The Western IslesBoard

Economy and Government Budget of the Union
Categories: New Totzka | Economy

The Economy of Totzka
The Totzka's Union is a developing mixed economy due to the access to power private commercial interests have to government through the Government Executive Section 7, the Council of National Resources. Section 7 is composed of representatives from Totzka's largest domestic companies such as CS Grão, Sao Tiago Corporação de Comida, Petroco, Petroquímica de Totzka, Ladrões de Crianças and Corporação Independente de Mineração along with representatives from foreign companies that operate within Totzka and the Totzkan government. The line between private and public enterprise within Totzka can be blurred and both the government and corporations are accused of being in each other's influence. Section 7 has been described as both a cartel where business and corrupt government officials dictate the future of Totzka and as a shouting chamber where the two groups try to force a compromise between each other.

On the other end of the market, retail and other private consumer-focused enterprises are typically handled through small local businesses. In 2010 Over 40% of all working Totzkan's were self-employed. Successive governments have maintained a policy of limited government regulation over over private enterprise and very little bureaucracy is involved in the creation of limited business. Provincial governments in South Totzka have attempted to stimulate the economy with grants to small businesses without any oversight of these proposed enterprises. As a result Totzka has developed a substantial and growing Underground economy dominated by the trade of small arms and drugs. It is also a well known source of cheap everyday goods that are of a higher quality than the average Totzkan can afford and Totzkans sometimes affectionately refer to the black economy as the "Pouco Comércio."

Key Industries and Sectors
Agriculture

Petrochemicals

Mining
With vast mineral deposits in Eastern Totzka mining has been one of Totzka's economic pillars since the bronze age. The Totzkan government strongly supports foreign investment in the sector and has modified its mining industry laws and regulations to create a favourable investing environment for foreigners. Thanks to a large amount of lithium, nickel, tin and aluminium resources, pro-business legislation and a healthy investment environment, Totzka can be considered one of the mining giants of the Western Isles.

Lithium
During the 1950s the Pamil Republic discovered and began exploiting the vast deposits of lithium ore located in the former nation's south. Hundreds of Ethno-Unions, largely from the Magkawan branch, migrated south to begin mining and producing Lithium. in 1953, the height of the rush, over the 700 companies relating to the production of Lithium were created. Following the Totzkan Revolution and Pamilya's unification with the rest of Totzka many of these companies were bought under the umbrella of the state-owned Metais Unidos. Metais Unidos was opened to public investment in the 1991 when the Partido de Libertação Unido took power and, including the associated battery-producing industry today remains the province of Pamilya's largest industry. In 2017 Totzkan mines were estimated to have produced a little over 10,200 tonnes of lithium.

Cobalt and Nickel
Large deposits of Nickel can be found beneath the Yhai steppe in North-Eastern Totzka. In 2018 around 80,000 metric tonnes of Nickel were extracted from Yhaiva. Nickel ore extracted from Yhaiva is typically sent to plants in South Totzka and Pamilya where it is refined and cobalt extracted as a by-product with 25,625 tonnes of Cobalt being produced in Totzka in 2018.

Steel
Steel is one of Totzka's oldest industries, growing rapidly in the 18th century when the Viceregal government of South Totzka became dependent on the sale of steel to Portugal. Fears of iron shortages in the traditional mining areas of the Grand Interior prompted the invasion of Yhaiva, to seize it's rich in untapped mineral deposits, in 1901. The industry declined throughout the 20th century and today the industry only accounts of 7% of Totzka's GDP and employs less than 10% of it's workforce.

Construction
Totzka is a regional exporter of low-cost construction work. Construction workers from Totzka, called Mãos Baratas, are regularly sent abroad to complete the construction projects of other countries, typically be transported and living on large boats (because of this most construction work done by the Mãos baratas is typically on the coast). Occasional these workers have been known to settle abroad and have become to constitute a large amount of Totzka diaspora. Within Totzka there are two competing construction exporters Pessoal de Logística de Construção, the larger company that typically provides personnel for projects initiated and designed by a third party company, and Agência de Construção Profissional, a smaller company that actually provides planning for projects. Together they employ 8% of Totzka's workforce.

Information Technology
The small emerging IT industry us quickly becoming a staple of the urban coast and creating a class of educated professionals that stand out from the typical Totzkan labourer. This industry, attributed to the low cost to skill ratio of the workers, is coming to dominate the service industry, coming to constitute 5% of the nations GDP. although is still employs less than 1% of the workforce.

Council of National Resources
The Council of National Resources, or Conselho de Recursos Nacionais and commonly called CRN, is a government body responsible for coordinating government policy with the interests of Totzka’s largest corporations. It is the seventh of the nine Federal Section’s which make up the Federal Government of the Totzka Union and usually designated within the government as Seção Federal 7 or SF7.

The CRN is composed of representatives from the most significant corporations that operate within Totzka and is chaired by a nominee of the President of the Totzkan Union whose position is dependent on the confidence of the Council’s other members. The Chairman may enact law relating to the field of industry which is subject to the approval of Totzka’s legislature, the Comissão Popular. The current chairman of the council is Anupam Santana.

The CRN was formed during the early years of Suraj Chirapati’s presidency (1983-1991) and originally controlled almost all aspects of Totzka’s economy. The CRN also held responsibility over Chirapati’s ambitious plans to nationalise and redistribute every acre of land within Totzka. As Totzkan industry was increasingly privatised during the presidencies of Ado’Rosmakona Iagano (1991-1995) and Desidéria Lorena Sharma (1995-2003) the CRN became more democratic transitioning from a top-down structure to a cabinet-like talking shop and policy making body. Rampant cronyism saw many of the President Rohan Siva Amrit Korrapati’s (2003-2014) allies gain seats on the council and the Totzkan economy was carved up among a few individuals. Following Korrapati’s impeachment in 2014 many of his former associates, who retained their seats on the council, staunchly opposed his successor, Francisco Améro (2015-). To combat their influence Améro loosed up Totzka’s punitive foreign investment laws and opening up the nation’s domestic industries to foreign competition, allowing representatives from companies across Totzka to take a seat on the council.

Kolichiyah, Iconic leader of the
Sitting Revolution

Yiskaxa

Italawan Levy Set Forth

Though there was rioting and violence in many places, particularly the Mob Storming of the Great Council, mass protest took place mainly in the form of strict abstention of food and work. The most significant event of the Sitting Revolution with the Long Pilgrimage, which was a mass march of millions across the country calling for national unification and the creation of the Ahgahee, the Union.

Yiskaxa the Conqueror
1230CE-1300CE

Principality Wars
1308CE-1340CE

Tyranny of 'The Crazed'
1345CE-1360CE

Foreign Trading Post and the Crazed Heir Centuries
1362CE-1844CE

The Crazed Heir Wars are told as the most devastating war in Italawan history. With the importation of guns, the many feuding sides went to war and began in a race with their own brands industrialization; inviting foreigner advisers from distant lands and using their knowledge to engineer Italawan advents into modernity. Devastating war after war followed throughout the 19th century, with foreign powers attempting to take advantage of the fractured country.

Imperial Invasion
1845CE-1861CE

The Sitting Revolution & Economic Recovery Era
1915CE-1938CE

[figuring more modern history forgive me]

Tribole's successful Navy and Coastguard helicopter. Built to operate in the harshest climates and conditions. The Coastguard variant (pictured) is unarmed and equipped with a heavy duty winch for rescue and retrieval at sea.