NationStates Jolt Archive


Allanean Economy Guidebook

Allanea
19-08-2004, 17:30
The Allanean Economy Guide

Introduction

Every adult, sane person has the right to be free – that is, to do whatever he want unless he harms other people.
The Allanean Covenant, Article I

The first thing to be noticed by any observer of the Allanean economy is that it is extremely unregulated. The country has no federal income tax (the government creates income by VAT, sales taxes, and an education tax of 100 ALD per person per month.) . No government regulations on insider trading, advertisement, the stock market or hiring of adults exist, and it does affect the economy.
The Allanean free market has truly done marvels for the country. Two major train companies (the Phoenix-Durango and Taggart Transcontinental) exist in the nation, constantly competing with each other and smaller companies (such as AissuRail, LTD) for cargo and passengers, resulting with extremely low freight and ticket prices. Similar processes are taking place in other markets which have traditionally been thought a government monopoly. For example, both the Allanean National Bank and Mulligan Bank are issuing private currency (the Liberty Dollar and the Mulligan Dollar) which is used, respectively, in 10% and 5% of all transactions (and in fact, is accepted by the government in payment of taxes). Further, all products on countries that have not yet signed a free-trade agreement with Allanea are subject to a 15% import tariff, payable in gold or gold-backed currency only
While no Federal investment exists in the road infrastructure (except for the building of large interstate highways, funded by the Department of Defense), most of the road-building is done on state budgets (on average, an Allanean pays about 10% in state taxes). It is local budgets that fund most city streets and roads. Further, the Allanean Busing Company and Connex LTD provide busing services in Allanea’s major cities. Subways have so far never been used in Allanea.
Allanea has no government regulations on working hours and wages for adults (repealed under the Freedom to Work Act ., nor any regulations on farming. No subsidies or produce limits exist on farms. Thus, Allanean Pharmaceuticals, inc., owns 4,500 square kilometers of fields and facilities in South-East Allanea which are used to produce thousands of tons of quality medical and recreational substances (most of Allanea’s production of industrial-grade hemp comes from Benavannin).
Allanea is a haven for tourism as well, and the gambling, brothels, and cofeeshops of Port-Allanea (especially those run by the Allanean Entertainment, Inc.) are famous world-wide. Bisonians, Menelmacari, and Fluffians mingle happily in the multi-million city.
For further info about Allanea and the wonderful economic opportunities it presents, read on!

Chapter One: Labour Conditions

Studies suggest that for every 10 percent increase in the minimum wage, a minimum of 100,000 jobs are lost.
“The Ugly Truth About the Minimum Wage Law” by Jim Cox


Ever since the great protests of the Allanean NAACP against minimum-wage laws, and the NAACP vs. United States 203? decision (not forgetting the legislation that then followed, no such regulations exists (except for children, see below). In fact, the Freedom to Work Act prohibits state and local governments from creating their own.
This does not per se mean that Allanean workers are wage slaves subsisting on substandard wages. In fact, as Karl Marx pointed out already in the 19th century, union activity and simple common sense (it is useless for a capitalist to pay workers below a certain level, and that level is constantly rising due to rising living standards) have fixed a de-facto ‘unofficial minimum wage’, which is at about two Allanean dollars per hour. The same thing also happened with work hours.
Under Allanean law, an 4 ALD per hour minimum wage exists for children. Also, children (people under the age of 16, the age of citizenship in Allanea) cannot be hired for manual or health-impacting labour.
Minimal health services are guaranteed to every Allanean by the Federal government, but employers have a tendency to include additional health insurance in their contracts to attract workers.


Chapter Two: Industry

The Gambling and Entertainment industry is the number one biggest industry in Allanea, and the total stock worth of Allanean Entertainment, Inc. is about twenty-five trillion dollars. The company owns countless casinos, brothels, and cinemas is Allanea. The biggest of these facilities are the Paradise Complex, several 100-story buidling all stuffed with the proverbial fun and games.
Other major players include the Allanean Lottery Company, which is responsible for running the PowerBall and other such events. 51% of ALC stock is owned by the government.
Minor gambling services are even provided by such companies as Allanean Airlines and Taggart Transcontinental, where you can bet your money as you enjoy the ride/flight.
Second in line is the arms and vehicle industry, where the pilot and flagship is Allanean Arms, inc. Given that Allaneans are extremely safety-conscious, and given that Allanea has no gun laws to speak of. (Every adult, sane citizen is allowed to bear arms of any conventional kind), and given the Edolian threat, arms sales are flourishing. Recently, Allanea has, in fact broken the 1-gun-per-person line. Currently, there are 2.6 billion personal firearms in Allanea, making Allanea the most armed nation in the world – a title Allaneans will surely bear with pride.
The recent Mycroft vs. EPA ruling has destroyed all environmental regulations in Allanea, save those pertaining to harming other people (water poisoning – unless you own the entire rives) and conservation of rare species. However, companies still limit gas exhaust on cars, simply to avoid the loss of public good will. On the other hand, oil extraction, mining and tree-cutting has increased.
Allanean Arms also maintains a near-monopoly on oil extraction in Southern Allanea and Hestonia, since the 01-supplied oilextraction devices caused a destruction of Allanean Oil, Inc. and a jump of Allanean oil prices to 12 USD (still 2 USD below internatioal standard) per barrel.


Appendix A: The Currency

Official Allanean Government Announcement

Due to recent fluctuations of the prices of the Allanean Dollar and massive citizen protest, the Allanean government will begin replacing it's (gold-backed) currency with gold one, as described below. There will be a one-year period duirng which Allaneans and others (OOC: yes, even those already holding 01 dollars) will be able to redeem their Allanean dollars in gold as listed below. After it ends, the paper notes will no longer have legal tender and will be perfectly worthless. Private currency may, of course, be used as definded by law. Enjoy:

The basic coin, the Allanean dollar, is a small transparent plastic coin. Inside the plastic, a thin sheet of gold rests. The gold weighs 0.165 grams of gold. The value of the coin is equal, at all times, to the value of that gold. The government stamp and denomination etched on the coin only serves to prove that is does, indeed, contain that amount. Small change is similar transparent coin, containing even thinner, 0.0315 and 0.0165 gold sheets.
Further in value is the 10-dollar coin, which contains 1.65 grams of gold. However, at the 20 dollar level, it starts getting interesting. Currency starting at 20 dolars is a piece of gold in a transparent card with the government stamp on it.
The weight is as follows:

3.15 grams = 20 Allanean dollars.
7.95 grams = 50 Allanean Dollars
16.5 grams = 100 Allanean Dollars
31.5 grams = 200 Allanean Dollars

One side of the gold piece inside the plastic features it's value and a unique number, the other, the face of a famous political leader (Alexander Kazansky, Richard Pipes, Ayn Rand and Thomas Jefferson). The faces of the leaders take one square inch of space each. The rest of the space is free for advertisements. On the coins, one side is free for advertisement, and the other bear the value of the coin.

The advertisement costs are as follows

On coins up to 1 dollar in value

500 dollars for printing the logo on the first 1,000 coins, 70 allanean dollars for each 1,000 coins thereafter.

On 10-dollar coin

300 dollars for printing the logo on the first 1,000 coins, 50 allanean dollars for each 1,000 coins thereafter.

On 20-dolar cards

250 dollars for printing the logo on the first 1,000 cards, 30 allanean dollars for each 1,000 cards thereafter.


On 50-dollar cards

20 dollars for printing the logo on the first 1,000 cards, 25 allanean dollars for each 1,000 cards thereafter.


On 100-dollar cards

150 dollars for printing the logo on the first 1,000 cards, 15 allanean dollars for each 1,000 cards thereafter.


On 200-dolar cards

100 dollars for printing the logo on the first 1,000 cards, 10 allanean dollars for each 1,000 cards thereafter.

Those prices assume a logo of about 1 square inch in size. Larger logos = more money.
One may also make advertisments (on cards) for 25% of the named price, but then we'll place several other logos on the same card, too.

Example of a card with a corporate logo.
http://www.olegvolk.net/gallery/album18/ingotcard

The Allanean government will accept in payment only gold, gold-backed currency, and stock in active businesses. Fiat currency is not accepted.




This Guidebook Funded by

The Allanean Department of Commerce
Allanean Arms, Inc.
Mulligan Banking Corporation
Taggart Transcontinental
Allanean Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Connex, LTD
Allanean Entertainment, Inc.
Celdonia
19-08-2004, 23:52
Allanea has no government regulations on working hours


The government of Allanea is quite mistaken. As members of the United Natons they are subject to the 40 Hour Workweek resolution, as are all members of the United Nations.

OOC: I'm interested that you've choosen to adopt what appears to be a local "gold standard". How do you back your curreny internatonally if you're gold is in circulation as curency? How much of your gold is in circulation anyway?
The Most Glorious Hack
20-08-2004, 05:31
The country has no federal income tax

Umm... you sure about that?

Citizens pay a flat income tax of 25%.
Allanea
20-08-2004, 09:19
IC: Currently, Allanea is not a member of the UN

OOC: TMGH: Well, on the other hand, it mentions no road tax or sales tax, which is dumb. I simply RP it as a collection of various taxes that average out to be %28 of the average income.
The Most Glorious Hack
20-08-2004, 10:53
ooc: Fair enough. However, tying your currency to gold is... risky.
Der Angst
20-08-2004, 11:01
IC: Currently, Allanea is not a member of the UN You can always work your way around UN resolutions. heck, AFAIK, Celdonia does that with the Copyrights & Patent resolution.

Just interpret the minimum wage/ subsidies/ whatever issues your way...

Though I stand by the points I made on irc, regarding gold... Ewww.
Knootoss
20-08-2004, 11:12
OOC: I have to join in with the "Gold eeew" stance, which is basically what all Evil Capitalists on IRC think. Apart from you and Siri.

Also. This is IC propaganda. A little OOC tag describing the downsides of this would be nice. Also there is NOTHING about the recent economic crisis you were sortof plunged into since many, many nations still don't really trust you. I wrote a little article on that and you have heard the others. For a free-trade nation that ought to be a problem, no?