Fryslân
Fryslân Holdings, Incorporated Fryslân Holdings, Opnimme | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of Arms
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| Motto: "Fryslân boppe!" "Fryslân above!" | |
| Anthem: "Frisian national anthem" | |
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| Capital | Ljouwert |
| Largest city | Snits |
| Official languages | Frisian |
| Ethnic groups |
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| Demonym(s) | Frisian |
| Government | Corporation |
• CEO | supersteef2000 |
| Jiltsje Jildinga | |
| Legislature | Board |
| Formation | |
• Established the state of Mexico | 23 December 2020 |
• Renamed to Fryslân | 30 January 2021 |
• Migrated to modern-day Fryslân | 12 February 2021 |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 1 |
| Currency | Frisian Peso (FYP) |
| Mains electricity | 230 V–50 Hz |
| Driving side | right |
Fryslân is a country on the Central and Western seas. It is the only country in the world to follow an anarcho-capitalist mode of government. It is led by CEO supersteef2000. Fryslân is currently undergoing a civil war between its corporate regime, communists, abolitionists, and monarchists.
History
Fryslân was announced on the same day that Mexico collapsed, and has been seen as its successor state ever since. The reason for the relocation southwards is to access South Sea naval traffic. While this surge in naval trade has not entirely taken place - Fryslân has only one port and one ship - the state has still proved somewhat of an innovator in naval matters, creating the world's first ever submarine.
Frisian Civil War
Since its birth, Fryslân had operated under the principles of anarcho-capitalism. All of its territory was officially the property of the corporation Fryslân Holdings, Inc. with the CEO acting as ruler. This status quo was met with unrest for much of the small state's early history - workers went on strike to demand their rights, looking to the Water Tribe for inspiration; liberal abolitionists were inspired by the balanced powers of the state seen in the nearby AAPC; and a small group looked towards the Earth Kingdom's monarchical structure as a model to emulate.
On the 11th of July 2021, the Frisian civil war began as a group of communists seized control of the Snitser Terp, a strategic location in the centre of the country, and refused access to all Fryslân Holdings, Inc. employees. Seeing this, abolitionists on the small island of Nij-Starum in the Nij-Fryslân colonies followed by taking control of the island's administration. The Communists released a manifesto, calling for a minimum wage and the end of corporate rule.
The Frisian Communist Manifesto
The conflict soon escalated in the region. The Quadruple Alliance (consisting of the Air Nation, Fire Nation, Water Tribe, and Cassland) issued a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire, anxious about the conflict spilling into Water Tribe territory. The Ratzorean government offered its support to the communists following a reconnaissance mission, setting a precedent for support to far-left groups in foreign conflicts, soon followed by the Free Territory. The Earth Kingdom navy was deployed to protect the Western Canal where construction began on shore fortifications and gates. Atlas, a relatively new and far nation at this time, stated moral support for the revolutionaries and said they would accept all refugees. Notably, neither the anarcho-capitalists nor the abolitionists received foreign support.
People of Fryslan [sic], rise up against your oppressors! Strike now, while the iron is hot, and liberate yourself from the chains of capital! We in the Free Territory already enjoy the freedom and liberty of a classless, stateless society. We invite you to join us in our paradise, without status nor class nor poverty to mar our beautiful world.
Press release cosigned by the People's Association for Foreign Affairs and the Comrade-General of the Free Territory, published in the Mercenary Monthly on the 12th of July 2021
Communist offensives continued, with the expansion of territory on the mainland and landings in Skylge and West-Fryslân. Abolitionists gained a toehold on the provincial capital of Nij-Ljouwert. While the communist forces saw a fair deal of early success on the mainland, their overseas adventures failed as the West-Frisian offensive starved in the deserts and the Skylge offensive petered out shortly after it started. Abolitionists employed a reverse strategy, securing increasingly larger islands at corporate expense until they reached the mainland. As the communist ability to secure the mainland began to peter out under increasingly militaristic corporate resistance (earlier doctrines held sway that violence was inherently antithetical to capitalism, so the corporation did not resist), the monarchists brewed on Nij-Ljouwert. They rose up to partition the island with the local abolitionists, thereby ousting corporate rule from Nij-Fryslân entirely after abolitionists seized the remaining islands. They picked Vidcom, a merchant who frequented the port, as their king. Vidcom did not accept this request and had moved his company's ships to the AAPC before this uprising began.
While the abolitionists gradually seized control of the remnants of Skylge, West-Fryslân, and Nij-Fryslân, the communists found themselves increasingly pushed back by vengeful corporate militias. Attempting to expand westwards to link up with an untouched communist pocket, they were caught off-balance by a sudden offensive to their north, bringing their capital of Snits into jeopardy. Mass defections began as the communists in Snits, or "Eastern Communists", began to feel the war was hopeless. In the western pocket, an offensive would soon begin as the party split between the two cliques. Abolitionists soon severely hampered the progress of this corporate offensive in Snits as they managed to seize control of the capital, Ljouwert, around the same time that monarchists began landings on the mainland.
While the corporate capital languished as Ljouwert Tower was put to siege and CEO Steef forced to flee to an underground bunker, independent corporate militia were able to land at Nij-Ljouwert and seize control of the docks while remaining militia in Snits continued their offensive against the communists. Shortly before this happened, two significant events happened: the signing of the Treaty of Borealis, and the outbreak of the Mexican War. The Treaty was an effort by the Quadruple Alliance and Earth Kingdom to bring about a peaceful end to the conflict, which guaranteed a free assembly with each of the four Frisian regions guaranteed a representative. The communists signed this deal while the others did not. This diplomatic effort soon lost interest as events in New Mexico took greater priority for the great powers.
Geography
Frisian geography is one of the most defining aspects of the nation's culture and governance. The country can be divided into four main island groups. These are, in descending order of population:
- Mainland Fryslân
- Nij-Fryslân
- West-Fryslân
- Skylge
- Nij-Grinslân
Mainland Fryslân
The mainland hosts the capital, Ljouwert, as well as the major settlement of Snits. While most of the mainland terrain is uninhabited desert, the east coast is significantly fertile and well-populated. To the northern border is the Earth Kingdom, in particular its Western Canal which connects the Central Sea to the Western Sea. Ships travelling between Ljouwert and either West-Fryslân or Nij-Fryslân must use this canal, which has ensured strong Earth interest in Frisian affairs. During the civil war, the canal was kept open to debatable consequence - it is possible that this was a signal of Earth Kingdom support for the anarcho-capitalist regime, but it may also be the reason for the successful abolitionist and monarchist invasions.
To the south of the mainland is the Water Tribe. While the tribe has no clear geopolitical assets near the border like their northern neighbours, the security of their border has been a primary concern, as shown by the Treaty of Borealis wherein the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, and other major powers attempted to negotiate a peace treaty in order to secure the frontier. Water Tribe settlements, such as Borealis and Columnstown, lie near the border, and the Frisian town of Snits sits directly on it at points.
The primary achievement of the mainland is the Ljouwert Tower. This tower is the headquarters of the anarcho-capitalist administration and is visible to all ships that pass through the Western Canal.
Nij-Fryslân
Nij-Fryslân, or "New Fryslân", is a collection of small islands to the northwest of the mainland. These are sparsely populated with the exception of Nij-Ljouwert, located in the centre of the archipelago and serving as the regional capital. Acting as a maritime crossroads, the colonies have proven to revolutionise Frisian trade. The Water Tribe-based trade company, the New Frontiers Mercantile Company, established its first foreign base there. This trade was used to exchange rare regional goods with Ratzores and the Andorran colonies, the AAPC. These were then traded on the mainland too, which could then sail to their home port at Polaris. This represented a major leap forward for the trade reach of Fryslân and some of the first trade contact that Ratzores would have beyond the borders of the AAPC.
While the colonies have proven to be highly profitable, their unique status as a cultural crossroads has also seen them become highly politically engaged. The Frisian abolitionist movement began on the smallest island in the area, Nij-Starum, where it soon spread across the area and then to the rest of the wider nation. Defined by protest tactics that verge on violence, this approach was in stark contrast to the communist uprisings that took place on the mainland at the same time. The abolitionist movement was highly influenced by the nearby AAPC and its unique constitutional arrangement that balanced local interests, the mainland's government and its executive, and the negotiation of alliances with its "princely states", the Earth Kingdom and Free Territory.
On Nij-Ljouwert, one of the last places to fall to the abolitionists, another unique ideological movement began with the Viddite monarchists. Seizing the docks, they soon partitioned the island (an agreement which would not last) and spread to the mainland. While the majority of Nij-Fryslân remained firmly in the abolitionist camp, it is telling that the largest and most significant port in the area would see not one but two uprisings. The monarchists drew their ideals from the nearby Earth Kingdom, where autocracy had served the vast kingdom well and ensured the might of the regional hegemon, the Earth Kingdom Navy.
West-Fryslân
The second largest of the four divisions of Fryslân, West-Fryslân is one of the most sparsely populated. Entirely consisting of desert, the island has evidence of explosion mining prior to Frisian incorporation. It is heavily influenced by its closest neighbour, the AAPC. A friendly regional rivalry exists between the two nearby territories as fellow western colonies - the nearest AAPC parish to West-Fryslân, the Parròquia d'Àneu, commissioned an enormous Andorran flag pole on the beach at the nearest point between the two states, visible to the West-Frisians, as part of this rivalry.
The West has seen little violence during the civil war. A communist excursion successfully seized the small island of Gryn off the coast of West-Fryslân but then languished in the desert. The Gryn garrison responded to this disaster by laying down their arms but refusing to evacuate the island. Abolitionists from Nij-Fryslân were able to pick up where the communists left off, gradually seizing the island as part of the wider strategy of isolating the mainland.
Skylge
While it is the smallest of the four divisions of Fryslân in terms of net area, Skylge is one of the most habitable after the mainland. It has a relatively low population and has spent much of the civil war partitioned between a heavily fortified communist west and much larger abolitionist east. The most notable fact of this region is that, after the outbreak of hostilities on the mainland, the only submarine in the world was relocated to Skylge for safekeeping. Due to poor communications and inaction, this submarine was briefly captured by abolitionists before an anarcho-capitalist special forces team was able to sail it back to Ljouwert. It is unknown what the status of the submarine is at the present, as the siege of Ljouwert Tower continues.
Nij-Grinslân
TODO
Government and politics
Fryslân is the only society in the world to govern itself via the anarcho-capitalist model. Strictly speaking, there is no Frisian state, nor armed forces nor taxes. Instead, the company Fryslân International operates the land independently in a manner akin to a government. This ideological commitment has seen unusual choices, such as the total lack of response to rebel offensives at the start of the civil war, motivated by fear of "violating the Non-Aggression Principle". Some states, such as Ratzores, have questioned the legitimacy of Frisian independence due to the lack of a legal framework for the company to say it exists within, thus rendering any claims to property null. Fryslân Int. has responded to these claims in the past by arguing that property is a fundamental right, and thus does not require a legal framework for it to be recognised. For the purpose of clarity, this page shall address Fryslân as if it were a state, with reference to the proper name and function of each quasi-state aspect.
The capital of Fryslân is Ljouwert, on the east coast of the mainland. The territory is centrally administered by the company from its headquarters in Ljouwert Tower, a local architectural marvel. The leader of the company, and thus the territory, is the CEO supersteef2000. Power is administered through the company board which oversees different functions in a manner similar to ministers, with their subordinates reporting on local growth, competitor activities, and market expansion opportunities.
While Fryslân's unique style of governance grants certain freedoms, such as freedom from taxes, it also imposes in many other ways. There has been a long history of agitation for reform in the society, most of which was put down by hired militia or stone-walled by the company. This has likely played a significant contributing role to the outbreak of the civil war.
Economy
As an anarcho-capitalist society, Fryslân does not operate under principles of social wellbeing or distribution. Instead, profit is the primary motive which is used to grow the company. Taxation does not exist, but as all property is owned by Fryslân Int., there is in effect a 100% sales tax on any goods bought or sold as all the funds (usually wages paid by Fryslân Int. to its employees) will return to the company.
The local economy of Fryslân is primarily agrarian due to the general lack of development in the area. Fryslân Int. behaves more like a modern office firm for the purposes of administering its assets and workforce, but the majority of Frisians work for self-sustenance. The primary industries of Fryslân are mining, construction, and trade via its extensive maritime network in the region.
Demographics
Fryslân was settled by the remnants of the former state of Mexico, but there is little memory of this period. The local language is Frisian which has tenuous relations to the languages of its neighbours, the Water Tribe and Andorra and none at all to the language of the Earth Kingdom.
Fryslân is one of the few states in the world with no explicit element of choice, unlike other states such as the Earth Kingdom or Fire Nation. That being said, its population is almost entirely Spirits. Most are Light Spirits, including the CEO, but there is a noticeable Dark Spirits minority. There are a few individuals who are capable of Earthbending or Waterbending, most of which are the descendants of early explorers from the Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe.
| Demographic | Relative share of population (%) |
|---|---|
| Frisian (Light Spirit) | 85% |
| Frisian (Dark Spirit) | 7% |
| Earthbender | 3% |
| Waterbender | 3% |
| Andorran | 2% |
| Total | 100% |
Table of relative demographic sizes in Fryslân
Culture
Due to the hardships faced by the average Frisian and the highly individualistic culture of the company, Frisian culture is known for its rugged attitude and a tendency to keep one's head low. Fryslân reflects this in its foreign policy, remaining as one of the few neutral nations in the world system of alliances. Hard work is a highly valued trait to some, but this is not to say that company culture is identical to the national culture. The ongoing civil war has shown that the Frisian way of life and what the nation ought to value is still very much up for debate.
Trivia
- The vast majority of Frisians are left-handed, with CEO supersteef2000 being a part of the minority of right-handed Frisians.
- The migrant people of Fryslân are indirectly responsible for the deaths of many, because if Fryslân had never migrated, the Mexican War would have never taken place.
- Fryslân Holdings, Inc. has not yet officially recognised the existence of a continent of Nij-Fryslân, this is likely to be the result of the quarantine by the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe.
- Despite being the direct descendant of Mexico, and most Frisians who migrated still being alive, no one in Fryslân speaks Mexican.
- Frisians make up 100% of the Frisian people, as there is no law dictating who is and isn't a Frisian.
- Fryslân has the highest economic inequality ever seen in history. Fryslân Holdings, Inc. acknowledges this fact, and claims to be proud of it.