Talk Elections

Inspired by this: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=173456.0 (https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=173456.0)

The previous thread had each poster describe their ideal country. However what would a country based strongly on the above poster's political views and worldview actually look like? Please try to have responses of at least moderate length and avoid simply using it to bash the above poster's politics.

Essentially, Mungbean land combines the social welfare state of the Nordic nations with a distinctly socially conservative bent. It supports and promotes the growth of the family as the central unit of society (whether or not the family is headed by two men, two women, or one man and one woman is immaterial), has strong child benefits, universal access to child and health care, and a robust public education system, with a competing private education sector barred by law from charging tuition.

Mungbeanland is interventionist in foreign affairs, frequently participating in UN interventions and aid packages. It has lowered most of its trade barriers and supports a relatively free flow of immigrants into the country. It's political system is, broadly speaking, a variant of Westminster-style parliamentarian, with three well defined political parties vying for power. The Social Democratic Party, the Progressive Conservative Party, and the Liberal Party all represent varying shades of Mungbeanland's 'progressive nationalism', the unspoken state ideology ingrained in the DNA of the country.

The executive is headed by a monarch, who is constitutionally limited in power and scope. The judiciary is independent. The economy is dominated by a few large, multinational capitalist firms, which have become more and more prominent since the end of protectionism as a key policy in the past decade, a substantial victory for the Social Democratic and Liberal parties. Currently the Progressive Conservatives hold power in government, having capitalized upon voter discontent with the shift to a freer trading system and free flow of immigrants in the 2000s. The PC government has introduced a number of policies sure to arouse argument from the SDP and the LP, having recently placed before parliament a bill to limit immigration, the first such bill since the 2005 Immigration Act, which virtually abolished immigration quotas.

Mungbeanland is fairly religious, with a protestant majority and a substantial Catholic minority. Ethnically the vast majority of Mungbeanlanders are East Asian, although a growing immigrant population from the South Pacific and Latin America should not be overlooked.

I almost got banned last time I described my ideal country, so I wouldn't recommend any of you lads attempt describing it either.

Yeah... the Pol Pot quote you have in your sig says all that needs to be said about your ideal country.

I put opebo's perfect country in my sig.

Sorry about that - my interjection led to the skipping of TNF and traninthedistance, so someone do them.

TNF's country would probably be something like a large-scale Fourier/Saint-Simon/Owen-inspired socialist community. No or very little private property, no established authority except for basic law enforcement, universal access to housing, food and other basic goods, and large spaces of common socialization. It would probably meet serious efficacy issues, but its people would probably enjoy a decent standard of living.

Antonio's country would be in many respects similar politically and culturally to somewhere like Norway or Iceland--a Nordic state without as pointed a reputation for social libertinism as Sweden--but its religious inheritance (not necessarily a religion currently dominant in practice, of course) would be Catholic rather than Protestant and it would have less of a tendency to backslide into economic austerity than not only most of Scandinavia but most of the world in general. It would be pointedly republican, probably with a weak ceremonial president and a strong parliament elected via STV in multi-member constituencies, unitary but perhaps with some devolution to the regions, and for the most part single-party-dominant under a social democratic outfit but obviously not a one-party or dictatorial state. It would be socially liberal as well as economically leftist but in some ways more conservative in its ingrained cultural assumptions (public aesthetics and the like) than would be immediately apparent.

Nathanistan would be rather similar to the rural portions of Norway and Sweden (though presumably a bit warmer); a dominant social-democratic element to politics despite the presence of a (heavily regulated) free market, and an emphasis on tradition and social order. Socially tolerant but somewhat traditional Protestant churches would be religiously dominant, and the country overall would be rural and agrarian, with most urban areas being quaint small towns.

The troubled land that is the former Zimbabwe is a place wrought with chaos. The Cogendist Republic of Rhodesia has quickly become a pariah in the international community, with the return of sage white rule after the bloody Snowstalker coup of 2012 quickly leading to mass civil unrest which has been brutally suppressed by President-for-life Snowstalker's feared chief of secret police and closest ally, the aging G. Gordon Liddy.

Private property is illegal and "enemies of the state" are quietly disappeared by Liddy's "smugshirts" and sent to "re education camps" where they are force-fed knowledge from Wikipedia and obscure left-wing blogs before being executed. President Snowstalker's close friendship with Bashar al-Assad has provoked outraged in the West and his government's  latest crusade against Islam has led to calls for international intervention as Amnesty International claim that Snowstalker's deportations of Rhodesia's few remaining Muslims violate international law. In the streets of the capital, Smith, few will publicly denounce the eternal President for fear of being sent to a Sage Camp. The state ban on the Friend Zone last month led to outcry from feminist groups but is accepted within Rhodesia as simply another in the long list of Snowstalker's maniacal initiatives in his Program for A Brave Rhodesia. There is no hope in this place.

Oakvalia is one of the world's super powers, and a leading member of the I.R.C.--the International Ruling Community. Known for its non-ideological politics and the somewhat idiosyncratic sarcasm of its citizens, they nonetheless enjoy an amount of respect throughout the I.R.C. However, the recently declared War on Sage has been criticized by several smaller and less influential countries. While some object to perceived human rights abuses and to the fact that drone strikes against the Cogendist Republic of Rhodesia have been largely ineffective in battling the regime there, Oakvalia maintains the backing of its powerful international coalition in the War on Sage.

Domestically, electronic music is all the vogue, religion is rather powerless and largely ceremonial and cultural in nature, and while the vast amount of citizenry remains largely apolitical, the policies of the government have been appraised as socially liberal and fiscally moderate. Despite the social liberalism reflected in the country's politics, there is nonetheless heavy backing for a strong military to be used against Rhodesia, Syria, and other countries, as well as domestic wire-tapping as needed. There is, as well, a noted antipathy towards labor unions and the like. Cigarette use is prevalent throughout the country.

Cathconia is a socially conservative republic. A middle power, it's strong military punches above its weight, and the country likes to throw its weight around in international affairs. Cathconia has mostly free markets with a modest welfare state. Catholicism is the state religion and all major parties pay homage to the church. There are also small Evangelical and Jewish minorities. The men are well-bearded and there is little whining or emo-ism. The ruling National Catholic Party just won a landslide election victory.

Overall its a pretty sweet place to live.

The Pro-Life Republic of DCLand would be a country where only unborn embryos are allowed the vote, which guarantees the ruling party a landslide reelection every year. Once born, a citizen is losing all rights and can be shot at sight if displaying any emo traits.

Kalwejtistan a republic of ironic jokers interested in Arabic and foreign languages; is a shape-shifting entity which has great ability to both appear and disappear off maps. Sometimes this happens so quickly experts whether it is, in fact, a type of Quantum phenomenon.

The Republic of Gully is a small, agricultural nation with a small but immensely powerful business sector. Its highly religious population are innately distrustful of science as evidenced by opinion polls and the astonishingly low rate at which students in the nation's several private colleges opt for science subjects. Politics is almost entirely parochial, with the tradition of funeral attendance considered the most significant predictor of whether a local politician will be elected. The dominant Fianna Fáil party have been in power continuously since the foundation of the state, with "National Chief Executive Officer" Sean Gallagher holding near-dictatorial power. The people of Gully value free enterprise and entrepreneurship , and moral conservatism. The average marriage age is 21, and the most popular figures in society are, according to all polling data, entrepreneurs and "my local TD".

Oakvale is a real life citizen of the Republic of Gully, so see above.

A Free City just liberated from Prussian Occupation. Otherwise not really a country as it wouldn't want to join the same club as Liechtenstein.

Every person entering the Republic of Gully must surrender any rational thought at the border.

All students are required to memorize The Stars My Destination under a threat of an ironic penalty.

The Polaqi Federation mixes elements of Arabic and Western Slavic culture. Its residents are generally mesmerized by memes involving Brazilian politicians, and of course, they cannot into space.

The Great Socialist People's American Cogendist Snowstalkeriya is officially a democratic republic, but effectively a one-party State dominated by the National Cogendist Party and its Supreme Leader, Admiral-General Gabe "The Babe" Snowstalker. Snowstalker took power in the 2030s after a brutal economic crisis brought America to its knees and ushered in massive unemployment and poverty. Promising to "relentlessly fight for the working class and against the special interests of corrupt banksters" and appealing to social conservatives and racists with a series of remarks on the excessive importance given to "uteruses" and "minorities", Snowstalker gained massive popular support in the poorest States and in the Bible Belt. After narrowly losing to the Democratic candidate Averroës in 2032, The Babe organized his party as a full-fledged paramilitary organization, establishing the SQUADRE (Sections in Quartering for the Ultimate Annihilation of the Democratic and Republican Establishment). In early 2036, as political violence had reached unprecedented height, the SQUADRE marched on Washington and forced President Averroës to resign. Snowstalker, who in the meantime had arranged to be appointed Vice-President, finally took over.

With solid NCP majorities in both Houses of Congress following the 2034 midterms, Snowstalker set out to enact his sweeping agenda. His first act was to raise the minimum wage to $30 an hour and imposing a 99% wealth tax on the 1000 wealthiest Americans. When the SCOTUS struck that bill down, he passed a court-packing bill that expanded its size to 30, allowing him to nominate the 21 new Justices. The wealth tax was passed once again, this time raised to 101% ("that'll show'em", the President commented"), and used to finance a massive expansion of the welfare state, with universal health care and 100% unemployment benefits. These measures made President Snowstalker extremely popular among struggling Americans (unemployment was over 30%, and nearly half the workers were on minimum wage). Along with a bit of vote-rigging, they allowed The Babe to win reelection with 64% of the votes and to hold two-third majorities in both Houses of Congress.

When the election results were known, it was clear America would never be the same again. Several democratic politicians (such as Senator Antonio V of California, Senator Gaël l'Hermine of Vermont, governor Goldwater of Washington, governor Kalwejt of Minnesota, or political columnist/satirist Oakvale of Massachusetts) realized that something had to be done. Between November 2036 and April 2037, 21 States had officially seceded from the Union. Snowstalker's reaction was brutal: he immediately passed the 28th Amendment, which gave the President unlimited powers in situations were "national unity is in peril", and summoned a large army (integrating the former SQUADRE) to crush the rebellion. The national guards of seceding States attempted to put up a fight, but all hope seemed lost until an international coalition made of French, Canadian, Italian, Polish, Irish, British and German troops, summoned by anti-Snowstalker politicians with ties to these countries came to the rescue. While some rebellious States were defeated and forced to rejoin the Union, several independent countries formed themselves under the protection of the coalition. Meanwhile, President Snowstalker had the "Final Amendment" passed, which proclaimed the end of the "Bourgeois, capitalist 1787 Constitution" and summoned a Cogendist Constitutional Convention (or CoCoCo). Though it was nominally elected by popular vote, candidates associated with "treasonous parties" were barred from running, resulting in the NCP winning 100% of the seats. The new constitution proclaimed the new Cogendist State.

A map of the former USA by 2040:

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Great Socialist People's American Cogendist Snowstalkeriya
Republic of Cascadia
Northeastern Federation
Free State of Libertalia
Independent States

The GSPACS is now run under the iron fist of the Supreme Leader, who is in place for life and holds all the effective power (though a single-party "People's Congress" rubber-stamps his decisions). It has an extensive welfare state, but political freedoms are nonexistent and the economy is still in shambles following the war and ill-advised economic policies. Labor laws are nominally pro-union, but the only allowed union is the Cogendist Federation of Labor, effectively controlled by the State. Most industries are nationalized and horribly run. People with significant wealth (except administration officials) have their wealth confiscated and are sent into "reeducation camps". Socially speaking, it is also pretty authoritarian. Abortions and birth control are legal, but heavily discouraged on the basis that "uteruses don't matter". Women are instead encouraged to stay home in order to provide for the needs of "good working-class men". Friendzoning is a capital offense. Gay marriage is banned on the basis that it is a "wedge issue" (though there are laws against homophobia and discrimination). The power actively privileges Hispanics, but does nothing at for Blacks.

In short, it is quite a hellhole.

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EDIT: I was wrong, it was EPIC

(skip)

I'm quite proud of this one, yeah. ;D

Yeah, good job, Tony.

Antonia-Quinto is a small, southern European state well known for its beautiful landscape. Run by the PSAQ (Social-Democratic Party of Antonia-Quinto) continuously since 1971, the nation is well-known for having steered a more moderate political course than countries such as Tunfia and Snowstalkesia, with a strong welfare state having been married to a strongly regulated free market. Despite it's Catholic past, the country is well-known for its social-liberalism, although the occasional 'nannying' by the state (on issues such as drug use) has been criticised by opposition politicians. It's politicians are generally lauded for their probity, although, in recent years, libel suits against politicians have become more common (Antonian politicians are famous for getting the wrong end of the stick). Nevertheless, the country is generally considered highly-developed.

Cassiusland is the world's epitome of conservative/reactionary politics.  A small island located just north of Germany, the nation is known for its very traditionalist social policies and free market economic policies.  (Its libertarian regulatory/tax policies, in fact, are why many consider this country a tax haven for wealthy businessmen.)  However, its highly restrictive social policies are why many refuse to inhabit it.  There have been, in a short chapter of its history, attempts to reform the nation's policies so that they are more in line with the European political environment, but these were each met with firm opposition by the ruling Liberal Party.  As a result, all parties lean conservative (even the major 'left wing' party is to the right of the American Republican Party on most issues).  The nation, aside from a few infrastructural problems, is highly developed.  Its state religion is Roman Catholicism, and less than .2% of the population practices any other religion.

The Republic of New Scottland is a progressive nation which residents are universally liked, regardless of foreigners' ideology. The country usually conducts a peaceful policies abroad, except of a bried period when it severed diplomatic ties with TFNia (putting the country, as the President explained, "on ignore").

In 1843 Mayor Graybner of Warsaw, fed up with Poland being ruled by its more powerful neighbors, begins what will become an exodus of tens of thousands of Poles to the middle east to start anew. In 1854 Jakub Łaszczyński leads a revolution of Poles living in Baghdad against the ruling Ottomans. Once successful Łaszczyński institutes a new country known as the Kingdom of Polaqistan.

Fast forward to 1978. The Arabs living in Polaqistan were fed up of having now power despite the Poles only being 27% of the population. In December the students in New Warsaw (formerly Baghdad) rose up and within days brought the country to its knees. On January 1, 1979 the Polaqi Republic was declared and Sad Al-Kuwalski took over as president.

The modern Polaqi Republic is the most stable nation in the middle east.
Demographics:
Ethnicity:70% Arab 26% Polish, 2% Czech, 1% German, 1% other
Language: Polaqish 59%, Arab 25%, Polish 13%, other 3%
Religion: Roman Catholic 60%, Sunni Islam 11%, Shia Islam 11%, Protestant 15%, none/other 3%

Government:
President: Krzyzstof Hussein (Polaqi People's Party)
Prime Minister: Jaffar Al-Zbikowski (Civic Union)

Parliamentary seats:
CU- 87
PPP - 72
Arab National Party - 18
others - 13

Braseland is a constitutional republic known for its abundant natural resources, mainly fossil fuels and minerals. Jamestown is its capital and largest city; the remainder of the country has a relatively low population density. Heavy exploitation of natural resources has resulted in high per capita incomes; a recent mining boom in rare earth metals has led to high currency appreciation in recent years, with the adverse side effect of harming Braseland's small industrial and professional services sectors. Braseland received a score of 9.5 out of 10 on the Democracy Index. The country has no official established religion or language, though the majority of residents identify as Christian and English-speaking according to recent census data. Braseland is not a member of the Atlasian Union, although it maintains full diplomatic relations with all AU members and has remained neutral in all recent military conflicts in the region.