Location: Texas

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Holy Empire of Richard II is a gargantuan, genial nation, ruled by Pharaoh with an iron fist, and notable for its complete absence of social welfare. Its compassionate, cynical population of 17.33 billion are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

There is no government in the normal sense of the word; however, a small group of community-minded individuals is mainly concerned with Law & Order, although Education and Defence are secondary priorities. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Richard II City. Income tax is unheard of. The private sector is almost wholly made up of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, although the government is looking at stamping this out.

Wealthy parents-to-be can select their perfect baby, military spending recently hit a new high, the importance of winning Olympic gold medals is indoctrinated from an early age, and UFO sightings are listed daily in the morning news. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Richard II's national animal is the Hell Cat, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, its national religion is still in the development phase, and its currency is the Platinum Dollar.

Richard II is ranked 136th in Texas and 76,604th in the world for Most Politically Free, scoring 16 on the Diebold Election Inking Scale.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and