Nation/Amslandia
The Free Land of Amslandia is a nation in the region Nations Under the Rador, a region founded by practitioners of amateur chemistry. The national motto, which is intended as a statement to the disenfranchised citizens of other nations, is "faith in humanity: restored".
Contents
History
Amslandia was founded by a group of utopia-seeking dissenters from a now-forgotten(at least to the people of Amslandia) nation under the premise of establishing a society that treats all people as equal individuals, not only on paper, but in the ideology of its citizens. Originally numbering only several hundred, these founding members of Amslandia applied and were said to be hand-picked for the venture by a figure known only as Amos. The land they settled became what is now Amslandia, and is, to the best of available knowledge, the oldest such settlement on their continent. It was decided upon settlement that the national animal would be the honey bee, a species that, despite being vital to agriculture and human survival, had been driven nearly to extinction by pesticide use and pollution in the founders' home country. The national currency was bestowed the name "pebble" as a testament to the minimalist and non-materialistic ideology of the founders. Upon the establishment of a new regional government in the area by Alstexan, the Amslandian government became the first in the region to join the collective, which came to be known as Nations Under the Rador. On 14 November, 2014, Amslandia overtook Alstexan by popular vote to become the regional delegate for the World Assembly for the region, and continues to hold this position to this day.
Politics
Domestic
The Free Land of Amslandia is perhaps best described as a "guided anarchy", showcasing elements of direct, cooperative rule by the people, far-left economic policies, secularism, and social policy aimed above all else at promoting the happiness and well-being of as many citizens as possible. Crime of all kinds, political corruption, obesity, income inequality, and environmental pollution have been all but completely eliminated as a result of these policies. Governmental participation, while voluntary, is widespread among Amslandia's citizens, who notably pay very high income tax rates. A wide array of public services are offered to all citizens, including welfare, universal public healthcare, and free primary, secondary, and tertiary education. Amslandia's government has spent an enormous amount of time so far in deciding and defining the nation's civil and human rights. A major theme among legislation is prevention of any one citizen from harming others. As such, capitalistic practices are discouraged due to their promotion of hierarchy and income inequality, firearms have been outlawed, and those individuals that are at high risk for harmful behavior towards others, such as those suffering from drug addiction or mental illness, are quickly recognized and provided with free treatment focused on rehabilitation. A core belief of the Amslandian people is that every person can occupy a meaningful and positive role within society and their own lives as long as they are provided with the proper tools and assistance to do so. The state of the environment is a subject of high priority, and is also a very dear concern of the population. Amslandia has a long tradition of curbing land development and harmful business practices in the interest of preserving the ecology of the nation. Administration is not centered in any one area of the country, which has no official capital city, but rather is distributed among numerous government facilities spread throughout. Government transparency is a very high priority, and all citizens are able to directly participate in political procedure by suggesting issues and personally voting on them through universal free-access internet services. There is little demand for law enforcement, which employs few people and is subject to oversight by independent citizen-elected councils to prevent the abuse of individual rights. As of yet, no prison or correctional system has been established; the rare criminal offender is provided with rehabilitation services administered by local government- or volunteer-employed facilities.
International
Amslandia is one of the most powerful nations on the international stage within Nations Under the Rador, serving as its delegate to the World Assembly. Amslandia has a reputation for chastising and guilting other nations that it deems not eco-friendly enough. The Institute of Cartography in Amslandia is also responsible for drafting and maintaining the regional atlas.
Culture
Amslandia has a famous regional reputation as a center of culture and learning, having one of the highest rates of tourism among Nations Under the Rador member states. The music of the numerous independent bands acrros the nation is one of Amslandia's stronger cultural points. Popular genres of music include heavy metal, western and eastern neoclassical forms, and electronic music. Concert halls and other venues receive generous government funding, as do the visual arts. The national sport is free-running(parkour), and the nation's artists have designed many alternative playgrounds and public obstacle courses with public funding. Participation in sports and outdoor recreation is encouraged, though professional spectator sport leagues don't exist on nearly as large a scale as many other nations. Both the government and most Amslandians are avowedly secular, with the majority of native-born citizens identifying as atheist, though religion is seen largely by the population as a curiosity rather than a cultural divide.
