Union of Gryphos
Introduction
A Young country compared to all of it's neighbors but Gryphos is a proud and emerging nation with great dreams for the rest of the Griffin Kingdoms. It seceded from the Griffin Kingdoms in 4460 and is frequently joked about for it's direct democracy system and it's slowness in various matters. That being Said, Gryphos is one of the most stable nations in the world right now. This stability is done through careful balance and fine tuning to make their syndicalist system work in the real world. Rather then being blindly loyal to their ideology, they take a Pragmatic approach to it and use various systems and strategies to make this unlikely government type not only function but operate smoothly with foreign governments and run a well functioning military that keeps invaders at bay, even if it lacks the proper means to invade, for now.Government
As discussed before, Gryphos are syndicalists which is a type of Direct Socialist Democracy. The overall goal of the government is to one way create a world without Capitalism and without states. Rather then choosing violent revolution and conquest. Gryphos instead uses it's own State to promote multilateralism and blur borders between states, to unite them in Alliances and slowly erode the need for separate national states. Even though they wish to disband Capitalism, they wish to do this over time and instead has mostly disbanded big businesses within their own state allowing private business ventures with zero intention to destroy them. Internationally they sell goods and buy goods and work with other countries who still run the system in their own countries. When making decisions about peoples lives, the government decides via the vote of Major Unions which are made up of smaller unions all the way down to the individual. Every policy is decided by the consensus of these unions which directly operate as the voices of their industries, their workers and just about anyone / anything else. While this optimized system is still slow, it's very rare that a sizable number of people feel unconsidered or unrepresented resulting in very low amounts of radical ideology in their government as the people generally float around moderate options in safe well functioning countries.International / Security Affairs
When addressing these affairs, these require the speed an finesse that massive voting blocks can't achieve and so the President is elected based off direct voting of the people with zero parties and Union backing. This is where the Federal Government comes in, they are made up of various unions that represent interests in the councils. The President and the Diplomatic Office handle the overall decisions while Large unions handle other affairs like minor trading deals. Pacts, deals and smaller stuff. While things like war declaration, major diplomatic alignments or re-alignments and major deals is handled by the President and diplomatic office. This operates in tandem with The Union Army.Elections
Elections are always the softest spot of any democratic system, with a system that depends so heavily on votes for so many decisions. Security is Paramount with some of the most extreme and rigid election security in the world. Every ballot must be validated and tracible. To preform this, every ballot has a small aura crystal that is infused with a fragment of the voter's aura. Tracing every ballot back to the voter directly and each Ballot is passed through various eyes along it's journey for counting. People are only allowed to Vote once and the Union of Ballots that handles the voting ballots is disallowed from receiving any money except Tax Money.The Oxymoron of a Syndicalist Anarchic Government
Keenly aware of the Contradiction, every Union works together to make as little interference into people's daily affairs as much as possible. Precipitation in government while highly encouraged is optional. It is entirely possible to live off grid, by your own means with your own little community and not bother anyone. That being said certain legal standards need to upheld and during the early days of Gryphos, Community enforcement suffered diminishing returns as those who would rather pillage and raid kept getting more powerful then the Community Justice Enforcers. This makes the question of eventual disbandment of the state a sensitive topic as Gryphos has witnessed the disbandment of law and order across various places and indeed the lawlessness of the Griffin Kingdoms is what enabled the tyrants who rule that empire to rule. Indeed, Historically the Wild West Pre-Lexer was a lawless and dangerous place where might made right. Writer Alisa Osipova once wrote a book called "The Perfect Utopia, and why we can't have it" in 4475 with it being perfectly summarized in this quote "This leads one to question; why can't we simply disband and have the Community Orientated Utopia we all dream of, tomorrow? The answer is quite simple really, we're all alive and thus have needs. These needs are a natural pull to Greed, even our own cells are greedy as when they grow hungry, they retain more energy because of the perception of need. So long as we have needs, we cannot achieve Anarchy. There will always be those who will take instead of give, and they will always be more alluring for they always have the most for they do not need to toil to have what they have." Instead of giving up and simply accepting States as they are, Gryphos works towards the concept of "The Evolved States" a type of Statism that provides the right to living as one pleases while also maintaining necessary limits without what's deemed as necessary changing on the whims of every election and according to growing 'Big Interests'. So far this has been a success, with the people making informed decisions for themselves and working to keep a happy medium to discourage and suppress the growth of extremes within the unions. That being said, Gryphos is a small country compared to it's neighbors and the concern is that once Gryphos grows to a certain size? Big Interests will grow to powerful for the simple individual to curtail and Gryphos will no longer be Syndicalist and indeed may even lose it's Democracy. There is a very big risk of this.Economy & Unions
Gryphos is the only country in which you do not require money to live inside of. Instead they operate on a work credit system. The Credit Union tracks the hard work of every worker and gives them "Credit Points" which is imaginary thing that essentially says that an individual has contributed this many hours to the community and thus can attain this specific resource. This obviously flirts a lot with Currency however nothing prohibits Bartering or simple down right charity. To get bread, a worker would simply need to work for 30 minutes and that is Half a work credit in which they can grab a loaf of bread, milk, some butter and jam. A full work day can generate extremely comfortable living standards. Any type of work is valid so long as it generates a product. Scamming someone does not generate you Credit Points but sweeping the floors of a store for 30 minutes is enough to get you a quick lunch.Unions
Companies do not exist in Gryphos, they are banned. Instead Unions run and produce everything. Anyone can start a Union with the appropriate number of Work credits. The Endorsement of the community they will be operating for and various other individuals who all have the appropriate work credits and endorsements. The Unions operate as community organizations that work together to generate products for their community and beyond.Large Unions
Large Unions are a web of Unions that unite together under representative and are active forces within the Government. These Large Unions are the Umbrella organizations and economically speaking. They are the regulatory bodies and serve as servants of the community. To create a large Union, you need endorsement of various Unions and for the communities they work for to vote in majority to officialize your Large Union. These Unions include but are not limited to: The Credit Union - More financially mindedThe Civil Union - Civil and Sapient Rights focused
The Justice Union - Law Enforcement
The Ballot Union - Handles Elections
The Trade Union - Handles all Trade
The Transport Union - Handles infrastructure and Transport
The Economic Union - Handles Foreign Currency
Watch Dogs Union - Main Regulators and Inspectors
The Education Union - Handles Education
A Novel Economy
Because there is no Internal Currency and zero companies, most nation states has zero understanding of how such a System even begins to work. Indeed the Economy is the most Democratic one in existence and will probably never be topped in terms of free choice and self determination. It has a external currency which is the Bit, and uses Bits to buy and sell things outside of it's borders. The main goal of this external currency is to provide for those inside of it's borders with resources and good not native to Gryphos. Though subject to it's own flaws and short comings as well as it's own periods of instability. Gryphos does present a workable alternative to the ages old standard model that nearly every other economy works on.Culture
To say Gryphos is Community Orientated is like pointing out the Sun comes up every day. Gryphos is first and foremost, a former Griffin Kingdoms state and it's overwhelming Slavic influence is very hard to under state. Though geographically isolated from the rest of the world in a lot of ways, it does have some species or racial if you prefer diversity. Indeed in the pursuit of a more Anarchic society, you will not be judged for loving the same Sex or identifying differently. Oddly though, there is a underlying fear over two particular ideologies and if you hold them, you will find your self shunned from gryphian society quite completely.Totalism in Gryphos
The absolute, most hated ideology in Gryphos, seeing it as the worst evolution of Statism in recorded history. Seeing it as a toxic cancer that poison societies and msut be exterminated at all costs. This ideology is so hated that murders of Totalists has happened and they have gone unpunished. Totalism is entirely antithetical to Gryphos and that goes for any brand of totalitarian ideology. If Nazi's existed in their day and age, any Neo Nazi would find themselves in great danger. The hatred is in fact, that bad.Equalism in Gryphos
In a past age in human history, there was a time where the idea of Bolshiveks and Syndicalists working together may not of been entirely out of the realm of possibility. However in Gryphos, Equalism is seen as another tyrannical Statist idea masquerading as Alternative and Freedom loving. If you are an Equalist in Gryphos you will have a very, very difficult time living there and be treated with utmost suspicion.Religion in Gryphos
The Church of the Goddess has a very strong hold in Gryphos with other religions existing as rare minorities in the country. Nearly everyone preys to the Goddess and the church is big cultural and community landmark. This is a hold over from the Griffin Kingdoms and it is unlikely to change any time soon.Holidays
Gryphos celebrates Hallows Eve or Nightmare Night. It also celebrates Hearths Warming, Valentines day. Summer Solstice, Moon's peak and Light's Eve from the Church of the Goddess. Various other holidays exist between the community and it is not uncommon to see many festivals and shows going on frequently. There is a revolutionary holiday Called 'Ascension Day' which celebrates the anniversary of Gryphos' secession and foundation.Fashion
They do have a Eastern European style going with their style but they also have some Manhatten style 'modern' clothing with a big revolutionary flare. It is not uncommon for people to wear pins, lupels, arm bands and bandanas with revolutionary symbols and colours. Soldiers for instance like wear Red barets with a Silver Gear and hammer pins. The Representatives often wear suits and dresses with a eastern European flare to it.Military
The military is a special forces focused, with two big branches of the Military such as theLiberty or Death!
Founding Date
4460 AD
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Capital
Alternative Names
The Syndicalist Republic | Republic of Gryphos | Free Griffin Kingdoms
Predecessor Organization
Demonym
Gryhians
Leader
Leader Title
Government System
Democracy, Direct
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Economic System
Gift economy
Currency
The Bit
Major Exports
Minerals
Coal
Aura Crystals
Oil
Food
Rare Minerals
Magical Goods
Coal
Aura Crystals
Oil
Food
Rare Minerals
Magical Goods
Major Imports
Industrial Goods
War Goods
Technology
War Goods
Technology
Official State Religion
Location
Related Traditions
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
Comments