Location: Ionia

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Republic of Blue Thorn is a colossal, safe nation, renowned for its strong anti-business politics. Its hard-nosed, cynical population of 8.41 billion are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The government -- a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked, corrupt, moralistic, socially-minded morass -- juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Religion & Spirituality. The average income tax rate is 41%, but much higher for the wealthy. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Soda Sales.

Artists are jailed regularly and art-burning parties are common, teenagers are sent to jail for being out too late, suppression of pro-democracy protests is a daily occurrence, and Presbyterian has been named as Blue Thorn's national religion. Crime is well under control, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Blue Thorn's national animal is the bear, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, its national religion is Presbyterian, and its currency is the dollar.

Blue Thorn is ranked 77th in Ionia and 48,911th in the world for Most Eco-Friendly Governments, scoring 16 on the Dolphin Recycling Awareness Index.

NationStates by Max Barry, author of and