NationStates Jolt Archive

Nationstates Factbook: The Suunist People’s Republic of Marimaia.

"Socialism with Marimaian characteristics..."

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/marimaia1.JPG

Capital: Heiphong

Major Cities/Towns: Yutu Yinchon, Yonbin, Moushuan, Shanjing, Kesaiba, Qingjin, Qizhou

Features:
Major Rivers - Luozao, Gorabuzo, Katsuya
Major Landmarks -
Luozao Palace, Heiphong
Palace of Governance, Heiphong
House of Proletarian Thought, Heiphong
Marimaian Wall of People’s Allies, Heiphong
Suunist Dam, Kesaiba

National Anthem: "I Want New World" by Sakano

Exports: Oil; minerals; diamonds; electronic goods; automotive and aerospace vehicles; armaments; information technology; foodstuffs; tea

Currency: Yenuan

Population (as of last census): 1,026,000,000 (95% Marimaian; 5% various ethnicities from ethnic regions and immigration)

Language: Marimaian (evolved from Chinese, Japanese and Korean; explained later); English is also widely-spoken

Religion: Officially atheist; however, the Marimaian denominations of Buddhism, Confucianism, Shinto and Taoism are traditionally accepted. Roman Catholicism is starting to enter, but is tightly monitored.

Government: Under the Marimaian People’s Constitution, there is a Premier (currently Chiisu Suun), and the 80-member Marimaian Suunist Congress (MSC), both elected for seven years. The Premier appoints cabinet ministers with the approval of the MSC. Governmental policies are drafted by the cabinet and then voted on by the MSC. However, in practise, the MSC have always accepted any legislation brought before them and have never rejected a ministerial appointment.


Brief History:

The Marimaians as we know them are the product of much intermarriage between the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans who repeatedly tried to colonise the area at various intervals. The Marimaian language has evolved over time from these three languages, and the Marimaian culture contains influences from all three as well. Marimaia threw off the shackles of colonialism for the last time over fifty years ago, and enjoyed ten years of democracy, until a devastating famine broke out. The democratic government badly mishandled the situation, and civil war erupted between the government and the Suunists, led by the Maoist revolutionary Mikada Suun, or as he preferred to be called, “Ei Kil Yu Suun”. The Suunists won after four years of devastating war, and set to rebuilding the country. Marimaia started to recover, but Mikada’s belief that he was the chosen saviour of Marimaia went to his head. Mistake after mistake was made, and Mikada blamed those who carried out his orders, rather than blaming himself for giving the badly formulated orders. As the years went by, Marimaia stagnated under Mikada’s rule, never reaching her full potential. Then Mikada fell ill; three days later the government announced his death. After the nation-wide mourning and the unveiling of Mikada’s glass coffin memorial, his son Chiisu Suun ascended to power.

Everything changed. The Suunist old guard were ousted by the younger party members and sent to labour camps. Civil rights, long suppressed under Mikada, were gradually reinstated as not to cause too much disruption. Most importantly, the economy, long held back by Mikada’s stubborn radical communism, was gradually deregulated. Living standards rose each year, and the economy blossomed dramatically. Elections returned, but they were populist shams to legitimise the Suunist reign. Not that the people cared; Chiisu’s belief that “people with full bellies do not make revolution” was coming true.

Today, the twenty-somethings who ousted the old guard now rule an economic powerhouse. The citizenry can afford what they want and live how they want, as long as they don’t criticise the government; not that many of them want to, anyway. Marimaia’s military has grown from a citizen militia into a regional power projector. Chiisu Suun is beloved as the Premier who only asks for loyalty, rather than complete subservience; the populace see him with his limousines, his palaces and his Proletarian Guard, and tell him that he deserves everything he has. After all, he brought prosperity to Marimaia, and now he should reap the benefits of it.

Marimaian Life & Culture

Marimaian culture is a strange mixture of authoritarianism and liberalism; the young leadership are pretty accepting of most things, and have reflected that in the nation's constitution. All citizens are treated as equals under the law, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or position (except the ruling party, naturally). The government has not reached a decision regarding religion yet; the Premier is not willing to allow freedom of worship unless the government can use religion as another means of maintaining their rule.

Marimaia's liberalism is evident wherever you go in the nation: all workers, from CEOs to construction workers to prostitutes, have their own unions; state marriages can be male/female, male/male, female/female, genderqueer/male, genderqueer/female, or genderqueer/genderqueer; and there is a universal age of consent at 16, to name a few examples. As far as the government is concerned, the people can live however they want, as long as they don't harm others or work against the leadership.

Interestingly, the Marimaian military is revered by the general populace, in particular the younger generation. The Marimaian People's Army (MPA) are seen as paragons of Marimaian virtue, which has resulted in the current belief amongst the younger citizens that a partner in the MPA is a great status symbol.

Some good work here, well done.

Some good work here, well done.

OOC: Thanks for the compliment :)

The Marimaian Government & The Suunist Party

The Marimaian government is something of an anomaly; none of the major leaders are over thirty years old. The Premier and his cabinet were all members of the Suunist Youth League, and kept in contact during their rise through the party ranks. When Chiisu Suun assumed power, he elevated his friends to the positions that they hold today. Initial fears that their inexperience may prove disasterous have been conclusively proven wrong, as they have channelled their idealism and intelligence into creating the prosperous state that Marimaia is today. The government ministers have all taken advantage of their position, acquiring large homes, chauffeur-driven vehicles, and various other perks; far from despising them for it, the general populace would think less of them if they didn't reward themselves.

The Suunist Party of Marimaia (SPM) is the sole political party in the nation. Under Mikada Suun, it was a radical left-wing group which constantly backstabbed itself trying to carry out his orders under penalty of death. Under Chiisu Suun, the SPM has become a sleek, efficient apparatus for maintaining power. The original communist ideology only receives lip service these days; now the mantra is "Socialism with Marimaian characteristics", keeping the illusion of socialist rule while capitalism increases its hold. The SPM has also abandoned its ideal of 'global communism'; it now appeals to nationalist sentiments by comparing the "success of Marimaian socialism" to other, less economically powerful socialist nations.

The Marimaian Economy

The Marimaian economy is best described as a juggernaut. When the deregulation was started, the economy suddenly had a massive growth spurt, initially generating more wealth than the nation knew what to do with. Nowadays economic growth has slowed, but is still impressive.

The private sector is dominated by "The Concerns", enormous corporations which are partly-owned by the government. A prime example is Shin Fai Armaments Concern; it is a massive arms manufacturer, 40% owned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Much of Shin Fai's business is with the Marimaian government, but it also does business with other nations; due to their stake in the company, the government is able to monitor any large arms deals and ensure that Shin Fai's best equipment only goes to the MPA.

However, the government is currently offering small businesses tax breaks and attractive economic aid packages, to help them survive against the Concerns and force the giants to become even more efficient. The government also encourages efficiency amongst the Concerns by not offering government bail-outs; this forces them to improve efficiency and reduce costs, as the government has no compunction about abandoning failing Concerns and buying into potential new ones.

The public sector deals with necessities, such as health care, education, and the police force, to name but a few examples. The Concerns are barred from offering any service already being offered by the government, in order to stop a private monopoly gaining control over a necessary service.

The Marimaian People's Information Network (MPIN)

The MPIN is the sole media conglomerate currently in Marimaia, and the government plans to keep it that way. Unlike the other Concerns, the MPIN is 100% government-owned and is controlled by the Ministry of Information under Dianyun Liu. The main function of the MPIN is to reassure the populace that the Suunist government has their best interests at heart; thus far it has not disappointed.

The MPIN offers various television channels, ranging from cheesy shopping networks to children's cartoon channels. Marimaia has a great love for anime and manga, shown by the fact that one of the most popular shows in the country is an anime called "Defenders of The People", featuring a team of five security agents, their missions and their personal lives. Toy stores are currently suffering shortages of DoTP action figures, and the related manga is selling out fast.

However, the best-known MPIN channel has to be "People's Daily News", with its prime-time team of Honji & Miho. The two bring blatant propaganda with a friendly smile; many people joke about them, yet their popularity has led to their new morning talkshow "Breakfast Marimaia", which recently had record ratings due to their interview with Premier Suun.

Recently the MPIN has been given some freedom to report on official corruption; the government is using the media as a bloodhound to track down corrupt officials who can then be made an example of. Of course, all reports are submitted to the Ministry of Information before broadcast, so anything potentially embarrassing can be buried before it surfaces.

The Marimaian People's Army (MPA)

The MPA began as a citizen militia under the auspices of the Suunist Party during the civil war; once the party achieved power, the MPA reaped the benefits. It now numbers 10 million (approx. 5 million are support and logistical staff), split into ground forces, air force and navy. Their stated missions are to defend Marimaia from all threats, and to loyally carry out their duty in the name of the Republic.

Marimaia's compulsory military service means that virtually every citizen has been a member of the reserves at some point, and a large number have stayed, taking one day a week out of their lives to visit the nearest barracks for training and instruction. While the reserves are seen as willing to fight for their country, the full-time military personnel are seen as the tireless defenders of Marimaia, and treated accordingly; military salaries are higher than most civilian ones, and a partner in the military is a status symbol to be flaunted at will.

The Proletarian Guard

The Proletarian Guard are the best of the best in the MPA, guarding the capital city of Heiphong and providing security for Premier Suun's residences around Marimaia. Numbering a mere 25,000 highly-trained men and women, the Proletarian Guard all swear a personal oath of allegiance to Premier Suun when they join, and are the troops which are on display when foreign dignitaries visit. Their equipment and training is of a higher quality than the regular MPA, which the regulars accept due to the fact that the Proletarian Guard protect the capital and the Premier.

Update of Recent Events

The most recent event of significance took place soon after the successful launch of Marimaia's first manned space mission. Security Minister Sakura Mirou finally failed an independent mental health examination after long-held suspicions about her stability were proven true when she tried to attack Premier Suun during a cabinet meeting. Her replacement, Kichisaburo Yoshida, has brought a less oppressive air to the Department of Marimaian Security and things are going smoothly once again. Mirou was found dead in her cell three hours after Yoshida assumed his post; there are some rumours that his first order was to have her eliminated, although the official verdict was suicide.

In less disturbing news, Premier Suun went for a fortnight-long sabbatical on Fuishiban Resort Island after the attack. Government officials are now trying to figure out why the Premier came back full of energy and cheerfulness; the current rumour is that it is somehow linked to the wry smile that Suun's bodyguard Tian Yao has these days.

Marimaian Leadership Profiles:

Premier Chiisu Suun

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/suun1.JPG

Age: 24

Chiisu Suun is renowned as the brainchild of Marimaia's current prosperity. He has significantly mellowed out recently; the cabinet members are getting used to his new habit of using a hug as a greeting, and his newfound laid back attitude has been raucously accepted by the population. As one pundit put it, he has gone from the 'Iron Premier' to the 'Pop Idol Premier'; recent polls have shown a disturbing number of women wanting to mother him. In addition, Suun appears to be thinking about changing the national anthem from the current militaristic march to a song by Sakano, Marimaia's long-time top pop band. Those closest to him know that this is all because he and his bodyguard Tian Yao have become lovers, which led to some celebration by Information Minister Dianyun Liu who won the governmental betting pool on when they would finally hook up. However, Suun was starting to mellow before his romance with Tian; now that Marimaia is flourishing, he just wants to relax and act his age.

Despite his new mellowness, Suun is still the total master of his nation. Flashes of the old Suun appear when his anger is roused; the best example is Sakura Mirou, the former Security Minister. It looks more and more likely that Suun ordered her recent death, not being content with confining her to an asylum.


Tian Yao, Premier's Bodyguard

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/troyao.JPG

Age: 25

Tian Yao is the classic strong silent bodyguard. In public, his demeanour never changes; in private, cabinet members have seen a slight smile or frown, but that's about it. When alone with Chiisu Suun, Tian is a different person; it is only then that he reveals his true emotions. Tian has been at Suun's side since before Suun became Premier; they were so close that several people were surprised to hear that they had only recently become lovers, as it was assumed by many that they already were. Despite Suun's public mellowing, Tian is still as impassive as ever, except for the occasional small smile when he thinks no-one's looking.

Leadership Profiles (cont'd)

Rongyi Bei, Minister of Foreign Relations

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/ryou.JPG

Age: 26

Rongyi is the perfect Foreign Minister; he can switch between fawningly polite to iron-fisted in the blink of an eye, while retaining his soft-spokeness and composure. Rongyi is also a skilled negotiator; he can often make the opposition believe that they are getting more than they actually are. A family man, Rongyi's wife Ayaka is head of the Suunist Women's Organisation, while his two twin sons Araki and and Shinji are students at Heiphong Elementary.


Wanfa Kong, Minister of Defence

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/wufei.JPG

Age: 26

Wanfa is the hawk of the cabinet; his impulsiveness had led to the Marimaian High Command having to reign him in at times. Wanfa's philosophy is that the weak need to be controlled for their own protection, and he has been reprimanded several times for expressing less-than-tolerant views on immigrants and women. He is a martial arts fanatic, and is the Marimaian Grand Champion in Tae Kwon Do. Wanfa is well-known among the cabinet members for being a loyal patron of Marimaia's prostitution industry.


Dianyun Liu, Minister of Information

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/duo.jpg

Age: 25

Dianyun adores his job. He gets to lie to the masses on a regular basis, and gets to put what he wants on their televisions. He makes sure that the people think everything is a-okay; for the most part it is, but 'blips' like finding a body in the Heiphong River are kept quiet so that the people aren't upset. Dianyun has an undying passion for pop music; his current girlfriend is growing impatient with his constant visits to Luozao Palace to listen to Sakano CDs with Premier Suun.

Leadership Profiles (cont'd)

Hengren Yuan, Minister of Interior Affairs

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/haoro.JPG

Age: 26

Hengren is quiet and efficient; things get done swiftly and without complications. Marimaia has seen a dramatic drop in crime since he entered the cabinet, and the immigration process has been significantly streamlined. Hengren lives alone in a penthouse in the centre of Heiphong, and the rest of the cabinet know next to nothing about his private life, except his obvious loyalty to the Premier. In all honesty, some of them are too scared to ask. However, he does appear to have warmed up to Kangtian Wei recently.


Kangtian Wei, Minister of Economic Affairs

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/qatra.JPG

Age: 24

Kangtian is the young prodigy who led the reforms of Marimaia's economy after the death of Mikada Suun. His father was Mikada Suun's economics minister, and he has known Chiisu Suun since they were three; as a result, Kangtian can often anticipate Suun's economic plans before they are discussed in cabinet. Kangtian is a very polite and refined individual, which has led many to wonder why he has struck up a friendship with Hengren Yuan of late. The truth is that Kangtian can't stand people who keep to themselves, so he has been 'working' on Hengren for the past two years.


Kichisaburo Yoshida, Minister of Security

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/422380/keiyoshida.JPG

Age: 28

The newest member of the cabinet, Kichisaburo was promoted after Sakura Mirou's disgrace. 'Kichi' is a hands-on person who has found it difficult to stay behind when security squads go out on missions; he has had to be extracted several times after going out on missions himself. He is much more relaxed than his predecessor; ministry personnel are glad that they don't have to hear the sound of a riding crop slapping a desk anymore. Kichi has become a notorious playboy, with both men and women enjoying his attention. Various high-profile celebrities have been seen on his arm recently, and various governmental betting pools have sprung up concerning his next conquest.

ooc

:roll: gee, I guess it isn't hard to guess what two anime series this is based on... *cough* Gundam Wing and Gravitation. *snicker*

/ooc

ic

Very good, I like the way this is written.

Is your country opening to establishing embassies and diplomatic relations?

OOC: Wah, you found me out :oops:.

IC: In line with new directives from Central Government, the leadership of Marimaia will be using their names as spelt in Marimaian from now on. They were previously using approximations of their names (so from now on it's the names as spelt in this thread).

OOC: If anyone wants diplomatic relations with Marimaia (there were a few, but the thread for that has vanished due to inactivity), this thread can be used. I'm in the process of doing a proper factbook on MSN Groups, and the link will be posted when it's ready, just in case anyone's interested.




ooc

:roll: gee, I guess it isn't hard to guess what two anime series this is based on... *cough* Gundam Wing and Gravitation. *snicker*

/ooc

ic

Very good, I like the way this is written.

Is your country opening to establishing embassies and diplomatic relations?

OOC: This thread is now redundant. The Marimaian World Factbook has now been moved to:

http://groups.msn.com/TheSuunistPeoplesRepublicofMarimaia

The Factbook is constantly being updated.