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| | {{Infobox_Nation | | | {{Infobox_Nation | |
| | flag= http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/tharra.jpg| | | flag= http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/tharra.jpg| |
| − | region=[[Monarchy]] | | + | region=[[Europe]] | |
| − | motto= God Save the Emperor!| | + | motto= le duc est l'état| |
| | map= | | | map= | |
| | language= English| | | language= English| |
| − | capital= Lirra| | + | capital= Valais| |
| − | population= 5.5 billion| | + | population= 8 Billion| |
| | currency= livre| | | currency= livre| |
| − | leader= HM King Leopold VI| | + | leader= HH Duke Xavier III| |
| | }} | | }} |
| | | | |
| − | =Overview=
| + | The '''Duchy of Tharra''' is a massive, economically powerful nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 7.645 billion are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night. |
| − | The '''Feudal Empire 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. | + | |
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| − | 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. | + | It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, 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. |
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| − | 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.
| + | Citizens can be frequently spotted going about their business stark naked, the nation has recently been attributed to the funding of terrorist organisations, the government has undertaken a massive education and health program to combat VODAIS, 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 lion, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the livre. |
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| − | =Geography=
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| − | The Empire is above all vast, and its lands varied. For convienance it is divided into two regions. The first and largest of imperial regions is the mainland of Tharra, known simply as "Tharra" by the people themselves. Outside of this, there also exist the Colonies, which are Tharra's the islands under Tharran control on the sea, as well as several mainland territories accross the sea.
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| − | Tharra is a large nation, bordered by arctic tundra in the north, and naturally defended by tall, jagged mountains in the west (Imperial Mountains). Most of the south east is situated on sea coast. As can be expected the climate patterns are somewhat varied. However, for the most part, Tharra is of mild climate, with warm summers and cold, wet winters. The north is known for its freezing winters and cold summers, especially on the areas near the tundra. The west tends to be dry, due to the influence from the mountains. Lastly, the south is somewhat warmer, because of the tropical weather brought in by the sea currents.
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| − | The mainland of Tharra is also further subdivided. Lirra, the capital situated on the south coast, and its surroundings are known as "The Capital Regions" and tend to be made up of soft, green meadows and rolling hills. The land is heavily developed for industry towards the city, and for agriculture farther away for the city. It is very rich farmland, and the manors of Tharra's wealthiest nobles and bishops dot the landscape. Farther out, the land is reffered to as "The Provinces". The Provinces account for a majority of Tharra. They are flatter, and covered in thick forrests. The Provinces have very little industry, and instead the cleared land is dedicated mostly to farming. Cities are small and scarce, and instead villiages and small towns are more common. Most nobles and wealthy clergymen own fiefs in this area, and thus peasants and serfs are a common sight, working their lord's lands. Finally, there is the Frontier. The Frontier is composed of the borderlands and outlands, and is of a much harsher climate. The dry foothills of the Imperial Mountains and the freezing tundras of the north being key examples. Also part of the frontier are the eastern borderlands, which themselves are known for being dry and bare, with only a few major towns. Many of the poorest nobles hold fiefs in the Frontier, and it can be seen to have ruined castles and manors as well on the flat landscape.
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| − | The Colonies, on the other hand, are mostly tropical, with warm, wet winters and summers. Small, effiecient forts and towns cover the islands. The feudal system was recently introduced there, and peasents can be seen working large farm fiefs granted to noblemen and clergy. Also, towns in the colonies are centers of industry, with the rich rescorces of the colonies being harvested and refined there.
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| − | Tharra has many exportable natural resources, including petroleum, gold, silver, and other precious metals, minerals (such as iron), and timber. However, uranium production has greatly aided the Tharran economy, and is the main national export. Major imports include diamonds and other minerals which are not native to the Empire. The colonies also contain heavy amounts of gold ore and petroleum products, as well as agricultural products such as coffee.
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| − | =Government=
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| − | Tharra is an absolute monarchy. While government bodies do exist, they only serve for the most part, to act as advisory and administration bodies. However, several exceptions to this do exist.
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| − | At the top of the structure there is the Emperor of Tharra. The Emperor is, as mentioned, absolute ruler. He has the ability to create laws, in the form of imperial decrees and letters patent. He can also issue letters of justice, which have the power to automatically rule legally on an issue, and pass any sentance the emperor wishes on a subject, without the possiblity of appeal.
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| − | ==Privy Council==
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| − | The Imperial Privy Council is the highest executive body in the empire. It serves to form imperial policy with the emperor, and advise him on all issues. The Privy Council is made up of about five leading cardinals, five leading bishops and archbishops, all the princes of the imperial household, all the fifteen secretaries of state, and fifteen appointed Privy Councillors. Thus, at any given time, the Privy Council has about forty five to fifty members.
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| − | However, the Privy Council is in practice too large and unweildly to function as the sole executive body of the empire. As a result, the council has a standing committee to which it delegates its functions too, and only meets about once a month.
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| − | The Council of State is the serves as the acting body of the Privy Council. Its members include the leading members of the Privy Council, who are entitled to bear the title "Minister of State". There are about seven ministers that sit upon the council, and their leading member serves as an appointed Prime Minister. The council forms policy and advises the emperor on all issues, meeting daily.
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| − | ==The Imperial Estates==
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| − | The Imperial Estates General is both the leading legislative and judicial body of the empire. However, as Tharra is an absolute monarchy, its legislative powers are sorely limited, and it has had to function more so judicially as the years have passed. The Imperial Estates has four chambers, three of them being legislative houses (called "Estates"). There are three Estates, and each represent a legal estate (section) of society.
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| − | The three houses of the Estates can publish special orders of advice when asked by the emperor. However, they have little other powers, and thus are almost solely an advisory body. Even their legislative acts, (termed "Orders of the Estates") must be introduced by the emperor, and can be disregarded or vetoed by him at any time (although they are convieniant in that they do not need to be registered by the Imperial Bench to go into effect).
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| − | ===First Chamber===
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| − | The First Estate has 200 seats, and its deputies are elected every four years by the clergy of the empire, to represent them in matters of state. The First Chamber retains precendence as the upper house of the Imperial Estates. Its members are reffered to as "Lords Spiritual".
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| − | ===Second Chamber===
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| − | The Second Estate has 200 seats as well, and its deputies are elected every four years by the nobles of the empire, to represent them in matters of state. The Second Chamber hold precendence as the middle house of the Imperial Estates. Its members are reffered to as "Lords Temporal".
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| − | ===Third Chamber===
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| − | The Third Estate has 200 seats, and its deputies are elected every four years by the commons of the empire to represent them. The Third Chamber is ranked as the lower house of the Imperial Estates in precedence. However, by law, on must have a certain annual income (70,000 livres) to vote. As a result, the Third Estate only truly represents the bourgoise and wealthy common folk, with the peasents, serfs, and laborers having no real representation.
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| − | ===Imperial Bench===
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| − | Aside from the three houses, there is also a fourth chamber of the Estates. This chamber is called "The Imperial Bench" and serves as the empire's supreme court of appeals and last resort. The Imperial Bench is made up of thirty six members, including an appointed First President, ten Presidents, and twenty five Justices. The Bench tries all nobles, serves as a court of appeals, and registers all edicts and laws issued by the emperor. It must register all legislation, as stated, to apply it as it is a legal body and keep legal records. However, the court can refuse to register legislation, on grounds of not wishing to judicially apply it. As a result, the emperor can still veto its decision by issuing a Letter of Justice and forcing through the legislation (which he often does).
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| − | ==Departments of State==
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| − | Each Secretary of State is appointed by the emperor to preside over and head a department of state. These departments carry out imperial administration. Each department is headquartered in Lirra, the imperial capital. However, local branches exist in each parish, to further oversee local government officials and parish administration. There are about fifteen departments of state, although the emperor has the authority to create a new one at any given time.
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| − | ==Local Government==
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| − | Tharra is divided into administrative provinces, which are further subdivided into numerous parishes. Provinces usually correspond to dioceses as well. Most fiefs correspond to parishes.
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| − | Locally, governmental affairs are handled in the provinces by an appointed Lord Lieutenant. Each province has a Lord Lieutenant, and it is his or her job to carry out the will of the emperor and act as his representive. He is assisted in leadership by a council known as the Provincial Court. It is made up of ten to twelve appointed justices. Provincial courts act as a provincial court of appeals, and apply the law. Local government is handled by a mayor appointed to carry out the imperial will in each city, and an appointed Baliff, who carries out justice in the parish. The law is carried out in fiefs by the noble who owns the land, although he or she only has juridiction in feudal and civil matters, with treason and criminal matters being under the baliffs control.
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| − | =Demographics=
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| − | 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.
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| − | A majority of Tharra's population are of French or Germanic ethnicity (99 percent). All ethnic groups are equal before the law of their estate. Literacy rate is somewhat low, with only 71 percent of the population being able to read and write. 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 those maintaining an income of 70,000 livres per annum being able to vote. Most of the population speaks english (99 percent), though latin and french are minority languages, given special status under the law.
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| − | ==Estates==
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| − | Subjects of Tharra are divided legally into one of four Estates. The three main estates are known as "free" estates. The fourth estate is rarely spoken of or mentioned, as it has little rights or status. Each subject is in theory equal before the law of their estate, with each estate having different rights and priviliges under the law.
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| − | ===First Estate===
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| − | The First Estate is that of the Roman Catholic Clergy and accounts for 2 percent of the population. It is divided into high clergy (bishops, abbots, and cardinals) and low clergy (parish priests, vicars, monks, nuns). High clergy tends to be very wealthy, and low clergy somewhat poor. Members of the First Estate are allowed to own land, and usually each diocese and abbey has a manoral estate attached to it. These estates are considered fiefs held from the king by the church. The bishops and abbots presiding over them are entitled to their revenues, which are usually made up of rents and agricultural shares in production by serfs and peasents. Members of the first estate are also entitled to a tithe, a tax paid each year by laymen to the church. Low clergy are only entitled to a small fraction of this, with the rest going to the high clergy.
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| − | Clergy also are allowed many special priviliges. They are exempt from all taxes, they are allowed a share of the tithe, they may own land and fiefs, they can recieve revenues from fiefs held, they are legally immune to civil justice and can only be tried in religious courts (run by the first estate), and they may possess a coat of arms.
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| − | There are 150 dioceses which act as bishopric sees, and 40 archdioceses, which act as archbishopric sees. The emperor has the express right to appoint bishops, archbishops, and abbots (granted to him in a golden bull several centuaries ago by the pope). The clergy are governed by the Imperial Assembly of the Clergy, a congressional body of 450 delegates. The assembly governs the clergy internally and is presided over by all the cardinals in Tharra. Each year, the assembly also grants a special "gift" to the emperor of a non taxable sum, predetermined by the body. The High Court of the First Estate is a special committee of fifteen councillors, selected by the assembly annually by lot. It serves as a supreme court of appeals for the clergy. Each diocese sends three deputies, appointed by the bishops, who themselves govern each diocese according to the will of the church and council. Local justice is handled by small parish courts of three priests appointed by each bishop to try cases both criminal and civil.
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| − | As Roman Catholicism is the state religion, the clergy are extremely powerful. No marriage is valid without the presence of a Catholic priest as witness (though not necessarily preforming it), and the only way to obtain a marriage liscence is by application to the bishop of the diocese. The First Estate owns and runs all public hospitals, which each must have a presiding priest to operate under the law. All educational establishments, both public and private, also must have a presiding priest to operate and are owned legally by the First Estate. Anyone who wishes to hold public office must also take an oath of loyalty to the emperor and the church.
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| − | ===Second Estate===
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| − | The Second Estate is that of the nobility and accounts for 5 percent of the population. It is divided into military nobility (Nobility of the Sword) and civil nobility (Nobility of the Robe). The military nobility is for the most part a closed caste, and considers itself several rungs above the civil nobility. One can be ennobled by letters patent issued by the king, or by holding certain civil offices which carry with them nobility after a set amount of years. One can also be neutralized as a Tharran noble if they are a member of a foreign nobility and wish to gain Tharran subject status.
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| − | Once ennobled, the noble and all his descendants in the male line are considered nobles. They also recieve all the precendence and privilige of the Second Estate, to which they are considered members. Titles of nobility always come with a grant of land called a fief. The fief is legally possessed by the head of the family to which it is granted, and descends in the male line via male primogeniture, becoming extinct and reverting to the crown when all male descendants of the origional holder of the title have died. However, titles are held by all descendants in the male line of a noble. Thus all the descendants of a count in the male line will be counts and countesses, etc. The ranks of noble (in order of precendence) are Prince or Princess, Count or Countess, Baron or Baroness, Knight or Dame, and Untitled Noble.
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| − | The ''Nobility of the Sword'' is the old nobility, descended from those families granted fiefs by the emperor, those holding certain military ranks, and those ennobled by letters patent for outstanding military service. They are thus the descendants of the knightly nobility, and consider themselves the "ancient families of Tharra". It is for the most part a closed caste. However, all those who preform outstanding military service, or who reach the rank of colonel or higher have the right to apply for letters patent of ennoblement, and are usually ennobled. The ''Nobility of the Robe'' are those nobles who have gained their ennoblement due to holding high offices in the civil administration. These offices are often bought and sold by holders, in order to grant nobility to the perspective buyer. Upon being held for at a minimum of twenty years, one can apply for letters patent of nobility, and be ennobled. Offices granting the said ennoblement include all members of the Imperial Bench, all members of the Provincial Court, all Lord Lieutenantships, and all mayorships and baliffships.
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| − | In practice, one is not considered a true "noble" unless one's family has been noble for at least four generations. However, this is just a social convention and carries no legal weight. Also, nobles are usually quite wealthy, however many provincial nobles (as opposed to court nobles) are impoverished due to debts and unproductive fiefs. Untitled nobles and those that due not have possession of a fief must rely on pensions and allowances from realitives for income, though many already have a personal fortune of their own.
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| − | All nobles recieve, upon ennoblement, the predicate of "de" to be attached to their surnames. Nobles are exempt from all taxes (except the tithe), they may pass on their titles and status to their descendants in the male line, they may have a coat of arms, they may own land and fiefs, they may collect the revenues from fiefs (usually rents and feudal dues, along with shares of agricultural production), they may be reserved a seat on the lord's bench in parish churches, they may only be tried by the Imperial Bench, and they may be presented at court to the king (if their family has been noble for at least four generations). All bishoprics, abbotships, and archbishoprics are also legally reserved for nobles, as are all high positions at court, in the government, and in the military. Nobles may not legally engage in commerce or manual labor, though they are allowed to invest in commercial endevors, industrially develop their lands, and join the army.
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| − | ===Third Estate===
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| − | The Third Estate is made up of all free subjects of Tharra and accounts for 73 percent of the population. However, this estate is the most varied, and is further socially subdivided. In practice the third estate is refered to as the Commoners. They are also the backbone of the economy, as well as the supporters of state revenue, to which the burden of taxation often falls.
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| − | The elite members of the third estate are the bourgoise. The bourgoise are the wealthy commoners. Most of them endevor to gain enough wealth to buy a civil position and eventually gain ennoblement. In practice, very few suceded at this. Most of the bourgoise have voting rights, and thus are the most represented on the Imperial Estates. A majority of the bourgoise are merchants and white collar workers. They are often wealthy, or at least well off. However, the Third Estate is not exempt from taxation, and as a result, it is the bourgoise who are taxed the most. However, the bourgoise are also exempt from feudal dues, and as such still very well off.
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| − | The blue collar workers and peasants make up a majority of the Third Estate. Blue collar workers are forbiddon to form or join unions, and peasants must legally be subject to a noble lord to whose land they work and owe feudal dues, though they do pay somewhat high taxes. Those of the Third Estate that are not peasents (i.e. blue collar workers) make up a majority of the population of cities. As they owe no feudal dues, they are often the middle and lower class, and still considered free subjects. The peasants work the lands of a noble lord, although they are in no way forced too, having the authority to leave at any time. Peasants must pay rent to the noble whose fief they work, and also give a portion of their agricultural production. In addition, they must also pay taxes on their annual earnings.
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| − | The Third Estate has no legal privilige, though they still maintain rights as free subjects of the empire, though they may not own land. They may move wherever they wish, and live wherever they like, taking up any proffession they see fit. Commoners must pay taxes, including state taxes and tithes, and if they are peasants, feudal dues.
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| − | ===Fourth Estate===
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| − | The Fourth Estate is made up of the serfs and accounts for 20 percent of the population. Serfs are commonly simply reffered to as such, and not as an estate, as they are not given any right of representation. Serfs owe feudal dues to their lord, and are attached to fiefs, the soil they till. They may not leave their lord's land, and are not allowed freedom of travel. Unlike peasants, who owe feudal dues and rents, serfs also owe their lives, and thus are attached to the soil. They also must pay taxes, rents, feudal dues, and tithes.
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| − | Serfs are under the full authority of their lord. The noble who owns the fief also legally owns the serfs, and has full power over them, including life or death. As they are not considered free subjects, serfs are more or less property. However, they are not slaves, as slavery is illegal in Tharra. Along with the free peasants, the serfs make up the backbone of agrarian labor.
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| − | In recent years, there have been pushes for reform and possible emmancipation of the serfs. However, the imperial government has stayed firm on the issue and refuses grant them any special rights. It is worth mentioning, though, that the lord of a fief has the right to free serfs of his own accord, and can excercise it at any time.
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| − | =Economy=
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| − | 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.
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| − | While agriculture maintains a larger sector than industry, it is only slightly. The economy is very strong agriculturaly. This is due to the use of feudalism (or "neo feudalism") as an economic system. Free peasants and serfs work state lands and the fiefs granted to nobles. Most of the output is taxed via internal terrifs and then taken and sold nationally, as well as being terrifed and sold internationally by export. Thus, agricultural products are one of Tharra's major exports.
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| − | Industry is also powerful. Fief holders commonly invest in the industrial development of their lands, as does the state. Raw materials are thus obtained via investments and agricultural revenue (further aiding the economy). Wealthy corporations and commoners then invest and develop them, selling them on the nation's free market, and exporting them. Many natural rescources are also obtained and sold, and Tharra is infamous for its free and capitalistic market (while still paying lip service to feudalism).
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| − | Merchants make a fair living at exporting products, as bourgoise do at investing in them and engaging in corporations that obtain them. However, terrifs are very high, both internally and externally, though this seems to aide the economy in the long run. Tharra also has managed to develop seperately, and still maintain feudalism, while also modernising to be able to survive.
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| − | =Military=
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| − | Tharra invests much in its military. Defense is something very important to the imperial 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. Most officer positions, however, are only avalable to nobles. These positions carry the best pensions with them and the greatest recognition and pay. The rank of colonel and below are open to commoners, with certain exceptions being made. Those that reach the said rank will be ennobled by application, and thus many endevor to join the military for that very purpose. In practice, few commoners are ever really ennobled, however, with nobles achieving all the best positions and the success of the commoners being blocked.
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| − | The Grand Army of the Empire is the main unit of the armed forces. It is charged with external defense and all foreign campaigns. The Imperial Navy defends the seas and colonies, 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 Imperial Guard serve as the elite troops of the empire, fighting in wars as the vanguard of the Grand Army, and protecting the Emperor, with some of its cohorts serving to guard the palace.
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| − | The Emperor 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.
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| − | =Links=
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| − | [[Tharran Monarchy]]
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| − | [[Order of the Broken Sword]]
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| | [[Category:Tharra]] | | [[Category:Tharra]] |
It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, 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.
Citizens can be frequently spotted going about their business stark naked, the nation has recently been attributed to the funding of terrorist organisations, the government has undertaken a massive education and health program to combat VODAIS, 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 lion, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the livre.
