New California Republic

The New California Republic (NCR) is a post-War federal republic founded in the namesake territory of New California in 2189. While initially going without a capital city, Shady Sands later became the nation's first capital in 2198, twelve years after the trial council was formed and two years into the first term of its second president, Tandi, with native residents of Shady Sands taking pride in belonging to the first capital of the New California Republic.

Officially, the New California Republic stands for democracy, personal liberty and rule of law, these values have been upheld unevenly both within and without. While many NCR citizens greatly benefit from the republic's expansion, it has also begun to engaged in expansionism and imperialism, both to acquire resources and "civilize" or pacify border regions. The NCR is currently locked in fierce competition with both Vault City and New Reno for control over the northern territories of New California.

Culture

Abstractly, the NCR represents progress; while disorgznized wastelanders and tribes rely on subsistence farming and face hardships in their daily lives, citizens of the NCR gain access to what's essentially wasteland luxuries: a stead economy, healthcare, laws and organized government, not to mention the largest military. The sheer size of the Republic also results in a very diverse population, from affluent merchants and highly educated inhabitants of NCR's urban centers, through hard soldiers and settlers expanding its borders, to farmers and ranchers responsible for its economic might.

History

The history of the NCR dates back to the survivors of Vault 15 who emerged from the shelter around 2097, founding the town of Shady Sands. With the assistance of the Vault Dwellers, who destroyed the Khans, Aradesh and his daughter, Tandi, led the community into prsperity. With expanding trade routes came cultural exchance, eventually culminating in a movement aiming at forming a national entity. The idea took hold and soon won popular support. In 2186, with a trial council government, the New California Republic was established at Shady Sands under a new constitution. Three years later, the republic was fully ratified as a federation with five states organized around major settlements in the wastes: Shady, Los Angeles, Maxson, Hub and Dayglow.

Within a century, the NCR became a model example of post-apocalyptic success and good ethics. Steady expansion and development led to widespread political enfranchisement, the establishment of rule of law and its enforcement, security from threats within and without and standards of living above mere subsistence became reality for its masssive population of over 700,000 citizens.

Iconography

The flag of the New California Republic is directly inspired by the stat flag of California, which depicts a California grizzly bear on a patch of grass.

For its great seal, the NCR uses a silhouette of a bear superimposed on a red-and-black field with three stars on the bottom. In general, the NCR uses some American motifs in their iconography,

reinforcing their perception as the inheritors of the Old World democracy. Instead of futurism, most of their aesthetics invoke the mythologized Wild West era. The variations of the California flag feature the two-headed bear is an example of that. The bear is one of the symbols of the NCR, as a symbol of strength and resilience.

Other symbols of the Republic include its major cities, its founders, and, of course, the NCR Rangers and Army soldiers, citizens willing to serve the Rpublic and fight for it. Several elements of Ranger equipment, such as their iconi attire and weapons, are also used in propaganda materials to appeal to populations within and without.

NCR uniforms often come with a distinct early 20th century look, usually coming in dull faded army-greens, and equipped with a leather breastplate. There is some variation in uniforms, with some coming with an extra bandolie, or cloth shoulder coverings, with simple flat metal helmets that typically come with a pair of goggles to shield the eyes from sandstorms. NCR Rangers Uniforms are old Pre-War LAPD riot armor with the addition of a leather duster.

Demography and Population

New California has been radically growing in population. This growth has allowed the NCR to become the largest known post-War country, with a total population number above ~700,000 (exculsing transients and poeple without citizenship). By 2241, the NCR's massive population has meant a diverse range of commerce and the development of sprawling urban centers. The NCR's sheer number of citizens gives its armed forces a large pool of manpower that the NCR Army can conscript at any time.

Territories

The New California Republic was founded as a federation of five states.

States

• Shady, incorporating Shady Sands, Vault 15, Junktown[Non-game 14] and other neighboring NCR settlements.[5]
• Los Angeles, incorporating Adytum and other settlements in the Boneyard area.[5]
• Hub, incorporating the Hub and other towns.[5]
• Maxson, originally including Lost Hills as an independent enclave. The status is unknown, due to the ongoing NCR-Brotherhood war.[5]
• Dayglow, incorporating towns south of the Angel's Boneyard.[5]

Technological Level

Overall, the NCR is one of the most advanced entity in post-nuclear North America. While smaller organizations possess more advanced weapons, armor or tools (like the Shi), no one can rival the NCR's agriculture, industry, economy and military, with the sole exceptions of the Brotherhood of Steel. Aided strongly by the Followers of the Apocalypse, the NCR thrives and harnesses its greatest resources. However, the technology was not limited to just agriculture. During President Tandi's rule the NCR has see innovations including roads, railways, transportation, manufacturing, forts and more.

Foreign Relations

The NCR is the only known entity after the Great War to have their own division dedicated to foreign relations, possessing their own Department of State. It is responsible for the country's embassies, and also holds the power to empower individuals with the authority to act on behalf of the government. While generally respected, many people in the western waselands have mixed feelings bout the NCR. Some strongly support the NCR's goals of spreading democracy and the rule of law, others are vehemently opposed to their methods of "controlling" everything they come into contact with. Wastelanders who are used to having no more than a mayor or sheriff who suddenly become part of a complex political structure (including taxes), are the most vocal. Some view it as a loss of the frontier lifestyle. As teh NCR's power and territory grows, it makes progressively stronger enemies who stand to test the resolve of the NCR. Under President Tandi, this expansion is slow and sustainable. Allowing towns and other small communities to join of their own volition in order to gain protection for their borders.

Laws

Equality

Founded on priciples of freedom and liberty, the Republic has been putting these into practice over the years. The most important achievement was the banning of slavery in NCR territories, thanks to concerted efforts of influential politicians and the Rangers. One exception was penal labor, which remained on the books and undermined this grand achievement.

Under President Tandi, the NCR has also passed laws that limit the number of cattle head and the acreage of fields that can be owned by a single person, limiting the power of the Stockmen's Association and the Republican Farmer's Committee. Her presidency has also seen the passage of laws prohibiting persecution and discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, sexuality or religious beliefs (so long as said religion does not advocate violence). In 2205, protection was extended to ghouls and other mutants. Enforcement of of these protections is uneven, however. While Dayglow is a state of the NCR, super mutants can be tortured by NCR citizens with impunity while politicians run on anti-mutant platforms.

Civil Law

As mentioned above, NCR citizens have the right to vote for their representatives to sit in the Senate. Both citizens and non-citizens enjoy the protection of NCR's courts (although courts tend to favor citizens in disputes). Freedom of religion is considered a right within the NCR, as long as the religion is not violent or psychotic. At the same time, it enforces a strict separation of church and state thanks to Tandi's policies. Equality legislation is a prohibition of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexuality or aforementioned religious beliefs. Mutants are also protected since 2205, but enforcing this part of the law has been spotty.

Intellectual property laws have been enacted and remain a source of ongoing controversy, particularly patents. The Followers of the Apocalypse are particularly staunch critics of the latter. Marriages and divorces are likewise handled by these courts.

Immigration Laws

Immigration into the NCR is open to both humans and mutants, provided they are law-abiding and peaceful. The process is simple. The person in question moves to an NCR territory, presents their claim for immigration, undergoes citizenship training and once their application is processed, is granted the status of a provisional citizen (PC). Full citizenship is granted shortly afterward. All registered citizens are required to pay any appropriate and associated taxes.

Territories can petition the NCR for annexation. Once the petition is accepted, the NCR grants the town territorial status and establishes the police and army presence in the location to establish the rule of law and eliminate law-breakers. Once this process is completed, the territory can apply for full statehood.

Criminal Law

The NCR has dedicated itself to bringing peace, security and justice to the people within and without their borders. Common criminal laws in the NCR include:

• A ban on slavery (with the exception of penal labor), gambling and prostitution.
• A ban on open carry of weapons (although concealed carry is permitted).
• A ban on public drunkenness and drug use.
• Dismissing caravan members suspected of theft without pay, as per NCR caravan bylaws.

Penalties are generally proportional to the offense, with capital punishment reserved for serious offenses. Murder may, but does not necessarily carry with it a capital sentence. Punishment for criminals inside NCR proper means serving prison time at any number of correctional facilities and penal labor as part of the NCR's work-release program.

Law enforcement tends to become more relaxed on the frontier. The NCR Army isn't keen on peacekeeping activities and usually swiftly punishes crimes committed in and around frontier towns with death. Part of this includes the setting of bounties and delegating the responsibility of capture to able civilians that can bring in criminals that have eluded NCR lawmen or military. At least for the military, bounties require proof in the form of an intact head; anything less conclusive results in a fraction of the bounty being rewarded.

Military Law

The law also recognizes the righs of prisoners of war and approaches their care humanely and free from abuse. Most officers find these laws to be constricting, but resourceful officers find ways around it by employing the service of outside consultants.

Laws pertaining to soldiers are quite severe. Cowardice before the enemy, especially desertion, is punished wiht death by hanging or to be shot on sight. Dishonorable conduct usually leads to a court-martial and may result in execution by firing squad for particularly severe crimes.

Internal Conflicts

In theory, the NCR relies on a sound and well-balanced system. In practice, every state tries to assert its independence and work towards farthing its own agenda. For example, there was much friction between the states of Hub and Shady Sands, usually related to trade rights and caravan routes. Under President Tandi, the NCR has developed substantially, focusing efforts on rebuilding the pre-War infrastructure and restarting technological development, before expanding into Northern California.

However, presidents don't enjoy immunity. President Tandi is the head of a tenuous coalition with the right-wing Frank Carlson as her vice president. Her plans for northward expansion hinge on the diplomatic annexation of Vault 15, and failure of this policy would be an embarrassment sufficient enough to remove her from office, replaced by Roger Westin, a prominent councilor and brahmin baron.

Beyond politics, significant pressure is also exerted on the political and economic direction of the NCR by a variety of private interests; in particular, the aforementioned brahmin barons and other rich, whose wealth gave them disproportional influence among politicians seeking support in their political ambitions. With the armed forces, the Gun Runners were granted special privileges, as the primary suppliers of the Army's arsenal. Monopolies like the Crimson Caravan and similar trading families dominate the trade routes to the detriment of the NCR, using their wealth to influence government policies and squeezing smaller competitors out, unable to compete with both the oligopolic competition and NCR taxes.

Agriculture & Industry

ince its inception, the NCR's market economy based on two resources: Great brahmin herds and vast swaths of land restored to arable condition, providing meat, leather, milk and other goods. As a result, ranchers and farmers held great sway. Aforementioned anti-cartel regulations enacted by Tandi prevented concentration of wealth. Other branches of industry have also developed over time. Light industry, including tools, clohtes making, mills and other manufacturing, form a significant part of the NCR's industrial output.

Another element of the NCR's economy is it ordnance workshops, producing standardized weapons and armor for the New California Republic Army and Rangers. These remain in the hands of merchant houses, who compete for ever more lucrative government contracts. Coupled with ever-expanding trade routes, powerful merchant houses emerge, many of them rooted in pre-NCR New California: Crimson Caravan, the Far Go Traders, and the Gun Runners, which all but completely dominate all trade within New California. Lucrative governemnt contracts for weapons, ammunitions, armor, and other necessities fueling the NCR's expansion solidifies their possition in the economy.

Founding Date

2189

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Currency

The NCR introduced its own money around the start of the 23rd century, initially relying on coins minited from gold. By 2241, the economy of the NCR dominate the West Coat and coins have become universal currency, used by the three regional powers: NCR, Vault City, and New Reno.

Major Exports

Meat, leather, milk, and other brahmin products.

Legislative Body

The NCR Senate (formerly Congress) is staffed by representatives. Each stat sends multiple representatives to sit in the Hall of Congress and towns joining the NCR may negotiate to be granted a seat in the Hall of Congress as one of the conditions for joining. Members of Senate are elected in popular elections by NCR citizens and depending on the territory may be called counciler, counselor, concilman, senator, or even governor. The NCR Senate is responsible for selecting the president to lead the NCR council, passing laws, carrying out congressional hearings on a broad variety of matters, including investigations into criminal actions and profiteering, and acts as an advisory body to the goveernment of the NCR.

Judicial Body

The judicial branch is comprised of courts and judges ruling in accordance with NCR's law and each citizen has the right to vote for a representative of their choice to sit in the Hall of Congress. The courts are known to be slow, but once action starts it is difficult to stop and may bring even great merchant houses to heel.

Executive Body

The President and Vice President of the NCR are elected by the elected NCR Senate. When elcted, the President and their cabinent serve a term of five years. This council helps the president make decisions.

Neighboring Nations

• Vault City

Related Items

• NCR Dollar