Inglo-Scotia
| United Empire of Inglo-Scotia | |||
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| Motto: Dieu et mon droit | |||
| Anthem: The Empire Forever' | |||
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| Capital | Beaconsfield | ||
| Largest city | Beaconsfield | ||
| Population | 62,008,048 | ||
| Official language | Inglish | ||
| Demonym | Inglo-Scotian | ||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy answerable to the Parliament of the United Empire | ||
| Head of state | Emperor Andrew III Richmond | ||
| Head of Government | Prime Minister Stephen Crofts (Social Commonwealth Party) | ||
| Legislature | Parliament of the United Empire | ||
| Area | 230,977 km2 | ||
| GDP | 2.173 trillion USD | ||
| GDP (nominal) | 2.247 trillionUSD | ||
General
The United Empire of Inglo-Scotia (IPA: [ɪŋgloʊ skoʊʃə]) is an island nation. The nation is commonly referred to as "Inglo-Scotia" or "the United Empire." It lies off of the Pelagean subcontinent.
Government, Politics, and Foreign Relations
The country is an constitutional monarchy, currently under the reign of Emperor Andrew III following the assassination of his father Emperor George VII and older brother Imperial Prince William Richmond at the hands of Syndicalist terrorists. Andrew III is the second cousin of Empeurer Nelvil II of Myroria. The Imperial Crown is answerable to the Parliament of the United Empire, made up of two houses. The upper house, the House of Lords, is made up of representatives from the United Empire's noble families. Seats are de jure appointed by the Imperial Crown but are are de facto inherited. The lower house, the House of Commons, is made up of representatives from each electoral district throughout the United Empire. Representatives to the Commons are chosen in a first past the post style election. The government is formed from members of the House of Commons. The Traditionally the Imperial Crown will ask the leader of the party that has won the majority of seats in an election to assume the role of Prime Minister as head of the government and to appoint a cabinet. If no majority is achieved in an election the Imperial Crown may decide to entrust government to the largest minority party or urge two or more parties to agree to a coalition government. All legislation must pass through the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Imperial Crown had de jure veto power over any piece of legislation passed by Parliament. Parliament may sit for up to five years before the Imperial Crown has to dissolve it and call another election. Parliament may be dissolved and an election called earlier if a minority government receives a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons. When this happens the Imperial Crown will dissolve Parliament and call an election.
There are four political parties with representation in the House of Commons. The Tory Party is traditionally a right-of-centre party that has the nobility and upper middle class as its base of support. Reformers within the Tory Party have advocated an alliance with emerging big business interests, but the older mentality of "gentlemanly politics" within the Party seems to have won out. The Tory Party sums up their program as "Crown, Church, Country." The Tories are associated with the colour blue.
The Whig Party is traditionally a centrist to left-of-centre party. The Whigs and Tories have existed as rivals for most of the country's political history. The Whigs draw on the middle and lower classes for support, as well as societal reformers. They claim to champion the rights of under-represented. The Whigs are associated with the colour orange.
The Syndicalist Party is a Marxist party dedicated to, at the very least, state ownership of the major industries, those being banking, railways, mining, and manufacturing. More extreme elements call for complete state ownership of all industry and business. The moderate wing calls for the elimination of the House of Lords. The radical wing calls for the elimination of the House of Lords, the monarchy, and titles of nobility. The radical wing is associated with republicanism under the control of what it calls "the people's dictatorship." The Syndicalists draw their support from the working industrial and agricultural classes, though its support is much stronger in among industrial workers then agricultural workers. Intellectual Marxists also form a solid base of support for the Syndicalist Party. The Syndicalists are associated with the colour red.
The Social Commonwealth Party is a right wing nationalist party dedicated to opposing Syndicalism, radical organized labour, and what it deems "other coercive elements in our society." The Syndicalists were formed among veterans of Imperial campaigns the world over in response to the growing Syndicalist-endorsed miners' strike. The Social Commonwealth Party grew, drawing in disenfranchised youth and young reformers who saw a need for drastic changes in society. The Whig government was hesitant to authorize the use of force on its own citizens during the miners' strike. The Social Commonwealth Party formed a paramilitary wing, the Guardians, and offered them to mine owners as muscle to be used against the strikers. The growing big business interests in the United Empire were looking to establish a working relationship with a political party. After being rebuked by the aristocratically minded Tories they found natural allies in the Social Commonwealth movement. The country saw the Whigs as ineffectual in dealing with the strike and saw the Social Commonwealth Party as the only party willing to take action to restore order. In the elections following the strike the Social Commonwealth Party emerged with 70% of the seats in the House of Commons. Their leader, Stephen Crofts, is now Prime Minister.
The United Empire of Inglo-Scotia maintains close relations with the Confederate States of Sovereign Dixie, Myroria, and Eluvatar. The United Empire is also semi-sovereign over four Dominions carved out of its colonial Empire. These nations, more or less, are free to pursue their own domestic and foreign policies, though they recognize the Imperial Crown as sovereign. The Parliament of the United Empire has de jure veto power over the individual Parliaments of the Dominions. The Dominions are Kanada, Alexandria, Baharia, and Drakeland. The Imperial Armed Forces serve as the military arm of the United Empire. The Imperial Crown serves as Commander-in-Chief, currently Emperor Andrew III. Below him is the Imperial General Staff, currently run by Field Marshall Adam Theriot.
Religion
The Inglo-Scotian Communion Church, a branch of Christianity, is the official religion of the United Empire. It was established in 1606 when Emperor Tobias I broke with the Myrorian Catholic Church over what he perceived to be a lack of morality taking hold in the Myrorian Catholic Church. The Imperial Crown is the head of the Communion Church, currently Emperor Andrew III. Religious freedom is allowed within the United Empire. Myrorian Catholics make up the largest non-Communion group, with assorted Christians making up the third. Jews make up 1% of the population.
History
The United Empire of Inglo-Scotia came into being in 1603 when King Henry VI of Ingland died without an heir. The next in line to the Inglish throne was King Tobias IV of Scotia. He was crowned King Tobias I of Ingland. Later that year he dissolved both Kingdoms and established the United Empire of Inglo-Scotia with himself as Emperor Tobias I. The representatives from Scotia's Parliament in Davidston merged with the Inglish Parliament in Beaconsfield. In 1606 Emperor Tobias I broke with the Myrorian Catholic Church, establishing himself as the head of the Inglo-Scotian Communion Church. In 1688 Emperor Peter V converts to Myrorian Catholicism. This causes a crisis within Parliament and the Communion Church. William Richmond, Duke of Norfolk, is asked to dispose Peter V, as he's married to Peter V's eldest child, Princess Anne. Both are committed members of the Communion Church. William Richmond agrees and moves on Beaconsfield with an army raised by Parliament. Peter V's own troops abandon him and he flees to Myroria. The revolution is, more or less, bloodless. Parliament declares that Peter V has abdicated. William Richmond is crowned William IV. The Richmond dynasty remains in place today. In 1776 the Amerikan colonies rebel. Emperor Edward II insists that they must be brought to heel. The Amerikans pull off a surprising victory and establish themselves as the Democratic States of Amerika. In 1861 rouge southern states within the DSA secede and form the Confederate States of Sovereign Dixie. The CSSD asks for Inglo-Scotian recognition. Inglo-Scotia can see the benefits to an alliance, but the question of slavery makes the United Empire hesitant to commit. In 1862 the United Empire arranges for a diplomat representing Empress Alexandria to meet with Confederate diplomats in the Inglo-Scotian colony of Lucaya. Two Confederate diplomats board the civilian Inglo-Scotian passenger ship, the Jaguar at Tampa, Florida. A DSA naval ship boards the civilian liner and arrests the two Confederate diplomats. The United Empire declares that the DSA has breached international law by boarding a civilian liner and declares war. Empress Alexandria personally reads the confirmation of Inglo-Scotian recognition of the CSSD's independence in the House of Commons. UE troops enter Maine and Montana from Kanada while the Imperial Navy breaks the DSA's naval blockade of the Confederacy. CSSD forces push into Ohio, cutting the DSA in two. The DSA is forced to recognize the CSSD's independence. In 1894 the UE pressures the CSSD to abolish slavery. The UE successfully concludes Project Excalibur, detonating its first atomic bomb in 1954.
