Revision as of 00:57, 3 January 2006

Tharra

Flag of Tharra
Motto: Long Live His Most Serene Highness Prince Leopold III!
Region	Monarchy
Capital	Tharra
Official Language(s)	English
Leader	HSH Prince Leopold III
Population	5.5 billion
Currency	livre
NS Sunset XML

Overview

The Sovereign Principality of Tharra is a massive, safe nation, remarkable for its complete absence of social welfare. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 5.164 billion are ruled with an iron fist by the corrupt, dictatorship government, which oppresses anyone who isn't on the board of a Fortune 500 company. Large corporations tend to be above the law, and use their financial clout to gain ever-increasing government benefits at the expense of the poor and unemployed.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, moralistic, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Commerce. The average income tax rate is 100%. A powerhouse of a private sector is dominated by the Uranium Mining industry.

University graduates and new home-owners toil in labour camps to work off their debts, mobile phone masts are being erected all over the country, Tharra's army is full of 2 metre tall super-soldiers, and Pinkerton agents are called in to forcibly break up white collar strikes. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Tharra's national animal is the imperial lion, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the livre.

Geography

Geography of Tharra The Principality of Tharra is fairly unique in the Nationstates world geographically. Instead of existing as a mostly undeveloped land, with a scattering of large cities, Tharra is almost entirely a metropolis.

Most of the Principality has been developed into one large city. With the fall of the Second Empire, feudalism was abolished. This led to an increasing shift from agriculture to industry. In order to accommodate this economic change, massive industrialization took place. Cities grew, especially the capital at Lirra. Over the next fifty years, entire rivers and lakes were drained, and transferred to either the sea, or large underground reservoirs.

The end result was that Tharra became almost entirely urbanized. As one large city, with some of the border territories and frontier being the only arable land. These lands are referred to as the “outskirts”, and are mostly forests, with some meadows. For the most part, the outskirts are used by the military, for training grounds and patrols. Some of the wealthy also retain country residences there as well, although due to the fact that only about 1 to 2 percent of the land is not urbanized, these residences are insanely expensive and very rare.

Tharra as a city is wide and varied. Skyscrapers and high rise buildings dominate the skyline, with the ground floor consisting of paved roads and city squares. The Industrial District is mostly made up of factories, and the horizon is filled with smoke from industry. As a result, only the poorest of citizens dwell in the district. Tharra itself is divided into 25 administrative districts, based on population and relative importance. They are all assigned administrative names based on roman numerals, along with a common name. These include the aformention Industrial District, Capitol District, Corporate District, etc. Many residential districts also have names based on the old city that once occupied the area, such as Corva or Lirra.

The Principality also retains control of several colony islands within the south sea, known as “territories”. These territories are governed as state lands. Corporations and government interest groups seized the area after the urbanization. Now days, they are mostly turned into massive farms, with a few administrative towns. The territories form Tharra’s only major agrarian center. The territories are also used for raw materials, with mines and oil wells occupying most of the remaining lands.

History

Unification: 915

Tharra was originally composed of several large duchies and principalities. They were for the most part barely united, and mostly feuding. These nations shared a common language and ethnicity, however. It was and is also commonly believed that they were once united into a single nation long ago, but evidence is very scarce as to the truth of this.

Then, in the year 915, a local duke by the name of HH Karl I, who ruled as Grand Duke of Leige, managed to wage a war and unite the surrounding kingdoms and principalities, either by marriage or the sword.

The Grand Duke now found himself lord over a great amount of territory. He proclaimed himself Emperor over all Tharra. However, to ensure unity, he introduced the feudal system. Peasants were tied to the soil as serfs, and noble lords and former rulers were granted lands (called fiefs). Over time, many former petty land owners were ennobled and granted fiefs and serfs, and Tharra soon developed an agrarian economy.

First Empire: 915-1600

The period of time during which the emperors first reigned, under the house of Leige, lasted about 900 years. During this time, also called the old regime, emperors ruled as autocrats and absolute monarchs. Little opposition existed against them. The imperial government was dominated by the emperor’s Privy Council and the law courts which registered his edicts.

Nobles began to become extremely powerful, as weaker emperors began granting them more privileges over their fiefs. Churchmen were also given privileges. However, with the rise of cities, and a common class of laborers and merchants, problems with the system began to emerge.

By 1500, the Emperor Josef I had had enough. He instituted a system of reform. Nobles lost many independent rights, as did churchmen, though the feudal system was only centralized (and in the long run strengthened). Many peasants were freed, but continued to owe feudal dues and work their lord’s lands. Society was divided into four legal groups of estates: clergy, nobles, commoners, and serfs. The first two were tax exempt, and the last one had no representation on advisory bodies.

It was in the 1800s that emperors began to attempt reform. New taxes were introduced and the nobility was required to pay income taxes and other lesser taxes. When in 1817 the nobility revolted militarily in the provinces, Emperor Franz IV suspended their right to exemption from taxation. This made the nobles resent the emperor and clergy (which was still tax exempt) even more. Then, in 1825, Emperor Josef II attempted to introduce an edict, abolishing the privileges of nobles entirely. Furious, the nobles revolted, and in a short and quick coup, seized the government. The emperor and most of the house of Leige were murdered, with only a few individuals escaping into exile.

Republic: 1600-1700

With the overthrow of the monarchy, the nobles attempted to implement a republic. The results were disastrous.

The clergy were abolished as a social group, and forced into the same grouping as the commoners. Their lands were taken, and the nobles became the leading social group. The ten most ancient families dominated as an executive council, and a senate of representatives of each noble house was established.

However, the republic began putting more of an economic burden upon the commoners (who did not have voting rights) and only sought to protect and line the pockets of nobles. As a result, industry declined, and agriculture became increasingly outdated and backward.

In the end, the nobles found that they were unable to keep control of Tharra, with rising rates of riots and rebellions, and falling economic output. The ruling council was overthrown and abolished by the senate, which invited HIH Prince Ferdinand of the house of Leige to return and take power. He agreed, becoming Ferdinand V.

Second Empire: 1700-1803

The new Emperor had at first promised to preserve the rights of the nobles and maintain the government of the republic. However, he ended up reneging his word, soon after his coronation in 1701.

Ferdinand V seized power in a military coup. The charter of the republic was revoked, and the old system of estates reintroduced. Nobles were allowed to keep their old privileges and rights, and the lands of the clergy were restored. Agricultural reforms were made, but industry was largely neglected and left to the increasingly overtaxed bourgeois.

And, with the introduction of a civil nobility in 1720, a successful counterbalance to the old military nobility was achieved. However this also served as an opiate for the wealthy commoners, who could now achieve nobility through civil service. Many serfs were also freed, but still the old problems remained.

Exploitation in the colonies became the norm, and as the largely agrarian empire could not industrialize efficiently, raw materials were mined and exported for a profit. Tariffs and taxes rose as a result. By 1796, the government was bankrupt.

Then, in 1801, the empire would completely collapse. Emperor Alexander III died childless. At the time he was the last living member of the house of Leige, his cousin and adoptive heir having perished of malaria the year before. The nation was now without an emperor. However, the government was maintained, and the Imperial Estates (the chief legislative body) appointed the empire’s last living noble prince, Prince Leopold de Vere, as Lord Protector and Regent that same year. Prince Leopold managed to hold the nation together for two more years, but by then civil war erupted.

Civil War: 1803-1807

For the next four years, civil war dominated the nation. Tharra fell apart, as leading clergymen, nobles, and merchants raised private armies and fought for control. None dared take the title emperor, but many nobles used their fiefs as private kingdoms.

Prince Leopold managed to gain support, as one of the old nobles, and set about reuniting the realm. He warred with the Counts de Serne and Deter, as well as the Bishops of Rohan and Corva, for control of the nation. In the end, both the counts were defeated, as well as the Bishop of Corva, in 1806. Then, Leopold finally managed to smash the forces of Rohan at the battle of Lirra. The capital his, Rohan surrendered.

Leopold was now master of Tharra.

Principality: 1808- Present

Leopold did not, however, declare a third empire. Nor did he ultimately favor one group of people over the other as had been the case with the republic. Instead, he opted to reform the nation. He proclaimed a principality in 1808, and was invested as Sovereign Prince.

Many sweeping reforms were made. First, the privileges of both the nobles and clergy were abolished in 1810. Second, serfdom was also abolished that same year, and the peasantry relieved of all debts and feudal dues. Finally, in 1811, Prince Leopold I abolished the feudal system, effectively eliminating the last remnants of the Second Empire.

A new government system was introduced, and a constitution was finally promulgated in 1812; universal sufferage, for the first time, was granted. Soon, with the influx of former serfs and peasants into cities, industry sored. More and more, the Prince made the economy more industrially oriented. Urbanization increased, and arable land became almost nonexistent.

In 1863, the process was complete. Tharra was by then almost entirely industrialized, and was now one large metropolitan area. Over 98 percent of the land was urbanized, and became the city-state of Tharra. The economy was also largely industrial, and the state had managed to become an economic superpower. Capitalism had triumphed where feudalism had failed.

Tharra now maintains a frighteningly massive economy, and has managed to prosper. Today, His Most Serene Highness, Sovereign Prince Leopold III, rules in the place of his ancestor Prince Leopold the Great, and has since 1992. Tharra is stronger than ever.

Government

Tharra is legally a constitutional monarchy. In practice, however, the Prince weilds a great deal of power, some of which is de facto, and some of which is constitutional. The Constitution of Tharra was first introduced after the formation of the Principality, and continues to remain in force to this day.

The Prince

The Sovereign Prince of Tharra is head of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government, as well as being Head of State. According to the constitution, all government bodies act in his name, with his influence and control upon them varying, according to situation and organ of government.

The Prince's powers include the right to declare war and peace, to veto all legislation, to dissolve the National Assembly at will and call for reelections, to appoint the Prime Minister, to appoint all government ministers and officials, to award dignities and honors, to grant pardons and commute sentences, to deport foreigners, to mint coinage, to act as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, to declare a state of emergency, and to act as representitive of the nation. The Prince is also inviolable and legally immune to all forms of prosecution. In addition to this, no Act of the National Assembly can be passed without his consent, which can be witheld as a veto. The Prince can also issue legislation, within the framework of State Acts, which must be countersigned by a minister of state.

Additionally, the Prince is also head of the princely family. He also has the express right to appoint bishops and archbishops, by papal bull; an important power as Roman Catholicism is the state relgion, adhered to by a majority of the population.

Executive Branch

Cabinet

The Cabinet of Ministers is made up of the heads of each minstry of state, appointed by the Prince from amongst the National Assembly. These men bear the title "Minister of State" and preside over one of the various ministry departments. The ministries include War, Interior, Foreign Affairs, State, Commerce, Princely Household, Finance, Education, Culture, and Justice. The cabinet reserves the right to advise the Prince on all decrees (which must be countersigned by one of its members) and to issue status reports on current affairs, acting as an elite advisory body. Other members of the cabinet include an appointed Prime Minister. Cabinets may only remain as long as the National Assembly's term, and are automatically dissolved upon the dissolution of the National Assembly.

Council of State

The Council of State consists of twelve members, titled as "Councillors of State". They are charged with advising the Prince, and with reviewing all legislation introduced into the National Assembly. Councillors are usually appointed on an equal basis of spiritual, military, and civil advisors. In addition to these members, the Prince chairs the council, and the heir to the crown is allowed a seat as vice chair. The Prince may also appoint any other members of his family as councillors.

The Prince must consult the council before declaring war, peace, or a state of emergency. However, the council does not neccessarily have to agree with the descision, and its convening for advice can be a simple formality.

Ministries of State

The ministries of state serve as state departments. They are purely administrative bodies, and act in accordance with the will of the Prince and the policy charged to them by superiors. Each ministry administers according to its sphere of influence. The ministries are headed by ministers appointed by the Prince.

Legislative Branch

National Assembly

The National Assembly of Tharra is the principality's chief legislative body. It is unicameral and acts as the source of all legislation and state acts. 600 Deputies make up the Assembly. Of these, two thirds are elected by popular vote in each metropolitan district, and one third are appointed by the Prince. Deputies serve a term of no more than six years, without limit. National Assemblies can be dissolved early or at the conclusion of six years by the Prince alone, who must then call for elections. Elections are held a month later, with all those above the age of seventeen having sufferage.

Legislation is introduced in the form of bills, which after being reviewed by the Council of State, are reveiwed, discussed, and then voted upon by the Assembly. Those that pass are submitted to the Prince for consent, after which they are either defeated or come into force as Acts of State.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest court of appeals existing in Tharra. The court also acts as a court of last resort on all disputes that are appealed. It is made up of nine justices, appointed by the Prince for life. Justices rule on cases by a pure majority, with rulings carrying the force of interpretation of the law.

District Government

Each administrative district of the city elects a Magistrate to serve as an administrator, along with a few aides whom he appoints. Districts also possess branches of each ministry. The city also possess a Lord Mayor, who is appointed by the Prince, from a list of leading citizens and former city magistrates, and acts as an overseer of city administration. Each district also elects a representitive to serve on the Communal Council, which meets twice a year to advise the Lord Mayor on matters of internal affairs. Reports are finalized by the Mayor who submits them to the Prince.

Demographics

The state religion of Tharra is Roman Catholicism. 96 percent of the population is Catholic. Tharra itself nationally recognizes Pope Leo XIV of the Holy Vatican See as the true NS pope, and considers all others antipopes and heritics. The Catholic clergy are given special recognition and status in Tharra. Minority religions include Protestantism (3 percent) and Islam (0.5 percent). All minority religions are not given recognition or special status, and are as a rule unofficial. By law, all subjects are required to attend one catholic mass per month at the nearest church, on pain of a heavy fine.

A majority of Tharra's population are of Tharran ethnicity (99 percent). All ethnic groups are granted equal rights under the constitution. Literacy rate at 96 percent and life expectancy is at an average of 75 years, though it is often much higher for the wealthy and lower for the poor. Legal adulthood is 17 years, with universal sufferage granted to all adults under the law. Most of the population speaks English (99 percent), though Latin and French are minority languages, given special status under the constitution.

Catholic bishops and archbishops are given special tax exemption under the law. Each district has one bishop, and is considered for all purposes a diocese. Tharra as a city-state also has an archbishop, who serves as primate.

Nobility

The Prince alone may grant nobility and honors, according the constitution, which he does by letters patent. Nobility follows the continental system, with all legitimate descendants in the male line of a noble bearing the nobility. Noble titles have been abolished since 1812, and thus untitiled nobility is all that exists today. Nobles alone are allowed the predicate of "de" before their surnames, as well as the right to bear a coat of arms and to belong to the College of Nobles. Families that can trace their nobility back to the time of the empire (before 1801) are known as the ancient nobility, although it carries no legal existance.

All hereditary nobles belong to the College of Nobles, which is a nonprofit, corporate body, which records all members of the nobility, and protects their rights. Each family sends a representitive, who serves for life.

Personal nobility can be granted in the form of knighthood, and does not include a majorate or membership to the college. Personal nobles also do not have the right to pass on a coat of arms or to bear the predicate of "de".

Economy

Economically, Tharra is extremely powerful. Being one of the oldest nations in nationstates, it has managed to develop into something of a superpower. In fact, the economy is quite frightening, when ranked with all the others accross the globe. And, as it is almost entirely urban, it is very much an industrial entity.

Tharra is almost entirely an industrial state. Raw materials are acquired in massive amounts from the territories, or imported from client states and trade allies. Terrifs are almost non existant (allowing both parties to make a profit), and this allows even more rescources to be imported, and many nations have trade agreements with Tharra. And, as Tharra is nearly completely urbanized, industries and factories dominate the city-state. The end result is that industries and their owning corporations make huge profits and the economy sores, due to the fact that the Principality is one of the leading exporting states in Nationstates. Refinary is thus a very profitable sector of industry.

Agriculture and acquiring raw materials is almost solely based in the territories. As a result, Tharra relies on imports of agricultural products. Almost no grain or other items are ever exported, and those that are usually are specialized forms of food stuffs. In fact, the end ratio is 4 to 1 for industry vs. agriculture.

Corporations are granted special tax exemptions and protection under the law. This allows the economy to prosper, with terrifs evening out profits and giving the government heavy sums of money. However, only nationally based corporations recieve privliges, with foreign bodies not being subject to the same treatment. This ensures a positive economic budget. Most corporations, however, also invest in projects in the territories, which are based on agricultural production and the acquiring of raw materials.

Military

Tharra invests much in its military. Defense is something very important to the princely government. A career in the military is something advertised by the state, and rewarded well. Pensions are often granted to successful officers, and the pay of a soldier is not by any means lacking.

The Grand Army of the Principality is the main unit of the armed forces. It is charged with external defense and all foreign campaigns. The Princely Navy defends the seas and territories, and also is charged with external defense and foreign campaigns, as well as internal defense. The National Guard defends the internal land of Tharra, and is often posted at or near the frontier. Finally, the Princely Guard serve as the elite troops of the principality, fighting in wars as the vanguard of the Grand Army, and protecting the Prince, with some of its cohorts serving to guard the palace.

The Prince is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In practice, leadership is often administered to by the departements of state for war and the navy. Leading marshals also have some role in forming military policy.

Links

Tharran Monarchy

Order of the Broken Sword