City-State of Sakhrad

The fledgling city-state founded upon the ideologies of empowering the working-class, built from the ground up to destroy the oppression of the ruling elite and deliver the people from tyranny

Structure

Governmental Structure

The government of Sakhrad is a strange and complicated thing founded upon the core Sakhradi principles of freedom, escape from tyranny, and the right of the everyman to participate in the government of their homeland. The government is not led by a single figure, and is instead divided up wholesale between five enormous organizations known as "Blocs" that exist in each of the twin cities of the "Sakhradi Commune"(Still broadly referred to as the land of the City-State of Sakhrad) that work in unison, made up of the workers(Citizens) that exist within the city to govern its day to day operations.
Vast and monolithic in its construction, the government of the Sakhradi Commune is designed to completely dispose of the Ruling Class and even Taxes altogether, as both were seen as symptoms of the oppression the original settlers of Sakhrad fled so far from and wished to escape. To many, it is confusing and hard to understand, but the simple fact of its endurance has silenced many of the country's naysayers.

The Blocs

• Governmental Bloc: The Bloc reponsible for organizing the extant Blocs in the city into a single, cohesive whole - they do not command the other Blocs, but instead exist to properly arm the Blocs with knowledge of the "wider picture" that a single Bloc may be lacking, as well as to serve the extremely critical duty of ensuring the other Blocs continue to uphold the Ideologies of the nation and respond to the control of the people they are made up of. They collect records from each of the Blocs to ensure redundant laws or decisions are not enacted across multiple Blocs, and otherwise steamlining the potentially complicated bureaucracy of the Blocs into a singular, unified whole. They are without exaggeration the "Glue" that keeps the city together, and are armed with some discretionary powers under the National Emergency Authority act which allows them to direct the country in times of national emergencies. Additionally, they are also reponsible for foreign relations.


• Mercantile Bloc: Responsible for overseeing and managing traders, merchants, and all matters dealing with the selling and buying of goods and services within the country. They buy the goods produced by the other Blocs and distribute and sell them both within the country and export them as trade. They also manage and oversee all trade and coinflow within the country, and serve the vital role of ensuring the hand of the free market is not interfered with or controlled in any significant way.


• Militant Bloc: Responsible for all manner of national defense, city defense, and all manner of military action in times of both war and peace. Most importantly, in charge of the vast navies that protect Sakhradi Interests in the Gulf of Hon-Gi and elsewhere which are vital to the survival of the Sakhradi State. Without them, the myriad of imports and exports which keep the cities alive would be ransacked and destroyed in short order.


• Industrial Bloc: Responsible for a great multitude of things, from overseeing and managing all the craftsmen in the country to the laborers, farmers, workers, and all menial or industrial operations that take place within the city. They also serve the role of maintaining national infrastructure and perform regular inspections of the facilities used by the Blocs to ensure they adhere to the rigid Sakhradi building codes.


• Effulgent Bloc: Responsible for all matters considered of the Scholarly pursuits, including all forms of magic. They are also responsible for much of the city-planning, blueprinting, and design work that goes into the construction and expansion of the cities of Sakhrad. Most notably, they cut their chops on the design of the now legendary Sakhradi Canal - proving once and for all their immense expertise.

Structure of the Blocs

Blocs: The large political organizations that handle all matters under their purview - largely broken up into the Governmental, Mercantile, Militant, Industrial, and Effulgent Blocs. Each is an equal slice of the governing entity known as "Sakhrad" and Bukhara and Sakhrad have their own Blocs to run the city. The Blocs are not "run" by singular beings, but instead governed by the various High-Ranking Commissars that oversee the regions under that Bloc's jurisdiction.
Region: Represents which of the two cities under Sakhrad's purview one is based out of, and which "region" of that city one's district is located in. At this level, High-Ranking Commissars effectively organize entire regions of the city which are made up of multiple districts, gathering reports, proposed laws, and all sorts of paperwork from the dozens or hundreds of Labor Houses under their sway to ensure that each Labor House is not only abiding the Ideologies of the Bloc and the Country, but to make sure issues that require larger attention are properly dispersed among the Bloc or Country accordingly. Much like all Commissars, they do not "Run" and "Command" those beneath them - they are tools of the state put in place to ensure the Bloc adheres to Ideological and Governmental regulations, and to arm the workers beneath them with the proper information to make decisions.
Districts: A region of the city that any given Worker is based out of. The regions are organized by low-ranking Commissars aligned to the Blocs to ensure the Labor Houses are operating according to the Ideologies and Standards set by the Bloc and the country as a whole. Much like all Commissars, they also give regular reports to their fellows in the Governmental Bloc to help facilitate their duties as the "glue" that holds the Blocs together.
Labor House: The main decision making body of the country - most all citizens of Sakhrad belong to one in some form or fashion(The sole exception being the jobless and/or destitute). The exact shape or form Labor Houses may take varies from which respective Bloc they belong to - Labor Houses belonging to the Militant Bloc, for example, will often take the form of barracks, military harbors, and similar power centers. In general practice, they are more simply defined as "places where the working men congregate". They are empowered to decide upon local matters entirely of their own accords, but must submit more important, widespread matters that will affect more than just their local area to the larger Bloc for the matter to be voted upon by all workers within that Bloc. For example, a Labor House of the Mercantile Bloc is completely within their rights to set the local prices of goods in their area of the city, but any attempt to adjust import fees or change similar sweeping issues must be sent up the chain to be voted upon by all workers in the Bloc, depending on the severity of the issue being proposed - though sometimes these votes are "filtered" slightly in especially diverse blocs to place more emphasis on the votes of workers who have relevant skillsets, so land-based soldiers unfamiliar with naval warfare are not dictating the goings-on of the naval fleets even though they both belong to the Militant Bloc.

Social Structure

In truth, there is little in the way of a Social Structure in Sakhrad or its sister city Bukhara - the intense Sakhradi hatred of a ruling class has led to the foundation of a society made up entirely of "citizens" and "citizens" alone, with almost no other distinctions by design to promote equality between all citizens of the country. Newcomers are smartly organized according to their need, and are given ample access to intake programs designed to quickly funnel them into the occuption, lifestyle, or place that best suits their needs, wants, and skillset - the concept of "Foreigners" and "Ruling Elite" are mostly unknown to Sakhrad, as a result.
However, just because there is no ruling class, does not mean that there are no leaders to speak of in Sakhrad - far from it, in fact. The Sakhradi people know that even leaders are part of the great working machine - a neccesary cog in the wheel of the free market. Leaders themselves are acceptable - it is when the input of the workers, of those who sweat and bleed for the nation, fails to reach the ears of the leaders or ceases to be meaningful that change becomes needed. In summation, leaders exist to give the workers the information to better perform their duties in the service of the country as a whole.
Finally, and rather uniquely, Sakhrad is almost entirely absent of taxes. The citizens of Sakhrad and Bukhara believe that taxes are one of the foremost tools in the arsenal of the oppression of the Ruling Elite, and have built their nation accordingly - the cities of Sakhrad and Bukhara make their money primarily off import fees, annual corporation fees, and departure fees and as such is an enormously popular Tax Haven for many businesses across Zheng-Kitar who set up businesses there to avoid strict regulations and prevent investigations into their funds.

Culture

For more information on the culture of the Sakhradi People, read their ethnicity page.

Public Agenda

The public agenda of the Sakhradi Commune is the protection of the rights of the working-class, and the destruction of the Ruling Elite - though as well, they place immense importance on the acquisition of wealth and property.
Currently, the Commune is dedicated to outwards expansion and growth - after the founding of their sister city Bukhara and the construction of the legendary Sakhradi Canal, one of The Seven Wonders of Zheng-Kitar, they are riding an economic and patriotic high that is carrying them forward towards some invisible, glorious end far in the future.

History

The history of the City-State of Sakhrad is a long and complicated thing - constructed several centuries ago by settlers during the Age of Expansion that were fleeing the waning Imperialism of central Zheng-Kitar, the City-State of Sakhrad was constructed by those ancient and myriad peoples on one of the most valuable overland trade routes to ever exist on Zheng-Kitar that remains even in operations today: The Golden Trail. Built by an eclectic group of countless ethnic backgrounds, it was founded on the ideals of freedom and glory to the people - though initially, Sakhrad took on a vastly different form as it was built in the vague image of some countries further north, ruled by a singular figure once known as The Shah who ruled alongside a popularly elected council of citizens who advised the Shah on matters of state, serving as an equal counterbalance to the power of the singular, executive Shah.
This structure worked fine for decades and centuries, though at times it bordered on tyrannical depending on the Shah in charge - for a long time, the city-state of Sakhrad was run by the Kabbalah Trading Company and the Shah who sat at its head, though this all changed with the coming of Jilixia Worldthrone around the year 4400 ASK. Arriving in the city like a catastrophe, Jilixia Worldthrone dragged the Shah out into the streets and tortured him brutally, ending his torment only after he agreed to give her vast amounts of the Sakhradi Treasury and force his people to pay her tribute. Afterwards, she extorted the populace for enormous amounts of wealth, killed many more in the chaotic wake of the Shah's death, and then left as quickly as she had arrived - leaving the city to face its greatest trial ever.
Now left without a leader, Sakhrad went through a period of civil unrest known as The Nine Year Revolution, where weak Shahs elected by the increasingly tyrannical and fearful council of advisors did nothing to fan the flames of rebellion growing across the city as citizens called for a vast reform of the government in service of the people that the Shah so clearly failed. This civil unrest grew in potency until the fabled Day of Howling Iron, which saw the Shah's palace complex raided by an armed worker militia after the passing of the legendarily infamous Worldthrone Accords by one of the Weak Shahs and their advisor councils during The Nine Year Revolution which saw the city-state of Sakhrad name Jilixia Worldthrone as the singular ruler of the country.
Drug out of their palace complex, the Shah was brutally executed by the populace and the city was formally held by "The Commune of Sakhrad" the following morning following intense civil warfare - and in the following years and decades, the newly reformed City-State of Sakhrad(Founded on governmental notions said to have been thought up by the Commune's twin founders with inspiration from an unknown source) endured significant civil unrest and turmoil(As well as an entire war waged by foreign powers to put the previous government back into power), and emerged as they are known today....though hilariously, despite the formation of the new government, they were unable to strike the Worldthrone Accords from the city's charter due to the powerful magic used to write it(Though none recognize the rule of any Worldthrones any longer in the city, much less Jilixia Worldthrone herself, making the accord almost entirely defunct and nonfunctional).
Eventually, with their economic recovery leading them to greatness, Sakhrad founded a sister city and eventually constructed the legendary Sakhradi Canal.

Demography and Population

Nearly any species can be found with some degree of regularity in Sakhrad - such is the vastness of its diversity and status as one of the greatest melting pots in the world.

Territories

The land held by Sakhrad was nothing more than tribal territory the original settlers of the land Sakhrad was founded upon acquired through bartering, dealing, and false promises. Now, those very same tribal people have been either evicted or fully integrated into the society of the city.

Military

Unlike many other countries, the military of Sakhrad and its sister city Bukhara is entirely grouped beneath the banner of the Sakhradi Citizen's Army, or SCA for short. The SCA is thereby broken up into vast navies, internal police forces, land-based militaries, and more - though it is also closely monitored by the Blocs to ensure that the military upholds the Ideologies and Beliefs of the Sakhradi people first and foremost.

Religion

The people of Sakhrad accept most religions, though those that oppress others are especially unwelcome in their lands. They have had a historically troubled relationship with the faith of Elsanne the Crimson, whom they have bickered with on several occasions on the matter of what constitutes "too much governmental oversight".

Foreign Relations

Sakhrad has mostly neutral relations with the nations of the world, mostly as a footnote along their trade routes that they are forced to pay fees to so they can pass through their territories and canal - the one exception being the Khadagan Commonwealth, whom they have been locked in a bitter struggle with since the construction of the Sakhradi Canal.
However, Sakhrad has notably been at odds with the local Eldragi tribes ever since the city's founding, who seek to reclaim the land the cities dwell upon and even possibly claim it as their property to grow rich off its wealth.

Agriculture & Industry

As a country made up of two cities, Sakhrad does not have much in the way of Agriculture, though it manages well enough with food grown along the coast and in farms outside the city proper. Its industries are some of the most diverse in all the world, and produce all levels of goods in all kinds of qualities - nearly anything can be found within the Bazaars of Sakhrad and Bukhara.

Trade & Transport

Trade between Sakhrad and Bukhara, the two cities that make up the City-State of Sakhrad, is done almost exclusively overseas. Land Caravans do exist to ferry goods across the desert and further north, but are irregular and subject to extremely high security.

Education

Education is a touch-and-go subject in Sakhrad - depending on where one lives, certain Blocs place larger importance than others on Education programs and the like, meaning that it varies from place to place.

Every man a king.

Founding Date

4287 ASK

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Alternative Names

The Sakhradi Commune, the Sakhradi Alliance, Sakhrad

Demonym

Sakhradi

Government System

Meritocracy

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Market economy

Currency

The City-State of Sakhrad utilizes the Saltsheets of The Gāngtao Migrant Fleet as their standard currency. However, this is done primarily because the Sakhradi people have mostly eliminated Taxes from their society - so using a universal trade currency for the sake of the import fees, annual corporation fees, and departure fees which keep the country afloat financially.

Major Exports

Nearly everything

Major Imports

Nearly everything

Legislative Body

The legislative body of Sakhrad is, in truth, its own citizens - but more broadly, laws are decided upon by the Blocs and organized by the Governmental Bloc.

Judicial Body

The courts and judiciary systems of Sakhrad are made up of united tribunals of Representatives from each of the Blocs for national cases - though for local matters, the Blocs and Labor Houses that make up the Blocs handle matters pertaining to their own purview, with final approval of arrests and punishments being given by the Governmental Bloc.

Executive Body

Each of the Blocs enforces the laws that relate to their purview, though larger executive decisions are organized and collated by the Governmental Bloc.

Neighboring Nations

• Khadagan Commonwealth

Related Ethnicities

• Sakhradi