The Socialist Meritocracy of Balcem is a colossal, safe nation, ruled by Evenlyn Raleigh with a fair hand, and notable for its museums and concert halls, daily referendums, and punitive income tax rates. The compassionate, democratic population of 5.599 billion Balcemians are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whomever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

The large, liberal government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Pradia. The average income tax rate is 96.8%.

The frighteningly efficient Balcemian economy, worth a remarkable 1,105 trillion Euros a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is fairly diversified, is led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Retail. Average income is an impressive 197,470 Euros, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Thieves find battery shops juicier targets than banks, the BBI Channel Tunnel project is plagued by delays, criminal rehabilitation takes place in re-education centers, and employers are keenest on employees who lack family values. Crime is totally unknown. Balcem's national animal is the Leafcutter Ant, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Balcem is ranked 290,137^th in the world and 1,375^th in Europe for Highest Disposable Incomes, with 6,319.05 Standard Monetary Units.