street battle ensued for almost three months. An estimated 125,000 peasents and workers were murdered, many of whom were unarmed, a mere 1200 soldiers were killed, many of whom beaten to death brutally. The day is remembered as the 'Second Battle of Failegn' due to the lare amount of peasents and workers killed. However, it was the beginning of the revolution.

Civil War

The 125,000 workers and peasents fleed home and many were seen as heroes to the working classes. The First Battle of Failegn inspired the Niplomian Communist Army (NCA), an army that soon numbered 750,000. The NCA had two points, to overthrow the Oligarchy by any means possible and install a Communist republic. By 1972 a full civil war was in full flow with the Government forces being attacked throughly by the NCA. However, the NCA fought crudly and with little tactics or leadership. Many were slaughtered. A more lenient faction within the NCA disbanded and created the Socialist Resistance (SR) who wanted to overthrow the Oligarchy but end the civil war straight away.

The Civil War continued regardless of the SR and the unprecidented loses on the NCA side. Failegn was being attacked every night by the NCA and the Kings lifes were constantly in danger. NCA troops were coming infamous for their terror tactics used. By the 3rd June 1974 both Kings were killed by an SR sniper. This threw Government forces and the Government itself into dissaray. To the outside world it looked certain the once-winning Government was falling by the knees. The Government ordered a retreat of all Government forces to Failegn. Failegn was fully protected and became the HQ and Base of all Government troops. The Government was in a powerful posistion, everything that the NCA and SR wished to destroy was in Failegn. Government troops numbered 550,000 and NCA troops numbered a mere 350,000. A siege began.

Second Battle of Failegn

Economy

Niplomian citizens are currently sitting in a transition period from heavy Socialism/Communism to a lighter form of Liberal Socialism. Although private business is allowed, it is pitifully small. Sadly for enviromentalists Book Publishing appears to be the largest industry in Niploma.

For most Niplomians citizens they lead a reasnobly comfortable life. With a well funded public-service program they are well catered for by the state. From their own pursuits of money they do reasnobly well considering the high tax rate. GDP per Capita hovers at the $15,000 mark. The Anumist Alliance's average is normally around the $6000-$8000 area. A relatively high unemployment rate of about 5% in Niploma causes embaressement for the Government as The Anumist Alliances average unemployment rate is said to be considerably lower.

The Government's main concersn appear to be Healthcare, Education, Social Welfare and Administration. Recently, several political parties have demanded that at least some oney should be spent on Law & Order and Defence. The Government is considering this.

Culture and Religion

Culture

Niploma's culture is well known in the region due to it's diversity. It has long been a tradionally Celtic country, but due to the large Buddhist population in Niploma it has thrived as a culture capital with Failegn quoted as being a, 'Culture Capital', some critics argue this is due to the liberal laws within the country.

Due to its Celtic roots all Niplomians learn Gaelic to a 'foundation' level at school but the main laungage spoken is English, mainly for diplomatic reasons. However due to the large Buddhist population Pali - a tradional laungage - has risen and some schools teach it. To allow further interaction with Muslim countries the current Government has pushed for Arabic to be taught in schools. This has had a mixed reception, with some communities disregarding the advice, and some critics of the current Government argueing the push for Arabic as highly un-patriotic. The Government denies this throughly.

Interestingly, vegetarianism is highly respected in Niploma. Buddhists, Quakers and Animal Rights activists lobbied the Government for years to push for vegetarianism for religious and health regions. Finally, the government at the time began a huge advertising campaign asking Niploma to, 'No Meat for Good Health'. After years of the population following Government advice meat-eating is at a incredible low. The Government has always claimed it began the 'No Meat for Good Health' campaign not for religious reasons but for health reasons. If so the Government has upheld it's non-sectarian values.

Religion

Due to the diversity of Niploma no religion is considered largest with the exception of Athiesm, a philiospohy most Niplomians have uptaken, but of course is not a religion in itself. The religious numbers are so forth:

• Athiest/Agnostic 28%
• Buddhist 21%
• Christian 19%
• Muslim 15%
• Hindu 9%
• Jewish 6%
• Other, mostly Pagan 2%

Politics and government

Niplomians hold their political system as a supreme example for all other nations to follow. It was formed when the Social Democratic Republic of Niploma was formed and thus is highly regarded. It consists of several tiers, a ruling Lower House (the Democratic House), a scrutinising chamber (the Niplomian Peoples Senate) and the local Councils at the lowest level. Of course, there is a head of state, a Prime Minister, who heads the Republic and the Democratic House.

There are Democratic House 'General Elections' every four years which determines who sits in the Democratic House (those who do are called Deputies). The winning party of the General Election forms a Government and this Government elects a Prime Minister. Anyone who has been out of jail - if indeed they ever have been - for six months and is over sixteen can vote in a General Election. The voting system used is Proportional Represenation. The Democratic House main job is to represent the people on national matters. For example the Democratic House is the only instituition that can raise or lower taxes, send Niploma to war or to disband any public services etc, etc. There are 750 Deputies.

There are Niplomian Peoples Senate elections every eight years which will determine who sits in the Senate. Those who do are called Senators. The Niplomian Peoples Senate has only one job, to scrutinise Bills passed by the Democratic House. If the Senate believes a certain bill is incorrect or 'wrong' it is sent back to the Democratic House for a second vote/ to be re-written. The Senate can only return a Bill once. Unlike the Democratic House it can not write Bills. Therefore it has seriously limited power. Senators are elected through proportional represenation. There are 200 Senators.

At the bottom are local councils, part of the current Governments 'Autonomy Bill'. Every borough within every county has its own council which administrates local matters such as transport, housing, supplies and electricity etc, etc. Councilors are elected once every four years, at the same time as the Democratic House elections. Most candidates stand as Independents.

Finally at the top is the Head of State, the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is both Head of State and Head of the largest political party in the Democratic House. The Prime Minister must be twenty-one years of age, at least a second generation immigrant but there are no restriction on sex or creed. The current Prime Minister is Adráin Robert from the Socialist International Party. He has been in office for twelve years (a Prime Minister can stand for re-election several times over).

Political Parties

• Socialist Internationalist Party (SIP) A Centre-Left party that has longed been glued to the Niplomian people. It fully supports further intergration with The Anumist Alliance but in a peaceful diplomatic manner. It has revolutionised Niploma by raising taxes from the pitiful levels they once stood at and has pushed these towards social and economical reform. SIP is a both economically and socially 'left wing', but has never too radical to be seen as extreme Liberalists or Communists. However, SIP has recieved significant criticism over it's lack of care for the Enviroment, an issue once strong in Niplomian politics, and it's level of administrative corruption. As of recent years it has fallen from grace, constantly losing votes, mostly from the young.

• Libertarian Reform Party (LRP) A Centre-Right party that has been in opposition for several decades. It is economically right-wing party which favours military spending and the lower of taxation. It has long been victimised the lower classes due to it's 'flat tax' system that would harm the poor but favour the rich. LRP claims to be a reformist party due to being the largest Capitalist party. Interestingly LRF is socially liberal, this is a fact backed up by it's looseing of gun ownership laws, the help it gave in the 'Drug Reclassification Bill' - which effectively made every drug legal - and the long support it has had for Pro-Choice campaigners. LRP has long been a target of humour from critics due to it's constant second place spot in politics. Along with SIP, LRP has long avoided Enviromental matters and interestingly some of its Deputies have deffected to more enviromental parties. LRP has steadily received more votes, mostly due to how the party has made more and more people richer and this part of the electorate traditionally votes LRP.

• Ecological Foundation Party (EFP) The only 'Green' party in Niplomian politics that is famous due to its rapidly inreasing number of votes, mostly from the 'radica' young. The EFP party started as a coalition from dissatified members of the Communist Workers Party, SIP and LRP. The Deputies joined together to found the Ecological Foundation. After five years of agreement (and disagreement with their own parties) they became a political party and sat together, away from their old peers. In the EFP political statement they claim that they are more than a one vision party. Although Enviromental issues are the core part of the party they seem to hold values not too dissimiliar to SIP. However, they demand that more and more businesses be regulated and that there should be no consideration for military spending, a point that has always caused it to be a ridicule to agressive members of the LRP.

• Grand Conservative Party (GCP) Both a socially and economically right wing party, the GCP has long struggled to gain significant votes, especially since being knocked of the third largest party spot by the EFP. The GCP fiercly refuses to intervene with UN or The Anumist Alliance matters. Due to this it has long been a serious rival of SIP. GCP is alone in believing that Niploma should spend much more on defence, but is by no means as extreme as certain other parties. GCP recommends a flat tax rate of 11%, a number that has been ridiculed by the lower and middle classes alike who see it as a death wish upon Niploma's poorest.

• Official Communist Workers Party (OCWP) The most left wing of all recougnised parties, the OCWP calls for a Communist Republic of Niploma. It believes that workers should unite and form a Communist government, thus doing away with the Democratic House and the Niplomian Peoples Senate. It proposes that we should resign as TAA delegate and should avoid intervention within the region. For several decades the DH has long argued as to whether or not the OCWP is completely un-patriotic and highly dangerous. However, since a certain band disbanded from the OCWP the party has been seen as mainly peaceful.

• Industrial Nationalist Foundation (INP) INP calls for a halt to racial integration and declares it wants all first, second and third genereration immigrants out the country. It believes that true, racially pure Niplomians should run the country and sees the current Parliament immoral for debating with what the INP calls, 'failures of our God. INP has long been intertwinned with Evangelicism, an extreme brach of Christianity.

• Revolutionary Workers Union (RWU) The only party to not sit in either the Democratic House or Niplomian Peoples Senate. The party disbanded from the then Communist Party, now OCWP, for being to militaristic. The party demanded all workers unite to bring a true Communist regime by any means possible. It goes on to say that a Communism should forcibly spread to the whole of The Anumist Alliance. For the above reasons the Democratic House banned the RWU from taking up its seat, a Bill that soon backfired as all Deputies are seen as living political martyrs to their supporters. Several of it's Deputies have been jailed for paramilitary action.

Democratic House Deputies

At the 12th General Election the electorate voted so forth for the 750 seat Democratic House:

1. Socialist Internationalist Party 291 seats (38.73% of vote)
2. Libertarian Reform Party 196 seats (26.12% of vote)
3. Ecological Foundation Party 91 seats (12.17% of vote)
4. Grand Conservative Party 60 seats (7.93% of vote)
5. Official Communist Workers Party 46 seats (6.13% of vote)
6. Industrial Nationalist Foundation 43 seats (5.80% of vote)
7. Revolutionary Workers Union 23 seats - of which none are seated - (3.12% of vote)

Niplomian Peoples Senate Senators

At the 6th Senate election the electorate voted so forth for the 200 seat Niplomian Peoples Senate:

1. Socialist Internationalist Party 104 seats
2. Libertarian Reform Party 42 seats
3. Grand Conservative Party 24 seats
4. Official Communist Workers Party 13 seats
5. Industrial Nationalist Foundation 12 seats
6. Revolutionary Workers Union 5 seats - of which none are seated.

Councilor Percentage Numbers

Across the country the Councillor numbers are so forth:

1. Independent 39%
2. Socialist Internationalist Party 16%
3. Libertarian Reform Party 13%
4. Ecological Foundation Party 11%
5. Official Communist Workers Party 8%
6. Grand Conservative Party 6%
7. Revolutionary Workers Union 5%
8. Industrial Nationalist Foundation 2%