Sober Thought

This factbook describes the Community of Sober Thought as it applies to NationStates gameplay and roleplay. For the real life motivation of the creator of Sober Thought, see Sober Thought real.

Sober Thought

Flag of Sober Thought
Motto: We are extreme in our moderation
IDU regional only / Seulement celle de l'IDU / Nur der Region
Region	International Democratic Union
Capital	Capital Province
Official Language(s)	English, français simple, schlecht Deutsch
Leader	Extreme Moderate
Population	1 011 000 000
Currency	Denkmark
NS Sunset XML

The Community of Sober Thought was created in February 2005 for the NationStates game.

NationStates entry as of 23 August 2005

UN Category: Inoffensive Centrist Democracy
Civil Rights: Excellent
Economy: Imploded
Political Freedoms: Below Average

Location: International Democratic Union

The Gemeinde of Sober Thought is a massive, socially progressive nation, renowned for its complete lack of prisons. Its compassionate population of 1.011 billion have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, the Environment, and Education. The average income tax rate is 87%, and even higher for the wealthy. A substantial private sector is dominated by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry.

Voters must frequently select what they view as the lesser of two evils on the ballot, children are brainwashed at a young age to accept "Love and peace!" as a way of life, citizens recently voted in favour of declaring bubblewrap an 'abomination of nature', and houses and businesses are bulldozed to make way for ever-expanding cemetaries. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Sober Thought's national animal is the Owl, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the Denkmark.

See: http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/target=display_nation/nation=Sober_Thought for an always-up-to-date information page on the nation Sober Thought

Reached population of one billion the week of 23 August 2005

Government

Sober Thought is a secular republic in which the federation, the provinces and the municipalities all have constitutional rights and obligations described in each of their respective sections. No government may promote religion or monarchy, and no religious or (former) royal person shall be elected or employed by any level of government except on the same basis as other citizens.

Federal government

The federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over: international relations, foreign and domestic intelligence, criminal law, the constitution (including entrenched civil rights), prisons, currency, weights and measures, maritime transportation, air transportation and broadcast communications. The House of the Provinces may choose the official language(s) of the federal government and its agencies. It has shared jurisdiction with the provinces over: defence (including emergency measures), education and ground transportation.

The federal government is represented by the Community Conscience (head of state elected by universal suffrage), Chief Minister (head of government elected by the House of the Federation) and Provinces' Speaker (chair of and elected by the House of the Provinces). The exclusive and shared jurisdictions are organised into four ministries and about a dozen vice ministries. The Chief Minister appoints the Ministers and Vice Ministers. Collectively, they are all called the Cabinet and the five people acting as Chief Minister and Minister are called the Inner Cabinet.

The federal government may fund itself by import and export levies and income taxes. It may also borrow on its own credit.

Community Conscience

The people of Sober Thought believe that the country must exist as a community or it is no longer worth of the name Sober Thought. The electorate as a whole chooses, from a list of candidates vetted by the House of the Provinces, the Community Conscience as head of state.

The Community Conscience performs largely a ceremonial role but has large reserve powers to defend and promote the constitution and values of the country. After an election, the Community Conscience chooses the leader of the largest party or party coalition in the House of the Federation to serve as Chief Minister (formerly known as Federal Leader). Subsequently, the House of the Federation may remove the Chief Minister provided it simultaneously elects a new one in a constructive vote of non-confidence.

House of the Federation

Also known as the parliament, this body consists of 300 representatives representing no more than 240 (currently 230) electoral districts in the following manner:

The total population of the country is divided by 300, the total number of HF seats, to establish the representational quotient (i.e., how many people per HF seat). Each province is assigned HF seats based on these calculations subject to the following rules: each province must have at least one HF seat, fractional seats owed to provinces are added in order from the province with the fewest HF seats to that with the most and fractional seats owed from provinces are deducted in order from the province with the most HF seats to that with the least.

Within each province, MHFs are elected in the following manner:

• If there is only one MHF, simple plurality in an electoral district comprising the entire province.
• If there are two MHFs, the two candidates with the largest number of votes in an electoral district comprising the entire province.
• If there are more than two MHFs, four fifths (or the next smallest fraction possible) of the members shall be elected in single-member electoral districts. One fifth (or the next largest fraction possible) shall be elected through provincial party lists based on the proportional vote of each party's candidates in that province during the federal election.

Current seats/districts are assigned and voted on as follows: Central Province 110/88, Hochelaga 69/55 (missed a round up), Mountain 39/31 (missed a round up), Western 29/23 (missed a round up), Jarvet 11/8, Plains (got an unearned round up) 10/8, South Island 9/7, Braunekuste 9/7, Capital (got an unearned round up) 7/5, North Island 5/4, Potato Island (got an unearned round up) 2/1.

House of the Provinces

This chamber of government is designed to represent the interests of the provinces. Therefore, each province sets it own conditions for choosing its Members of the House of the Provinces, such election in its own provincial legislature, direct election by the people or simply by the sitting provincial government choosing its own members to have dual duty in the provincial legislature and the House of the Provinces. Consult the specific province you are interested in.

There is no set number of seats in this legislative body; rather, they are assigned on the following basis: provinces with one percent or less of the national population receive 1 seat; those with more than one but less than five receive 2; those with five but less than ten receive 3; those with ten but less than fifteen receive 4; those with fifteen or more receive 5. Current membership is 30: Central Province 5, Hochelaga 5, Thuvia 4, Western Province 3, Jarvet 2, Plains 2, South Island 2, Braunekuste 2, Capital 2, North Island 2, Potato Island 1.

Provincial governments

Provincial governments each have exclusive jurisdiction over: police, health, civil law and natural resources. Each provincial government may establish its official language(s) based on its own procedures. It has shared jurisdiction with the federal government over: public security, education and ground transportation. Provinces may fund themselves through property taxes.

Individual provinces

Each province, except the Capital Province, had its own reasons for joining the federation. Capital Province was created from two existing provinces to provide a neutral territory for the federal institutions. Once created or admitted into the federation, provinces may not be merged or severed without their consent or the consent of the House of the Federation.

For specific information, please choose from among the following eleven provinces, listed by decreasing percentage of the country’s population:

Provincial adhesion, secession and expulsion

While not a true confederal union, Sober Thought’s values of democracy extend the right of self-determination to each province (except Capital Province) and the federation as a whole to eject members (except Capital Province).

A sovereign country may become one or more provinces of Sober Thought if two thirds or more of the House of the Provinces answer ‘yes’ to the following invariable motion: “Are you in favour of admitting X Country to Sober Thought and making it Y Province(s)?”

In the year following a successful vote, the soon-to-be-former country must create a provincial government which meets Sober Thought’s constitutional requirements. Failure to do so will prevent adhesion.

Legal secession of a province may be secured if two thirds or more of the voters answer ‘yes’ to the following invariable referendum question: “Are you in favour of seceding from Sober Thought and becoming a separate country?”

In the year following a successful secession referendum, the federal government and the soon-to-be-former province will negotiate the terms of secession on the following conditions: residents of the seceding province lose citizenship in Sober Thought and may regain it only on the same conditions applying to other foreigners, and in the event that an agreement on the division of assets and liabilities cannot be reached, the federal government may seize and dispose of all physical or moveable federal assets in the seceding province.

Any attempts at secession outside this framework will be opposed by whatever civil and military means the federal government directs and secessionists will be prosecuted for treason as well as any specific overt crimes they may commit.

Expulsion of a province (besides Capital Province) may be secured if two thirds or more of the members of the House of the Provinces answer ‘yes’ to the following invariable motion: “Are you in favour of expelling X Province from Sober Thought and making it a separate country?” Negotiations are identical to secession except that it is the provincial government which may seize and dispose of all federal assets located in the province if another agreement cannot be reached.

Municipal governments

Once chartered by a province, municipalities may not be merged, divided or altered without their consent. Municipalities may not move provinces without the concurrent assent of the governments of the municipality, the original province and the proposed province.

Municipalities have exclusive jurisdiction over municipal planning (zoning), fire protection and garbage disposal. Each municipal government may establish its official languages(s) subject to provincial law and municipal government decisions.

They may fund themselves by sales taxes.

Incomplete list of cities with their provinces, typology and population as a percentage of the nation:

• Barr, Thuvia, city, 0.3%
• Caguenai, Hochelaga, francophone city, 0.5%
• Chapeaudix, Thuvia, capital city, 1.0%
• Drewsburgh, South Island, capital city, 1.5%
• Fraser, Thuvia, city, 0.5%
• Georgetown, Thuvia, city, 4.9%
• Gouinshau, Hochelaga, francophone city, 0.5%
• Grand Sault/Grand Falls, Braunekuste, francophone county, 0.2%
• Grandville, Braunekuste, bilingual capital city, 0.5%
• Hochelaga (Ville de), Hochelaga (Province du), francophone capital city, 1.6%
• Hunter, Thuvia, city, 0.5%
• Johnstown, Braunekuste, city, 0.5%
• Kingsmount, Hochelaga, bilingual city, 1.5%
• Longueoreille, Hochelaga, francophone city, 0.5%
• Mirage, Braunekuste, francophone county, 0.2%
• Mont Royaume (alias Montroy), Hochelaga, francophone city, 6.0%
• Paidrig, North Island, capital city, 0.4%
• Picton, South Island, city, 0.3%
• Princetown, Potato Island, capital town, 0.1%
• Sheldon, South Island, city, 0.3%
• Simon, Thuvia, city, 0.4%
• Skina, Thuvia, city, 0.3%
• Thompson, Thuvia, city, 0.6%
• Trifleuville, Hochelaga, francophone city, 0.5%

Party politics

Since the lower house of the federal government is partly based on proportional representation, it has encouraged the growth of smaller parties that would be shut out of a system based solely on simple pluralities in many electoral districts. The three largest parties in the House of the Federation together typically control about two thirds of the seats, while the five smallest parties and a handfull of independents typcially control one third.

* There are four other seats: a former Centre Party MHF who temporarily resigned during her tenure as Speaker of the House of the Federation; an independently elected strong-willed and popular local hero; a current independent who was elected as part of the far-right CUP but ejected for being too extreme; a vacancy.

Some potential parties which do not yet exist could be built around: ecology, women's issues, Christian socialism and certain ethnic groups. Far more likely than a profusion of parties would be a slight consolidation. For instance, if the bulk of Rural Alliance supporters drifted into either the Free Enterprise Party or Christian Unity Party, or the Parti hochelagais supporters returned to their previous parties. The Christian Unity Party might also dissolve into feuding constituents, the parts being less than the sum of the whole.

All community-wide governments are coalitions of one sort or another. Four are based on the conventional political spectrum: Right-wing coalitions of CP, FEP, RA and perhaps one or both of CUP and PH are possibile but not common. Centre-right coalitions of MP, CP, likely FEP, and perhaps RA are both possible and common. Left-wing coalitions of SP and LDA are theoretically possible but have never been attempted. Centre-left coalitions of MP, SP and perhaps LDA are possible, common and the current governing coalition.

Outside the left-right spectrum, grand coalitions involving the SP, CP and perhaps MP are possible but exceedingly rare. Even broader national unity governments involving at least three additional parties (two of which must be the FEP and LDA) are possible but only briefly exist during moments of community crisis. A decentralising, provincial-rights coalition involving the MP, LDA, CUP, RA and PH is also theoretically possible but unsustainable, since it would collapse if its goals of dramatically increased provincial autonomy were achieved.

Click on the links of each party for details.

Civil and human rights and responsibilities

The following Charter of Civil and Human Rights and Responsibilities, known as the Charter for short, is an important part of the constitution.

I. Application
1. Every civil and human right recognized by the government is balanced by a reciprocal responsibility on the part of persons to one another.

2. Every civil and human right is subject only to such limits as are demonstrably justifiable in a democratic society.

3. The Community Conscience, the House of the Federation and the House of the Provinces shall concurrently decide which limits are demonstrably justifiable in a democratic society.

4. Every resident has the rights and responsibilities outlined in the section on human rights.

5. Every citizen has the rights and responsibilities outlined in both the sections on human and civil rights.

6. The provision of minimum rights below does not preclude the extension of other protections that do not have the status of rights.

II. Human Rights
1. Every person has the right to life and to choose medical treatment.

2. Every person has the right to be arrested and detained only for legal reasons promptly provided.

3. Every person so arrested has the right to aid of legal counsel.

4. Every person charged and convicted of a crime may not again be charged and convicted of the same crime. This does not preclude a civil suit.

5. Every person has the right to freedom of thought, belief and religion and to express these rights in private settings.

6. Every person has the right to receive government or publicly available services without regard to race, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, sexuality, disability or handicap.

III. Civil Rights
1. Every citizen has the right to choose democratic representatives and serve as one.

2. Every citizen has the right of peaceful assembly for political or social purposes.

3. Every citizen has the right of peaceful association with other persons.

4. Every citizen has the right of public expression of peaceful thought, conscience, belief and religion.

5. Every citizen has the right to movement within and outside the country.

6. Every naturalized citizen has the right and responsibility to see these rights and responsibilities preserved.

International relations and national defence

The main purpose of international relations is to provide external security to the federation and its citizens. Thus, the two are closely intertwined and are both suborinate to the Ministry of Community Defence.

The country is a happy and active member of the International Democratic Union. The federation shall solicit and maintain defensive alliances with fellow democracies and be active in defence of democracy at the United Nations and other international forums. Relations with undemocratic nations are both possible and desirable, but a support of democratic principles is required for close relations.

Short-term humanitarian aid may be provided regardless of the anti-democratic government of a nation in need, but long-term international aid will be commensurate with the level of democracy in the country. These services are integrated with the national defence forces.

The uniformed members of the Community Defence Forces provide the primary defence of the constitution and of the federation. However, due to the broad understanding of the concept of defence, they are assisted by many other organized and unorganized bodies which would not be counted as defence workers in many other countries. For instance, arms manufacturing workers and religious international aid workers (meeting federal standards) are also considered defence workers.

Education

Education is a prerequisite to an informed electorate and democratic society, so Sober Thought places a strong emphasis upon it and makes it part of the super Ministry of Community Wellbeing. “Free” in the education system means at no direct cost to the student or guardian, to be paid for by public taxation or other government revenues.

Primary, intermediate and secondary education

Education is compulsory until age 15. Furthermore, it is free, public and secular until the end of secondary school. Any religious education, besides the study of comparative religion, shall take place outside the secular school hours. With the consent of the secular schools, religious education may be conducted on school property outside secular school hours.

Education is compulsory from age 6. At the request of guardians and with the permission of school authorities, it may begin earlier. Primary education consists of six levels (grades) and is normally completed by age 12. It goal is basic literacy and numeracy.

Intermediate education consists of three levels (grades) and is normally completed by age 15. Its goal is imbue civic and social rights and responsibilities, while building on primary education.

Secondary education consists of three levels (grades) and is normally completed by age 18. Its goal is to prepare students for employment or tertiary education and it may be streamed (channelled) to those students with differing objectives. Movement between streams shall be permitted where academic performance meets the entry requirements.

Tertiary education

The federal government shall pay the full education cost of the top one percent of applicants for secular tertiary education, half the cost of the next five percent and one quarter the cost of the next ten percent. Provincial governments may offer similar incentives but they may also attach such conditions as they see fit, e.g., residency in a province after graduation, attendance at a provincial-owned institution, entry into a specific program, etc.

Apprenticeship programs for construction, mechanical, and other physical trades are an integral part of tertiary education. Entry requirements are normally completion of secondary school, but completion of intermediate school and a successful entry test are acceptable. Apprenticeship is gear towards immediate employment in a trade and it is funded in equal portions by the trades themselves (by the difference between an apprentice’s fractional earnings and the earnings of a qualified tradesperson), the provincial government and the student.

College is similar to apprenticeship but for trades that do not include a large physical component and involve mainly providing services to other people. It is funded in equal measures by the industry and trade associations which have a say in the curriculum of colleges and by the students themselves on the same basis as university students below.

University provides no explicit occupational training and is purely an intellectually exploratory exercise. University is funded in whole by the students themselves on the basis of the actual costs of learning. Federal loans are available to students on bases similar to low-interest mortgages.

The federal government establishes the minimum program standards for granting degrees but otherwise is uninvolved in their governance unless it chooses to establish its own universities where it may compel its scholarship winners to attend as a condition of the scholarship. Provincial governments may establish their own universities on a similar basis and in which they may discriminate against out-of-province students.

Professional education is provided for such fields as law, medicine and accounting which would allow graduates a reasonable prospect to become self-employed. Each professional institution must meet federal government standards but may collect its fees in any way it desires.

Economy

An economy cannot grow without a strong education sector as outlined above. Therefore, this is a shared responsibility of the private and public sectors. The Ministry of Community Prosperity is responsible for all aspects of regulating, promoting, measuring and predicting the domestic economy.

Private sector economy

While free enterprise is permitted, valued and encouraged, it is not at the expense of social obligations and not by avoiding the true cost of business decisions. Therefore, goods are the responsibility of the industry from production of raw materials, manufacture, packaging, recycling or destruction. To enforce this responsibility, many business have formed self-governing industry associations which arrange their own membership and governance procedures for their constituent businesses. A business not belonging an association must bear all the responsibility for its own products.

For example, a steel company relying on iron ore that is strip mined, smelted with brown coal and whose slag is discarded into ecologically sensitive marshland is responsible (through its industry association) for the cost of landscaping, air pollution controls and marsh restoration. If a steel company sells structural beams to a construction company, the steel industry assocation must recycle or safely dispose of them at the end of the building's life.

Trade unions are permitted but no worker may be compelled to join one. Non-unionized workers at a business covered by a trade union collective agreements may be compelled to pay dues as if they were members. When a majority of workers at a business are unionized, management must conduct its negotiations with that union. Contract disputes between labour and management will be arbitrated provincially as a branch of civil law. Federal government employees may not be unionized. Other governments may make other decisions on this matter.

Public sector economy

Government is directly involved in the economy only where national sovereignty demands it or a natural monopoly exists that a regulated private sector organization cannot or will not operate.

For example, police powers may only be exercised by government-funded provincial police, and may not be delegated to private security firms or private police forces. The postal service is an agency of the federal government.