Pallatium
09-10-2005, 16:44
Capital: Serenity
Government Type: Elected Monarchy
Government Leader: Queen Lily (The Ninth)
Language : English, Tulan (official language)
Motto : I accidentally boomeranged a chicken (see below)
Description
-----------
Pallatium is an arable country, with very little technology. While every household has free access to the internet, the National Health Service is second to none and there is a fully integrated national transport system, the majority of the country is farmland, and the majority of the population are farmers.
Pallatium is entirely populated by women. As far as historical records show. it has always been this way. The Goddesses of Pallatium (Bobbi, Charlie and Alex) live on a secluded farm out of town, and they say one day they created the population, and granted the knowledge of how to let two women have a child together.
Human Rights
------------
The population of Pallatium mature at what would normally be considered a fairly rapid rate. By the time they are 13 they have completed their schooling, and are ready to start living as adults. Consequently the age of majority in Pallatium is 13. The age of consent is also 13, and the process for having children is outlined below.
Everyone has the right to free healthcare. There is also free press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and of expression and the right to have children.
Government
----------
The Queen (The First Triarch) is elected to her position as absolute ruler of Pallatium. While she has cabinet to advise her, they are not a legislative or executive body and have no say in the final decisions. There are two "deputy Queens" (The Second Triarchs), who are also elected, and - should The Queen become ill or unable to perform her duties - they rule together until a new Queen is elected.
There is no fixed consitution - with the Queen having sole authority over the country there would be little point - however all new laws must be consistant with previous laws, and all new laws can be challanged by the public should more than 55% of the public agree, or by The Judiciary should 35% of the Judiciary agree.
The nation is divided in to nine districts, with four quadrants in each, however these exist purely for administrative purposes (tax collection, registration of births and deaths and so forth). There are no laws made at local levels - The Queen governs nationally and all laws apply to all areas. The only are exempt from national laws is the farm on which the goddesses live (the First Queen thought that applying women's law to the divine might seem a tad presumptious).
The current Queen is named Lily The Ninth. She was elected six years ago after Queen Tina The Tenth died. Her two deputies are Jamie and Darlene.
Queen Lily is remarkably liberal in her views, and intends to stay that way.
Elections
---------
The Queen is elected to office by a popular vote - every citizen gets a vote and whoever has the most votes at the end is Elected. The same process is applied to the two deputy queens - someone can not run for both positions in the same election.
The Queen can resign her office, and if she does the two deputies must also resign as well. However they remain in office until a new Queen is elected.
If The Queen dies in office, the two Deputies rule in her stead until a new Queen and her deputies are elected, at which point the current Deputies must resign.
An election can be called at any time if more than 15% of the nation demand it. The election will be held within two weeks and the results will take effect immediately.
Judiciary
---------
The Judicial System is entirely independent of The Queen's government. When someone wants to become a judge, she takes the examinations and, if she passes, she is elevated to the bench. All judges are required to take the examination every five years (up to the age of 50), every two and a half years (up to the age of 75) and every year after that. Should she fail, she is removed from the bench.
The "bench" is a national body. Judges serve where they are needed, and there is no national court. Should someone require an appeal, a panel of three judges is created for that appeal, drawn by lot from the current available judge pool (those who are not serving, and those who are not on holiday).
The Queen is not permitted to interfere with any part of the judicial process, although she creates and passes the laws. She is also not immune from the judicial system, and can be brought to trial should the cricumstances require.
Punishments
-----------
There is no death penalty in Pallatium, however some crimes are punishable by exile. These include terrorism with bloodshed (not terrorism in general) and high treason in times of war.
Religion
--------
There is no nationally enforced religion in Pallatium, however everyone tends to follow the Three Goddesses. The only national holiday is the day the Three Goddesses revealed themselves to The First Queen, and The Queen's Birthday, which varies depending on the current Queen. The population has freedom of religion, but, as it turns out, knowing your goddesses are living just down the road is a remarkable motivator for faith in a certain religion.
Reproduction and Reproductive Rights
------------------------------------
The Goddesses gave the knowledge of same-sex reproduction to The First Queen. Since then every couple has had the right to have children. In order to facilitate this the couple goes to a hospital and are given the procedure for having children. The procedure is never refused to anyone, unless either member of the couple is underage, or the woman who will be carrying the child is medically incapable of going through pregnancy or childbirth.
Every woman has the right to an abortion, however very, very few are performed. Accidental pregnancy is unheard of, as is unwanted pregnancy. The only reason abortions are ever performed are medical - if the life of the mother is in danger and so forth. And while only a doctor is permitted to decide whether it is necessary, only the couple can make that decision.
For the same reasons that abortions are rarely performed, adoption is almost unheard of as well. The only reason adoptions occur is when children are orphaned and so forth. Every couple has the right to adopt a child (once they are both above the age of majority).
Freedoms
--------
Free Press - the press is entirely free, with only two exceptions. They are not permitted to print stories that are not true (and they have to be able to prove their stories are true when challanged) and during a trial they are limted as to what they can write in order to ensure the trial is fair.
Free Speech and Expression - everyone has the right to free speech and freedom of expression, however it is limited during a trial (people are not permitted to go on TV and attempt to sway the outcome of the trial) and the race relations laws cover various specific instances.
Free Education - all children are educated for free until they turn 13 (age of majority) and are funded for one further learning course should they require it. After that they have to pay for themselves.
The National Motto
------------------
The National Motto was to be "Liberty, Equality and Justice above all", however as this was being decided, the First Queen came in from her garden. She had been practicing her skills with various weapons (at this point in history there were a lot of wild animals about and everyone tended to learn to defend themselves) and her favourite was the boomerang. Apparently she had misjudged where she was throwing her boomerang, and one of her pet whiter chickens had been flying past.
Things get slightly confused in the history archives here, but there was apparently a miscommuncation in the disucssion of the National Motto of "Liberty, Equality and Justice above all" was replaced with "I accidentally bommeranged a chicken"
There has been some discussion about replacing it recently, however Queen Lily kind of likes it as it is.
Other Notes
-----------
Marriage is viewed as a social contract - two people decide they want to be together and can get married. However it is more a symbolic thing than a legal requirement - healthcare, child benifits, adoption rights, birth rights are all available to couples who live together without being married.
Government Type: Elected Monarchy
Government Leader: Queen Lily (The Ninth)
Language : English, Tulan (official language)
Motto : I accidentally boomeranged a chicken (see below)
Description
-----------
Pallatium is an arable country, with very little technology. While every household has free access to the internet, the National Health Service is second to none and there is a fully integrated national transport system, the majority of the country is farmland, and the majority of the population are farmers.
Pallatium is entirely populated by women. As far as historical records show. it has always been this way. The Goddesses of Pallatium (Bobbi, Charlie and Alex) live on a secluded farm out of town, and they say one day they created the population, and granted the knowledge of how to let two women have a child together.
Human Rights
------------
The population of Pallatium mature at what would normally be considered a fairly rapid rate. By the time they are 13 they have completed their schooling, and are ready to start living as adults. Consequently the age of majority in Pallatium is 13. The age of consent is also 13, and the process for having children is outlined below.
Everyone has the right to free healthcare. There is also free press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and of expression and the right to have children.
Government
----------
The Queen (The First Triarch) is elected to her position as absolute ruler of Pallatium. While she has cabinet to advise her, they are not a legislative or executive body and have no say in the final decisions. There are two "deputy Queens" (The Second Triarchs), who are also elected, and - should The Queen become ill or unable to perform her duties - they rule together until a new Queen is elected.
There is no fixed consitution - with the Queen having sole authority over the country there would be little point - however all new laws must be consistant with previous laws, and all new laws can be challanged by the public should more than 55% of the public agree, or by The Judiciary should 35% of the Judiciary agree.
The nation is divided in to nine districts, with four quadrants in each, however these exist purely for administrative purposes (tax collection, registration of births and deaths and so forth). There are no laws made at local levels - The Queen governs nationally and all laws apply to all areas. The only are exempt from national laws is the farm on which the goddesses live (the First Queen thought that applying women's law to the divine might seem a tad presumptious).
The current Queen is named Lily The Ninth. She was elected six years ago after Queen Tina The Tenth died. Her two deputies are Jamie and Darlene.
Queen Lily is remarkably liberal in her views, and intends to stay that way.
Elections
---------
The Queen is elected to office by a popular vote - every citizen gets a vote and whoever has the most votes at the end is Elected. The same process is applied to the two deputy queens - someone can not run for both positions in the same election.
The Queen can resign her office, and if she does the two deputies must also resign as well. However they remain in office until a new Queen is elected.
If The Queen dies in office, the two Deputies rule in her stead until a new Queen and her deputies are elected, at which point the current Deputies must resign.
An election can be called at any time if more than 15% of the nation demand it. The election will be held within two weeks and the results will take effect immediately.
Judiciary
---------
The Judicial System is entirely independent of The Queen's government. When someone wants to become a judge, she takes the examinations and, if she passes, she is elevated to the bench. All judges are required to take the examination every five years (up to the age of 50), every two and a half years (up to the age of 75) and every year after that. Should she fail, she is removed from the bench.
The "bench" is a national body. Judges serve where they are needed, and there is no national court. Should someone require an appeal, a panel of three judges is created for that appeal, drawn by lot from the current available judge pool (those who are not serving, and those who are not on holiday).
The Queen is not permitted to interfere with any part of the judicial process, although she creates and passes the laws. She is also not immune from the judicial system, and can be brought to trial should the cricumstances require.
Punishments
-----------
There is no death penalty in Pallatium, however some crimes are punishable by exile. These include terrorism with bloodshed (not terrorism in general) and high treason in times of war.
Religion
--------
There is no nationally enforced religion in Pallatium, however everyone tends to follow the Three Goddesses. The only national holiday is the day the Three Goddesses revealed themselves to The First Queen, and The Queen's Birthday, which varies depending on the current Queen. The population has freedom of religion, but, as it turns out, knowing your goddesses are living just down the road is a remarkable motivator for faith in a certain religion.
Reproduction and Reproductive Rights
------------------------------------
The Goddesses gave the knowledge of same-sex reproduction to The First Queen. Since then every couple has had the right to have children. In order to facilitate this the couple goes to a hospital and are given the procedure for having children. The procedure is never refused to anyone, unless either member of the couple is underage, or the woman who will be carrying the child is medically incapable of going through pregnancy or childbirth.
Every woman has the right to an abortion, however very, very few are performed. Accidental pregnancy is unheard of, as is unwanted pregnancy. The only reason abortions are ever performed are medical - if the life of the mother is in danger and so forth. And while only a doctor is permitted to decide whether it is necessary, only the couple can make that decision.
For the same reasons that abortions are rarely performed, adoption is almost unheard of as well. The only reason adoptions occur is when children are orphaned and so forth. Every couple has the right to adopt a child (once they are both above the age of majority).
Freedoms
--------
Free Press - the press is entirely free, with only two exceptions. They are not permitted to print stories that are not true (and they have to be able to prove their stories are true when challanged) and during a trial they are limted as to what they can write in order to ensure the trial is fair.
Free Speech and Expression - everyone has the right to free speech and freedom of expression, however it is limited during a trial (people are not permitted to go on TV and attempt to sway the outcome of the trial) and the race relations laws cover various specific instances.
Free Education - all children are educated for free until they turn 13 (age of majority) and are funded for one further learning course should they require it. After that they have to pay for themselves.
The National Motto
------------------
The National Motto was to be "Liberty, Equality and Justice above all", however as this was being decided, the First Queen came in from her garden. She had been practicing her skills with various weapons (at this point in history there were a lot of wild animals about and everyone tended to learn to defend themselves) and her favourite was the boomerang. Apparently she had misjudged where she was throwing her boomerang, and one of her pet whiter chickens had been flying past.
Things get slightly confused in the history archives here, but there was apparently a miscommuncation in the disucssion of the National Motto of "Liberty, Equality and Justice above all" was replaced with "I accidentally bommeranged a chicken"
There has been some discussion about replacing it recently, however Queen Lily kind of likes it as it is.
Other Notes
-----------
Marriage is viewed as a social contract - two people decide they want to be together and can get married. However it is more a symbolic thing than a legal requirement - healthcare, child benifits, adoption rights, birth rights are all available to couples who live together without being married.