The Western IslesBoard

Chibi Atnaia Says:
"We may be small, but
we are mighty...within reason..."

Let's get started with some basic explanations of terms:

GDP (nominal): Your nation's GDP is an indicator of your nation's efficiency expressed as a dollar value. It is made up of spending, investments, exports (minus imports), and a few other things. Really, it's not worth looking at that breakdown until you get into advanced NS economic design. I'll explain that in a different dispatch. The important thing to know is that this is the number we look at when we determine things like government budgets, military size, etc. You get this number by multiplying your population by your GDPpC.

GDPpC: GDP per capita. This number represents how much of your nation's GDP, on average, is owned by any given citizen. It is not the same as average income: you can have a very low income but a very high GDPpC if you are producing very efficiently (an efficient slave-state, for example). GDPpC DOES give you a vague indication of your populace's average wealth in general, however. There are various ways of determining this number. I'll explain them later.

Population: Do I really need to explain this one? :P

PPP: Purchasing Power Parity. Most people won't look at this until they get to advanced design, and with good reason. It's a bit confusing, but it basically represents how far your dollar goes in comparison to an average. I like the Big Mac Model of determining this: let's say the average cost for a burger is $1. In your nation, a burger costs $2. This means your dollar goes half as far as the average, essentially meaning your dollar is valued half as high and you need to spend more to get more. This ties to exchange rates to some extent. To be honest, determining this value is a crapshoot without a standard metric, and confuses most people.Tread in this direction only if you want to master Econ Fu.

Tax Rate and Government Budget: Your tax rate is representative of an average of all of your taxes conglomerated. This includes income tax, tariffs, sales taxes, et cetera. Most people will just apply a generalized percentage (say, around 15-45%), and then tax their GDP directly. If you want to get really fancy, you can determine a list of taxes and work it out from there. The number you get from applying that percentage to your GDP is (roughly) your government budget, if you don't factor in lending and bonds and stuff. Your government budget is how you begin to determine how much you spend on EVERYTHING, although the number most people care about is (sigh) their military budget. This number should be below 10% of your GDP (preferably below 5%, although that is a little skewed by the nature of NS roleplay), and around 5-15% of your government budget, although this is HEAVILY dependent on your style of economy.

Chibi Atnaia Says:
"It's all about determination...
and education...
but mostly determination!

You ready?

Choose any three industries to be your nation's tentpoles, the things that hold up the economy. Why three? Because there are, traditionally, three sectors of the economy, and seeing which three industries you choose informs which of these sectors is your main focus and, by extension, whether you are developing or developed nation.

For example, let's say I chose the following three industries: corn, rubber and fishing.

Corn and fishing are both what we call "primary industries", essentially raw materials output. Anything from agriculture to mining to quarrying to lumber. If it gives you an unprocessed, uncrafted raw resource, you have yourself a primary industry. Nations that focus on primary industries tend to be developing economies: raw resource production doesn't require a high education mostly, but does require a large menial workforce. The refining of these resources is also primary (although tends to be blended into secondary).

For example, rubber is a mixed primary/secondary industry. It requires gathering of raw resources in some cases (from rubber saps if you are doing natural rubber) and refining it is technically primary, but a lot of places will refine and produce materials like rubber and steel in the same factory (or at least in the same area). "Secondary industries" are your manufacturing and production jobs. Factory work, goods processing, etc. Developing and developed economies both tend to have a large amount of manufacturing, but with varying degrees of quality. Developing nations tend to have lower-paid, lower-skilled, lower-educated workers that are able to efficiently put out a lot of low quality goods on the cheap, while developed nations will have higher wages and skill, leading to higher quality but more expensive goods. What you manufacture will inform this.

So my example nation is a developing nation. What are we missing in our three industries?

A tertiary industry. Tertiary industries are your services: shipping, warehousing, sales, professional trades like lawyers and doctors, etc. Missing this tells me that I am almost certainly on the poorer side with my example nation, since people generally don't go into jobs that require high degrees of skill or education (luxuries of the well-to-do).

So what does this all mean? Well, from here, I can figure out a rough guess for my GDPpC. With a nation like this one, most people are likely producing fairly high volumes, but are not making much money or investing.We can say a GDPpC range of between $10,000 and $17,000 would make sense. Here, a lot of it is by feel. I recommend coming up with your GDPpC and comparing it to these charts. Find the nation that is closest to your GDPpC and think about what you picture that country being like in terms of wealth and quality of life. If it matches what you have in your head, you are on the right track.

Below is a basic structure for a good idea for how to define your GDPpC based on your major industries:

So why shouldn't you just load up on Tertiary Industries and rule the damn world with money? Because tertiary industries are naturally more unstable than secondary, which are more unstable than primary. When times are good, tertiary industries make all the money in the world: finance, real estate, sales. But they are naturally reliant on the manufactured products of the secondary industries (for products, for example), which are reliant on the primary industries. When times are bad, tertiary industries are the bubbles that pop and cause massive economic problems.A nation reliant on them will go into chaos if certain things go wrong. A nation reliant on primary industries like agriculture will still be able to eat, even if their finance sector collapses. Sure, things can cause primary industries to falter (droughts or resource consumption, as examples), but ultimately they rely less on predictions and guesswork than, say, investment banking. A banker still needs to buy food when he loses his job at the bank. If a farmer stops selling, at the worst he can eat his crops. Diversification of your economy is best for long term stability: a nice mix of resources, manufacturing and services.

That's oil, you guttersnipe you.

A lot of people have this misguided belief that having large reserves of oil automatically makes you rich. This CAN be the case, but is usually only the case in nations that already have highly developed economies when oil is discovered or tapped. Why is this? It's because oil is a very, very easy industry for politically undeveloped nations to have turned into a goldmine for an elite while having no trickle down to the people. It happens CONSTANTLY. It may not be exactly a kleptocratic situation, more than likely its just endemic corruption, but it happens a lot, and is a big part of the reason for the ridiculous inequality you see between rulers in many developing, oil rich nations and their constituents.

Technically this is the case with any resource. You'd think that raw resource rich countries would be the richest in the world because everyone wants to buy from them to produce things, driving up demand and allowing them to charge higher prices. But this isn't really the case, because your frequently see an elite few lining their pockets off of the easy money of resource production. It requires very little investment in things like machinery and training, especially if you can piggyback it off of horrible human rights abuses.

Just a thing to keep in mind before using oil as a basis for being rich.

Urbanization is one of these variables. A small, highly urbanized nation will naturally have a higher population density than an equally sized, rural nation, and will also likely have an overall higher population. If your nation (or that city) is poor, these cities will be filled with densely packed slums. If it is rich, you'll see high-rises and skyscrapers instead.

Another thing to take into account is how much your nation can actually support, food-wise. People need to eat, and if your nation isn't producing a lot of its own food through agriculture, you'll have to import food, which will likely raise food prices and put a cap on population growth. The more people who need to be fed, the more the nation will need to import, the more companies can skew their prices. A nation with little agriculture will usually have a lower population than an equally wealthy nation with a lot of agriculture...that's nowhere near a hard-and-fast rule, just a vague outline you can follow when judging population size.

Ultimately, I say go with what feels right. the cap is 30,000,000, which gives you huge swing: do you want to be a city-state of 1 Million people? A small rural island of 3 Million? A massively urbanized nation with people crammed into every corner with a popualtion of 30,000,000? That's up to you.

Another way of going about it is to determine a density (say, 100people/sq. mile), and multiply your area by that number. This is a good way if you have a general idea of your urbanization in mind, but not a number for your population. An urbanized nation will have a higher density than a non-urbanized nation.

SLOW YOUR ROLL! One more thing to take into account...
There is one rule about population I follow. We have our caps so everyone exists in about the same wheelhouse of GDP: essentially, so that everything is fair. It goes against the spirit of fun if you both have a massive population and a huge GDP. While its not against the rules, it is just sort of dickish. I recommend that if you are a rich nation, limit your population a bit (that tends to be normal anyways), and if you are a poor nation, feel free to go a bit higher on the population side. This way, everyone's nominal GDPs wind up about the same. This isn't a rule or anything:if you want to be a small, poor nation, that's cool, and if you have a good explanation for a high population, rich nation, go for it. Just try to be fair to the other players. We're here to have fun, after all.

So with GDPpC and population, you can calculate your GDP. The formula is simple:

Yeah, it's that simple.

Chibi Atnaia Says:
Hug the plushie, ignore the godmodders...
Hug the plushie, ignore the godmodders..."

"So I can just make up a tax rate and apply that percentage to GDP, right? And that gives me spending?"
Still not quite accurate, but closer. A portion of your GDP is going to be tied up in "non-taxable assets": if your government pays to produce a road, let's say, that road is represented in GDP, but itself is sort of non-taxable infrastructure (in many cases). There's a lot of examples of this. In addition, certain kinds of investment that are calculated into GDP aren't taxable, and therefore can't be included in your tax rate. Having done some math, a rough average I've discovered is that about 80% of a nation's GDP can really be considered taxable. That's very rough, and very average, but it gives us a point to work from. SO:

So you know how much of your GDP is really available to be taxed...so what are your tax rates?
This can be a difficult question to answer, because it is really going to depend on your nation's specific values and style. It can, however, basically be broken into four "tiers" of tax structure: "communist", "socialist", "social democracy" and "capitalist".

Unfortunately, there is some disagreement about where to draw the lines in these ideologies, and even inside of each one there is significant stratification. The easiest way to start thinking about taxes is to do two things:

1) Ask yourself which of the above ideologies you think you fit, and;

2) Ask yourself what services and regulations your government offers.

There's a certain knee jerk tendency to go one of two ways (a psychological impulse we still hold from the Cold War). Either to claim some form of Libertarian No-Tax Wonderland, or to claim a Perfect Social Welfare State. Generally, you'll probably land somewhere in the middle when you actually get to thinking about it (unless you are deliberately building a nation built on extreme ideologies like Marxism, Anarchism, Extreme Libertarianism or something similar).

Unfortunately, I don't have an exact formula/system for this (well, I do, but it is far from the level of simplicity I want here). Instead, let's look at some averages and statistics from the real world to compare ourselves to.

The United States: 30% | The United States is a bit odd to start with, but they are the point a lot of people are familiar with. Due to the state-based nature of the USA, there are a lot of taxes levied at the state level which change as soon as you cross state lines. Generally, though the effective tax rate is ~30% when you look at income tax, which is the easiest way to actually judge these things.

Scandanavian-style Social Democracies: Average of ~50%-55% | This is sort of the far left end of capitalism, or the far right end of socialism. The tax rates fluctuate a bit, with Sweden sitting at nearly 60%, but an average of about 50% is normal. Still fairly high.

Saudi Arabia: 20%(ish) | Saudi Arabia is a really interesting case study, because their tax rates are levied along religious and nationalist lines. Natives have to pay a Zakat (or religious-based tax) for certain things, while foreigners see almost no taxes, which inspires all those big national oil companies to omnonom up in there.

Bahrain: uhhh...yes? | Bahrain has no personal income taxes, and no sales taxes, and makes most of their income on social insurance payments, trade and corporate taxes, and tariffs. They're a good example of a low tax place focused on trade.

The Communist Republic of...anywhere...: No. But yes. But no. | Technically, Communists have no taxes, because they don't have personal ownership or incomes. The means of production and therefore it's output are owned by the state, so 100% of the "taxable" GDP is actually controlled by the government in one form another, but will also be distributed in more ways, and therefore doesn't actually give them that much more to spend. A good constant 'cost' for communist nations would be to multiply their population by the equivalent quality of live they would want; so if you want your people to have the quality of life equivalent to say an American multiply your population times 40,000 or so. What ever is left can be used for more normal government activities like defense and roads. You'll note that the remainder likely isn't very high, and that remainder is going to be used for all the other stuff. Lowering the quality of life of your people will give you an equivalent increase in money the government can spend on other things.

The TL;DR version is this: taxes can range from 0% (for an anarchic state with no central government at all) to 100% (for a communist state with a huge central government). It depends on the responsibilities and size of your central government. I recommend looking at a few nations that reflect your own and looking at their tax rates. The framework above can be used to give you a benchmark for various points on the spectrum.

"If there's no formula, how in the hell do I figure it out?" Well, by using these benchmarks, we can sort of determine the style of economy you have. If your effective tax rate sits between 25% and 35%, we can assume a Western-styled form of capitalism in some form or another. If you are breaking 50%, we can expect some style of socialism. If you are cresting 75%, you're probably communist. If you are below 20%, you are likely some form of tax haven or libertarian nation. This gives you an idea of what those numerical vagaries mean in context.

With your tax rate determined, we can now move on to the part of that that affects your nation: government budgets. So, we know your taxable GDP based on the formula up above (Average amount of GDP that can be taxed = GDP x 0.80). So, we take the result of that and multiply it by our tax rate to get our government budget:

This number will likely look nice and big and give you the rumbly jumblies for all the wicked military stuff you can do, but again I ask you to hold your horses. Remember all of the stuff that a government has to be responsible for, based on your above ideology. At the very, very least, a government will cover the following:

• Military

• Administration Costs

• Commerce

• Treasury and Minting Costs

• International Affairs (Including Foreign Aid and Foreign Relations)

MOST governments will also cover the following:

• Infrastructure

• Science

• Energy and the Environment (Oversight and Regulation)

• Basic Education

• Healthcare Oversight and Regulation

• Community Management

• Social Policy

• Law and Order

Depending on your preferences, your government may also cover:

• Advance Education

• Full Healthcare

• Housing

• Welfare

and a million other things besides. Now, a lot of these sectors can be rolled together into broader headings, but its still a lot of areas of concern and a lot that has to be paid for.

Ultimately, however, how you break that down will be based on your government's values (and, in a fair amount of cases, but certainly not all cases, your people's values).

For example, a basic breakdown of how I have things divided looks like this:

• Military: 14.00%

• Education: 11.00%

• Administration: 4.50%

• Commerce and Infrastructure: 16.00%

• Treasury Expenditure: 3.00%

• Healthcare Oversight: 10.00%

• Investments: 14.00%

• Intelligence, Law and Order: 15.00%

• Social Policies, Propaganda and Environmental Regulation: 5.50%

• Foreign Aid and Relations: 4.00%

• Other Departments: 3.00%

Your budget by no means has to reflect these divisions, and the percentages you pay can vary greatly, but I feel like my budget gives a broad sweep of a standard government breakdown covering a good amount of various facets of important government functions.

Aside from that, its up to you to judge what your government finds important to invest in. However, the key thing to remember is that, no matter how much you cut down on what a government does, a bureaucracy like a government costs money just to function: you can cut everything except administration costs before you just cease to have a country.

A quick note on international trade, because it bothers me constantly. There's a misunderstanding amongst most people about how international trade works. They'll TG each other trade deals, saying "I want this, this and this from you in exchange for this this and this from me", add each other to dispatches saying they are getting those resources from the other person and assume they are done.

That's not how international trade works. Sorry, but trade goods are not Pokemon cards being swapped in a playground. Governments (most governments at least) don't have big warehouses of goods that they ship to one another.

Trade is a complex network of incentives and disincentives based on tariffs, taxes, quotas, opportunity costs and more. For example, let's say that Country A has companies that produce herring, and Country B desperately needs boatloads of herring for its booming herring-based food conglomeration, which employs a substantial portion of that country's people. The first question is how a herring-based food conglomeration managed to rise up in a country lacking their own herring, but lets ignore that for the moment.

So Country B has a vested interest in ensuring a good flow of herring into their nation. To do that, they have to incentivize Country A's companies to send them herring. So, how would they do that. The first thing they could do would be to decrease tariffs on incoming herring imports, which would decrease the cost for companies sending herring to them. That would be a multilateral solution, though, and could start bringing in herring from unwanted places, like an enemy nation or something, so what they could do instead is go to Country A's government and establish a specific trade deal that said that only companies from their nation got decreased tariffs. They could also increase quotas, allowing companies to ship them more herring without financial penalty, or they could subsidize their food conglomerate directly, giving them money to import herring if it comes from Country A's companies. Reversing any of these actions could have the opposite effect and decrease trade of that good (this is the basis of protectionism).

Every country is in some way doing this with every other country, even if they aren't trading. Sometimes a country has no control over their incentives and disincentives. Two countries with close physical proximity will usually trade a lot because there is a lower cost to shipping than for two countries far apart. This is a natural incentive. In order to slow or stop this trade, one or the other country would have to make that trade financially infeasible by increasing those costs to something that would disincline a profit.

Basically, what I'm saying is that instead of listing a bunch of resources coming and going from one nation to another, you should instead list nations you have FAVOURABLE trade relations with and a list of nations you have UNFAVOURABLE trade relations with, and then assume there's a two way flow for each favourable nation and decreased flow for unfavourable nations.

Another big thing to remember: just because your nation produces something does not mean you don't also import that thing. If Country A produces a lot of food, it doesn't mean that they don't also import food. After all, no nation will have the favourable conditions to produce the breadth of products that their people might demand. There's a reason Americans drive Hondas and Nissans on top of Fords and Chryslers.

"BUT ATNAIA!" you cry. "NOT EVERY REAL LIFE NATION TRADES WITH EVERY OTHER REAL LIFE NATION, EVEN IF THEY HAVE GOOD RELATIONS!" Quite astute, dear reader, but please keep your hypothetical voice down. The reason for this is plentiful, but the easiest way of putting it is a matter of natural disincentives. If Country A produces herring, but Country B ALSO produces herring, and they are far apart, they may have no reason to send herring to each other. Or maybe Country A has good relations with Country C, but Country C is a close trade partner with Country D, who is enemies with Country A, forming a disincentive to sending herring to Country C lest they begin feeding enemy troops. Or maybe Country C is just too small or too poor to form a viable market for companies from Country A to care enough to ship there. There's a million reasons why things like this might be the case. However, in our region, we are small, Pacific-style island nations. Not one of us is large enough to overlook anyone else, and we're also not big enough to completely cover every required resource. Our network of trade is likely to be highly integrated an highly complex. It's fine to say you don't trade with a few nations, but a completely self-sustained, trade-free economy is functionally impossible, and having very few trade partners is likewise just as difficult. It will cut down on a lot of your day-to-day workload to assume you are trading with allies, friendly nations or neutral nations, and have limited-to-no trade with unfriendly or hostile nations, without getting into the nitty-gritty of TGing every new nation to spring up and determining how your trade works.

Ultimately how you handle trade is up to you, but I highly recommend either letting your Roleplay and Stories dictate how trade functions, or to handle trade the way nations in real life do and discuss incentives, companies and laws as opposed to specific resources.

Government and Politics, A Tutorial
Part 1: The Foundations of State and Government
Avoiding the trap of poorly written governments
By: Dormill and Stiura
Part 2

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Foreword
Hello, one and all! I am Dormill and Stiura, better personally known as Dorm. For those reading this dispatch for the first time, I am a member of The Western Isles and an American political science student (in both cases for quite a while now). I’ve been involved in the nationbuilding and roleplay aspects of this site for several years up to this point and this Factbook remains my most highly regarded (in terms of upvotes) to date, making it my largest platform. Considering the original intent behind this factbook and the renewed purpose found in the recent(ish) rewrite from 2020, I have decided to once again go over the lessons I portrayed here with new knowledge obtained for the benefit of the wider NationStates community, especially newcomers to the site and the wider world of roleplaying. So please, read through this diligently and test your understanding along the way, and let me know how this was for you as I am always looking for ways to improve my craft. Now, on with the show.

-Dorm

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Preface: Making a Flag
Leave your Seals on a Bedsheet at the door

1. Those that are simply bland (the NationStates default flags), the ones with the most fundamental political symbolism but lack an artistic vision,

2. Those that overcomplicate the meaning behind the flag with oversaturated symbols or symbols that have esoteric meaning, the ones that are more artistic tapestries than political symbols,

3. Those that display artistry and effective political symbolism, are the ones that most people would think of as a uniquely good flags.

These three exist on a kind of gradient or scale that depends in one part on the skill of the user creating the flag and the purpose they put into its design; in such a way that it is perfectly valid to have a plain, bland flag if that is the goal from an in-character perspective; mine is a prototypical example being a simple horizontal tricolor that, if inverted, is just the former flag of the Netherlands. Intent, above everything else, is central to effective flag design and should be at the center of what you do. That said, there are a few general guidelines worth mentioning if you intend to enhance the artistic value of your flag.

A “Good” Flag, one that most matches the examples of Type 3 flags, can be defined through the pamphlet (or book, or whatever) Good Flag, Bad Flag by Ted Kaye of the North American Vexillological Association, there he describes five principles behind a good flag:

1. Keep it Simple, the Flag should be easy to draw from memory or by a young child,

2. Use Meaningful Symbolism, the Symbols of a Flag should identify with a measure of specificity what it means and how it relates to the country that flies it,

3. Use 2-3 Basic Colors, the Flag should not be a mess to look at, basic color theory applies,

4. No Letterings or Seals, the Flag should not be cluttered with complex shapes or letters, as it tends to be seen from a distance fluttering in the wind,

5. Be Distinctive or Be Related, the Flag ought to be individually identifiable in a field of others in various conditions, and it should be identifiable in a way that the average person seeing it promptly associates it with the proper country.

At its core, a flag should be thought of as the living representation of your state and/or nation (we’ll get into the distinction later), such that its image must be preserved and respected by both your citizens and the international community. “So,” I hear you ask, “Where do we begin?”

My answer to that is to figure out the color(s) your flag will have, and what they mean. To help, I will use some examples of flags to highlight both the use of colors and symbols in creating an effective flag. When considering the color(s) you use, it is important to figure out what they mean to you and your nation. I’ll give a general overview of the most common colors here but feel free to give whatever meaning you want.

• Red: In Isolation usually stands for Socialism or Communism, otherwise combined with other colors can mean hardiness, valor, the blood spilled in the name of the formation of your nation, and so on. In general, Red is used when you want to signify struggle or bravery in the face of it.

• White: Not to be confused with the color of surrender (or the real French Flag), White commonly stands for purity of soul or innocence. Alongside that, White can also be used to stand for the peaceful aims of your nation or, when combined with Red, the peace attained with sacrifice.

• Blue: Blue commands respect when observed, standing for justice and perseverance either in isolation or when combined with other colors.

• Gold (or Yellow): As the actual element, it is a prized commodity, putting yellow or gold on your flag means your nation is rich in its ideals, people, land, or something else.

• Black: In a modern context, Black is usually if not always a Pan-African color and is used to make a specific mention of the African roots of the nation that flies it

You’re free to use basically whatever other color you wish so long as your flag doesn’t wind up like an Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the end of it, unless (again) if you want it that way.

Back to my examples, I will start with a personal favorite of mine, the flag of Solaryia:

• The Selburose, the central symbol of Solaryia, represents the roots of the nation in several forms, including the original six colony ships that sought out the land of Solaryia and the six central ideas of the Solaryi nation,

• The Selburose’s placement, the Selburose is intentionally placed around the same place the Nordic Cross would be placed, signaling its distinct Nordic heritage,

• Blackcurrant, a variation on Royal Purple from European Heraldric canon, the use of Blackcurrant on the Solaryi flag is a symbol of Solaryia’s unique status in wealth, power, and position on the banks of the Mesder and Argean Seas,

• White, to represent the sails of the original colony ships and the Christian heritage they brought to the lands of Solaryia.
  

As for symbols, this is where things become more complex bordering on outright complicated. Considering a symbol is an image that has attached sentimental value, anything can itself be a symbol, from something universal like stars, the moon, or religious icons, to weapons or tools distinct in a time and place, to even simple or complex shapes. Since anything can be a symbol, you have to take special care in your selection to identify which symbol(s) best fit not only your nation but the flag that is meant to represent your state in turn.

This area, I feel, is where most flag designs face the make or break point; a “Good” flag finds a way to balance meaningful symbolism into its design in an artistically impressive way, whereas a “Bad” flag fails to effectively communicate the symbols or their meanings to a viewer, either because there are no clear symbols, the symbol itself is a literal emblem, or the choice of the symbol(s) do not communicate their meaning concerning the state that flies it. Always remember the applicability of the principles when designing the symbols for your flag and consider how much meaning it can communicate on its own compared to how much needs to be communicated by someone or something else.

For our second example, let’s explore some flags with a more clearly direct form of symbolism from my fellow TWIslander Aprosia:

• The Qúnizbai (the Sun on the flag), originally a religious symbol turned into a secular symbol following the anti-colonial revolution, representing the entirety of the Aprosiatic people both in Aprosia and the diaspora.

• The two hoes and star: symbolize the APF as the vanguard of the people (the hoes) and the entirety of the Aprosiatic civilization.

• Blue for freedom and determination.

• White for a harmonious society.

• Red for courage, strength, and blood (or the Aprosiatic race).

To conclude, here’s an important lesson everyone reading this ought to know and internalize before worrying about the aforementioned principles too much; A Good Flag follows all five principles clearly and plainly, a Bad Flag breaks any one or more of the five principles without much artistic or symbolic purpose, a Great Flag takes artistic liberties to enhance the meaning of the flag by twisting on one of the principles. So if you’re looking not only to make a good flag but to make something truly distinct, look at the design you’re working on and see which principle you can bend to your advantage.

If you have a good idea of how to describe your flag yet are unable to get it properly drawn, you might want to take a glance at the Flag and Seal Request Threads and ask there for assistance.

It is a shame to see this happen as it brings up even more questions than answered, and leaves most of the fun nationbuilding out of the picture. So I’m here to give you, yes you, dear reader, an overview of the various kinds of government you can use in RP, what they mean, how to be internally consistent, how to conduct elections, and so on.

Let’s start with the basics in this part, however, starting with defining the title.

The State
A State is an organized political institution capable of upholding its sovereignty against internal and external political actors in a distinct territory (that it has the sole right to regulate through laws or policies) through the Monopoly of Violence. In short, it is a form of a political group that, through organized force, maintains sovereignty in a given area of space. The size of the state and even to what extent other states recognize its sovereignty is secondary to its ability to protect and regulate a given territory independent of other states or individuals.

The State is the embodiment of a body politic’s political and social institutions and, in a modern conception, is directly associated with a particular nation.

The Nation
A Nation is a group of people that desires political self-representation, typically in the form of a State (hence Nation-State). A Nation is not ascribed to a person at birth, but should rather be seen as a conscious and active choice on the part of the citizen of that nation. For the sake of this tutorial, when talking about States, Nations, and Countries, it should be in the context of Nation-States unless otherwise specified.

The Regime
A Regime is, generally, the root norms and practices that govern the functions of politics and the state and its institutions. This can be defined by certain ideas such as whether the state conducts elections, how the government is meant to be held accountable, or how the public should interact with the state and the government. While associated with illiberal and authoritarian systems, those are only forms of regimes that can be rooted into the state, it is equally as valid to call a liberal democracy a “Democratic Regime” as often as it is to call a dictatorship or a highly authoritarian state an “Authoritarian Regime”, both describe the root norms that regulate the state and government.

The Government
A Government is a collective of people, institutions, and organizations charged with the operation of the state, typically enshrined by a Constitution and institutionalized in three distinct branches: The Executive, which carries out and enforces the law, the Legislature, which debates on and creates the law, and the Judiciary, which determines and defines the law (and typically the applicability or legality of the actions or policies enacted by the Legislature and Executive).

Now you may be wondering why I started this exploration into the nationbuilding basics with the types of Regimes that you can make, and that’s because regimes are the mold where the character of your state and government are cast from. While it would have been just as valid to start with the kinds of States you could make or the kinds of Government it could have without understanding the regime that roots the State and Government together, you’re back to square one of the summer you first joined this site, floundering to grasp what kind of state you want to play as.

In this way of thinking, knowing what regime you want to have in place is the prerequisite for everything else that happens in nationbuilding. Now that you have a clearer understanding of your regimes, it’s time to move on to the kinds of states they are rooted into.

Chapter 3: Building a Government and Political Climate for your Nation
Now we start putting the pieces together

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Now just imagine for a moment that said "Government" and we'll be swell
Alright, now you’ve made it to the point where you know, in general, what kinds of governments exist and you would have likely gone into a bit of research regarding differences in between, which is great. Now comes the fun part, making your government. I will start by creating a generally simple logical flowchart to help you determine how to define your government.

Core Concepts

1. Do you have a flag?

2. Do you have a Constitution for your nation?

3. Is your nation entirely sovereign, in control of its territory?

4. What is your Type of Regime?

5. What is your Type of State Organization?

6. What is your Economic Regime?

7. Is your nation a Monarchy or a Republic?

Monarchy

1. Is your Monarch Elected or Hereditary?

2. Does your Monarch wield Absolute power, or is it constrained by a Constitution?

3. How is Succession handled in your nation?

4. Does your Monarch rule over any other state but yours?

Republic

1. Is your Republic a Presidential or Parliamentary one?

Autocratic Government

1. How do the people of your nation attain citizenship?

2. How difficult is it for a citizen in your nation to become qualified for a position in the Government?

3. How did your Leader come to power?

4. Is your Leader Benevolent or Cruel?

5. How does your Leader maintain their power? Through Coercion or Popularity?

Oligarchic Government

1. What type of Oligarchy is your nation?

2. How are the leaders of your nation chosen?

3. How does the Oligarchy maintain its power?

4. What are the expectations for members of the Oligarchy’s inner circle?

Democratic Government

1. Is there an independently elected Head of Government in this system?

2. Are the roles of Head of State and Head of Government United or Split?

3. Who puts the Head of Government into power?

4. For how long can the Head of Government rule?

5. Is there a possibility of reelection for the Head of Government in your Nation?

6. If so, how many years can a person serve as the Head of Government?

7. How many chambers does your Legislature contain?

8. Is the leader of your Legislature (or applicable chamber) the Head of Government?

9. Who is the Head of State?

10. Are they appointed, or elected?

11. If elected, by the people or within the legislature?

12. Is the Judiciary of your Nation independent from the Executive or Legislature?

13. Whom is the Judiciary subservient to if it is not independent and to what capacity?

14. How are the members of the Judiciary appointed?

15. Are there checks and balances on the powers between the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary?

Minarchist Government

1. Is this Minarchy a Night-watchman State, a Small Government, or a Limited Government

2. Are there any institutions allowed within your Nation that would resemble a government of any kind?

3. Is participation in any government institution voluntary?

4. How does your nation apply the Non-aggression principle?

Anarchy

1. How did Anarchy develop in your society?

2. What is the general state of social or economic stability in your society?

3. What, if any, kinds of voluntary associations exist that would replicate the function of government?

1. Is there a wide degree of socio-economic classes?

2. What is the extent of government welfare and charity organizations?

3. How wide is the wealth gap in your economy?

4. How hard is it to become very wealthy?

5. Is welfare provided to the citizens of your nation through any means?

6. Is there legal discrimination against the poor in your Nation?

7. Is there social discrimination against the poor in your Nation?

8. How much importance is material wealth placed on the citizens of your Nation?

Socialism

1. In general, how much does the government control businesses?

2. Is an average person in your nation influenced by the government on which career they should enter?

3. How significant are the social classes in your Nation?

4. How short is the wealth gap in your Nation?

5. How hard is it to maintain great wealth?

6. How effective is the distribution of welfare in your Nation?

7. Are there any remaining private enterprises in your Nation?

8. Is there legal discrimination against the rich in your Nation?

9. Is there social discrimination against the rich in your Nation?

10. Does currency exist in your Nation?

Now, what do I mean by "core aspects"?

I mean things like what kind of government is actually in place in your nation, who rules it, the basics of a legislature and court, how your government could form and collapse, and so on. Throughout this chapter, I will describe, in as great a detail as possible some of the many possible government types you can have based on combinations of the concepts introduced earlier. Feel free to open up a notebook, or a word document and jot notes down as we go through this. Come along, now! We've got exploring to do!

Case Study 1: The United Republics of Dormill and Stiura

Yes I know, using a self-insert is hardly the best way to start a study on the many various governments you can make, but trust me, I have a lot to offer as well. Let's begin by answering, directly, the above flowchart just so you can better understand how the basic pieces come together and how you weave them closer.

In considering what would be the best way to introduce these concepts to a new player, I figured the best way I know how to do that would be to make an entirely new nation based as much as possible on the concepts I presented here. With that in mind, I am proud to present Roijveld. We will be following the process of nation-building through Roijveld so pay attention to the things I do with this place.

※Cappuccino: equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk

※Caffè latte: espresso with more steamed milk and less foam

※Latte macchiato: steamed milk “marked” with a splash of espresso

To blend in: Don’t order these drinks after 11 a.m. Parthovians only enjoy milky coffee in the morning – never in the afternoon, and especially not after a meal.

Appropriate anytime, a caffè (or caffè normale) is simply an espresso, a small but strong shot of black coffee. Italians often sip a caffè as an afternoon pick-me-up or after a meal.
To blend in: While you can order a caffè doppio for a double shot of espresso, this is not typical in Parthovia. If you need that extra jolt of caffeine, just visit your favorite barista multiple times a day – you won’t be the only one.
Over the centuries, Parthovians have created a variety of alterations to the powerful punch of espresso. Branch out by ordering these at an Lavazza.

※Caffè macchiato: For the softer side of coffee, enjoy this espresso “marked” with a splash of frothy milk. Unlike the breakfast drinks, this lightly milky caffè can be enjoyed as frequently as caffè normale.

※Caffè corretto: Literally translated to “corrected coffee,” this drink features espresso with a splash of alcohol, such as grappa or sambuca.

※Caffè americano: After trying drip coffee in the United States, Italians decided to offer tourists a taste of home. Their interpretation: espresso diluted with plenty of hot water.
Caffè lungo: This “long coffee” comprises espresso with a splash of hot water but is stronger than the americano.

To blend in: Since the coffee experience is designed to be enjoyed socially and in small doses, to-go cups are nonexistent in Parthovia.

Each of Parthovia's 12 regions boasts its own unique coffee culture. Espresso may be ubiquitous, but there are many regional twists to the caffè. In the northern regions, enjoy a caffè anisette for an anise-flavored espresso; in the southern coastal peninsula, try caffè d’un parrinu, an inspired coffee flavored with cloves, cinnamon, and cocoa.

To blend in: Before ordering, research the region for local ingredients – or subtly listen to your fellow coffee drinkers at the cafe!

In Parthovia, coffee is typically enjoyed al banco, or at the bar, with friends. When you visit Caffè Vergnano, you will likely find colleagues standing al banco, chatting with a caffè in hand. In Parthovia, it is common to order and drink your coffee first, then pay at the register. Practice this method at Caffè Vergnano, which follows the same tradition.

Another major influence in Parthovia is family life and regular life etiquette. Some values include

※The state and family is the most important part of Parthovian life.

※The eldest son has special duties: first to his parents, then to his brothers from older to younger, then to his sons, then to his wife, and lastly to his daughters.

※Family and state welfare is much more important than the needs of the individual.

※Members of the family are tied to each other because the actions of one family member reflect on the rest of the family.

In many cases the family register can trace a family's history, through male ancestors, for over 500 years. Speaking of ancestors and past generations, Children are raised to believe they can never repay their debt to their parents, and Parthovians hold ancestral ceremonies for the previous three generations (parents, grandparents, and great grandparents) several times a year, particularly on New Year's Day.
On New years day, Parthovians celebrate the life of their ancestors and the beginning of new life. We also deeply believe in the concept of Kibun. Kibun is a word with no literal English translation; the closest terms are pride, face, mood, feelings, or state of mind. If you hurt someone's kibun you hurt their pride, cause them to lose dignity, and lose face. Parthovian interpersonal relationships operate on the principle of harmony.
It is important to maintain a peaceful, comfortable atmosphere at all times, even if it means telling a "white lie". In business, a manager's kibun is damaged if his subordinates do not show proper respect. A subordinate's kibun is damaged if his manager criticizes him in public. It is also believed to be shameful to be seen without a smile unless in mourning. Not wearing a smile in public and treating everyone with courtesy is believed to upset the balance in life. One of the biggest things in Parthovian culture is common etiquette and customs. There are many different styles of etiquette from meeting to eating. These are listed below.

Meeting etiquette
※Many Parthovians shake hands with expatriates after the initial greeting , thereby showcasing Parthovian cultural styles.

※It is the most senior person who initiates the handshake.

※The person who initiates the Handshake says, "man-na-suh pan-gop-sumnida", which means "pleased to meet you."

※Information about the other person will be given to the person they are being introduced to in advance of the actual meeting.

※Wait to be introduced at a social gathering.

※When you leave a social gathering, say good-bye and give handshakes as well as thanks to each person individually.

Giving and receiving gifts
※Gifts express a great deal about a relationship and are always reciprocated. It is inconsiderate to give someone an expensive gift if you know that they cannot afford to reciprocate accordingly.

※Bring fruit or good quality chocolates or flowers if invited to a Parthovian home.

※Gifts should be wrapped nicely.

※The number 8 is considered unlucky, so gifts should not be given in multiples of 8.

※Giving 12 of an item is considered lucky.

※Wrap gifts in purple, since this is the color of elegance, wealth and loyalty in Parthovia.
- Alternatively, use yellow or pink paper since they denote happiness.

※Do not wrap gifts in green, white, or black paper.

※Do not sign a card in red ink.

※Use both hands when offering a gift.

※Gifts are not opened when received.

Dining manners
※It is common for guests to meet at a common spot and travel together.

※You may arrive up to 30 minutes late without giving offence.

※Remove your shoes before entering the house.

※The hosts greet each guest individually.

※The host pours drinks for the guests in their presence. The hostess does not pour drinks.

※The hosts usually accompany guests to the gate or to their car because they believe that it is insulting to wish your guests farewell indoors.

※Send a thank you note the following day after being invited to dinner.

Table etiquette
※Wait to be told where to sit. There is often a strict protocol to be followed.

※The eldest are served first.

※The oldest or most senior person is the one who starts the eating process.

※Silverware should be returned to the table after every few bites and when you drink or stop to speak.

※Do not grind your silverware on each other or on your teeth. when putting them on the table make sure they are clean. This can usually be done by wiping them with your lips when you last took s bite.

※Do not pick up food with your hands. Fruit should be speared with a toothpick.

※Bones and shells should be put on the table on an appropriate cloth or napkin, or an extra plate.

※Try a little bit of everything. It is acceptable to ask what something is.

※Refuse the first offer of second helpings.

※Finish everything on your plate.

※Indicate you are finished eating by placing your utensils on the Silverware cloth rest or on the table. Never place them parallel across your bowl.

Business etiquette
※Parthovians prefer to do business with people with whom they have a personal connection.

※It is therefore crucial to be introduced by a third-party.

※Relationships are developed through informal social gatherings that often involve a considerable amount of drinking and eating.

※Individuals who have established mutual trust and respect will work hard to make each other successful.

※Parthovians treat legal documents as memorandums of understanding. They view contracts as loosely structured consensus statements that broadly define agreement and leave room for flexibility and adjustment as needed.

※Under no circumstances insult or to criticize in front of others. Never raise your voice either.

※Sensitive matters may often be raised indirectly through the intermediary that first made the introductions.

※Parthovians are extremely direct communicators. They are not averse to asking questions if they do not understand what has been said or need additional clarification.

※This is a culture where "less is more" when communicating. Respond to questions directly and concisely. Be clear and concise. Never "beat around the bush" Say what you mean immediately. Not doing so may fluster a Parthovian, who will view you as someone who is wasting their time.

※Since there is a tendency to say "yes" to questions so that you do not lose face, the way you phrase a question is crucial. It is better to ask, "When can we expect shipment?" than "Can we expect shipment in 3 weeks?", since this question requires a direct response.

Business meeting etiquette
※Appointments are required and should be made 3 to 4 weeks in advance.

※You should arrive on time for meetings as this demonstrates respect for the person you are meeting.

※The most senior generally enters the room first.

※It is a good idea to send both an agenda and back-up material including information about your company and client testimonials prior to the meeting.

※The main purpose of the first meeting is to get to know each other.

※Meetings are used to understand a client's needs and challenges. They lay the foundation for building the relationship.

※Do not remove your jacket unless the most senior atendee does so.

Dress etiquette
※Business attire is conservative.

※Men should wear dark- coloured, conservative business suits with white shirts.

※Women should dress conservatively and wear subdued colours.

※Men should avoid wearing jewellery other than a watch or a wedding ring.