Create a Country

I saw you do this debate with someone else, and I thought it may be an interesting exercise. We'll have the same rules as that debate, only I'll include a section on foreign relations. First round is a general overview with some domestic policies My country is called Metropotamia, after my favourite proposition by Thomas Jefferson, and essentially forms the landmass of France, Germany, Czech Republic Spain, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Ireland and the UK; so it's basically a Post-Napoleonic Superstate. Capital city is Strasbourg, since it's centrally located and something of a hub. All languages retained, though inter-region dialogue is in Esperanto. Esperanto is taught in schools as well as current national languages. The System of Government is a decentralised democracy, a federal parliamentary republic. The country is divided up into the 'regionoj' (regions) of ĉefurbo (Greater Strasbourg), Francia (France, Andorra and Monaco), Britannia (The UK & Ireland), Frisia (Belgium, the Netherlandsand Luxembourg), Hispania (Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar), Germania (Germany, Denmark and Czech Republic), Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden and Finland), Alpania (Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) and Italia (Italy, Slovenia and Malta). Each is divided up into Napoleonic-sized departments, with the county systems in the UK & Ireland acting. The departments are known as 'komunumoj' (communes), each with a director, called a 'membro de la parlamento' (Member of Parliament) and is divided up into four 'Distriktoj' (Districts), each represented by a 'Distrikto Reprezentanto' (District Representative). The District Representatives take part in the regional government, based in Madrid, Rome, Paris, Antwerp, Manchester, Leipzig, Stockholm and Vienna for their respective regions. The Members of Parliament go straight to Strasbourg for government meetings via the high-speed train lines that exist between the capitals of all regions and significant urban communes. The Central Bank of Metropotamia governs monetary policy, and issues guidelines to the regional governments for fiscal policy. Each commune is designed to be part of a 'Sindikato' (Union) of communes that has one principle export group, such as the Union of the Loire, which is all of the communes that lie in the Loire Valley, has a principle export of wine. This should cover most of the goods, and the goods not produced can be imported from the rest of the world. There is a very limited private sector, one that is mostly concentrated into small to intermediate-sized businesses and is tightly regulated. There is no trading of stock, and no firm may have more than ten percent market power. The state provide universal healthcare, education, all transport except for cars, energy completely through wind, solar and hydro, heating for homes, all roads, museums, art galleries, telecommunication and fibre optic broadband all free of charge and available to all citizens. There are no private schools, and university education is provided for free. The government owns all industries apart from a few privately owned industries controlled by the Ministry of Enterprise, which decides which businesses are better privatised, and when to nationalise firms by purchasing it at market value. People still own property and land, but inheritance is taxed at a 99% rate above the equivalent of "500,000 (about $750,000) in the currency of Metropotamia, the Valuto, divided up into 100 Cendoj. Social Housing is made available for any citizen in need, with an ensured excess stock of 50,000 houses to cope with demand shocks. Services provided by the government are continuously reviewed and upgraded to ensure the best provisions for all. Each citizen receives a Citizen's Income of the equivalent of "6,000 (about $9,000), with "3,000 (about $5000) per child unconditionally, which guarantees subsistence, as the only essential overheads are food and clothing.. Work is intended to supplement income, and salaries start at the equivalent of "8,000 (About $12,000) on top of the Citizen's Income, or a "6 (about $9.50) minimum wage. This is the only ethical way to guarantee that work is always better than welfare, and also encourages population growth. Citizens unable to work receive a Citizen's income of the equivalent of "10,000, though it can vary depending on what their needs and means are. Citizens over the age of seventy receive the State Pension of the equivalent of "7,500, in addition to their savings and work pension schemes. The state always has spare capacity - partly to attract migrants, and partly to ensure the strength of trade unions. A strictly secular society - no religious symbols to be worn in public spaces, no religious displays in public spaces, i.e. religious scenes in businesses or in public; and no religious advertising. No religions given tax-exempt status, religious law has no legal backing and no religion given priority over the other. No practices, such as baptism or circumcision, are to be performed on people unable to give informed consent. On censuses, no religion or race is noted, and country of birth is something that is disregarded at immigration and customs. Open doors immigration policy, for both economic migrants and asylum seekers. However, adult migrants who are still in their first year in the country are only entitled to the Citizen's income of a child until they are in a job earning at least "8,000 per year, and children are given credits to spend on food and clothing for them, to ensure that they are not unprovided for. All drugs are legalised and regulated by the Ministry of Substances, as is alcohol and tobacco. Narcotics are purchasable with a substances account activated by fingerprint at a state-owned recreational pharmacy, which entitles each person to an amount for personal use similar to that in Portugal currently, once per week. Drugs are taxed heavily, meaning that their prices are as high as they currently are, but go through a quality control system to ensure that it is cut with non-harmful substances. Problem users can be blacklisted by the Ministry, and drug-related criminals are given free, compulsory rehabilitation. Drug dealing is still a crime. The minimum age for purchasing alcohol and cigarettes is sixteen, though consumption is legal from twelve. Taxation is very high, so as to provide for the extensive social programmes, but is progressive. Income that is not Citizen's Income up to "8,000 is taxed at 10%, "15,000 is taxed at 15%, "20,000 at 20%, "35,000 at %40, 50,000 at 60%, "100,000 at 75% and above "200,000 at 85%. The government ensures there are no millionaires, but bear in mind that although these incomes seem low, most essential services are provided by the government, and all pay is spent on consumer goods and services. Inheritance tax is exempt on money and property worth less than "50,000; 50% on money and property worth under "500,000 and 99% on property worth more than that. There is no tax on domestically produced goods, but varying tariffs exist for some imports. The consumption of fossil fuels is minimal, as the government owns the automotive industry and, thanks to increased investment in R&D, as well as the abolition of patents, manufactures driverless cars that use hydrogen fuel, and oil is used exclusively in plastics manufacturing. All oil comes from either the North Sea or from the Middle East, though it is limited due to the prevalence of the turning of coal into oil, and through the use of arboform The foreign policy is a mixture of interventionist and isolationist, though strictly pacifist. Negotiation and mediation is key to the foreign policy, and the United Nations meets in Strasbourg. Metropotamia never involves itself militarily in the wars of others; instead, it hosts peace talks and gives humanitarian relief to civilians. Because of this pacifist foreign policy, terrorism is very rare, and no foreign intervention is needed. Most dictators are there as a result of western foreign policy rather than the people of their own country, and therefore by refusing to support dictatorial regimes, Metropotamia could ensure there are no dictators. Spending on the military is minimal. The navy is stationed across the world, thanks to treaties with other countries that are receptive due to the dove foreign policy. It consists entirely of destroyers and patrol boats, which are there for anti-piracy operations, and to protect trade interests. The army is confined to a division in each regiono, and a large national guard/territorial army for security purposes only. The air force is limited to fighter jets, which are designed to deal with encroaching planes, and they have limited bombardment faculties to protect trade interests. There are no nuclear weapons, and there is only a domestic intelligence agency. It is a highly technological society, as technology compensates for mankind's flaws, and allows society to progress. There are hydrogen-powered cars widespread, high-speed trains prevalent, and advanced medical procedures and nanotechnology. This ensures Metropotamia's global dominance in the market, as well as improving the standard of living for all citizens.