The Avant-Garde Commonwealth of Ascended Union is a massive, cultured nation, ruled by Founder Ulysses with an even hand, and notable for its daily referendums, frequent executions, and punitive income tax rates. The hard-nosed, hard-working, devout population of 2.85 billion Ascended Citizens have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The large, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Education, Defense, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of New Enoch. The average income tax rate is 78.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Ascended Citizen economy, worth 377 trillion Energy Credits a year, is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Tourism, and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 132,382 Energy Credits, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

A few people seem to spend their whole time complaining, space has been brought down to earth with constellations of cancer cases across Ascended Union, most governmental positions are filled by zealous nationalists, and elite teams of assassins have been sent into Brasilistan. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ascended Union's national animal is the Imperial Eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies, and its national religion is Surrealism.

Ascended Union is ranked 4,093^rd in the world and 53^rd in 10000 Islands for Most Armed, with 11.73 Weapons Per Person.