Location: Equilism

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Republic of Obsidian Knights is a huge, devout nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. Its intelligent population of 729 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, socially-minded government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Social Welfare, Religion & Spirituality, and Law & Order. The average income tax rate is 43%, 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 Uranium Mining.

Genetic researchers have been expelled. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Obsidian Knights's national animal is the panther, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the shard.

Obsidian Knights is ranked 31st in Equilism and 32,551st in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -11 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and