Voltan Democratic Republic: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox country | {{Infobox country | ||
|conventional_long_name = Voltan Democratic Republic | |conventional_long_name = Voltan Democratic Republic | ||
|native_name = | |native_name = <small>Wolten Demokratische Republik ({{wp|German language|Dolch}})<br/>Volta Tlācatlahtohcāyōtl Tlācatēpacholiztli ({{wp|Nahua languages|Tlaloc}})</small> | ||
|common_name = | |common_name = Volta | ||
|status = | |status = <!--Status of country, especially useful for micronations--> | ||
|image_flag = | |image_flag = Flag of the Voltan Democratic Republic.svg | ||
|alt_flag = | |alt_flag = <!--alt text for flag (text shown when pointer hovers over flag)--> | ||
|flag_border = | |flag_border = <!--set to no to disable border around the flag--> | ||
|image_flag2 = | |image_flag2 = <!--e.g. Second-flag of country.svg--> | ||
|alt_flag2 = | |alt_flag2 = <!--alt text for second flag--> | ||
|flag2_border = | |flag2_border = <!--set to no to disable border around the flag--> | ||
|image_coat = | |image_coat = Coat of arms of the Voltan Democratic Republic.svg | ||
|alt_coat = | |alt_coat = <!--alt text for coat of arms--> | ||
|symbol_type = | |symbol_type = | ||
|symbol_footnote = | |symbol_footnote = <!--optional reference or footnote for the symbol caption--> | ||
|national_motto = | |national_motto = <!--in inverted commas and wikilinked if link exists--> | ||
|englishmotto = | |englishmotto = <!--English language version of motto--> | ||
|national_anthem = | |national_anthem = [[Gelübde (Volta)|Gelübde]] | ||
|other_symbol_type = | |other_symbol_type = <!--Use if a further symbol exists, e.g. hymn--> | ||
|other_symbol = | |other_symbol = | ||
|image_map = | |image_map = <!--e.g. LocationCountry.svg--> | ||
|loctext = | |loctext = <!--text description of location of country--> | ||
|alt_map = | |alt_map = <!--alt text for map--> | ||
|map_caption = | |map_caption = <!--Caption to place below map--> | ||
|image_map2 = | |image_map2 = <!--Another map, if required--> | ||
|alt_map2 = | |alt_map2 = <!--alt text for second map--> | ||
|map_caption2 = | |map_caption2 = <!--Caption to place below second map--> | ||
|capital = | |capital = Köstritz | ||
|coordinates = | |coordinates = | ||
|largest_city = | |largest_city = capital | ||
|largest_settlement_type = largest city | |largest_settlement_type = largest city | ||
|largest_settlement = <!--Name of largest settlement--> | |largest_settlement = <!--Name of largest settlement--> | ||
|official_languages = [[ | |official_languages = [[Dolch language|Dolch]] | ||
|national_languages = <!--Country/territory-wide languages recognised but not necessarily in country/territory-wide law, etc--> | |national_languages = <!--Country/territory-wide languages recognised but not necessarily in country/territory-wide law, etc--> | ||
|regional_languages = | |regional_languages = | ||
|languages_type = | |languages_type = Spoken languages | ||
|languages = | |languages = Tlaloc | ||
|languages_sub = | |languages_sub = | ||
|languages2_type = | |languages2_type = Banned languages | ||
|languages2 = | |languages2 = [[Voltan language|Voltan]] | ||
|languages2_sub = | |languages2_sub = yes | ||
|ethnic_groups = | |ethnic_groups = <!--List/breakdown of ethnic groups within the country/territory--> | ||
|ethnic_groups_year = <!--Year of ethnic groups data (if provided)--> | |ethnic_groups_year = <!--Year of ethnic groups data (if provided)--> | ||
|ethnic_groups_ref = <!--(for any ref/s to associate with ethnic groups data)--> | |ethnic_groups_ref = <!--(for any ref/s to associate with ethnic groups data)--> | ||
|religion = | |religion = Aroman Catholicism | ||
|religion_year = <!--Year of religion data (if provided)--> | |religion_year = <!--Year of religion data (if provided)--> | ||
|religion_ref = <!--(for any ref/s to associate with religion data)--> | |religion_ref = <!--(for any ref/s to associate with religion data)--> | ||
|demonym = | |demonym = <!--Term/s describing those associated with the country/territory (e.g. "Belgian" for the country Belgium)--> | ||
|government_type = | |government_type = {{plainlist| | ||
* '''1864–1876:'''<br /> | * '''1864–1876:'''<br/>{{wp|Unitary state|Unitary}} {{wp|Presidential system|presidential}} {{wp|republic}} | ||
* '''1876–1924:'''<br /> | * '''1876–1924:'''<br/>{{wp|Unitary state|Unitary}} {{wp|Presidential system|presidential}} {{wp|republic}} under a {{wp|Dictatorship|Presidential dictatorship}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
|title_leader = | |title_leader = [[President of the Voltan Democratic Republic|President]] | ||
|leader1 = | |leader1 = [[Eugen Rathenau]] | ||
|year_leader1 = | |year_leader1 = 1864-1901 | ||
|leader2 = | |leader2 = [[Friedrich von Baden]] | ||
|year_leader2 = | |year_leader2 = 1901-1912 | ||
|leader3 = | |leader3 = [[Otto Schmitt]] | ||
|year_leader3 = | |year_leader3 = 1912-1924 | ||
|legislature = | |legislature = National Congress | ||
|era = | |era = 1860's-1920's | ||
|year_start = | |year_start = 1864 | ||
|event_pre = | |event_pre = Independence from [[Seylos]] | ||
|date_pre = | |date_pre = 12 December 1863 | ||
|event_start = | |event_start = Established | ||
|date_start = | |date_start = 17 May | ||
|event1 = | |event1 = Eugen's [[1876 Voltan coup d'état|coup]] | ||
|date_event1 = | |date_event1 = 14 April 1876 | ||
|event2 = | |event2 = [[Battle of Köstritz|Start]] of the [[Voltan Civil War]] | ||
|date_event2 = | |date_event2 = 17 January 1917 | ||
|event3 = | |event3 = [[Proclamation of the Socialist Federal Republic of Volta|Proclamation]] of the [[Socialist Federal Republic of Volta|Socialist Federal Republic]] | ||
|date_event3 = | |date_event3 = 14 April 1923 | ||
|event_end = | |event_end = [[Siege of Schipe|End]] of the [[Voltan Civil War]] | ||
|date_end = | |date_end = 21 January | ||
|year_end = | |year_end = 1924 | ||
<!-- Flag navigation: Preceding and succeeding entities p1 to p5 and s1 to s5 --> | <!-- Flag navigation: Preceding and succeeding entities p1 to p5 and s1 to s5 --> | ||
|p1 | |p1 = Provisional Government of Volta | ||
|flag_p1 | |flag_p1 = Flag of the Provisional Government of Volta.svg | ||
|image_p1 | |image_p1 = <!-- Use: [[File:Sin escudo.svg|20px|Image missing]] --> | ||
|p2 | |p2 = | ||
|flag_p2 | |flag_p2 = | ||
|p3 | |p3 = | ||
|flag_p3 | |flag_p3 = | ||
|p4 | |p4 = | ||
|flag_p4 | |flag_p4 = | ||
|p5 | |p5 = | ||
|flag_p5 | |flag_p5 = | ||
|s1 | |s1 = Volta | ||
|flag_s1 | |flag_s1 = Flag of Volta.svg | ||
|image_s1 | |image_s1 = <!-- Use: [[File:Sin escudo.svg|20px|Image missing]] --> | ||
|s2 | |s2 = Voltan government-in-exile | ||
|flag_s2 | |flag_s2 = Flag of the Voltan Democratic Republic.svg | ||
|s3 | |s3 = | ||
|flag_s3 | |flag_s3 = | ||
|s4 | |s4 = | ||
|flag_s4 | |flag_s4 = | ||
|s5 | |s5 = | ||
|flag_s5 | |flag_s5 = | ||
|area_rank = | |area_rank = | ||
|area = | |area = <!--Major area size (in [[Template:convert]] either km2 or sqmi first)--> | ||
|area_km2 = | |area_km2 = 349,800 | ||
|area_sq_mi = | |area_sq_mi = <!--Area in square mi (requires area_km2)--> | ||
|area_footnote = | |area_footnote = <!--Optional footnote for area--> | ||
|percent_water = | |percent_water = | ||
|area_label = | |area_label = Total | ||
|area_label2 = | |area_label2 = <!--Label below area_label (optional)--> | ||
|area_data2 = | |area_data2 = <!--Text after area_label2 (optional)--> | ||
|population_estimate = | |population_estimate = | ||
|population_estimate_rank = | |population_estimate_rank = | ||
| Line 115: | Line 114: | ||
|population_density_sq_mi = | |population_density_sq_mi = | ||
|population_density_rank = | |population_density_rank = | ||
|nummembers = | |nummembers = <!--An alternative to population for micronation--> | ||
|GDP_PPP = | |GDP_PPP = <!--(Gross Domestic Product from Purchasing Power Parity)--> | ||
|GDP_PPP_rank = | |GDP_PPP_rank = | ||
|GDP_PPP_year = | |GDP_PPP_year = | ||
| Line 126: | Line 125: | ||
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = | |GDP_nominal_per_capita = | ||
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = | |GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = | ||
|Gini = | |Gini = <!--(Gini measure of income inequality; input number only; valid values are between 0 and 100)--> | ||
|Gini_ref = | |Gini_ref = <!--(for any ref/s to associate with Gini number)--> | ||
|Gini_rank = | |Gini_rank = | ||
|Gini_year = | |Gini_year = | ||
|HDI_year = | |HDI_year = <!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year--> | ||
|HDI = | |HDI = <!--(Human Development Index; input number only; valid values are between 0 and 1)--> | ||
|HDI_change = | |HDI_change = <!--increase/decrease/steady; rank change from previous year--> | ||
|HDI_rank = | |HDI_rank = | ||
|HDI_ref = | |HDI_ref = <!--(for any ref/s to associate with HDI number)--> | ||
|currency = | |currency = [[Voltan Gulden]] (₲) | ||
|currency_code = | |currency_code = | ||
|time_zone = | |time_zone = [[Voltan Standard Time]] | ||
|utc_offset = | |utc_offset = -5 | ||
|time_zone_DST = | |time_zone_DST = [[Voltan Daylight Time]] | ||
|utc_offset_DST = | |utc_offset_DST = -4 | ||
|DST_note = | |DST_note = <!--Optional note regarding DST use--> | ||
|antipodes = | |antipodes = <!--Place/s exactly on the opposite side of the world to country/territory--> | ||
|date_format = | |date_format = DD/MM/YYYY | ||
|drives_on = | |drives_on = Right | ||
|cctld = | |cctld = | ||
|iso3166code = | |iso3166code = <!--Use to override default from common_name parameter above; omit using "omit".--> | ||
|calling_code = | |calling_code = <!--e.g. [[+1]], [[+531]], [[+44]], etc--> | ||
|patron_saint = | |patron_saint = <!--Use patron_saints for multiple--> | ||
|image_map3 = | |image_map3 = <!--Optional third map position, e.g. for use with reference to footnotes below it--> | ||
|alt_map3 = | |alt_map3 = <!--alt text for third map position--> | ||
|footnote_a = | |footnote_a = <!--For any footnote <sup>a</sup> used above--> | ||
|footnote_b = | |footnote_b = <!--For any footnote <sup>b</sup> used above--> | ||
<!--......--> | <!--......--> | ||
|footnote_h = | |footnote_h = <!--For any footnote <sup>h</sup> used above--> | ||
|footnotes = | |footnotes = <!--For any generic non-numbered footnotes--> | ||
}} | }} | ||
[[ | The '''Voltan Democratic Republic''' was a nation that existed from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. It governed over present-day [[Volta]] and was located in [[Aurelia]]. Though it started as a {{wp|democracy}}, it became a {{wp|dictatorship}} after the [[1876 Voltan coup d'état]] in which it's first President [[Eugen Rathenau]], assumed absolute power. | ||
==Establishment== | |||
After Volta gained independence in the [[Voltan War for Independence]], the [[Provisional Government of Volta]] exercised authority over the country as a temporary measure while a constitution was drafted. The new constitution was finalized and the Voltan Democratic Republic was declared and ''{{wp|de jure}}'' established on 17 May 1864. However, the government wasn't ''{{wp|de facto}}'' established until after the [[1864 Voltan general election|first Voltan elections]] on 12 November 1864. Prior to that the same institutions that made up the [[Provisional Government of Volta|provisional government]] continued to exercise ''{{wp|de facto}}'' authority. This time was mostly spent by the provisional government setting up the groundwork for the first Voltan election. | |||
The election ended in a victory for [[Eugen Rathenau]] and the [[National Party (Volta)|National Republican Party]]. Eugen Rathenau won the presidency with 71% of the vote, while the National Republican Party took 52% of the seats in the [[National Congress of the Voltan Democratic Republic|National Congress of Volta]]. After this election the institutions that made up the provisional government were either disbanded or absorbed into their counterparts in the new government. | |||
==Early years== | |||
The first few years of the Voltan Democratic Republic saw some measures introduced through compromises by the National Republican Party and the Federalist Party. Namely, a rudamentary form of what would eventually become Volta's former contract labor system was established. This was done as an attempt to deal with a labor shortage caused by a decline in the native Tlaloc population, as many Voltan plantations and farms relied on Tlaloc slave labor. In addition smaller measures were taken, such as the first steps to standardizing Voltan time zones, the establishment of the first Voltan currency, among many other measures. However, the Federalists found that their demands for federalization of the country weren't even being considered, with even the most basic of compromises moving in that direction being rejected by the National Republican Party. | |||
Eugen won a second term after the [[1868 Voltan general election]]. Shortly afterwards, the Federalist Party began engaging in {{wp|obstructionism}}, objecting to any and all legislation brought forward by the National Republicans and using the {{wp|filibuster}} to stop all legislation not proposed by them in its tracks. This was an attempt to force the National Republicans to compromise and enact some form of federalization for the country. However, this only led the National Republicans to also obstruct and filibuster and and all legislation proposed by the Federalists. This dedlock continued for the entirity of Eugen's second term, and would continue into Eugen's third term. | |||
Eugen's third term started after the [[1872 Voltan general election]]. The first few years of this term was mired by similar political obstructionism, and eventually Eugen decided that in order to get his full reforms into place he would need to stay president. He propsed a constitutional amendment that would elimintate the three-term limit, causing the [[Conservative Party (Volta|Conservative Party]] and [[Liberal Party (Volta|Liberal Party]] to split from the National Republican Party. The National Republican Party would rename itself to the [[National Party (Volta)|National Party]] shortly thereafter. | |||
==1876 Coup== | |||
{{Main|1876 Voltan coup d'état}} | |||
Eugen, facing his term limit and not wanting to give up power without implementing his reforms, decided that the only course of action left for him was to perform a {{wp|self-coup}}. In preparation for this he conspired with the military and the national Party. On 14 April 1876, the Voltan military seized key locations in Köstritz. Though the opposition took refuge in eastern Köstritz and tried to impeach Eugen, they were quickly captured. A small number of revolts did attempt to stop the coup, but as the military was fully loyal to Eugen these rebellions were quickly put down and many who took part in them were {{wp|Summary execution|summarily executed}}. Within a week after the coup, Eugen had gained full and absolute control over the country. | |||
Eugen and the National Party then drafted a new constitution for Volta, that was adopted in a referendum of disputed legitimacy. The new constitution eliminated presidential term limits and gave Eugen absolute power over the country. Though elections continued to take place after this, they are widely regarded as being {{wp|Unfair election|unfair}} at best and {{wp|Election fraud|fraudulent}} at worst. The Conservative Party, Federalist Party, and Liberal Party continued to exist after the coup, but were never again allowed to threaten Eugen's authority. This coup effectively ended democratic rule in Volta. | |||
==Later years== | |||
Eugen quickly began working to implement his own policies after gaining power. He immediately began attempting to suppress Tlaloc and Mischling culture. He went so far as to ban the [[Voltan language]] from use in public places. This law in particular was impossible to enforce, but did result in the Voltan langauge being denied any official status. Furthermore he implemented policies that allowed more Tlaloc's to be forced into slavery, including those that had already been freed by their owners. He also prohibited labor unions and cracked down on dissent. | |||
Perhaps Eugen's most infamous policy is his contract labor policy. Under this system, Mischlings would be promised a fixed wage in exchange for them living on a plantation or farm and working there for a certain amount of years. However, these contracts could not be canceled once entered into, and had no sections protecting workers rights. Furthermore, nearly all contracts included a clause stating that if the worker was in debt to the plantation or farm owner the contract could be extended until the debts were paid off. Plantation and farm owners exploited this by charging workers more than what was being paid for basic necessities such as food and shelter. This system effectively guaranteed plantation and farm owners and endless pool of cheap, exploitable labor. Critics of the system often described it as "slavery with extra steps". | |||
While these policies were widely popular with the Voltan upper class, they proved highly unpopular with the working class. As a result, Eugen's popularity among the general population began to rapidly decline. By the time of his death in 1901 he was widely unpopular. Eugen's successor, [[Friedrich von Baden]], largely continued the same policies and also proved highly unpopular. Friedrich did attempt some reforms, such as implementing a minimum wage. However, this minimum wage was below the average wage of a plantation or farm worker, and on plantations and farms that did pay below the minimum wage they simply raised the cost of living. Friedrich did little to combat efforts by plantation and farm owners to find ways around his reforms, and as a result his reforms were largely ineffective and did not change the situation for the general population. | |||
However, Friedrich did not seek the presidency after his third term, in an attempt to create a tradition of presidents only serving three terms. In 1912, after serving three terms, he handed the presidency to [[Otto Schmitt]]. | |||
==Voltan Civil War== | |||
{{Main|Voltan Civil War}} | |||
The [[Voltan Workers' United Front]], led by the [[Communist Party of Volta]], revolted, sparking the Voltan Civil War. The communists quickly gained control of eastern Volta, forcing Otto to relocate the government to [[Friedburg]]. Otto assigned General [[Gustav von Bothmer]] to lead his governments offensive against the communists. However, despite some initial successes, Gustav's efforts ultimately failed to stop the communist advance. Desertion and defection was a massive problem for Gustav's forces, something that Gustav attempted to deal with by expanding conscription. Though this did temporarily help Gustav's manpower issues, it only caused the government to lose more support among the people. Gustav himself was killed by a stray bullet during one of his offensives, after which Otto took direct control over the military. However, he was unable to stop the communist advance, and after the [[Battle of Friedburg]] the communists controlled 3/4 of the country and Otto's armies were constantly on the retreat. | |||
At this point many who did not support the communists, particularly the pure-blooded Dolch upper class began fleeing the country. Furthermore, many within the government also began to flee. The first political parties to flee the country was the Liberal Party, closely followed by the Federalist and Conservative Parties. These three parties would regroup outside of Volta and form the [[Voltan government-in-exile]]. | |||
The National Party at first refused to flee. Otto himself implemented a number of drastic reforms, including abolishing slavery and the contract labor system, guaranteeing workers rights, and implementing reforms to grant more political freedoms. This was all in an attempt to win the people over and cause them to revolt against the communists, and did win Otto some level of support, but it is widely considered to have come to late to change the course of the war. When the communists controlled 90% of the country, Otto Schmitt and the Nationalist Party also fled Volta. They requested to join the Voltan government-in-exile, and though the three other parties were initially reluctant, they eventually allowed them to join. | |||
After the defeat of Otto's last troops in the [[Siege of Schipe]], the Voltan Democratic Republic ceased to exist. | |||
{{Volta}} | |||
{{Eurth}} | |||
Latest revision as of 22:48, 13 September 2022
Voltan Democratic Republic | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1864–1924 | |||||||||||
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |||||||||||
| Anthem: Gelübde | |||||||||||
| Capital and largest city | Köstritz | ||||||||||
| Official languages | Dolch | ||||||||||
| Spoken languages | Tlaloc | ||||||||||
Banned languages | Voltan | ||||||||||
| Religion | Aroman Catholicism | ||||||||||
| Government |
| ||||||||||
| President | |||||||||||
• 1864-1901 | Eugen Rathenau | ||||||||||
• 1901-1912 | Friedrich von Baden | ||||||||||
• 1912-1924 | Otto Schmitt | ||||||||||
| Legislature | National Congress | ||||||||||
| Historical era | 1860's-1920's | ||||||||||
• Independence from Seylos | 12 December 1863 | ||||||||||
• Established | 17 May 1864 | ||||||||||
• Eugen's coup | 14 April 1876 | ||||||||||
• Start of the Voltan Civil War | 17 January 1917 | ||||||||||
• Proclamation of the Socialist Federal Republic | 14 April 1923 | ||||||||||
• End of the Voltan Civil War | 21 January 1924 | ||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||
• Total | 349,800 km2 (135,100 sq mi) | ||||||||||
| Currency | Voltan Gulden (₲) | ||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Voltan Standard Time) | ||||||||||
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Voltan Daylight Time) | ||||||||||
| Date format | DD/MM/YYYY | ||||||||||
| Driving side | right | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
The Voltan Democratic Republic was a nation that existed from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. It governed over present-day Volta and was located in Aurelia. Though it started as a democracy, it became a dictatorship after the 1876 Voltan coup d'état in which it's first President Eugen Rathenau, assumed absolute power.
Establishment
After Volta gained independence in the Voltan War for Independence, the Provisional Government of Volta exercised authority over the country as a temporary measure while a constitution was drafted. The new constitution was finalized and the Voltan Democratic Republic was declared and de jure established on 17 May 1864. However, the government wasn't de facto established until after the first Voltan elections on 12 November 1864. Prior to that the same institutions that made up the provisional government continued to exercise de facto authority. This time was mostly spent by the provisional government setting up the groundwork for the first Voltan election.
The election ended in a victory for Eugen Rathenau and the National Republican Party. Eugen Rathenau won the presidency with 71% of the vote, while the National Republican Party took 52% of the seats in the National Congress of Volta. After this election the institutions that made up the provisional government were either disbanded or absorbed into their counterparts in the new government.
Early years
The first few years of the Voltan Democratic Republic saw some measures introduced through compromises by the National Republican Party and the Federalist Party. Namely, a rudamentary form of what would eventually become Volta's former contract labor system was established. This was done as an attempt to deal with a labor shortage caused by a decline in the native Tlaloc population, as many Voltan plantations and farms relied on Tlaloc slave labor. In addition smaller measures were taken, such as the first steps to standardizing Voltan time zones, the establishment of the first Voltan currency, among many other measures. However, the Federalists found that their demands for federalization of the country weren't even being considered, with even the most basic of compromises moving in that direction being rejected by the National Republican Party.
Eugen won a second term after the 1868 Voltan general election. Shortly afterwards, the Federalist Party began engaging in obstructionism, objecting to any and all legislation brought forward by the National Republicans and using the filibuster to stop all legislation not proposed by them in its tracks. This was an attempt to force the National Republicans to compromise and enact some form of federalization for the country. However, this only led the National Republicans to also obstruct and filibuster and and all legislation proposed by the Federalists. This dedlock continued for the entirity of Eugen's second term, and would continue into Eugen's third term.
Eugen's third term started after the 1872 Voltan general election. The first few years of this term was mired by similar political obstructionism, and eventually Eugen decided that in order to get his full reforms into place he would need to stay president. He propsed a constitutional amendment that would elimintate the three-term limit, causing the Conservative Party and Liberal Party to split from the National Republican Party. The National Republican Party would rename itself to the National Party shortly thereafter.
1876 Coup
Eugen, facing his term limit and not wanting to give up power without implementing his reforms, decided that the only course of action left for him was to perform a self-coup. In preparation for this he conspired with the military and the national Party. On 14 April 1876, the Voltan military seized key locations in Köstritz. Though the opposition took refuge in eastern Köstritz and tried to impeach Eugen, they were quickly captured. A small number of revolts did attempt to stop the coup, but as the military was fully loyal to Eugen these rebellions were quickly put down and many who took part in them were summarily executed. Within a week after the coup, Eugen had gained full and absolute control over the country.
Eugen and the National Party then drafted a new constitution for Volta, that was adopted in a referendum of disputed legitimacy. The new constitution eliminated presidential term limits and gave Eugen absolute power over the country. Though elections continued to take place after this, they are widely regarded as being unfair at best and fraudulent at worst. The Conservative Party, Federalist Party, and Liberal Party continued to exist after the coup, but were never again allowed to threaten Eugen's authority. This coup effectively ended democratic rule in Volta.
Later years
Eugen quickly began working to implement his own policies after gaining power. He immediately began attempting to suppress Tlaloc and Mischling culture. He went so far as to ban the Voltan language from use in public places. This law in particular was impossible to enforce, but did result in the Voltan langauge being denied any official status. Furthermore he implemented policies that allowed more Tlaloc's to be forced into slavery, including those that had already been freed by their owners. He also prohibited labor unions and cracked down on dissent.
Perhaps Eugen's most infamous policy is his contract labor policy. Under this system, Mischlings would be promised a fixed wage in exchange for them living on a plantation or farm and working there for a certain amount of years. However, these contracts could not be canceled once entered into, and had no sections protecting workers rights. Furthermore, nearly all contracts included a clause stating that if the worker was in debt to the plantation or farm owner the contract could be extended until the debts were paid off. Plantation and farm owners exploited this by charging workers more than what was being paid for basic necessities such as food and shelter. This system effectively guaranteed plantation and farm owners and endless pool of cheap, exploitable labor. Critics of the system often described it as "slavery with extra steps".
While these policies were widely popular with the Voltan upper class, they proved highly unpopular with the working class. As a result, Eugen's popularity among the general population began to rapidly decline. By the time of his death in 1901 he was widely unpopular. Eugen's successor, Friedrich von Baden, largely continued the same policies and also proved highly unpopular. Friedrich did attempt some reforms, such as implementing a minimum wage. However, this minimum wage was below the average wage of a plantation or farm worker, and on plantations and farms that did pay below the minimum wage they simply raised the cost of living. Friedrich did little to combat efforts by plantation and farm owners to find ways around his reforms, and as a result his reforms were largely ineffective and did not change the situation for the general population.
However, Friedrich did not seek the presidency after his third term, in an attempt to create a tradition of presidents only serving three terms. In 1912, after serving three terms, he handed the presidency to Otto Schmitt.
Voltan Civil War
The Voltan Workers' United Front, led by the Communist Party of Volta, revolted, sparking the Voltan Civil War. The communists quickly gained control of eastern Volta, forcing Otto to relocate the government to Friedburg. Otto assigned General Gustav von Bothmer to lead his governments offensive against the communists. However, despite some initial successes, Gustav's efforts ultimately failed to stop the communist advance. Desertion and defection was a massive problem for Gustav's forces, something that Gustav attempted to deal with by expanding conscription. Though this did temporarily help Gustav's manpower issues, it only caused the government to lose more support among the people. Gustav himself was killed by a stray bullet during one of his offensives, after which Otto took direct control over the military. However, he was unable to stop the communist advance, and after the Battle of Friedburg the communists controlled 3/4 of the country and Otto's armies were constantly on the retreat.
At this point many who did not support the communists, particularly the pure-blooded Dolch upper class began fleeing the country. Furthermore, many within the government also began to flee. The first political parties to flee the country was the Liberal Party, closely followed by the Federalist and Conservative Parties. These three parties would regroup outside of Volta and form the Voltan government-in-exile.
The National Party at first refused to flee. Otto himself implemented a number of drastic reforms, including abolishing slavery and the contract labor system, guaranteeing workers rights, and implementing reforms to grant more political freedoms. This was all in an attempt to win the people over and cause them to revolt against the communists, and did win Otto some level of support, but it is widely considered to have come to late to change the course of the war. When the communists controlled 90% of the country, Otto Schmitt and the Nationalist Party also fled Volta. They requested to join the Voltan government-in-exile, and though the three other parties were initially reluctant, they eventually allowed them to join.
After the defeat of Otto's last troops in the Siege of Schipe, the Voltan Democratic Republic ceased to exist.
