Difference between revisions of "Schneeflocke"

Latest revision as of 15:34, 4 October 2007

Schneeflocke

Flag of Schneeflocke
Motto: Reinheit, Mitleid, und Recht
Region	Rineu
Capital	Wannumricht (pronounced: /ˈvan•num•riçt/)
Official Language(s)	German, English
Leader	Hauptrichterin Eira Nivis
Population	109 million
Currency	Schnee
NS Sunset XML

History

Background

The Federation of Schneeflocke (officially: Das Bundesland von den Schneeflocken) is relatively new country, although it has a long historical struggle for independence. The nation's history is embroiled with the struggle of a regional matriarchial culture striving against an oppressive patriarchial society. Schneeflocke eventually managed to gain independence, and recognition through the peaceful negotiations for autonomy.

As the Government is primarily run as a Direct Democracy by the People, as such the only real governmental bodies with any true power is the Judicial system. This has led to a very strong cultural influence towards legal interests, and the legal system of Schneeflocke is often considered a model for other nations to strive towards.

Government

Schneeflocke's Government is a Compulsorily Democratic Federation. Compulsory voting is eased by a very low-bar for access to voting facilities, and ballots that must be mailed out. Failure to vote is a petty misdemeanor, which results in a simple, non-appealable fine, which is automatically garnished from one's wages.

Voting is performed in a two-stage system. First, envelopes with machine-readable personal information are used to verify the voter has voted, then they are stripped of all personal information, and passed on for the counting of votes anonymously. Voting starts early, with voting allowed as early as 16 with parental concent, while cumpulsory voting is strictly enforced during the ages of 20 until 70. Although compulsory voting can be excused in the event of a significant physical or mental trauma.

At the local levels voting has become so common place that federal elections are a trivial affair, as everyone is quite accustomed to voting already. And although most cities are governed as a drirect democracy, larger cities will typically have an elected Board of Advisors, which provides only legal commentary on the large numbers of issues voted on in a larger city, and has no enforcable power themselves. As these board typically need to advise their cities in very legal matters, the members of these boards are typically Lawyers and Justices, although some charismatic entertainers have joined their ranks recently.

Each Government, local, state and federal has a number of beaurocratic officers, and in fact has a Chief Executive of the Beaurocracy. However, he does not have any truly governmental powers to change policy. This power is held exclusively by the people, and is kept in check by the Judicial system, which is tasked with protecting the minorities.

Currency

The currency is the Schnee, which is divisible into 6 parts called "Schneechen". The currency is primarily in coinage to reduce wear and tear and the reprinting of money. Schneechen coins are available in amounts of §1 (one Schneechen), §2 (two Schneechen), and §3 (three Schneechen), while the coinage continues through to 1§ (one Schnee), 2§ (two Schnee), 5§ (five Schnee), 10§ (ten Schnee), 20§ (twenty Schnee), 50§ (fifty Schnee). Larger amounts are only available in paper money, which comes in 100§ (one-hundred Schnee), 200§ (two-hundred Schnee), and 500§ (five hundred-Schnee). Partial amounts are typically expressed as 11§2 (eleven Schnee, and two Schneeschen).

The Schnee coinage has a Snowflake on the obverse, along with the date of stamping. The design has changed every year at the winter soltice, and is often quite intricate, and is an event looked forward to by collectors.

On the reverse, is the text: "Diese Münze ist gesetzliches Zahlungsmittel überall innerhalb des Bundesland von den Schneeflocken." ("This coin is legal tender throughout all parts of the Federation of Schneeflocke.")

Inscribed on the ridged outer rim of the coin is the national motto: "Reinheit, Mitleid, und Recht" ("Purity, Sympathy, and Justice").

Paper bills being extremely uncommon are quite unremarkable. They primarily consist of a wide variety of obtrusive visible security features to protect against counterfeiting, and legal text. They otherwise consist of a single flat color, with no artwork. They are typically used solely by banks and for other high monetary exchanges.

Flag

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In the Region

Schneeflocke is located in the Region of Rineu. Although not a founding member of the region, it has however been making strong progress in using their extensive legal history to codify the governmental processes of the Regional Government.

As a result of continued harrassment specifically by the nation of Niploma, on May 12th, Schneeflocke have formally recalled their Regional Representative, and are only keeping a single intern there to note specific debates and return Assembly minutes to the Schneeflocke Government. They have waived their voice, and vote in in the Region of Rineu.

Geography

The Federation of Schneeflocke sits on the outskirts of the Region of Rineu, and has a fairly long coast line. It also borders Neudegg to the east.

It is composed of five "Länder" (States, singular "Land"), one of which is composed of the capital city, "Wannumricht". The other regions are typically named in order of size, "Niffland" (pronounced: /ˈnɪf•lant/) being the largest followed by, "Klatzem" (pronounced: /ˈklats•əm/), "Hiemsberg" (prounounced: /ˈhiːms•bɚg/), and "Kehlmark Insel" (pronounced: /ˈkɛːl•mark ˈins•l/) being the smallest Land as an island a short distance off the coast.

The largest city, "Wallenburg" (pronounced: /ˈval•len•burg/) is located in Niffland, and serves as the economic hub of the country.

Politics

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Parties

Parties are relatively unimportant in Schneeflocke, as almost all voting is held in a direct democratic way. What parties that do exist, typically serve the purpose of uniting to propose laws, strike down laws, and enact governmental services.

Elections

Elections are held only for the Judicial Branch, and any Board of Advisors that a jurisdiction may have. The Beaucratic Branch is maintained through the civil service system, and does not have elections.

Justices are elected to 10 year terms, to a board of at least three judges, who hear cases, and account for laws.

Advisors are typically elected to one year terms, where they sit on a board of 10 Advisors, which serve to provide legal advice about proposed elections, and provide some guidence in voting. Because voting is compulsory, all unaccounted for votes, and "abstaining" votes are typically accounted for as in accord with the Board of Advisor's recommendations.

In smaller cities without a Board of Advisors, unaccounted for votes are not used to determine results, although any vote failing to make the required number of votes out of the total number of compulsory votes, is automatically resubmitted for another round of voting.

The Hauptgericht

The "Hauptgericht" (Highest Court) retains final appealate jurisdiction in all cases, and as a Federal entity, it is voted on popularly by the whole nation. Although singular in usage, the Hauptgericht is actually composed of six (6) separate courts.

The inferior courts hear all cases coming from a specific Land (State) and typically will produce a finalizing motion to the appeal. However, appeals can be made to the superior court, which is composed of the Hauptrichter(in), and the four chief justices from the other other Länder courts outside of the one who heard the original argument. The superior court's findings are absolutely final, although the superior court may only rule on Federal issues, and the inferior courts remain the ultimate appeal for cases dealing only with the laws of each of the individual Länder.

The Head of State

A Head of State is elected popularly by the people to serve as the symbolic representative of the Government to foreign Heads of State. His duties are entirely symbolic, although he does act as Chief Ambassador, advising other Ambassadors from Schneeflocke, and focuses on directing and leading the foreign policy dictated by the people and the courts.