Branches of Government

The following is a generic list of the different parts of government based on the USA, UK, French, and Dutch governments. It can be used as a reference for the Faction Creation guide.

## Executive Branch

### Head of State

The Head of State is the official leader of a nation. In presidential systems, the HoS is directly or indirectly chosen by the population. The main charges of a presidential HoS is to ensure the execution of the Law, promote cooperation with other foreign powers, and provide a voice of the People to the legislative branch. Often, presidential HoS have the power to veto legislation, but also to propose new legislation by signing executive orders.

In democratic monarchy systems, the HoS is vested in a hereditary position. This may be known as the King or Emperor, depending on cultural and territorial charge. In constitutional monarchies, the monarch position is mostly ceremonial, and his consent on legislation is mostly formality. In that charge, the monarch is responsible for promoting foreign cooperation, pronounce the plans of the legislative branch, and speak for the people regarding politics.

In absolute monarchies, the HoS has most of the power of government. In these systems, the Monarch has the power to propose and implement legislation, provide judicial power, and execute the law personally. These systems are often repressive as all power is vested in one person.

### Cabinet

The Cabinet encompasses the HoS and all his ministers and secretaries. These people preside over specific fields of national government, and are the head of their specific ministry. In monarchies, the leader of the Cabinet is often the Head of Government, and is called the Prime Minister, who holds the position of Domestic Affairs Minister as well.

#### Foreign Affairs

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, also known as Minister of State in some nations, is the principal diplomat to foreign powers. The MoFA is responsible for foreign policy, and has the power to propose international treaties and send ambassadors.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs primarily focus on the following fields:

* Diplomacy
* Border Policy
* Refugee Affairs
* International Law
* Immigration Policies
* Passport Affairs
* Foreign War Policies

#### Finances

The Minister of Finances, often known as the Minister of the Treasury, is in charge of the financial affairs of the government. This includes the income and expenses of the national treasury and financial policies.

The Ministry of Finances includes the following fields:

* Taxes
* Monetary Affairs
* Custody of the National Treasury
* Financial Affairs
* Fiscal Policies
* Internation Financial Affairs

#### Defence

The Minister of Defence, also known as the Minister of War or Army, is the leader of the national military. THe duties of the MoD include the governing of the armed forces. In some nations, especially monarchies, the HoS is also the Chief-in-Command of the Army, and the Minister only serves as the primary assistant. In many nations, the Minister is assisted by dedicated secretaries for the branches of the Military: Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The Minister of Defence is responsible for the following fields:

* Land Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Military Logistics
* Military Administration
* Command of the Military Chiefs of Staff (CoA, CoN, CoAF)

#### Justice & Security

The Minister of Justice is the chief lawyer of the national courts, and in most nations, sits as the head of the public prosecutor. In dictatorships, the Minister is often the principal judge that advises the monarch on sentences. In many other nations, the MoJ is paired with police and firefighters, being called the Minister of Justice & Security.

The Minister of Justice is in charge of the following fields:

* Judicial Policies
* Police Affairs
* Public Order
* Legal Systems
* Firefighter Affairs

#### Education

The Minister of Education is in charge of the public education system. This includes the oversight of governmental facilities and educational policies. In many nations, the position is paired with the Scientific Minister.

The Minister of Education focuses on the following fields:

* Educational Policies
* Scientific Policies
* Media Policies

#### Culture

The Minister of Culture is the head of Cultural Affairs. The position is often included in the position of MoE, but in other nations it is paired with Domestic Affairs.

The Minister of Culture includes the following fields, but these may vary:

* Cultural Affairs
* National unity
* Religious Affairs
* Environmental Affairs
* Ethnical Policies

#### Healthcare

The Minister of Healthcare is in charge of medical policy. In several nations, it is paired with the Ministries of Welfare and Sports, and is therefore in charge of public well-being and sport policies.

The Minister of Healthcare focuses on the following fields:

* Healthcare Policies
* Medical Sciences
* Welfare Policies
* Social Work
* Sports Policies

#### Economy

The Minister of Economy, also known as the Minister of Labour, is in charge of the national workplace and labour laws. In many nations, the position is combined with either Agriculture or Commerce Ministers, and therefore is also in charge of the national market and food safety.

The Minister of Economy has the following fields, but this may include Agriculture and Commerce Minister fields:

* Labour Laws
* Workplace Affairs
* Workers Unions
* Industrial Law
* Commercial Affairs
* Food Safety
* Agricultural Policies
* Environmental Affairs

#### Housing & Transportation

The Minister of Housing is the head of Urban Development planning and national housing. It is often paired with the Transportation minister, which means it is in charge of the national infrastructure and public transportation as well. Sometimes it is paired with the Energy Minister as well, meaning it is in charge of the national energy production.

The Minister of Housing & Transportation controls the following fields:

* Housing Affairs
* Urban Development
* Transportation Affairs
* Public Transport
* Infrastructure Policies
* Traffic Laws
* Energy Policies
* Nuclear Energy Affairs
* Environmental Affairs

## Legislative Branch

In democratic societies, legislation is kept out of the hands of the Head of State and the Cabinet, and instead it is voted upon, either directly, or indirectly by the election of officials. In unicameral governments, there is only one chamber of legislature responsible for voting on legislation. This system is often popular in nations with limited regional oversight or high centralization, however it tends to lead into a large unicameral parliament of often thousands of members. In multicameralism, multiple chambers of legislature exist, although it is often limited to two in bicameralism. In this, the Lower House often holds the most power, being able to propose legislation, introduce amendments, hold motions, and the election of judges in some nations. The Upper House mostly serves to review passed legislation on constitutional and legal rights, and may not amend or introduce new laws.

In dictatorships, the legislative branch is often only a ceremonial system which advises the dictator on legislation but does not actually vote on it.

The election of the legislative branch often happens in a fixed period by the population of the nation. This can be done in direct election through popular vote, or indirect election by the electoral college whose members are voted on. It can also be done through proportional or majority voting. The first promotes the inclusion of smaller parties but also the fracturing of parliament, while the second boasts large parties and often leads to bi-numerical parliaments. Elections can further be done in two-round balloting, which ensures majorities in legislative bodies. In many nations, the Lower House is directly elected by the population using proportional popular vote, while the Upper House is often elected by the collective regional leaders.

### Mayor Political Denominations

#### Communist

At the very left part of the spectrum is communism, the belief in a communist society by the abolition of social classes, monetary needs, and state interference, as well as common ownership of the means of production. There are two sub-streams of Communism, Autocratic and Libertarian. Autocratic Communism calls for the suspension of many civil liberties as a means of cultural unity and state power. Libertarian Communism instead practices abolition of state, capitalism, and wage labour.

#### Social Democracy

Social Democracy is a lesser extreme form of communism that allows governmental oversight but instead preaches far-going policies of social ownership, social interventions, social justice, and worker's self-management. Socialists also promote the advancement of welfare states, social equality, and wealth distribution. It also works for strong governmental oversight as a means of promoting equity and social security.

#### Progressivism

Progressive parties are not strictly interested in ideological ideas, but rather promote social and liberal reforms in regards to civil progress. It asserts itself in the idea that scientific, technological, economic and social development should be directly followed by political advances. As a means, it often promotes socialist ideas rather than fascist, as it views civil rights as an important part of political progress.

#### Religious Democracy

Religious parties use the ideas of its religious practices in political lawmaking. It is often centre-right regarding many cultural, moral, and social affairs. It is however socialist in economic, civilian, foreign, and environmental policies. It promotes the social market economy and other social financial policies. Extremist religious parties are more hard-lined, with some of them having fascistic or conservationist views.

#### Anarchism

Not widely regarded as a political ideology, anarchism is generally perceived as the idea of the rejection of government and the adoption of self-government by the abolition of hierarchies, social structures, and monetary systems. Anarchist groups are often viewed as politicians who seek to overthrow existing political systems. It promotes socialist economical ideas, however is libertarian on political ideas.

#### Environmentalism

Environmentalist parties are generally perceived as single-issue groups that only focus on environmental and climate policies. Biodiversity, land ethics, animal rights, ecology and climate dominate the ideologies of environmentalism. They often promote the advancement of social policies on fields such as agriculture and industry, but refuses the libertarian ideas of corporatism and capitalism.

#### Liberalism

On the centre-right part of the spectrum, liberal parties promote individual rights, limited government, capitalism, secularism, and democracy. Liberal groups often support corporatism, the advancements of corporal laws, and capitalism, the freedoms of markets and the flow of goods, services, and people. Liberalism promotes economic growth through tax reduction, corporal laws, and international trade. It also promotes civil rights and -freedoms. Liberalism has long dominated democratic nations due to its ability of improving economies, limiting governments, and guaranteeing civil rights.

#### Nationalism

Regarded mostly for its repressive views, Nationalism is an ideology mostly concerned with the advancements of national values and the preservation of culture. It promotes national identity, through the advancement of cultural, religious, and moral laws. It is also known for its xenophobic views and the application of strong immigration policies that promotes ethnic homogeneity.

#### Populism

Populism is the political belief that pits the "people" against the "elite" and the "citizens" against the "Establishment". It uses popular rhetoric that resonates with people by promising solutions and short-term plans to promote a nation's economic growth. It promotes socialist policies and the upholding of civil rights, however it is often xenophobic and promotes homogeneity as well. Populist groups are also fleeting as they rise in response to short-term problems and solutions. This has caused large fluctuations in support and votes for populist parties.

### Fascism

The ideology of fascist parties is most strongly expressed in ultranationalism, populism, authoritarianism, xenophobia, and nativism. It promotes these ideas by the adoption of a strong government and political suppression, as well as radical racial policies and jingoism. However, it also promotes social policies by the expansion of labour policies, large governmental investments, and social security.

## Judicial Branch

The Judicial Branch, also known as the Court Branch, is the part of government that interprets the laws of a nation and judges persons, organisation, and even the government on infringements of legislature. The Branch is often divided on national, regional, and local level, each level having decreasing power in the application of sentences. The process of applying to a higher level of judicial court is called Appealing. In dictatorships, the Judicial Branch is often led by the HoS and has limited power, instead sentences and judgment is done by the HoS.

### Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of a nation is the highest system of judges that interprets national legislature. It is often chosen from the legislative branch for lifetime positions. It has the highest authority on judgments and sentencing, and it cannot be appealed. In some nations, the Supreme Court has the power to amend legislation by judicial review, but has to be motivated to do so by the other two branches.

### Regional Courts

Most nations have an elaborate system of regional courts that have jurisdiction on limited territorial level. On this level, large civil courts and severe criminal offences are handled by judges which are chosen by the regional government and approved by the federal. Appeals from Local courts land here, and Appeals from here go to the Supreme Court, however in some nations this is only done on constitutional grounds.

### Local Courts

The individual courts on single planets or stations take care of most daily grievances of judicial affairs. Local judges are chosen by planetary governments or the command of a space station. They are often directly overseen by the Justice Minister. Small criminal offences and civil courts are handled here, and it is the first level where trials are conducted. Special tribunals are sometimes created at the local level to persecute individuals charged with war crimes or crimes against civilization.