Location: Gallifrey

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Endless Night of Wasserspeier is a massive, devout nation, ruled by Der Kommandant with an iron fist, and renowned for its prohibition of alcohol. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 3.228 billion are ruled with an iron fist by the corrupt, dictatorship government, which oppresses anyone who isn't on the board of a Fortune 500 company. Large corporations tend to be above the law, and use their financial clout to gain ever-increasing government benefits at the expense of the poor and unemployed.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, moralistic government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Defence, Law & Order, and Commerce. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Wurzelstadt. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 94%. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Uranium Mining.

Government-run brothels can be found on every street corner, children spout "Es gibt kein Entweichen." involuntarily throughout the day, fewer people are bathing as citizens must show ration stamps before they can turn on their faucets, and university graduates and new home-owners toil in labour camps to work off their debts. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Wasserspeier's national animal is the Manticore, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, its national religion is Kommandantanity, and its currency is the Skull.

Wasserspeier is ranked 1st in Gallifrey and 729th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring 46 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and