Difference between revisions of "Tabikrion"

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The country of Tabikrion (formally known as The Incorporated States of Tabikrion) is a large, moderately populated country, located in Averencia. It is run under a centrist federal system, consisting of eight centrally located States, fourteen Provinces, and a number of Territories and allied Protectorates. Governing these lands are an elected Federal Premier and a representative State Assembly, who share near limitless power. Despite being one of the oldest organized states of Averencia, it has historically remained distanced from other regional powers, but expanding borders, a faltering economy and recent crisis throughout the rest of the continent have forced the Tabreks out of isolation.

Tabikrion

Flag of Tabikrion
Motto: "Strength, Freedom and Unity through Sacrifice"
None Available
Region	Averencia
Capital	Arkovfel
Official Language(s)	Tabitimor
Leader	The Premier
Population	27.5 million (2006 Census)
Currency	Tabrek Kronar
NS Sunset XML

History

Though the current state of Tabikrion is over two centuries old (though its government has changed drastically over time), the idea of a single Tabrek nation and state has existed in one form or another for many centuries, if not millennia.

Early Tabikrion

It is generally acknowledged that the first waves of humans to first inhabit Averencia arrived several millennia ago. The early Tabreks are thought to have been among those that came in the second or third wave of migrations, eventually overpowering the original inhabitants of the region and becoming the dominant people in this part of Averencia. Over time, their fledging settlements were united, founding the first incarnation of the Tebryt Empire, which managed to control an area several times larger than modern Tabikrion for some time, fragmented briefly and reforming numerous times. The name of this empire is thought to have derived from the name of the first empire’s founding ruler, Tvebrytkrin, which has evolved to describe both the ethnicity of the people and the region’s early history (“Tebryt”) and the current nation-state and its immediate predecessors (“Tabrek”, “Tabikrion”). It is not known exactly how long this cycle of collapse and rebirth continued, but eventually there came a time when the empire did not reform itself and permanently splintered into many smaller city-states, and pseudo-feudal kingdoms. Though attempts were made by ambitious Tabreks to restore a nation-wide empire, these short-lived kingdoms rarely lasted longer than their kings did. By the late eighteenth century, central Tabikrion (known as The Cradle by its inhabitants) had been in a relative state of peace (and stagnation) for several decades. However, the powerful states of Veneran and Tepton had just finished a bout of political maneuvering that resulted in the coronation of a more flexible king in neighboring Ulkenta; one who would finally give his nation’s full support for a chance to rebuild the Tabrek people’s empire.

The Confederation

The Confederation of the Tabreks was created two-hundred three years ago by the original three States, Veneran, Tepton and Ulkenta, for the purpose of reuniting the Tabrek nation under one central rule, dominated by the people of The Cradle. Though the many Tabrek states and several of their neighbors had often maintained alliances in the past to maintain a relative balance of power, this marked the first time in modern history when they would be united under a single banner. This Confederation was lead by quasi-representative body called the Confederal Senate; though there were elections only the landed elite could vote, and even then a powerful nobleman could and often simply appoint himself Senator, disregarding the popular vote. The number of representatives was based on the political influence of the State, rather than population. The Senate appointed the generals of the Tebrarmat military coalition (though the authority over the troops ultimately remained in the hands of the leaders of their home state) as well as the governors of the Provinces and Territories. The primary goal of this new nation was to reunite the states of Greater Tabikrion into one country, through a multitude of methods, key among them strategic alliances, intimidation through threat of invasion, and conquest. The leaders of The Cradle played upon the common culture of the scattered Tebryt peoples (while maintaining their dominance over the rest) and helped to stir up nationalistic fervor that followed would assure a relative degree of unity throughout the Confederation for the next seven decades.

The First Unification

Over the next few decades other States would become part of the Tabrek Confederation; a few joined on their own accord, while others were intimidated or fought until submission. Only the powerful city-state of Kohdeka (whose equally sized and better led forces had single-handedly stalled the Tabermat for almost an entire first decade, until a Confederation-backed coup replaced its reactionary monarch with a nationalist dictatorship) would be given full representation within the Confederation; the others were declared "Provinces" due to a perceived lack of “incorporation into the Tabrek nation”, and given partial power. The wars were usually quick and decisive, and rarely was complete conquest of a region necessary before a treaty was signed, which usually allowed even those declared Provinces a degree of autonomy on domestic issues. Within seventy years the Confederation had increased its territory ten-fold.

During this time, the different rulers of the many states that made up the new Tabrek nation gave up (both voluntarily and forcibly) much of their power into order to improve national unity. For several of the states, this was done willingly in support of Tabrek nationalism. Many of the conquered regions however, refused to surrender their sovereignty even after their defeat and persisted as a major problem for the Confederation well after the end of the Unification.

The Confederation now comprised of four States and six Provinces, as well as a large number of unrepresented territories, which made up a large amount of the Confederation’s size and its much of it non-Tabrek/Tebryt population. To the overambitious Senators, the creation of a new Tebryt Empire seemed possible for the first time.

The Provincial Uprising

This "golden age" soon ended though, and Tabikrion felt the strain of maintaining a large state, which had now expanded to include other, less cooperative nations to the east and south. The Tebrarmat, now stretched thin across the vast lands of the Tabrek peoples, was no longer able to continue expanding, being already incapable of maintaining order in what was already conquered. As the expansion and war ground to a halt, the faults of the governing body of the Confederation became obvious. No longer united by war-driven nationalism, the grievances of many of the members became present. The first to openly challenge the authority of the Confederal Senate was the Province of Nanwel, which had willing joined the Unification wars on the side of the Confederation. They expressed their frustration in being forced to send men, material and capital to a body that refused to recognize it as an equal member of the Tabrek nation-state. Other Tabrek Provinces and Territories soon joined Nanwel’s cry for true representation. Their demands were flatly denied by veto after veto in the Cradle-dominated Senate. Eventually five of the Provinces and their allied Territories overthrew their Cradle-appointed governors and began recalling their soldiers from the outlying Tabrek Territories to consolidate their forces for the inevitable struggle. The Cradle States were infuriated by this action and prepared their armies as well. The appointed governor of the non-aligned Province of Ostwil had managed to maintain his control over his Province, but the ongoing civil war between the pro-government forces, separatist insurgents and non-Tabrek/Tebryt ethnic minorities flared out of control and was unable to contribute to either side of the conflict. Many of the now leaderless Territories, which also contained large populations of non-Tabrek ethnicities, remained silent, with many prepared to secede on their own should a full scale civil war finally break out. It had been just one decade since the end of Unification, and it already it seemed that the country was on the brink of disintegration.

The Second Unification

Before the relations between the two Tabrek factions could reach a breaking point, a common foe emerged. Foreign armies of Western states had been arriving on the coast of far western Tabikrion, and suddenly advanced eastward. The Tabreks had repulsed small raids by these Westerners for centuries, but this invasion force consisted of large units of professional soldiers, and was much better equipped and led then any previous encounter. The combined military force had quickly taken advantage of the disorganized situation, overrunning the Western Territories (present day Ericrea and Sabrelands countries) with relative ease, smashing through the few Tabrek divisions which had remained at their posts during the Uprisings, and receiving little resistance from the apathetic Dirtuun and Sabre populations, and even gaining allies among them, especially the Sabres who had suffered greatly during a famine caused by the military demands during the Uprisings. Using their advanced weaponry and battle-tested tactics, the invaders were fighting their way into the Tabrek Cradle within months.

Its very existence threatened, and with much of the Senate dissolved and fleeing for their lives, the remaining loyal Tebrarmat commanders put aside their regional differences and jointly assumed control over the remnants of the Confederation. A pitched nine year war followed -- easily the most costly in recent Tabrek history. The technology of the foreign army was generations ahead of the outdated Tebrarmat, but knowledge of the land, overwhelming numbers, and Tabrek adaptations and innovations of Western weaponry kept the invaders from achieving the quick victory they had grown accustomed to elsewhere in the world. The majority of the outlying territories (including the resource-rich Western Territories) were abandoned in order to focus on the defense of center of Tabikrion. Eventually the Tabreks gained the upper-hand, and in the decisive Battle of Pevetslon, the foreigners' forward command center was encircled and subsequently overrun, forcing the destruction or surrender of approximately a quarter of their forces. A general withdrawal from the mainland followed.

By the end of the war much of Tabikrion was a devastated. The once powerful agriculture of the land was shattered, and the many of the poverty-stricken were forced to migrate to the slightly more intact cities, leading to a more urbanized Tabikrion over time. All but the individual States and Provinces had slipped out of the Tabrek orbit. Most of the former territories had declared themselves sovereign states or were simply left on their own, if not already completely depopulated by conscription, famine and atrocities committed by both sides. They were still regarded as Territorial members of the Confederation, but it took many decades to finally enforce these claims. Many regions (including most of the Western Territories) were never reclaimed.

The Incorporated States

The close of the war brought about a period of internal conflict and reform. The Tabreks found themselves a people and nation without a government. The ruling body, a council which consisted of several Senator-generals and numerous other military commanders who had made the stand against the Imperialists, survived the war with completely unlimited and unchallenged power over what was left. With some minor changes, they formed a peacetime provisional government with promises of surrendering power within a decade. The council set about purging the few surviving Senators and regional leaders who had retreated from their charges in the face of battle or the few who still supported Provincial independence from the Confederation; these actions, though bloody, met little resistance from an exhausted and desensitized public. Simultaneously, the bloated Tebrarmat was disbanded, which was no longer sustainable in peacetime, and consisted mostly of poorly trained conscripts. In its place was formed the Tabrek Armed Service, which was made up of the core veteran commanders and divisions from the war. While existing units were to remain intact, all units formed thereafter were consist of citizens throughout the Confederation, rather than from a single State. The entire TAS was also put under the central authority of the council; major military powers of the actual states were removed, though they were allowed to keep small standing militias, guards and reserves to be funded locally. With the transformation of the levied Tebrarmat into the professional TAS, came a social clash amongst the commanders.

At the end of the war, a slight majority of the provisional council were of the middle and lower-class who had assumed the role of commanders when their aristocratic Senators-generals had fallen in combat or fled from battle. Following the end of major dissent and centralization of the military, many of these new leaders proclaimed that only through the dissolution of the existing monarchies and oligarchies of the states could the nation ever truly be unified; the most radicals blamed them for the catastrophes that had befallen Tabikrion in the past decades and demanding their removal and imprisonment or execution. Split on the issue, the council reached a compromise and forcibly stripped the powers of state monarchs and aristocrats, but allowed them to maintain their status titles, existing mostly as popular figureheads for the public.

Though it was six years late, the provisional government eventually lived up to its promise and held general elections for a committee that would create a new constitution creating the new state for Tabikrion. The “constitution” consisted mostly of a collection of various acts and laws that had been passed by the council in the previous years, with the addition of a section extending civil liberties and creating a definitive executive branch that was separate from the legislative (now renamed the State Assembly, and more representative and democratic than its Senatorial predecessor). A national currency was adopted (the Kronar), helping to mainstream the devastated economy. The new nation-state was inaugurated as The Incorporated States of Tabikrion.

The Years of Refinement

Tabikrion remained in a state of relative isolation in one form or another for nearly a century, focusing on intra-national commerce and developing its weaponry to match Western equivalents. For the most part, the IST stayed out international conflicts and affairs; until the mid-twentieth century its only major external actions were the conquest and reclaiming of several small regions to the east and south (eventually rebuilding Tabikrion to about half of its pre-war size). As the Tabrek economy stalled due to its lack of extensive foreign trade and it again began to lag behind technologically, the government moved to reopen its borders and join the newly formed League of Nations. This sparked a wave of domestic opposition which increased over the next few years until it finally led to a social populist uprising that stood to overthrow the government. With much of the military and civilian population backing the resisters, the government negotiated a peaceful solution, which significantly liberalized the electoral system, extending the vote to nearly all the adult male population, and even a portion of the female population. The aristocracy was forever dissolved, their titles removed and estates seized. Upon taking power in the next election, the nationalists had Tabikrion withdrew from the League and returned to its highly isolationist ways (at the cost of further deterioration to the economy). It did however establish strong diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union, which the radical government saw as both an ideological equivalent and potentially powerful future ally.

During the next few decades, the predecessors to the first Tabrek mercenary contractors, were commissioned by the government as “foreign observers” to gather military intel and gain combat experience abroad, and return to help inform and train the next generation of the TAS. They voluntarily served as in small independent units on the side of the Soviet bloc and their allies during the waning years of the Great Patriotic War and during much of the Cold War, all the time with the public support of the IST, which simultaneously remained officially uninvolved. By doing so, IST was allowed access to Soviet weapons and technology, which has since become the mainstay of the TAS. Additionally, Soviet advisors assisted the IST in modernizing many of their social programs, such as education and healthcare, further strengthening the government, while at the same time weakening the power of the citizen and economy, increasing reliance on Moscow for support, as the Tabrek economy continued to decline. Though Tabikrion never became a true satellite state of the Soviets, this de facto alliance and near dependency in the mid-Cold War all but destroyed the stable relations between the Western allies and Tabikrion, who perceived each other as imperialists and communists respectively. It was during this time that previously contained rebellious sections on the border territories throughout Tabikrion began to flare up, which the IST claimed to have been supplied, trained and funded by the Western allies.

During this time, the Premiers had continued to consolidate power into the once weak federal government (particularly their under strength executive branch), dragging the country further away from its Confederation roots. The most notable breach of power was when the Executive, without an Assembly vote, quickly created additional powers for himself and then moved to claim control of several hundred square miles of mostly uninhabited plains within The Steps for the purpose of building a national capital, Arkofel. Prior, the Assembly meetings had been held in different cities every few months, a tradition carried over from the uncertain days of the Second Unification War. Though technically legal through a loophole in one of the amendments, it was in no way intended for any one individual to have so much power within the IST. The state governments and their Assembly representation protested this seizure, and the loophole was amended before further acts could be passed, but the damage was done.

The Bartehun Catastrophe

During the end of the Cold War era, catastrophe hit Tabikrion, when the Bartehun Dam burst, only weeks after its completion. Thousands were killed in the floods that followed, and billions of Kronars in damage were done. The project (and the aftermath of the disaster) had made up a large percentage of government expenditures for the past decade and had been one of the country’s main focus and pride for the past several years; within days committees were formed to investigate and hundreds of officials involved in the construction were charged with corruption and negligence. Additional construction on the nation's still unfinished capital was put on hold as funds and labor were diverted to recovery and repair. Coupled with the decline (and soon after, collapse) of the IST’s main trade partner, the Soviet Union, the government was forced to take drastic measures towards privatization. In the weeks that followed, many government restrictions on foreign trade were lighted or lifted altogether, and many sections of the government, including the “foreign observers” that had been employed during the Cold War, were privatized. These new corporations, including Tabikrion’s first Private Military Contractors (PMCs), were allowed increased freedom when dealing with foreigners in hopes that the introduction foreign currency would help repair the Tabrek's market. Though most corporations were only partially successful in the international market, the PMCs found themselves to be extremely sought after, now that their pro-Soviet limitations had been removed. Several years later, with the economy stabilizing once again, the government tried to bring in the reins on the increasing power of the corporations over the Tabrek economy, only to bring the country back into recession. Realizing that their economy was now too much tied into the international market to isolate themselves again, they returned the international freedoms to the corporations and did what they could to retain their power over them.

End of Isolation

Tabikrion continued to slowly open its doors to the rest of the world. It has loosened its control somewhat over its economy, and has again tried to rebuild its credibility with the rest of the world. Though the government initially hailed for its sudden and relatively successful transition to a more liberal free market economy, it has slowed the transformation to an almost standstill, and is still a much more centralized state than many in the international community would have hoped for. Though still distanced from its neighbors, Tabikrion has taken a much more active role in the affairs of the rest of Averencia.

Geography and Climate

Due to its large size, Tabikrion’s landscape has a wide degree of variety, shifting from western peaks of mountains to the lowland plains of the nation’s center to the vast deserts in the southeast.

Along Tabikrion’s western and southwestern borders lay the snow covered Sabre Mountains, which slowly give way smaller mountains, hills and eventually plains several hundred miles into the country. This mountainous area, as well as the Steps of the Sabres to its east and southeast makes up nearly half of Tabikrion’s land mass and is known for its extreme cold in winters and sudden weeks-long snowstorms.

At the end of the Steps of the Sabres in the east, is the beginning of the Tabek Cradle, known as the birthplace of Tabrek civilization and the center of the country’s powerful agriculture. The remnants of collectivized fields as well as many government and private farms of all sizes can be found here, mostly centered in the Felrud River Valley. This region was once the undisputed center of Tabrek culture and politics, and though it remains important, there has been a general shift west towards the Steps.

To the south and east of the farmlands are a series of semi-arid hills and small mountains and beyond that, hundreds of miles of open desert. It stretches northward, becoming a more tundra-like environment along the northwestern reaches of Tabikrion.

Following the coast northeast from the mouth of the Felrud River are the few small temperate forests of Tabikrion, which are then replaced by more sparsely vegetated boreal forests in the near sub-arctic area at the nation’s furthest northern extent.

Government

The unnamed documents that created the Incorporated States (often simply called the Tabrek Constitution or more correctly the IST Founding Papers), is very vague when outlining how the government itself works, allowing it to be flexible and easily adaptable. The government on the national level, most closely resembles an elected parliamentary system. It consists of a State Assembly and the Office of the Federal Executive, which jointly wield the nearly limitless power entitled to them by the IST Papers. The IST uses a federal system, with strong individual state, regional and local governments, although their influence and power have diminished significantly as the country moves towards a more centralized, unitary government.

State Assembly

The State Assembly is made up of dozens of Representatives, hailing from every State, Province and Territory of the IST. The Assembly is a unicameral body, and the number of Representatives and the weight of each of their votes from each member are decided by many factors, taking in account everything from the obvious (state population) to the abstract (perceived loyalty to the Union). One of the more important factors is the status of the member’s statehood. “Incorporated States” receive the most representatives, though they no longer hold complete dominance of the Confederation. “Provincial States” are not considered “fully incorporated”, but nowadays share nearly all the same benefits as their “Incorporated” brethren, with their title being merely a traditional formality. The outlying “Territorial Districts” receive relatively little representation in comparison, though the recent “Territorial Empowerment Act” has given them enough of a voice to no longer be ignored.

The Assembly is elected by the people of their region. The restrictive and prejudiced system of voting that was established in the founding of the IST has been whittled away since then in favor of a more representative election that allowed most full citizens to vote, and implements a system of proportional representation, rather than a “winner takes all” electoral system, which has allowed for a relatively high number of strong political parties. Representatives serve four year terms and usually hold office for at least three (though usually not more than six) terms on average. Though most of the Representatives are affluent, male Tebryts, growing minorities in the Assembly have challenged their one time supremacy.

The Voice of the States is the official title of the Assembly Chairman, who is appointed by the Assembly. He or she serves as the spokesperson and representative of the Assembly to the Tabrek people and the Premier’s Office. He is one of the most visible figures in Tabrek politics, surpassed only by the Premier and a few powerful Representatives and generals. The Voice can also serve as a temporary Premier should the current one become incapable of finishing his term.

Office of the Federal Executive

The Federal Executive, or Premier, serves as the executive branch of Tabikrion government, enforcing the rulings of the Assembly, and keeping the individual ambitions of the States and their representations in check. Originally, the Premier existed as a mere extension of the federal legislative, propped up to the public mainly as a national leader for the people to connect with (or lay the blame with) during times of hardship. Due to its limited and rarely used powers, many amendments have been approved since to increase the strength of the Premier, which now rivals the once unequalled power of the Assembly.

The Premier is now required to approve most important legislature or an amendment before it is passes; a Premier’s veto can be overruled by the Assembly, but a large majority is needed. The Premier, who most often has a somewhat extensive military background, serves as the Supreme Commandant of the country’s offensive and defensive capabilities when granted by the Assembly. The Premier is elected by a government sub-committee, made up a handful of Representatives and government employees (in federal, state and local levels), military commanders as well as thousands of randomly selected (full)citizens from the entirety of Tabikrion. Premiers are elected once every six years.

State and Local Governments

The local governments of the individual members of Tabikrion used to have a significant amount of influence, challenging (but not surpassing) the power of the national government, making Tabikrion a federal state. However, due to the call for greater unity (willing or otherwise) following the end of the Unifications era, their power has been decreased and marginalized continuously since, further centralizing power in a traditionally fragmented region. However they still have enough autonomy to run their own land with efficiency, though that is the extent of their control.

State and Provincial governors are elected by popular vote, though Provincial governors must be first approved by the Assembly, though this has become more of a formality than a serious measure to restrict the power of the Provincial States. They have the ability to levy small additional taxes onto the federal taxes, but the majority of their finances are given to them by the Assembly based on population and necessity. Though it is the responsibility of the state, regional and local governments to use these funds as they see fit, the Assembly will often interfere with the process.

Territorial District governments are elected by popular vote of the Territories, but the Assembly can simply dismiss the results and select its own governor, an occurrence that is not rare in many of the more independently minded Territories. Territorial governors are usually directly more loyal to their supporters in the Assembly then the actual people he or she governs, and are sometimes seen as military dictators. However, corruption has been reduced somewhat under the “Territorial Empowerment Act”, and education, healthcare and law and order have risen so that they are nearly equal to those of their State and Provincial counterparts.

Civil Rights

Upon turning 18, native born Tabreks receives partial citizenship. Full citizenship, which includes the right to vote and increased healthcare, post-secondary education and other non-essential support, is not achieved until the individual completes his or her national service obligation. All citizens, regardless of gender or race, are legally entitled to the same rights. This also means that racial or gender quotas for all entities and organizations are considered illegal.

Though everyone is equal in theory, there is the unavoidable problem of discrimination. Being a heavily patriarchal society, Tabrek women hold very few many high-level government and military. They fare slightly better in the upper management of the private sector, though they are still a small minority. Tabreks of non-Tebryt ancestry are at a similar disadvantage, even many of those who’s families have been full citizens for generations. However, the distance between Tebryts and non-Tebryts is much less pronounced then it was in the past, with the decline of nationalism during the Cold War, and the rise of rallying around ideology. A sudden increase number of women and non-Tebryts in the Assembly in the last three decades, may continue to improve the enforcement of the few anti-discrimination laws in effect, but it has yet to be seen if this trend of diversification in the legislative will continue.

The legality of public protests is the source of much debate. Though it is almost universally agreed upon that individually, citizens should have the right to a relatively unlimited freedom of speech, the government (on all levels) has traditionally been hesitant to allow citizens their guaranteed right to assemble. Although authorities are usually tolerant of peaceful protests that question a certain policy of the government, more radical protests that condemn the entire nation state itself are almost immediately disbanded, with deadly force almost always being used soon afterwards if the crowd responds with violence.

Small firearms for self-defensive and hunting are allowed for Tabreks who have attained full citizenship. Often lengthy background checks are mandatory, and any abuse of the privilege is punished severely.

There is no specified drinking age in Tabikrion, though legally no one under 16 can purchase beverages with high alcohol content. There are also severe punishments for those who abuse this privilege. Tobacco products (most of which are domestically produced) are legal, and a handful state and local governments have legalized the use of cannabis, with the idea of national legalization being implied, though there is still widespread opposition, even in the States which have legalized it. The government stance on “dangerous substance control” is strictly enforced, and many major drugs have been made illegal, with exceptions for specific native plants used in religious rituals as well as substances used in government-run hospitals and facilities for clinical use and research.

Religion

Religion plays an important part in Tabrek society, but has traditionally had a mostly unpronounced effect on the secular government’s policies. Freedom of religion is one of the few freedoms held universally; full, partial and non citizens can all practice their beliefs, so long as it does not involve or incite violence, drug use or other crimes. The government enforces a policy that prevents religious discrimination, assuming the religion has been approved and recognized by the government. Religions not considered “legitimate” are labeled as cults and carefully observed in order to determine if they are “malignant”, in which case they are forcibly disbanded and made illegal.

The majority of Tabreks practice the native Tebryt religion, though it is estimated that nearly a quarter are members of another religion (both local and foreign), agnostic or atheist.

Economy

The economy of Tabikrion is a highly centralized one by today’s standards (though considered moderate during the Cold War), with significantly less imports or exports compared to similarly populated nations; heavy protective tariffs are applied to many foreign products; exceptions are made for highly demanded products that have no domestic replacements, as well as a handful of countries that have made trade agreements with the Tabrek government. The government takes an active role in controlling certain aspects of the economy, such as corporate freedoms and limitations on international trade. The general lack of competition in the economy has kept Tabikrion from being successful in the international market, and has led to a economy (though stabilized since the Bartehun Catastrophe) that has not grown much in past decades, a trend likely to continue unless the government fully commits itself towards embracing Western-style capitalism. On a local level, bartering and haggling are an accepted practice in Tabrek society and is employed vigorously by Tabrek merchants.

Taxes are abnormally high in Tabikrion, considering the state’s lack of overall wealth. The percentage of funds going to taxes is decided by the amount of people per household and their total yearly income; there is also a yearly salary floor and ceiling, set each half decade by the Assembly. These numbers can be slightly modified by the State governments on a State to State basis depending on inflation rates and costs of living variations. This system has helped Tabikrion achieved one of the smallest rich-poor divides in the region, while simultaneously limiting the range of class mobility, and upper class wealth accumulation, leading to a notoriously weak population of investors to help bolster economic growth.

Some of Tabikrion’s only major exports come from its strong agriculture industry, located mainly in The Cradle’s Felrud river valley; the sprawling mining complexes in the Steps and Sabre Mountains also play an important, though much less successful, part in the economy. The Tabikrion manufacturing industry is relatively weak, with a disproportionate number of factories being used to build military-related vehicles, weapons and equipment. Though arms sales make up a large portion of Tabrek exports, the situation has also created increased dependency on foreign manufactured goods, such as automobiles and advanced electronics. The current government has tried to avert this dependency by recently giving hundreds of loans and factory permits out to various domestic corporations (as well as discretely building numerous new prison-factories) in hopes of increasing popular interest in home-made products.

Large corporations are under constant government scrutiny, even after the lessening of restriction in recent years. In the past, only those who had proved themselves to be an essential and cooperative asset to the state and people they serve stand a chance of long term survival as an independent entity. Today, most corporations are allowed to expand abroad, but charges of corruption are still not uncommon, and the fear of nationalization still remains in the minds of many CEOs. Smaller businesses receive much less government interference, but must still comply with the many business laws and regulations created by the Assembly. Overall, only the powerful Tabrek PMCs and a small handful of other major corporations have had large scale success internationally, and now exert great political influence (at least by Tabrek standards) on the Assembly, a trend that has become begrudgingly accepted by the public, despite its often communal and social traditions.

Law and Order

The Tabikrion system of justice has gained international notoriety for its often brutal and inhumane nature, according to many human rights organizations. If one is found guilty of a capital crime (murder, rape, child molestation, drug dealing/smuggling), they often sentenced to death and given a handful of chances to appeal before their execution, which usually does not extend more than a year after the individual’s sentencing. Hanging is the most common form of execution, though the decapitation by saber (an ancient Tebryt tradition) is still an option. Firing squads are used if the convict had prior served his nation honorably (usually an act of extraordinary bravery, either in the military or otherwise); this is commonly seen as the most honorable form of execution. Electrocution, lethal injection and gassings are currently banned from practice due to their damage to organs: many of which are extracted afterwards and sent to government run hospitals and clinics. This act, which is seen as almost barbaric in many Western nations, is considered the final payment of a dangerous criminal to the nation and people that they wronged.

Those not guilty of a capital crime are usually imprisoned in a state or federal penitentiary, in which they may serve one of several different punishments depending on the severity of their crime. The most common is “employment” into the Tabrek labor force, which is essentially a legalized form of temporary or permanent slavery. Traditionally most prisoners were used as miners in high risk regions of the Sabre Mountains, though recently many of the prisoners with lower sentences are allowed to work in new government and corporation run factories.

The Tabrek police force is a strong, well-funded branch of the government, tasked with keeping order by enforcing Tabikrion’s many laws and regulations. Full citizenship is required to join the force, thus assuring that all officers have some military background (those who chose a non-military form of civil service are not allowed to apply). Police are known to be particularly brutal at times, and “shoot-on-sight” and summary execution policies are not uncommon or necessarily illegal. Two activities currently dominate large-scale law enforcement operations: destroying the drug smuggling foothold on Tabikrion’s coastal regions and coordinating raids with the military aimed at breaking the domestic rebel insurgent cells throughout Tabikrion’s territories.

Foreign Relations

Tabikrion is on relatively good relations with most of its fellow Averencians, but this is a relatively recent trend, and maybe of its neighbors still openly express concerns over the true intentions of the Tabreks. The Assembly is generally willing to make compromises and agreements concerning economic matters, but usually excludes itself from other regional organizations, concerning security alliances and human rights issues. Annually, Tabikrion sends official invitations to join the IST to several of its neighboring countries, including the multiple Sabreland states and Ericrea; this has become more of a tradition than a serious demand. However, the increasing diplomatic distance between the East Sabreland states and Tabikrion (which have long been traditional allies), and the accusations of Ericrean-based drug smuggling operations have further strained relations in the region.

Though diplomatic ties and limited trade has been slowly reopened with the rest of the world in the last few decades, Tabikrion has continued to refuse joining the international community by and large. Though it is a member of the UN (which is relatively unpopular domestically), its only major contact outside of Averencia is the former Soviet republics, who have long supplied Tabikrion with weapons both military and civilian technology that it could not provide. Prior to its collapse, the Soviet Union also played a significant role in helping the previously agrarian country industrialize; this aid was cut short over twenty years ago, and has played a part in the lack of major development in manufacturing since. Tabikrion is particularly protective against any perceived Western “cultural invasion” and corporate exploitation of Tabrek lands, which in turn half-suspect that Tabikrion may be harboring terrorism.

Military

The Tabrek Armed Service is the nation’s military, which every Tabrek citizen must serve with at least part of his or her life. Upper estimates put the military budget at close to ten percent of the country’s GDP. There are many branches in the TAS, but they are each put under the command of an “overbranch”, which are Ground Corp (Army), Marine Corp (Navy) and Aerial Corp (Air Force).

By far the largest overbranch is the Ground Corp, which is broken down into four primary branches: Armored Infantry, Reserve Infantry, Foreign Infantry and Artillery Infantry.

The next largest overbranch, the slightly obsolete Marine Corp, consists of the Naval Forces, Sub-Naval Forces, Coastal Forces and Amphibious Forces.

The smallest overbranch is the weak and quickly aging Aerial Corp, which is made up of Fighter Wing, Bomber Wing and Reconnaissance Wing.

Tabrek style of warfare puts a huge emphasis on advances of heavy armored vehicles supported by auxiliary infantry, and preceded by constant rolling artillery barrages from canons and naval vessels. Due to the TAS’s overall lack of an effective air force, many vehicles, ships and ground weapons are equipped solely for anti-air combat with the intent of covering other ground and naval forces.

Full citizenship requires at least one five year term be served before the age of 45; this requirement is usually fulfilled after graduation from secondary or tertiary school, though there is little enforcement in this policy; without military or alternate civil service however, there is almost no government support, and no tax break to make up for this. Immigrants and other non-citizen adults must serve a full ten years (five in the Foreign Infantry to receive partial citizenship, and an additional five in Foreign, another branch or an alternate civil service if requested for full citizenship) in the TAS before they are given their full citizenship in Tabikrion. Additional benefits, such as increased pensions and healthcare coverage are awarded to those who serve longer than the required. Though soldiers do not generally receive a high salary, they are exempt from some taxes during and after their service. Those who are unable to serve in the conventional sense due to some disability or request to avoid combat are often given auxiliary or civil service positions that acts as military service to a degree, although the term is usually longer than five years in these cases.

TAS small arms are often domestically produced variants of Soviet and Russian design, such as the Kalashnikov and RPG lines, due to a lack of quality Tabrek equivalents. Military vehicles and heavy weapons are mostly of Tabrek design, and tend to be of higher quality then the current outdated Russian models, and often equal to or only slightly outmatched by their Western equivalents; missiles and combat aircraft are the exceptions which are almost entirely Russian-built.

Currently, several detachments of the military are dealing with several rebel outbreaks in the territories and outer provincial areas, working in cooperation with local police, federal agencies and private contractors. There has been discussion of deploying additional military to stop this growing problem from worsening, as well as send soldiers to reinforce the overtaxed police forces in curbing the quickly rising drug trafficking issue.

For detailed summary of Tabrek Armed Service as well as the involvement of Tabrek PMCs with the TAS, see Military of Tabikrion

Education

During the Cold War, the Tabreks instituted a centralized, federally funded and controlled of education program, which have greatly increased the literacy rates in Tabikrion. However, only recently has the traditional ten years of education been raised to the standard twelve, and secondary school graduation required for military service. There are also an ever growing number of public universities, which are mostly funded by the state or federal governments, and range from being relatively inexpensive to completely free, depending on the financial and citizenship status of the student.

Healthcare

Free healthcare is available for all full citizens, with increased benefits for those who have served additional years of service in the military or some other form of national, state or territorial civil service. The healthcare package is relatively extensive (and fully inclusive for those who fall below the poverty line) and covers the majority of health costs, though cosmetic related surgery is not covered.

Many Tabrek doctors get most of their training as field surgeons during their required military service. Unfortunately constant shortages in medical personnel, generally outdated equipment, financial mismanagement of funds in the department and has kept traditionally kept Tabrek medical science behind that of wealthier countries.

One unusual benefit that Tabrek full citizens receive is a near guarantee of a transplant organ, should they ever need one. This is due to the forced organ “donations” of the thousands of individuals executed for crimes or who die in prisons. Further aiding the guarantee is the tax deductible status of being an organ donor and other benefits (if there ever is an organ shortage, long-time organ donors are moved to the top of the list).

Art and Entertainment

Art in Tabikrion is generally not practiced or recognized as much as it is in other cultures. Due to the harsh climate and limited resources, ancient Tabrek tools, clothing and architecture was often designed to be completely pragmatic, and almost no effort was made to make it look aesthetically pleasing until relatively recent times. This tradition has continued even as the times have improved, and Tabrek buildings and items tend to resemble basic geometric shapes. There is an overall shortage of museums and art galleries, and most of those that exist are funded by the government and filled with pieces depicting of the Unifications and other pro-nationalistic materials. The recent archeological finds concerning the ancient Tebroviti Empire have created what some would call a cultural rebirth of the nation, causing many Tebryts to become more educated regarding their heritage. Both privately-owned and government-run museums are now trying to shift to accommodate this change in interest, and millions in Kronars from the government and other wealthy individuals and organizations are being handed to archeologists in hopes of finding something to fill these museums.

Entertainment in Tabikrion has been greatly affected by the nation’s reconnection with the world, though many traditions still remain. The foreign sports of rugby, football/soccer and snowboarding compete for popularity and airtime with the traditional sports, such as razkta (similar to dodgeball) and verovov (Tabrek version of downhill skiing). Television has probably been the most affected, as it previously played a minor role in Tabrek life, watched mostly for news announcements and live-events on holidays and other important days; now foreign sensationalized news programs, TV dramas and noticeably untabrek comedies have made a foothold on the Tabrek channels and psyche, much to the annoyance traditionalists.

One aspect of entertainment not greatly affected by the slow internationalization of Tabikrion is their love of violence in many of their games. Though banned decades ago by the Assembly, gladiatorial-type duels occur underground as often as once a week in major Tabrek cities. Less-than-lethal games of similar play are still legal, and are still incredibly popular, accounting for almost a third of all stadium-based games. The many yearly war games practiced jointly by military branches and PMCs are often televised with great success and popularity.

Science

Through its close relationship with the powerful Soviet regime of the Cold War era, Tabikrion was able to maintain a relatively stable and modern, though unremarkable, science programs which is a trend that has continued to this day. Several of the government’s science departments were privatized after the Bartehun Incident, but have since become increasingly government controlled again. Government interference with these companies has further increased frustration of researchers, and in the last decade has resulted in the departure of many of the Tabikrion’s better scientists for larger multi-nation corporations. This minor brain drain has caused the government to put an increased focus in math and science in the nation’s education reforms, especially in the university level, in hopes of replacing its weakened scientific community with a new generation.

Environment

Environmental protection has never been a priority to the Tabreks, and most of the country was still unindustrialized up until the last three decades. The country’s weak manufacturing has also kept air and water pollution relatively low. There are regulations on companies pertaining to waste disposal, but these are seen as a more of a measure to keep the companies under government control then to protect the environment. Hunting is a popular sport in Tabikrion, and though laws are in place to protect animals that are potentially endangered, they are loosely enforced. However, there are concerns being voiced by domestic and international environmental groups about Tabikrion’s rapid increase in industry, which many believe will lead to an environmental destabilization seen in other countries. Ericrea in particular has criticized Tabrek methods, which has done little to improve relations between the two states.

Controversy

Is Tabikrion a Democracy?

Many in the international community find it debatable whether or not Tabikrion meets the criteria of a true democracy. Most would argue that it does not, due mostly to the fact that universal adult suffrage is not available due to the civil service/military requirement. Many of the political parties also share similar and often identical goals, creating relatively uncompetitive elections. Some believe that all political parties (including the few radically minded ones) are simply controlled by state in order to maintain the appearance of a democratic system. This view is not widely shared, nor supported by evidence collected by international observers. However voter turnout is usually high, with it rarely falling below 70 %, and public opinion towards increased democratization seems to be of enthusiasm, rather than apathy, especially in centrally located Cradle States, many of which have long standing democratic traditions.

The entire system giving more votes to “high-ranking” the states has also been seen as counter to the interests of greater representation. Since most of the Territories are made up of mostly non-Tebryt populations, this is seen as a discriminatory policy, giving much greater power to the already dominant ethnic Tebryts. The mostly state-controlled media has also been accused of covering up some of the details of the Insurgency Wars (especially in the rural and poor east) and a complete glorifying of the increasing militarization of the state. Criminal justice is also highly controversial due to its liberal use of the death penalty and compulsory organ donations. The IST’s restrictions against large-scale public protests are also seen as authoritarian, and are even becoming popularly opposed within the Tabrek Assembly itself.

On the positive side, Tabikrion has been commended for being one of the only states in Averencia to maintain mostly free and open elections almost uninterrupted since the beginning of the Confederation. Excluding its occasional interference in Territorial and Protectorate affairs, Tabikrion has had almost no cases where an unsatisfactory election result has been ignored or overturned by the government, which has made it an exception amongst its authoritarian and false democracy neighbors. It has also received praise for its lack of overall political oppression and protection of individual freedom of speech, with the government even organizing public local and state meetings to discuss progress and bring up new ideas.

Overall, Tabikrion is seen by the world by and large as a pseudo-democracy that maintains a democratic system with protected rights, but who’s government rarely changes and maintains some degree of control over nearly all aspects of the average Tabrek’s life. While many see Tabrek as an ideal model for countries attempting to make the initial steps into a true liberal democracy, it should also be noted that Tabikrion is not a true democracy, and has maintained this form of authoritarian representation since the creation of the IST, with only minor improvements since. Tabikrion has also been praised for its enforced protection of workers’ rights and for its extensive (though somewhat outdated) medical and education coverage. The existence of both democratic and authoritarian traditions in Tebryt culture has created a system of government that has a significant head start over states that start out authoritarian, but also lags significantly behind the standards set by the liberal democracies of today’s world

Human Rights Record

The Tabrek government has often been the target of Human Rights groups, for its unusually high number of executions each year, and the lack of guaranteed rights to its criminals, most prominently the right to appeals, which are extremely limited in number under Tabrek law. The removal of organs from executed and deceased criminals is another major criticism of the government’s practices, and has become a point of major international controversy after it was employed on several foreign nationals involved in drug dealing following their deaths in a shootout with police. The Tabrek government has maintained that this practice benefits all law abiding citizens, by creating a surplus of organs (though the majority of the organs actually come from voluntary, non-criminal donors) in the country’s hospitals, avoiding the waiting lines in many other countries.

The TAS’s and local PMCs’ handling of the ongoing Insurgency Wars is another point of Human Rights activists concerns, with reports of (though not limited to) frequent summary executions, extensive use of torture, forced labor of prisoners and civilians, shelling and forced evacuations of small population centers, rape and massacre of entire villages and even rumors of ethnic eradication. Most of these reports of unconfirmed, and many are skeptical of the sources, which are often made up of local civilians claiming neutrality, only to later turn out to be members of insurgency groups. The official government stance is that these reports are rebel propaganda, claiming this war is a matter of maintaining the security of its citizens, and accusing other states of trying to move international attention to Tabikrion in order to keep eyes of “the real atrocities, being committed elsewhere by these accusers”.