The Worker's Republic of Fulgistan

[Fulgistan]

 

 

The Worker's Republic of Fulgistan

Official Name: Worker's Republic of Fulgistan

Capital City: Bogd Gioro

Government Type: One-Party Communist Democracy

Government Branches: People's Revolutionary Council

Federalist or Unitary: Unitary

Head of State: General Secretary Tomur Almas

Official Languages: Fulgi (85%),  Yasir (18%), Sa Haran (4%)
Religions: Sunni Islam [Sufi minority included] (64%), Non-Religious (30%) Other (6%)
Population: 32,000,000 (80% Gishuun, 18% Bozaan, 2% Other)
Currency: tenge (₸)

GDP: $396,000,000,000 USD

Drives on the: right
National Anthem: Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No Fulgistan

History: The prehistory (and indeed, the early history) of the area that now comprises the WRF is difficult to piece together. The reasons for this mainly lie in the late development of a written language (ca. AD 300) and the nomadic lifestyle of its inhabitants, reducing the amount of material culture available to archaeologists. Though tribes with recognizable names like "Felgae" and "Yazzir" are mentioned in traveler's works of the High Medieval Period, it is not until the mid-17th century that the Sultanate of Fulgiyan (meaning "land of the people of the red banner" in the eponymous language) was established, marking the first cohesive state in the area. However, the population remained decentralized, with most continuing to lead a pastoral, nomadic life.

This state of affairs remained roughly unchanged until the mid-19th century, when Sultan Mehmed, in imitation of Europan states, undertook a series of decades-long urbanization and industrialization programs, levying heavy taxes on the populace to fund it. This sparked the Dzunghar Uprising of 1874 and the Bozaan Revolt in 1890. Seeing that taxation was an inefficient and unpopular method of garnering capital, Mehmed's son Selim III instead courted foreign investors and industrialists, leading to the rapid growth of coastal cities and the capital.

In 1923, Fulgi-speaking student groups, dissatisfied with the overwhelming economic presence of foreign powers in the country, as well as unrepresentative rule by the Sultan's Hormuz-speaking government, organized themselves into a loose communo-syndicalist group that was then dubbed the Fulgistan Proletarian Union, led by the political theorist Jian "Big Sword" Bozaan, a man who, even to this day, leaves a controversial legacy.  In the months and years that followed, Fulgiyan would see the overthrow of the Sultan, the expulsion and seizure of foreign businesses, and the creation of an entirely new government, which then renamed the country to the Worker's Republic of Fulgistan, a name it bears to this day.

 

The period from the 1930s to the late 1950s was one of hardship, purges and reprisals. Independent militias, some politically motivated, others by simple greed, conducted massacres, rapes and assaults against "class enemies", whilst the government in Bogd Gioro struggled to police the wide ranges of its nation's frontiers. In 1961, the dark horse Ismail Tunyaz became General Secretary, and began immediately working to bring order to the country. The Revolutionary Guard, having become in the aftermath of the revolution a corrupt and brutal organization, was swiftly reformed, and a large number of officers and enlisted men who had participated in the criminal acts of the organization were swiftly bundled off to labor camps in the interior. Establishing a policy of "reform through devotion to the Party", Tunyaz extended an offer of general amnesty to all frontier bandits and political criminals, on the condition that such former enemies of the state then provide 15 years military or 20 years industrial service.

Tunyaz, on his death in 1981, left behind a fairly industrialized and relatively stable nation. Though problems persist to this day with Islamist, Nationalist and ethno-centrist paramilitary groups, the Fulgistan Revolutionary Guard is a thoroughly professional, if less well-equipped, military force, expert at navigating rough terrain and operating on horseback. Fulgistan enjoys a stable, if not spectacular, economy, exporting primarily horses, textiles, coal and steel, and importing arms, many consumer goods, and telecommunications equipment. The current General Secretary, Tomur Almas, is much more open to the world outside the nation's borders than his predecessors were.

Edited June 24, 2018 by Fulgistan
Update (see edit history)

[Fulgistan]

Leisure in the Land of the Horse: What the Fulgistani Do For Fun

Naturally, many traditional activities in Fulgistan revolve around the nation's ubiquitous horses. Races, (including the famous bareback relay) are common, especially during festivals and holidays, as are horse fights in Orda Commune areas. This practice, while discouraged by the government in recent years, remains legal for the time being, and enjoys significant popularity in rural areas. Deaths, though not unheard of, are rare. 

The Fulgistani nomads also often take part in big game hunting, typically of leopard or eland, and the Sub-Bureau for Foreign Tourism offers several "nomad safari" packages to visitors looking to bag their own trophy from the saddle. Falconry, too, is a traditional method of hunting, and typically makes use of trained saker falcons in the taking of small game and birds. Fishing in the country's rivers and ocean is somewhat popular, but is generally seen as an activity for children or the elderly, and is not typically considered a serious sport.

The most popular sport in Fulgistan is baseball, with every Urban Commune having at least 1 team. The Provincial League consists of volunteer teams fielded from one of a Commune's trade associations (i.e. Wulumuqi Chemists, Kishtan Civic Engineers, Xintou Nurses and Orderlies). Typically, these teams only play within the province, although some attain regional or national renown. The National League teams are made up of professional players, each representing a single province. These teams feature a mix of players from the Provincial League and foreign athletes. The most famous and popular teams are the Wulumuqi Tiger Sharks, Jintakh Jets (a favorite in Orda Communes) and the Bogd Gioro Thunder. National League games are broadcast over radio and television simultaneously, with commentary.

Gambling is outlawed in most of the country, only being legal in Samarkhand Province SEZ in state-owned casinos, and is generally more popular with foreigners then with natives. Prostitution is illegal throughout the country, and has been since the revolution. Recreational use of marijuana and alcohol is tolerated, especially in Orda Communes, but government propaganda programs encourage temperance. Alcohol is not very popular among the nation's Muslim majority, but as more Fulgistani move into cities and leave tradition behind, beer, including several domestic varieties made from bananas, has become a popular beverage on an urban night out. Tea and coffee are popular beverages, generally drunk without milk but with sugar and other flavoring agents. The primary recreational drug, aside from alcohol and caffeine, are cigarettes and kreteks, on which the government has a monopoly. This has proved troublesome, as officials are unwilling to reduce profits on tobacco, but also consider the widespread smoking in the country (including among children) to be a public health crisis. A final decision on tobacco smoking in Fulgistan has yet to be reached.

Edited May 16, 2018 by Fulgistan (see edit history)