American Empire
American Empire is an odd country, created when admiral Jonathan Ross gained dictatorial power in one of american colonies in Sector 11. He achieved it by the democratic means, as his country needed centralized governance to resist onslaught of two extremist stats, Union of American Socialist Republics (extreme communists, whose remains formed People's Republic of America, and the fascists of the American Centrality.
Admiral Jonathan Ross managed to achieve victory, preserving liberty and conquering vast parts of both UASR and Centrality during the early Unification Wars. Thus foundation of an American Empire was layed, with the country fully established following admiral Ross denial to give up his dictatorial power, soon transforming his state into a very odd autocracy.
Structure
Government in American Empire is fundamentally dual. One part is American Congress, known commonly as Imperial Congress. It is internally divided into three chambers. First is Senat (populated by two representatives per inhabited world), second is House of Representatives (populated accordingly to population), and third is Council of Liberty.
Senat and House of Representatives are central legislature organization that also have a right to interrogate and inquire officials about day-to-day work of Empire. They can issue bills that need to be then followed by both population and Executive Comitee, the government of Empire. In short - Executive Comitee and Imperial Congress serve as legislature and executive in a fairly democratic way.
And there, there is Emperor. Supreme commander of military and navy, and a person that can overrule any law issued by Congress, that appoints members of Executive Comitee (with Congress proposing candidates, but without the need to choose actually from them), that can theoretically imprison and/or execute whoever he wants. His word is law. He has a right to completely ignore all laws, as long as he believes that the liberty of the citizens requires it. With support of the security forces, invigilation and army support they are able to ensure the safety and stability of the Empire.
Public Agenda
American Empire's public agenda is defending - and expanding - liberty under the enlightened rule of American Emperors, who are seen (according to public propaganda but, in a way, also in reality) as a benevolent protectors of Liberty, ready to act and defend it even if public was somehow swayed by extremist ideology, making them a fix for defficiencies of democracy.
While a member of Ancien Régime, they are one of the least authoritarian states, allowing for a great level of personal liberty while ensuing the supremacy of central power. Their wars against United States of America and American Unity are caused mostly by American War as a general - USA sees it as a dictatorship, while American Unity is forced to remain in the middle to avoid being swallowed by either side.
Demography and Population
Demography
General Description
In year 2710, the American Empire's population is estimated to be slightly above 30 billion, making twice as as big as American Unity and merely 1/3 of the United States of America. The Empire is known for its dislike for both major decentralization and centralization of population. No major megacities, instead possessing a great number of cities from one to five million. The only major exception is the capital, which is closer to several such cities build close to each other.
The population is almost uniformly human. While neither Variants nor Xenos are explicitly discriminated against, the founding population of the Empire was composed entirely of humans. At best 2% of population doesn't belong to baseline Human species. The American Empire is rather picky about immigration. With this, most of the non-humans are typically sought-after specialists, taking advantage of their physique (or, equally often, not).
Humans and Variants
Humans are the baseline of the population, with little distinction being made according to their genetical or phenotypical differences. Caucasian race dominates, but three planet have population mostly of african-american descent. There is a small Variant population, most of them specialists that were allowed to immigrate from more troubled regions of Space and ended up culturally assimilating. They are considered by both law and society to be equal to humans and, in fact, mostly indistinguishable from them save for few anatomical differences.
Transhumans and Aliens
American Empire is relatively welcoming to those slightly less genocidal aliens, though to this day very few of them settled in Empire (mostly due to its rather... picky approach to immigration). While there are no laws against them, aliens might expect having it hard to meld with the crowd. Transhumans are the only group that even remotely discriminated against in the Empire, though it's a relatively tame.
Population
Gender and Relationships
American Empire while libertarian/objectivist in economy and elements such as ability to possess weapons, doesn't extend its love for liberty to every field of society. In fact, it's libertarianism is also heavily conservative. It is caused by a number of factors. From the first emperor's personal beliefs, through the needs of the semi-permanent wars, to widespread belief that there are things that simply have to be regulated or at least socially discouraged for the liberty to thrive.
Gender Roles
Why there are no laws regulating such a thing, it's a general consensus throughout the imperial culture that men and women are biologically different and trying to act against such differences is a height of foolishness. Women are heavily discouraged from working in physically demanding and/or dangerous jobs, and (subtly or not) encouraged to focus on house management and children upbringing.
Women are badly underrepresented among the Minutemen, and essentially do not exist in the ranks of both Imperial Guard and the Freedom Fleet. An exception is also typically made for women that somehow prove their worth (typically in combat situations) as part of the Minutemen, and they are allowed to join the Guard or Fleet. There is also a number of them in the bureaucracy and politics, though, which is seen by imperials as a more acceptable way for a woman to serve the Empire if she so desires.
Relationships
Empire's society is rather conservative - and religious. Only religious marriages are recognized by the State. This causes a small degree of complication, as while most of the Churches agree that marriage is monogamous, heterosexual and for-life, 34% of population is a part of two local Churches, the Church of Liberty and the Imperial High Church.
Church of Liberty is rather liberal, to the point of technically allowing polyamoric relationships (though at best 1% of the population of the Empire is a part of such relations). However, they are still seen as for life, with only very specific circumstances allowing divorce. IHC, in the meantime, looks down on non-monogamous relationships, however is also much more open for divorces.
What all Churches agree upon is that homosexual relationships aren' recognized. There are no explicit laws in place, making 'Discouraged' the best word to summarize the treatment.
Personal Liberties
Slavery
American Empire condemns the slavery as a whole, and most of its modern iteration especially zealously. It has a small exception for the indenture. Debtors will have their rights temporarily limited and will be forced to work their debt off. It also includes 'paying back' a number of crimes. However it is hard to consider the Empire to be hypocritic in its approach to slavery, as such indentured workers and servants have a number of guaranteed rights, and they will be automatically freed after certain time has passed.
Drugs
The imperial politic towards drugs is simple. If it's medical side-effects (and the addiction itself) can be cured with modern medicine available in the Empire, such drug is allowed. Of course, the treatment is something that the addicted will have to pay for himself, and if the addiction causes negative effects on one's work or other obligations, derogatory treatment is to be expected.
Weaponry
Possession of small arms is not only allowed but even encouraged and to pretty much every citizen. Once one goes through a proper training as a part of the Minutemen, possession of military-grade infantryman equipment is even more than encouraged - it is expected. At this point there is little limit. It is not unheard of wealthier inhabitants possessing their own tanks (though it is a rule that they had to be 'handed down' to the Minutemen in case of planet being attacked, typically together with a trained crew).
Military
Navy
Freedom Fleet is a potent military power - expansive in number, and with relatively high quality. Their tactics focus on artillery (mainly MAW) making them more or less similar to majority of navies in Human Space, while significantly different from their main oponent, US Navy (that uses a lot of voidcraft carriers).
On the other hand, it has no noticable weaknesses. Its crews tend to be well motivated and educated, its officers present a decent level of expertise, and its territory is relatively small allowing it to defend itself succesfully and do not suffer from logistical problems. The regular battles against the US Navy also made the Freedom Fleet into specialists in Anti-Voidcraft Defense.
Ground Forces
Freedom Army is a well motivated and well equipped (if not slightly... original in terms of uniforms and general aesthetics of soldiers), filled with near fanatical devotion to the idea of Liberty. They fight a wars of liberation for their beloved Emperor and for the freedom of the people! How could they not be proud of this.
Ground forces of American Empire can be divided into two main groups. First are the Minutemen - similarly to American Unity, it is a formation of general militia, used as regular infantry during invasions of imperial planets. Unlike many other countries, this 'militia' is often phenomenally well armed and trained, as every citizen is expected to invest some of his wealth his own defensive preparedness. The same happens to entire settlements - it is not uncommon for a larger cities to field entire tank brigaes, or even divisions.
There is also an elite formation of Imperial Guard. While their uniforms tend to be rather... interesting (with lots of american/eagle symbolism) they are also a truly elite formation, made from best and most loyal (to the point of fanatical devotion) soldiers given best equipment and trainings, used to break the frontline. They are also personal guard of the Emperor and the only regular forces he is allowed to mantain.
The general aesthetics can be summed up by comparing it to this:
Show spoiler
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wBvUK0B_6xQ/maxresdefault.jpg
Religion
Only religious organizations are allowed to lobby for any sort of non-radically liberal policies, with even Roman Catholic Church social teachings considered radically 'left' and sometimes shunned or distrusted even by its nominal members. The same situation is with worker's unions, that are allowed only if they are either religious or state-controlled, with no strikes allowed - in fact, they can be considered mostly a self-help organizations.
In terms of religion the state is heavily divided. It is also what makes the American Empire unique among its other Ancien Régime peers is its general religious freedom that is considered a part of Liberty as a whole.
Ultimately, however, there are only certain religions that really fit in the American Empire's society. Circa 24% of population are adherents of Church of Unity from American Unity, 17% are Roman Catholics, next 34% are two local churches - 19% are members of Church of Liberty while 15% are a part of Imperial High Church - with 7% Eastern Orthodox and 5% are baptists from churches not being a members of Church of Unity. Rest 13% are either non-denominational or indifferent.
Agriculture & Industry
Empire's economy is extremely liberal, with expansive small and medium business sectors supported personally by Emperors. While the economy is on the verge of being libertarian (maybe even objectivist), the rulers are still fully capable of intervening however they are wish, including sudden, overnight nationalization of anything they want - while this happens in a moments where one of the companies achieves monopol, or is deemed to be subversive to the state, the sheer danger of this is a solid limiter to the economic expansion.
Freedom, Strength, Honour
American Empire
Eagle Yet Flies
Capital: Imperial Spire, Baltimore-IV.Official Languages: English (American version)
Religion: Neocatholic Church, variety of variants.
Government: Enlightened Absolute Monarchy
Faction: Ancien Regime
Membership: Standard/Independent
Current ruler: Emperor John IV Ross
Population: ~30 000 000 000
Currency: Imperial Dolar
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Alternative Names
Eagle Empire, Land of Liberty.
Demonym
American, Imperial.
Parent Organization
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