Atlantic Republic

It is hard to say what exactly caused the descent of Republic into madness it is now. Our 'benevolent protectors' from the Union wish to believe that Satan led Atlantians astray. Perhaps he did. It is a comforting thought, to push all the fault on someone else than us, humans. I am, however, supposed to analyze this matter from purely scientifical point of view... and from purely scientifical point of view I must say that Republic of today isn't a consequence of some sort of crisis, singular decision or some event.
Republic is simply a consequence of a process you can date back at least to French Revolution if not Greek philosophers. This process can be summed out to 'progress' or 'change'. It is part of our nature to question our beliefs and every part of reality that surrounds us. The difference between Ecumenical Union and Atlantic Republic is that ancestors of EU one day said - ENOUGH. They decided that there are things that can't be changed and thoughts that cannot be embraced. Certain basic laws intertwined into reality as a whole by a transcendental being they called God, a being that still keeps them in place.
Laws that cannot be changed no matter what. Laws metaphysical rather than physical.
Those from Atlantic Republic, however, drifted forward.They questioned everything. Even things as basic for us as belief that humans have some greater value than animals of equal usefulness. Even the belief that anything really matters beside yourself. They embraced absolute relativism and drifted. Deeper and deeper... into the mud.

First lecture on the history of Republic on an university of one of Holy League states.

Atlantic Republic is one of five superstates that managed to divide Vortex World between their spheres of influence. It is also the one considered strongest, at least in terms of technology and industrial power. In terms of military it is, however, increasingly outmatched by its mortal enemy, Ecumenical Union, despite all attempts of its leadership.
It is also an oldest country, with its ancient progenitors being the first humans to find Vortex World. Which is one out of many reason for Republic also having the biggest population and most extensive infrastructure. It is, however, internally broken and slowly but surely decays, with its elites since long, long ago focused much more on unbound hedonism than on actually ruling their country.

Structure

Atlantic Republic organization structure is a curiosity. It is a country that barely exists. It is a country that was created with denying its own existence in mind. What once was a relatively typical democracy, drifted over time as ideas of freedom and capitalism took hold, slowly but surely perverting itself while fusing into anarchocapitalism of today. Its own functions slowly but surely aborted or transferred to capitalist elite.
Today, what in normal states is considered a government, here is only a front for a disorganised anarchocapitalist oligarchy. It is created via intense negotiations, mostly to serve as a unified standard and to prosecute Republic eternal war against Ecumenical Union. It is divided into Senate and Executive Council, a sad remnants of once democratic legislative and executive powers. Senate is composed of few dozen thousands people of some importance, with its "proceedings" done via internet and rarely atended by more than few hundred 'delegates', unless they have some business.
Of course, only Citizens can be a part of Senate. They are incorporated when they, too, become a persons of some importance in the Republic. Most of those general absentees can be hired to have your petition or suggestion shown to the group of most powerful people in the Republic. Many of such propositions are barely different that common advertizements.
Executive Council is a day-to-day 'government' - with the word itself avoided and dreaded - that is tasked mostly with doing external politics, financing Republican Army and Republican Navy, and ensuring swift response to all threats from Ecumenical Union. It also serves as focal point of local internal security. Other than this, it has next to no power. Even Exec (as it is commonly shortened) is considered necessary evil to the oligarchs. One that they would gladly get rid off if they ever managed to triumph and eliminate common threats.
Executive Council resides in a sole themeless Tower on Republican soil, called Capital Spire. It this also a center of local secret police, with many almost sapient AIs devoted 24/7 to analyzing immense ammount of data coming from insane number of cameras and microphones hidden throughout the Republic (while serving only as a central point, since every Tower and Terrace works on that as well.

Public Agenda

It has none. The only 'agenda' of Atlantic Republic is its own continuous survival. Certain oligarchs might have their own agenda, but it is neither public, nor in any way organized - rare occasions when Republic does some sort of organized move abroad are always threatened by its participants withdrawing their support.
Republican Navy and Republican Army often make attempts to ensure that borders of Free Trade Coalition are always opened to goods from Republic (all attempts to enforce even smallest tariffs are dealt with), while protecting maritime trade with Socialist Internationale and Novaya Rossiya from Ecumenical Union corsairs. Fighting for free and open markets can be considered a more or less stable point and public agenda, since it is the place where Executive Council and oligarchs interests meet.

History

Arrival

Atlantic Republic was founded by one of early, supranational colonization fleets that were send from Earth during early phase of space exploration, after the Third World War ravaged the world superpowers to the point that none of them had power necessary to attempt such a thing alone. As all other founding missions it was devoured by Vortex Hyperspace Anomaly and vomited back into Realspace in the very middle of it, in the Vortex System.
For some reason, unknown to the rest of the world, its command decided to land not on any part of the planet that they knew from Earth, but on the single continent that was unique to Vortex. On the so called Atlantis, a small continent between Europe and America. There they were the first to encounter texes - hostile to arrivals, as almost all others were - as they arrived almost fifty years before another group.
Normally people with XXII century technology should have no problem against a bunch of barbarians who were at best equivalent to early middle ages in terms of weaponry and civilization. Atlantians, however, arrived as a ragtag group of survivors, losing most of manpower en route to Vortex. They severely lacked in weaponry, and had to construct their civilization practically from scratch. Because of that rather than a curbstomp battle, the early war against texes was better describe as total war of attrition.

Creating a State

Despite all of this, Atlantians eventually regained enough of their technological base to finally curbstomb texes. The severe lack of manpower made them use the captured prisoners to forced labor - which today is believed by other nations to be a foreshadow of the slavery today. Then another disaster struck - and Atlantian Civil War started.
It was a quite simple politically fueled conflict for supremacy amongst the various cities of heavily decentralized Republic that, however, overtime grew bitter. It was finally won by a coalition created around a city that was much later replaced by a Central Spire. The rest of cities were either beaten into submission... or occupied. Pretty much permanently. An original sin of texan slavery expanded, as the prisoners (and entire civilian population of the opponent factions) were used to rebuild what they destroyed. Yet another step on a slippery slope.
Despite this, Atlantic Republic was still a democratic state. It slowly changed into a hierarchic society, with the prisoners slowly changing in name (and function) into slaves, but with the rest being free citizens of more or less equal standing.

Evolution

A slippery slope, however, continued. Atlantic Republic never jumped off it, almost completely lacking any sort of revolutionary changes. Its society evolved, slowly changing into more and more grotesque forms. The 'leadership' caste of true citizens formed overtime, as State power weakened. More and more of things were legalized or just moved out of public sphere.
As the supreme caste began growing, an influence of common citizens on the State was weakened as well. Soon only those with support of the 'nobles' were ending elected to still important positions - because it were the oligarchs that controlled media. The police force fell next, no longer being able to do anything against the ruling caste of ultrawealthy it was supplanted by a various private security groups. The population grew without bounds, simply because oligarchs started supplying the masses with everything they needed to survive, the lowest caste slowly changing into a massive, cancerous growth on the society.
Today the Atlantic Republic is an abomination. An anarchocapitalism of worst possible type, which permanently dances on the edge of oblivion, while its leadership enjoys the unbound hedonism that became a national sport among the wealthy.

Demography and Population

There are three main social stratas in Republic: Proles, Terracers and Citizens. They differ immensely in any possible way, to the point of being nearly different ethnicities.

Proles

Proles - also called the plebs or serviles - make up for approximately 80% of entire society. Most of them doesn't work, many of them spends their lifes never seeing the sun, especially when they inhabit lower levels of massive megacities that house overwhelming majority of Republic society. In Capital City it is shown in the most extreme way, with several layers the city is divided into, and with the lowest level inhabited by proles sometimes described simply as morlocks.
They are isolated in every possible way. Citizens do not want the proles to somehow organize themselves. Thus the way their districts are constructed and the system of Basic Income. Each month each prole gets 1000 Basic Income Points (BIPs). They can spend it on food, medicaments... drugs or alcohol. In a rather... lavish ammounts, since these goods are mass produced by the corporations to serve as a modern version of Panem et Circens. Proles also have access to television and internet, filled with absolutely meaningless informations (heavily censored to ensure that no subversive thoughts are born) and intense ammounts of pornography. It is all done to numb the masses, to direct their thoughts into 'safe' hedonism and focus on self-indulgence.
Sexual promiscuitism ensues, and the sole concept of family is destroyed, since it is believed to be a source of potential problems (with those unlike to fight for themselves still capable of fighting for those he loves). Anticonception is limited... and mortality rate during birth is a problem. Which is done for a reason. Giving birth is dangerous, abortion is not - since State (or, to be exact, Executive Council) funds proper healthcare. It is supposed to dehumanize, to prevent familial bonds to be created. What's more, children can be safely extracted during the pregnancies - and sold to the State for BIPs. It will grow in an artifical womb and, after birth, will be groomed by the State. Few will end up in Terraces - if they are found to have some redeeming qualities. Those that look better will be enslaved. Rest will be broken and brainwashed, all of their potential ambitions and skills extinguished before they are returned to lowest levels of megacities.
Proles are useful for the State only in few ways. As guinea pigs for human experimentations (when needed, Army 'cleans' entire districts from inhabitants), as cannonfodder used to overwhelm enemy forces with their numbers (or just make them expend ammunition), and, if they look better, as slaves to the Towers.

Terracers

Terraces are a highest level of Megacities, one that actually lets its inhabitants live with sun above their heads. Its inhabitants (circa 17-18% of Republic population) can be considered a middle strata. Overwhelming majority of them work for the Citizens in their companies or in Republican Army/Navy. They live and work in the shadow of the Towers, either literally or metaphorically (if they actually work in the Towers, only living there is forbidden for them).
Terracers can - and will - start businesses, hoping to one day become Citizens. They can - if they have enough money, real this time and not BIMs - live properly, as long as they pay taxes (low ones, still) and are loyal. They are held in place by three main things. First is threat from the security organizations that remain ever vigillant and ensure that problematic terracers simply vanish... or get enslaved. Second is the fact that if they earn enough money they can advance in the society and become Citizens. Third is hedonism.
Terracers have access to Towers. After working hard for several days, they can spend their free day indulging in all the forbidden pleasures the Towers can offer. This helps create society of indulgent hedonists focused on their own good. Why risk anything for the common good if you can focus on yourself and earn social promotion? Promiscuitism is widespread as well. There are families, but there are rarely something more than temporary union to raise a children.

Citizens

Citizens live in Towers, massive arcology spires raised above Terraces. Almost every of them is a den on undescribable hedonism. They tend to be... 'specialized' in that matter. Some cater to the desires of people preferring 30-40years old women, others are filled with young boys.
There are no forbidden pleasures in the Republic. Paedophilia, necrophilia, zoophilia, tortures, rapes, incest, mental reconditioning or genemodifications... all deviants can find a Tower of their own. In some all women are slaves. On other - males. In others, gender is a fluid thing. Each of them is practically an independent state, that is a part of the Republic simply by paying taxes to finance the Executive Council.
Citizens are an elite of the Republic. Some reign supreme over entire arcologies, others lead corporations or smaller companies, either a part of the Towers (for example succesful brothels) or working on a bigger scale. Some of them is a part of the Republican Army and only lives in the Towers when off duty, others work in the Security, dealing with invigilation and indoctrination.
They are also allowed to keep personal slaves. It is a privilege that only they have. A privilege... and practically a requirement, since without your own, personalized fucktoy (or few, if you are really wealthy) you can't hope to be respected by the establishment. There is a permanent contest for more exotic (and/or degraded) toys going on amongst the Citizens.

Slavery

Widespread, with slaves not considered human beings but objects - as human rights have to be bought in the Republic. Approach to them depends on the owner. Some are treated with at least some level of respect (while still being an object, since such approach is universal and failing to do this would mean losing reputation), others are degraded in a way hard to believe. Some are almost pampered, others are stuffed into small boxes with merely their holes protruding, bound to be used by a passersby for few credits for rest of their life. Some are made to work rather than be used for sex (sometimes even as secretaries and so on), others are mentally scuplted to think they are cows, inseminated, and milked for the rest of the life.
If there is something that is thought to be terrible outside Republic... it almost surely happens there. Texes are a part of it, since they are completely devoid of any sort of rights, not considerd humans but animals. A free tex automatically becomes a property of the first Citizen that encounters him. They are also a part of the permanent contest for more exotic playthings.

Military

Land Forces

Regular

Republican Army consists of a well disciplined core of regular soldiers, armed with state of the art weaponry and with best possible equipment. Downside? Mostly, morale. Republican Army soldiers fight for their payment. They lack ideological drive of Ecumenical Union or even People's Union of America, that makes their forces often pull last stands willingly... when needed.
Because of that, despite the level of organization and equipment, Republican Army lost both Vortexian War. Both times being repeatedly outmatched by theoretically inferior forces.

Irregular

In times of need Republic can 'enlist' masses of Proles to help them repel their 'common enemy'. Most of them isn't even armed properly - they are just send in numbers to overwhelm enemy and make him empty his ammunition stores. Surviving Proles are often sent again, and again, simply because they can't really be reintroduced to the hive cities they were taken from after seeing too much of the world.[/justify

Elites

A wide array of both gene and cyber enhanced supersoldiers. With a lot of cutting edge technology to keep them company. Dangerous, inhumanly fast and with truly superhuman reflexes. Capable of fighting against ten normal soldiers at once, with entire companies sometimes getting eliminated by a singular elites in a favourable environment and/or in a succesful ambush.
The sheer scale of their enhancement noticably shortens their lifespan. On the other side, they are probably the most dangerous combatants in the whole world.

Others

Navy

Vast assortment of aircraft carriers and battleships, summing up to probably the greatest power on the seas of Vortex World. Named Republican Navy, their chief job is preventing Ecumenical Union from kicking Republic out of Atlantic Ocean... while regularly lending their ships to private contractors for coastal raids.
Big part of it is forced to escort convoys from raiders loyal to Ecumenical Union, meaning that it is much more... decentralized. Forced to fight for superiority on both Atlantic and Indian Ocean heavily strains its reserves.

Airforce

Sizable, and strong enough to force Ecumenical Union to desperate defence of their airspace during both Vortex Wars. Extremely advanced in terms of technology, believed to be strongest part of Republican armed forces. No significant weakpoints, lots of strong points besides the relative lack of strategic bombers and the decentralization of its command structure. Rather than unified force, the airforce of Republic is more like many independent private companies that deal in securing airspace above various cities, that only during wartime unites at least to a point.

Space Forces

Many armed cargo vessels, also a notable amount of dedicated warships. Technologically advanced, easily capable of protecting Republic from ICBM and orbital bombardments, while being able to hold their ground against EU forces. A multitude of bases on various planets of the Vortex System, some of which were long ago redesigned to house most secretive researches. Three settlements considered colonies, but still relatively underdeveloped.

Technological Level

Most advanced of all superstates (save for, perhaps, Chinese Empire), mostly due to complete lack of ethics in approach to scientific progress. There is literally no atrocity that the scientist of Republic wouldn't commit for the sake of Science. Thousands Proles disappear each year, used in human experimentations.
Republic is known for many of hidden labs, where boundaries of Science are repeatedly tested. From time to time something goes wrong, as it was with Reavers, the most known (but definitely not the only one) disaster that struck R&D parts of republican megacorporations.

Religion

Many arcologies house... entertainments that are religious in theme. Some of them are inhabited by people with some common religious beliefs, in most cases being oversexualized and very hedonistic versions of normal religions (mostly Christianity, due to it being the first what comes to mind after word 'religion' on Vortex World). For obvious reason their rites are considered sacrilegious and blasphemous by Ecumenical Union.
They, however, still make up only for a relatively small minority of population (at best 10-15%). The rest is irreligious, with atheism being literally a step away from being considered a state 'religion'. All 'oldschool' religions (especially those in any way connected to Ecumenical Union) are actively surpressed as a threat to the social order.

Foreign Relations

It is hard to fully describe the deep hatred that exists between Ecumenical Union and Atlantic Republic. Both countries hates each other to the bone. Republicans believe that destruction of Union and its puppets from Holy League is the only way to preserve their way of live. Inhabitants of the EU believe that it is their divine mission to cause a cessation of existence of the most abominable and disgusting of their many enemies. There can be no peace between them, only temporary armistices.
People's Union of America is treated with a profound sense of superiority by the Citizens. After all, they embraced an extreme form of collectivism, practically unimaginable for the libertarian paradise that Republic is. The feeling is mutual, of course. Despite this, both sides are unofficially alied against Ecumenical Union, at least since the Atlantic Republic lost the First Vortex War and the true scale of threat the Union is was understood.
Novaya Rossiya is seen as bunch of barbarians... but one with a taste surprisingly similar to this of Citizens, and pretty useful politically. It is probably the most important trade partner (even surpassing the People's Union), and also an ally that forces Ecumenical Union to delegate a notable part of its forces on defending its easternmost provinces. There is a strange sense of unity and friendship between corporate sovereigns of Atlantic Republic and almost technobarbarian warlords of Rossiya.
Chinese Empire is pretty much ignored. The trade still occurs, but it is limited to several cities on a coasts of China, with the rest of the Empire closed completely. With its isolationist policies the Empire is of no real interest to Republic... of course unless it sparks a war against Rossiya, allowing the Union to push against Republic with the double the usual strenght.

Atlantic Republic

Capital: Capital Spire
Official Languages: English.
Religion: Marginal.
Government: Anarchocapitalist Oligarchy
Faction: Free Trade Coalition
Current ruler: Executive Council
Population: Approx. 1 000 000 000.
Currency: Credits

Type

Geopolitical, Republic

Demonym

Atlantians, Republicans.

Economic System

Market economy