Which Of These Four Fictional Countries Would You Rather Live In?

[H. Ross Peron]

The Empire of Karlsland was once a unified and powerful state under the rule of the Kaiser with a fairly weak parliament. However several decades ago tensions and conflicts began between the conservative monarchists, liberal reformists, socialists, Communists, and the republican and nationalistic National People's Party. The NVP itself soon split into the maistream moderate faction and a far more violently militaristic, socialistic, and racialist faction known as the National Brotherhood. Eventually these conflicts exploded into a bloody, multi-sided civil war with constantly shifting alliances and numerous massacres. When the dust finally settled and an armistice was arranged four nations grew out of the Karlsland: Heimatland, Reichsland, Volksland, and Arischland.
 
Heimatland is a constitutional monarchy still under the rule of the Kaiser. Located in the mountainous areas in the former south of the Vaterland, the country has a beautiful natural landscape with pristine lakes and rives, brooding forests, and tall, snow-covered alpine mountains. Strict environmental laws have preserved this natural setting almost perfectly and even in the capital (the only large city in this country) is relatively sleepy with no skyscrapers and little industry. The rest of the country is dotted with small towns and villages or farms. Economically Heimatland is largely oriented towards agriculture, tourism, skilled craftsmanship, and light industry. While as noted above, the monarchy is constitutional, the Kaiser still has the power to appoint and dismiss chancellors and has vast indirect influence in addition. Any political party that smacks of socialism is banned and politics is largely dominated by the Conservative Party which represent agarian interests (with the only other parties represented in Parliament being the Catholic Centre Party and the bourgeoisie Liberal Party) while the activities of unions are highly restricted. Due to the overwhelming majority of the population being Protestant or Catholic, the country's social policies are quite conservative with abortion banned for all reasons except if the mother's life is in danger, divorce highly restricted, homosexuality only recently decriminalized, and the death penalty still on the books for several crimes. However, on the other hand, the country is fairly lax on smoking and drinking laws for cultural reasons allowing anybody over 16 to do either of those activities. Immigration is restricted and the population is highly xenophobic and suspiscious of non-whites. Social anti-semitism is also fairly common despite legal equality. Economically, the country pursues an autarchic policy and imposes high tariffs especially on agricultural products and restricts foreign corporations' activities to promote local industry and businesses. At the same time Heimatland has a decent welfare state providing social security and healthcare to citizens along with a good education system. Despite the generous government benefits, the tax rate is fairly moderate compared to its neighbours thanks to the high tariffs and a small population to support. Like all its neighbours, Heimatland maintains conscription for its military but it is smaller and technologically inferior compared to the countries surrounding them. It has fairly good relations with Reichsland but its relations with Volksland remain frayed.

Reichsland is an authoritarian republic to the northwest of Heimatland and controls most of the former western areas of Karlsland. It is far larger than Heimatland and while conservation is official government policy, industrialization and urban growth has taken on toll on the landscape which is largely flat plains along with some forests and mountains in the south of the country. Enormous skyscrapers and construction cranes dominate the skylines of Reichsland's cities and countless suburbs mushroom out from the downtowns, connected by extensive mass transit networks. The country itself connected by a well maintained and world-class autobahn and high speed rail systems. There is relatively little pollution thanks to public transportation and most energy being provided by nuclear power plants and hydropower. The country is gradually transitioning toward a mature, postindustrial economy, although the manufacturing sector remains large and healthy. The government of Reichsland is a dominant party state where the technocratic National People's Party always wins a majority of seats in the Reichstag, and most political conflict is intraparty battles within the NVP. While most political freedoms exist, communist parties remain banned and strikes determined to be harmful to the "public good" are foribily broken up. While its religious composition is akin to that of Heimatland, there is a fairly large population of atheists and agnostics and as a result social policy is somewhat more liberal than in Heimatland. Even though abortion remains banned for most reasons they are encouraged for "defective" fetuses, there is debate of gay marriage in the Reichstag, and divorce is legal. However tobacco (along with most other drugs) are banned due to being harmful to national health, alcohol is heavily taxed, and the drinking age is 21 while the death penalty still exists for murder, terrorism, treason, espionage, and desertion. In addition crime is low thanks to a large police force and extensive government surveillance of activities (although torture is reserved only for special cases) There are numerous immigrants to the country including from Volksland and Heimatland but assimilationist policies strongly encourage immigrants to learn the national language. The country follows free trade policies and has extensive trade with both Heimatland and even recently with Volksland. The country follows free market policies in general but has fairly high taxes due to a superb education system and government-provided social security and health care. While corporations have a strong influence within the NVP, the government promotes meritocratic policies aimed at getting intelligent low-income children into elite schools and universities along with maintaining vocational school. Despite these policies, income inequality here is the widest out of the four countries (although fairly moderate compared to the US). Reichsland has a fairly large and technologically very advanced military with a strong navy and air force in particular. Reichsland is essentially the de factor protector of Heimatland and there has even been talk of reunifcation which is prevented by the fact that the most logical compromise (simply putting the Kaiser as Head of State but otherwise keeping the current Reichsland government) is unsatisfactory to both sides. Despite past conflicts, it has suceedeed in improving relations with Volksland also despite the large military presence on the border between the two countries.

Description continued in Pt.2

[H. Ross Peron]

Volksland is a socialist republic in the former central and eastern portions of Karlsland. The country is heavily polluted due to the energy largely being provided by fossil fuels (nuclear power was abandoned after a disastrous meltdown at a power plant) and heavy industrialization throughout the country. The country's landscape is mostly plains while the former forests to the south have largely been cut down. The cities of Volksland consist largely of drab concrete blocks for apartment houses and smoky factories on the outskirts except for some large and impressive monuments and public buildings. The country has a decent autobahn system (for those who have automobiles) but its railroad system is outdated and is far slower than Reichsland's train system. Volksland remains domianted by its manufacturing sector, especially heavy industry which is favoured by the government. Much like Reichsland, the country is a dominant party state under the Communistic United Workers' Front, having reformed from a generic communist dictatorship under liberalizing leaders two decades ago (while still preserving the country's "socialist character"). Religion is discouraged in Volksland although tolerated and outspoken preachers often are fined for causing "public disturbances" or even sometimes forcibly institutionalized. Otherwise, social policies are fairly liberal with alcohol, tobacco, and soft drugs legal, along with abortion and divorce. Gay marriage however as yet to be legalized although for reasons of social cohesion rather than religious reasons and the death penalty is in effect for the same offenses as those in Reichsland. While crime is somewhat higher than in Reichsland (mostly corruption and petty crimes, violent crime rates are about the same) , it is still fairly low and there is a similar extensive surveillance system and torture is somewhat more common (although not routine). The country is fairly isolationist economically and has little foreign trade or immigration (except for some leftist intellectuals). The economy is generally socialist with most industries either nationalized or run as workers' cooperatives although small farmers are allowed to own their land and small-scale market activity is permitted thanks to the reforms of two decades before. Although the government has a very extensive welfare state with housing, jobs, minimum income, health care, and education (depending on one's performance) guaranteed to all citizens, the country's health care system is often inefficient and its education system is mediocre compared to that of Reichsland. Meanwhile there are often shortages of many consumer goods due to the focus on heavy industry and economically isolationist policies. Volksland has a far larger army than Reichsland but is somewhat technologically behind compared to that nation's military. Despite its socialistic nature and past conflict Volksland has as noted above improved relations with Reichsland and has sought to engage with Heimatland also.

Arischland is a racialist dictatorship in the former far eastern territories of Karlsland. One of the most totalitarian states in the world, if not all history, its government has succedeed in perfecting the instruments of oppression and terror. Formed by the National Brotherhood group in the aftermath of the Karlsland Civil War, the regime has largely succedeed in "purifying" the nation, via a systematic genocide of all racial "undesirables", along with dissidents, criminals, and the disabled. The government to-day is dominated by a small circle of incredibly aged and ideologically fanatical Party members who were in the National Aryan Youth group during the days of the Civil War who are determined to maintain the ideological and racial purity of the country. The regime has restored Norse paganism as an official religion with all who do not subscribe to it relentlessly searched for and liable for forced labour or execution and the deceased First Leader has been openly deified with his mausoleum a reqauired site of pilgrimage for citizens and his statues and paintaings omnipresent in all buildings. The country has an enormous regular police force along with an all-powerful secret police apparatus, both of which casually engage in beatings and other torture to extract information and confessions. The crimes punishable by death either by direct execution or by being sentenced to certain death in a forced labour camp number in the hundreds, which keep the extensive constellation of forced labour camps full. The economy is actually more communistic than even that of Volksland, with every aspect of the economy nationalized and even currency has been abolished and replaced by a credit/ration card system for all goods. Naturally, all unauthorized commercial activity is punishable by a long term in the labour camps. Economic activity is focused solely on the military, with consumer goods beyond the basic necessities of life non-existent for all but the Party elites. Even this privileged group has at best what would be considered a lower middle-class lifestyle and remain at the mercy of the secret police for the slightest hind of subversion To save transportation costs, most factory workers are required to live in military-style barracks within the factory complex and internal passports are required for any sort of travel. While health care is universal it suffers from long waiting times and shortages of many medical supplies. Meanwhile education is devoted to the indoctrination of youth, to fanatically devote themselves to the Volk, the Fatherland, the Party, and the Leader and membership in the NAJ is compulsory. Unsurpsingly, alcohol, tobacco, and all other drugs are banned along with abortion (except in cases where the fetuses are genetically "degenerate" in which case abortions are compulsory) with homosexuality punishable by death. Virtually all women who are physically able are expected to have at least four children, while many women deemed "subversive" are sent to special camps where they are yearly coerced to mate with "genetically desirable" soldiers and give birth until menopause whereupon the women are executed. These children, along with other children of "subversives" and some deemed "antisocial" are organized into the Varangian Guard and Valkyrie Corps for boys and girls respectively. Collectively nicknamed the "Janisseries", these children are conditioned from youth to become sociopathic killing machines with no human connection except for a fanatical loyalty to the Party and Leader via a merciless regimen of beatings, humilitation, and propaganda from youth. These troops form the vanguard of the National Defence Corps which has replaced the army has the military of the nation and where all able-bodied males are required to serve in for four years while those deemed particulary desirable are forcibly made to serve a "career" term of twenty years. Extensive reserve forces also exist with the National People's Army designed to contain virtually anybody capable of holding a firearm from children as young as seven to the elderly in their eighties and nineties and weapons training regularly required for all citizens. Naturally, about the only thing that Heimatland, Reichsland, and Volksland agree on is eliminating Arischland but an enormous nuclear, biological, and chemical arsenal prevent them from launching an invasion and border clashes regularly occur with all three nations.

Reichsland for me.

[tpfkaw]

#1.

Also, why on earth would you think anyone would choose the fourth?

[H. Ross Peron]

#1.

Also, why on earth would you think anyone would choose the fourth?

I don't.  I just ended up thinking up of it in the course of writing this, and included it for the sake of completion.

[barfbag]

Reichsland

[Antonio the Sixth]

Ideally, I'd be raised, get education and work in Reischland, and go to Heimatland for holidays and retirement.

[DC Al Fine]

Heimatland

[The Simpsons Cinematic Universe]

Volksland, I suppose.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Ideally, I'd be raised, get education and work in Reischland, and go to Heimatland for holidays and retirement.

This, basically. While Heimatland probably has little economic "power", with Reichsland as its ally, it needn't worry. I could probably live the most idyllic lifestyle in Heimatland, though I'd rather lead Reichsland. Since its my summer vacation, went with Heimatland.

[Supersonic]

Option 1. (sane)

[morgieb]

Ideally, I'd be raised, get education and work in Reischland, and go to Heimatland for holidays and retirement.

[Kushahontas]

Arischland

[Vosem]

Clearly Reichsland.

[traininthedistance]

Reichsland, duh.

It's obviously too right-wing for me on some issues (abortion, death penalty, alcohol, legality of left-wing organization), but otherwise sounds like a decent place to live, and the other three countries have problems that are much more serious.

[Sec. of State Superique]

Ideally, I'd be raised, get education and work in Reischland, and go to Heimatland for holidays and retirement.