Arthasthan

Socialist Republic of Arthasthan अर्थस्थान समाजवादी गणराज्य Árthasthān Samājvādī Gaṇrājya
Flag State emblem
Motto: यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः "Yato Dharmas-Tato Jayaḥ" "Whence Dharma, thence victory"
Location of Arthasthan (dark blue) and the remaining states of the USRA (blue) in Coius.
Capital and largest city	Nadipatnam
Official languages	Samundrese
Recognised national languages	Utcalan Prasumi Matrabashi Marani
Ethnic groups (2019)	24.3% Samundrese 16.2% Utcalan 15.7% Prasumi 12.1% Matrabashi 8.8% Vanavasi 7.7% Tamisari 6.5% Marani 5.5% Valarna 3.4% Other
Demonym(s)	Arthani
Government	Federal parliamentary constitutional republic under a People's democracy
• First Secretary	Abhijit Kamalanayan
• Premier	Jaidayal Indushekhar
Legislature	Assembly
Independence from Etruria
• Formation of the Commandery	1944
• Declaration of the Socialist Republic	1950
• Formation of the APSR	1967
Area
• Total	625,945.6 km2 (241,678.9 sq mi)
• Water (%)	4.5
Population
• 2020 estimate	107,281,772
• Density	171.39/km2 (443.9/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$816 billion
• Per capita	$7,607
Gini (2020)	31.237 medium
HDI (2020)	0.620 medium
Currency	Masha
Driving side	right

Arthasthan (Samundrese: अर्थस्थान, Árthasthān), officially the Socialist Republic of Arthasthan (Samundrese: अर्थस्थान समाजवादी गणराज्य, Árthasthān Samājvādī Gaṇrājya), is a sovereign state in Satria, bordered by Padaratha to the west, Rajyaghar to the east, Ajahadya to the southeast, and Baekjeong to the south. It is the largest of three constituent countries of the United Socialist Republics of Arthasthan. Arthasthan is the second most populated country in Satria with a population of nearly 110 million. The country is divided into 11 provinces and the Capital Territory of Nadipatnam.

The area which makes up Arthasthan has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years, with archaeological remains recording the presence of sedentary agriculture from around 4,300 BCE and the existence of pastoralist groups before this time. Located at the delta of the Bashurat River, Arthasthan was a heartland for the development of the Sataro-Euclean peoples who arrived from the east and subjugated the endemic peoples. The fertile valleys of the Bashurat river helped grow several large states in the antique era, making Arthasthan a centre of religious and philosophical as well as economic exchange. This led to the birth of the Ashrama, philosophical and theological schools which centred upon religious asceticism and pacifism.

Under the Ashramic period, which began around 700 BCE and which would continue until the emergence of the Sangma as a rival power, the region of modern day Arthasthan was the home of several wealthy states. However, at the coming of the common era, the Ashramic princedoms were subjugated by the Sangma dynasty. The region would remain under the Sangma for the majority of the dynasty's history, before the Nadipatnam Thakurate broke away and fought several wars with the central state. As Sangma power receded, more Arthani Thakurates would break away, eventually forming a confederacy of princely states called the Chamtamula Confederacy in the south. In the north, various minor states existed, which would eventually form the Rajadom of Pali. The confederacy was partially conquered by the Togoti Khaganate; its eastern region was directly annexed and its southern region was vassalized. Following the collapse of the Togoti Khaganate, a major general named Akdoğan, established his own fiefdom which became the Rajadom of Akdoğan. The Rajadom of Akdoğan faced strong competition from the Rajadom of Ajahadya to the east, and the Rajadom of Pali to the north. Desiring support, the Rajadoms turned to Euclea and especially Etruria and Narozalica for support. While this was at first manifested by increased trade and military advisors, the Euclean powers began to extract concessions. Kassar, modern day Nagapur, was granted to Narozalica following a limited armed campaign against the Palis, and in 1840s the Pali and Akdoğans were forced to cede their states to Etrurian rule.

During the Great War, Arthasthan supplied troops to Etruria but was also a centre of activity for anti-Euclean resistance. After almost a century of Etrurian colonization and repression, anti-colonialist movements were largely destroyed, but after the war the remaining nationalists and anti-colonialists formed the Satrian Section of the Workers' International. Independence would come during the Solarian War, led by the National Liberation Army which established a Pardal Republic known as the Satrian Commandery, ruled by the Arthani wing of the Arthasthan dominated Satrian Section. In 1967, the Commandery was reformed into the Arthani Socialist People's Republics, marking the end of Arthani Pan-satrianism as a major political force. In the following decades after independence, Arthasthan participated in multiple conflicts in Satria.

Arthasthan is classified as a flawed democracy and as a Southern democracy due to the influence of the Arthani Subsection. Ethnic and religious divides are also present, due to the diverse nature of the state which unites many different groups and religions. Arthasthan is a developing nation, reliant on agricultural production, manufacturing, commercial fishing, and tourism for the nation’s economy. The country is considered a middle power in Kylaris due its population and geographic location. Due to its status as a socialist country it is a full member of the Association for International Socialism. It is also an observer member of the BCO and a full member of COMDEV, the Community of Nations, and the International Trade Organization.

Etymology

On its own, the Samundrese word अर्थ (ártha) is defined as "meaning", "aim", and "purpose", but when placed into various compound words its definition can vary considerably. The Samundrese word स्थान (sthān) refers to "place", "site", and "location". When this suffix is added, ártha means "wealth" and "prosperity" so the compound word árthasthān literally means "place of wealth" or more figuratively "land of wealth". The first known use of the name "Árthasthān" dates to the 10th century during the High Period of the Sangma Dynasty, where the term appeared in official documents to refer to the Bashurat River Delta as a "place of wealth". As the name first appeared in the record of imperial administrators instead of local ones, it appears that the name originated as an exonym, rather than an endonym.

Geography

Bashurat River Delta

Khandadhar Falls in northern Arthasthan

The Suranadi River

Forest in Southern Arthasthan

The Nagapur peninsula

Arthasthan’s geography is diverse, varying from low coastal plains to tall mountain ranges. The southern region of the country is characterised by flat plains with large slow moving rivers. Its most prominent feature is the Bashurat River Delta in the southeast. The country is divided by the Pavitra Mountain Range, which runs through the center of the country. The southern slopes of the mountain range features gently sloping foothills compared to the steeper northern slopes. As a result, the northern coast generally has rugged and steeper coasts than the southern coast.

The country can be divided into five distinct geographical regions, the Bashurat River Delta, the Southern Coast, the Interior Plain, the Highlands, and the Northern Coast. The River Delta is a maze of channels, swamps, lakes, and floodplain sediments. As it is the main drainage point for the entire Bashurat River, it makes the region extremely fertile. The southern coastal region’s flat shorelines merge into the Interior Plain, a large flat region in the center of the country. While not as fertile as the river delta, the floodplains formed by the region’s many small rivers provide fertile land. This region makes up the majority of the country and is where most of Arthasthan’s population lives.

The Highlands consist of the Pavitra Mountain Range and its surrounding foothills. It contains the country's highest point, at 2,621 meters above sea level. The mountain divide traditionally marks the boundary between Northern Arthasthan and Central Arthasthan. The mountains also mark the northern boundary of the Sura River’s drainage basin. Due to the high altitude few Arthanis live in this region. The western end of the mountain range descends in altitude to an elevated plateau and foothill near the border with Padaratha. The steeper slope in the north creates a rockier and steeper shoreline in the north; it is common to find small cliffs and bluffs.

Government and politics

Arthasthan's uncodified constitution, the People's Laws of Arthasthan, declares that the country is founded on the principles of socialism with the goal of achieving a socialist society. The Laws officially establishes this socialist state within the framework of as a federal democratic republic governed by a parliamentary system. However in practice it operates under a People's democracy, where the Arthani branch of the Satrian Section of the Worker's International (SSWI) controls the political climate. In addition, while Arthasthan's constitution guarantees basic civil and political rights for all of its citizens, the government has inconsistently followed or ignored these protections entirely. For these reasons, Arthasthan is often considered by scholars to be an illiberal democracy, a Southern democracy, or an outright authoritarian state.

Government

The People's Laws defines the Premier as the highest de jure state authority. The Premier is a member of parliament supported by a parliamentary majority who serves as head of government for a four year term, renewable once. The Premier is responsible for the exercise of executive powers in implementing the decrees and general policies approved by the Assembly. The Premier is assisted by a council of ministers, known as the Executive Council, who are appointed by the Premier and approved by the Assembly. Together the Premier and the Executive Council coordinates government decisions, and selects government policies to be placed before the legislature.

The legislature of Arthasthan, known as the Assembly of Arthasthan, is a unicameral body consisting of around 600 members elected by Party-list proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies. Parliamentary elections are scheduled every four years, but unstable coalitions or a no-confidence vote by the Assembly can dissolve a government earlier. The Assembly wields legislative supremacy, granting it extensive legislative powers. The Assembly also has the authority to modify the constitution through a two-thirds majority vote, although it needs approval by a majority of the Supreme Court.

Arthani Subsection

The People's Laws of Arthasthan declares that the Satrian Section of the Workers' International – Arthani Subsection "as the regional representative of the Workers' International, the Subsection plays a leading role in the development of a socialist state" which constitutionalises its prominent status in Arthani politics. Since the foundation of the republic, the party institutions of the SSWI operate in parallel and in conjunction with normal government institutions. The party directly manages government functions, such as national defence, through the Army of the Socialist Revolution which is ultimately under the control of the party's leadership rather than the state. The Subsection is not a traditional political party, but rather a political forum for the socialist movement in Arthadesh, which consists of the United Front of the Socialist Arthani Satrian Republic, and numerous labour unions, youth organizations, cultural organizations, charities, and other groups.

The highest office within the party the First Secretary, is also de facto head of state of Arthasthan and the United Socialist Republics. In addition to performing duties as head of state, the Secretary is commander in chief of the Army of the Socialist Revolution, and performs numerous key administrative functions of the party by controlling its national organisation. The First Secretary and other high level party officials are elected by the National Party Congress, which is held annually. The National Congress servers as an official platform for debate within the party as it determines and approves party policy. The last major party institution is the People's Congress which is an assembly of representatives from the socialist movement. Its main purpose is to coordinate the policies of the national government with its member organisations. In addition it has de facto legislative powers, as many of its members are also Assembly delegates. While the Congress began as a party institution, it is increasingly functioning as part of the federal government, especially since membership of the Congress was opened to groups not directly affiliated with the Subsection.

Demographics

The country is the second most populated country in Satria behind Ajahadya, with its population estimated to be around 107 million people in 2021. The annual growth rate, calculated by the last census in 2018, was reported to be 1.45%. The total fertility rate is estimated to be 1.7 children per woman, which continues a declining trend over the last couple decades. However the median age of the country is 23.6 years old with the majority of the country below 30 years old. There is an estimated 102.3 males for every 100 females in 2021. The average life expectancy is 72.2 years, with 69.2 years for men and 75.5 years for women.

Migration from rural to urban areas has been an important dynamic in Arthasthan recent history. The 2018 census found that the urban population increased to 31% of the total population, an increase of 4% since the last census. Arthasthan has two well defined population regions which forms a large arc in the country stretching from the Bashurat River Basin, to Yadavpur and Bangnon in the east, to Baleswar and Shaktibandar in the northern coastal region. The majority of Arthasthan's population lives within this general region.

Ethnicity

Ethnic demographics of Arthasthan

  Samundrese (24.3%)

  Utcalan (16.2%)

  Prasumi (15.7%)

  Matrabashi (12.1%)

  Vanavasi (8.8%)

  Tamisari (7.7%)

  Marani (6.5%)

  Valarna (5.5%)

  Other (3.4%)

Arthasthan is widely considered to be a multiethnic country with diverse origins due to migrations that occurred over the last thousand years. The people of Arthasthan are divided into four general ethnic categories; Parbhan, Purvan, Vanavasi, and Other, which are in turn divided into specific ethnic groups. The Parbhanic group represents more than three-quarters (75%) of the population, but there are more than a dozen different ethnic groups within Arthasthan, largely from the Vanavasi.

Around 75% of the population, about 81.3 million people, are Parbhans who speak various Sataro-Euclean langauges. The largest Parbhan subgroup is the Samundrese who make up a majority of the southeastern region and 26% of the country's population. The next largest ethnic subgroup are the Utcalans who are largely found in the northern-central region, and make up 16% of the population. The third largest subgroup is the Prasumi which are concentrated in the Bashurat River Basin and consists of 14% of the national population. The last major ethnic subgroup is the Matrabashi who make up around 10% of the national population and are found in two regions in the north.

Around 13% of the population, about 14 million people, are Purvans who speak their eponymous languages. The group largely consists of the Tamisari and the Valarna peoples; the Valarna people can be found in the central regions bordering Padaratha, while the Tamisari largely reside on the island of Minkathala. During the Free Satria Campaign from 1951 to 1965, Purvans were the target of cultural and ideological "rectification" policies, in order to assimilate them into Arthani society. Today Purvans continue to face cultural and economic discrimination because of their differing cultures and lack legal protection.

Around 9% of the population, around 9.4 million people belong to the Vanavasi. The Vanavasi are not an ethnic group, but rather a term to refer to various indigenous peoples, through intentional or accidental isolation, have been sheltered from wider Satrian society. The term refers diverse range of different ethnocultural groups, including Sataro-Euclean peoples, Purvan peoples, and a language isolate. While most Vanavasi today live within sedentary communities, some still exist as hunter-gatherers. Although they are provided with some legal protections, many still face discrimination and high poverty.

The last ethnic category are "Others", which largely consist of half a million Baeans. The remaining 200 thousand people include Eucleans, and other Coians such as South Coians, Southeast Coians, Rahelians, and Bahians.

Languages

The official language of Arthasthan is Samundrese. The Utcalan, Prasumi, and Matrabashi languages are recongized minority languages. The remaining languages are usually recognized by state and regional governments.

Samundrese is the lingua franca and national language designated by the Arthani government. It replaced Vespasian as the language of business, government, law, and education during the Free Satria Campaign. The use of other languages for these situations are heavily discouraged, although translations are sometimes provided. Most Arthani citizens are bilingual; using Samundrese as a common language to communicate with other Arthani and their mother-tongue to communicate within their ethnic group.

The other languages in Arthasthan are spoken by their constituent ethnic groups such as Prasumi, Tamisari, and Matrabashi. Although all Sataro-Euclean langauges are recongised by the central government, the use of the Purvan languages have declined as the use of Samundrese continues to be promoted in these communities by the central government. The government has not made any attempt to halt the languages' decline or to preserve them, leading to accusations of a program cultural assimilation.

Education

The Arthasthan government has wide ranging authority over the country's education system and curriculum, although the state governments have some authority to monitor and create specialised curriculum. Education is free and is compulsory from the ages of 5 to 18, although students have the option at 16 to join the workforce through an apprenticeship. The standard school year runs from mid August to late May with some regional variations. The Ministry of Education and the provincial Educational Offices work in cooperation to ensure the quality of education. Homeschooling is an option for students who have severe behavioural or learning difficulties or would be impeded by placement in a school.

Optional kindergarten education is provided by various organisations for all children between two and five years old. Primary education, lasts for five years, which beings at five years of age and ends with students graduating at ten. The school first concentrates on teaching student basic knowledge, skills, and activities before shifting to gauging a student’s abilities. A test administered before graduation will measure a student’s cumulative abilities.

Secondary education is broken into two parts; the General School for general education from ten to fourteen years old and two separate specialised schools from fourteen to eighteen. The High School is for talented and intelligent students, which emphasises academic learning and preparation for universities. Students can also go to a Vocational School, which teaches a student the skills for a particular job. Otherwise they can remain in the General School until graduation. They also offer artistic, gymnasium, and vocational classes. The General School also offers a variety of courses designed to prepare students with essential skills for adulthood. These include learning to pay various taxes and bills, driving a car, gun safety, and culinary classes.

There are 12 universities and over 100 colleges for tertiary education in the country. It is divided into vocational technicals and academic universities. Admission is free for students applying to technicals and universities who have an above average grade. Below that students must pay the admission fee.