Artadesia

Artadesia, officially the Commmonwealth of Righteous Artadesian Socialist States (Norrsk: Samveldet av Rettferdige Artamarks Socialistike Republikker) (IAAT: Artī Artadeś kī Samajāvādī Gaṇasaṅgha ka Rāṣtramandal) is a country in South Sorenway. A federation of 11 National Republics, 19 Protected Autonomous Communities, 5 National Territories, and 2 Union Territories. Artadesia is the world's [X]-largest country in terms of land and [Y]-largest country in terms of population. It directly borders Elesthra, [Y], [A], and [Z]. Artadesia is a Multiparty Councilist Republic, with a bicameral legislature consisting of the Folksforsamling and the Nasjonsforsamling, a Three-person Executive, a national court system, and a bureaucracy. The capital city of Enqilapur is the nation's most populous with a metropolitan population of around 32 Million. Other major cities are Gaonitan, Hvarapat, Mauryabad, Zikam, Cochit, Vritranagar, Mailaab, Foreighi, Sohanpuram, Ayunagaram, and Tasvin.

Commonwealth of Artadesian Socialist States Samveldet av Rettferdige Artamarsk Socialistike Republikker
Flag Emblem
Motto: Enhet i Mangfold Unity in Diversity
Anthem:  Jaga Kar, Artadesh (official) Wake Up, Artadesia
Map of Artadesia
Capital and largest city	Enquilapur
Official languages	Norrsk
Recognised national languages	Airya Venikari Haomi Tahari Hwari Zevyan Sauvi Mitayar Charkha Standardized Adipashratti Paali Sondhyari Chorapi
Recognised regional languages	Isabellan Nacadian Arnynsh Ilbonese Elesthran
Ethnic groups	over 800 Nations
Demonym(s)	Artamarsk(official) Artadesian
Government	Federal Mauryite Republic
• Premier of the Commonwealth	Vritran Prishant Puranmalka
• First Assemblywoman of the People	Prajina Kandiyar Pochaliyan
• First Assemblyman of the Nations	Kurus Qarinvand
• Upper house	Artamarks Nasjonsforsamling
• Lower house	Artamarks Folksforsamling
Establishment
• Third Righteous Empire	1231 CE
• Commonwealth of Artadesia	1905
• Republic of Artadesia	1915
• Councilist Republic of Artadesia	1923
• Commonwealth of Righteous Artadesian Socialist States	1971
Population
• 2020 estimate	1,000,000,000
Currency	Artamarsk Arbeidsnotat (AAN)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	left
Internet TLD	.art

Etymology

The name "Artadesia" comes from the Airya word for the country "Artadesh" or "Auratdaeśa". The name "Artadesh" means "Nation of Righteousness" from Airya "Desh", meaning Nation and "Arta", meaning righteousness. The usage of the term Artadesia in Arnynsh was only widely adopted in the 1950s, before which the archaic term "Udesia" was used instead. The third official short name for the country, "Artamark", is a combination of Norrsk "Mark", meaning land and "Arta". The official demonyms for the people of the country are "Artadesian", "Artadeshi", and "Artamarsk".

History

Antiquity

The first humans to inhabit Artadesia arrived around 55 kya ago, likely from northern Sorenway where they had previously migrated. Little is known about their lifestyle due to the fact that the vast majority of them were hunter-gatherers. Their exact range is not known, however the most recent estimates include most of what is now eastern Hwarsan, northern Chakadesh, Chorap, and parts of easter Airyavej as well as much of Haomkisak, Tahar Nadu, and northern Venikarikam. The leading theory for their absence from other regions is that they were unable to clear the thick jungles of southern Chakadesh, Airyavej, and Venikarikam. The largest archaeological site of importance left by them is the ruins Ikarya-Mithlavati River Valley Civilization which existed from around 2300 BCE, populated by around 10-14 major city-states and dozens of other smaller ones around the Ikarya and Mithlavati rivers in Chorap. These city-states are believed to have been largely unhierarchical, with no depictions of priest-kings like in other early societies, and engaged in large amounts of stone and clay work. These city-states began a slow decline around 1850 BCE and eventually totally collapsed some time around 1800 BCE, paving the way for a new people to appear.

Arti-Hwari Migration

Around 1900 BCE, a people known as the Hwari-Airya people began to move into much of Hwarsan and Adipashratta. They would eventually push farther down, and with the help of iron tools, would manage to conquer much of the remaining city-states around the Ikarya valley. By about 1700, they had established a firm presence in most of northern Artadesia, up until what is now Mehrdesh. They were able to clear out the jungles of southern Chakadesh and Airyavej, and mass settlement around these fertile areas began by around 1300 BCE. During this time, the Vidani texts were compiled, leading to the beginning of First Cycle Vidanism, which intermixed the Hwari-Airya religion with that of the local Risani, or southern Artadesians. Vidani's flexibility and ability to adapt to local customs, as well as its translation into Venikar, meant that it took a strong hold over much of Artadesia.

Early Kingdoms

By about 1100 BCE, various true states had sprung up in Chorap, Venikarikam, Chakhadesh, Hwarsan, and Airyavej, with the most prominent being the Yalamit kingdom in eastern Hwarsan, and the Kalakritya kingdom in central Artadesia, both of which are noticeable for having a level of cultural and economic dominance over their smaller neighbors, often forcing them to pay tribute. These states also oversaw the creation of the earliest law codes deriving their authority in part from kings, and not simply gods. These states would slowly decay, however, and by 850 BCE they had nearly vanished entirely. This time also corresponded with the founding of [MAZDAYASNA EQUIV.] by the prophet [ZARATHUSTRA EQUIV.], which gained a mass following in Spentavrat and eventually Adipashratta and Hwarsan due to the political instability of the region. By 600 BCE, a large population boom was in full flow, and many new cities were founded. New settlements formed along the Ikaarya, Natuvalati, and Pashtritalita rivers in Chorap, Airyavej, and Venikarikam respectively. These settlements would often converge into larger confederations, whose wars would dramatically influence the political landscape of the area. The largest cities often were well-protected by walls, man-made moats, and large towers. This urbanization process would continue up to 250 BCE, when the growth of these towns would dramatically slow. Around 290 BCE, the prophet Astiki founded Astikism, which spread across Airyavej and Spentavrat. It's messages of anti-kingship lead to paranoia from the surrounding Vidani kingdoms, which would begin a war with the neighboring Astikite states in around 215 BCE. The Astikite states banded together, and after four decades of grueling conflict, won the war with the treaty of Akrapaal, which secured the rights of Vidani practitioners but affirmed Astikite control of much of Airyavej. These victorious states would then be united under the guidance of the adoptive great-great-grandson of Astiki, Sadvicarah I, who would found the First Realm of God in 470 BCE, governed by the Astikite high priests whose adoptive lineage would trace back to Astiki.

First Artadesian Civil War & Republican Period

By the 1890s, widespread resentment had taken hold of the populace, who blamed the Imperial government for being unable to stand up to imperialist powers, and support for Dr. Jhunjhunwala's Nationalists grew, allowing him to begin organizing an eventual revolution. In 1903, after a failed Imperial raid on a group of soldiers who had agreed to join the revolution in Palikaav meant that the uprising began nearly two years earlier than planned, and soon Artadesia found itself divided between the Nationalist strongholds in southern and eastern Airyavej and western and central Chakhadesh. With support from Ilbon and with the Imperial government unable to cope with rising strife in Venikarikam, the Nationalists managed to take all of Airyavej by 1904, and in 1905 the Hotari signed a declaration declaring the end of the Third Realm of God, and the Republic of Artadesia was declared soon after.

Dr. Sohan Jhunjhunwala, 1906

Dr. Jhunjhunwala was declared first president of the RoA, and his first term was mostly spent on quelling disputes between military officers and securing recognition for the new republic. Despite his government's nominal control of all of Artadesia, in reality, the nation was de facto divided into regions controlled by local warlords and political groups. Jhunjhunwala's second term, from 1910-15 was focused on securing Hwarsan and Adipashratta, which had been under the control of fragmented groups ever since 1904. Although able to secure Nationalist control over Hwarsan, the Nationalists were unable to take Adipashratta. By the end of his second term in 1914, some strides had been made in improving the economy, education, and general civil rights, however the nation was still in a poor state. Notably, no elections had been held, with Jhunjhunwala's defense being that Artadesia was simply too young of a republic to have mass elections. In 1917, two years into his third term, Dr. Jhunjhunwala suffered a heart attack at his home his residence in Vritranagar in Chorap, renamed from Adhyavanagar. He was pronounced dead on November 13, 1917, and while his Vice President Akshaya Maity was named President, de facto power was held by a group of military officers and high-level bureaucrats. Notably, in 1914 in Airyavej, young member of the Councilist Party of Artadesia, Satrap Humayun, proclaimed a new 'Guiding Hand' of Astikism, named the 'Guiding Hand of Liberation' This quickly gained popularity among the rural peasantry, undermining Republican control..

Domestic problems began to spiral, with attempts to take control of Adipashratta and Mehrdesh failing and costing valuable resources, and a lack of promised economic improvements such as land reform caused radicalism to take hold of both peasants and industrial workers from Airyavej and Chakhadesh. The already powerful Councilist Party, which had been renamed the United Artadesian Forwards Alliance in 1919 grew even more powerful under the leadership of new general-secretary Ashok Maurya, who had managed to become its Chairman. His effective organizational tactics combined with his incorporation of Astikism into the party line, something which the CPA had historically rejected, allowed the party to become a dominant force within Airyavej, Chorap, and Chakhadesh. Eventually, in 1920, after President Maity was declared President again, a general strike was called by various groups in Artadesia in order to both force economic reforms and pressure the government into beginning elections. Instead, strikers in Zikam were fired on by police, triggering violence between strikers and police.

Second Artadesian Civil War

The strikers soon massed in the center of Zikam, where most of the offices of the regional administration were, trapping in the Governor of Chakhadesh and siezing communication lines, train stations, and factories. Soon, an area known as Red Zikam was taken over, and barricades were set up. Various socialist and councilist groups agreed to collectively support the workers, with the UAFA and the United Udesia Workers Party, or the UUWP, a rival councilist party setting aside their differences and forming a united front. Eventually, the offices of the Chakhadesh parliament were taken over and Zikam was fully occupied. Other strikes across Airyavej and the rest of Chakhadesh lead to councilist forces taking over much of the industrial heartland of Zikam, and the Republican forces being paralyzed.

Strikers in Zikam

By 1921, the situation had slightly calmed down, with southern Airyavej and much of Chakhadesh being under Councilist control in a situation reminiscent of the first civil war just 18 years earlier. As the situation stabilized, cracks began to show in the unity of both the Republican and Councilist forces, with various Republican generals vying for power and President Maity attempting to gain a semblance of real power, and the UUWP and CPA also vying for the support of the workers councils of their respective movement. By 1923, the UAFA had managed to sway most of the councils and marginalized the UUWP, while Republican chain of command broke down, with commanders disobeying the orders of the government in Etilanagar and the councilists making large gains.

In 1924, the Councilists had reached Etilanagar, and after the fall of Vritranagar on June 13, the Republic of Artadesia was officially dissolved, and on July 17, 1924, the Artadesian Councilist Republic was officially proclaimed by A.K. Maurya, with him becoming its first Premier. Over the next few years, the ACR, with support of councilist organizations across Artadesia as well as Ilbonese and Druermark support, swept through much of the rest of Artadesia, taking Hwarsan in 1924, Mehrdesh in 1925, Haomkisak and Tahar Nadu in 1926, and Venikarikam in 1928 after defeating the 'Blue Marshal' Thaenuthan Viyakaran, a Venikari noble whom crowned himself Emperor of Artadesia.

The Artadesian Councilist Republic

Immediately after the civil war, the Councilists began to focus on a policy of reconstruction and self-strengthening. The early ACP was fragmented, with various non-UAFA councilist parties vying for power with the UAFA, including the 'National Alliance' led by the UUWP. The Mauryites attempted to strengthen their positions but failed to gain the full support of the Artadesian peasantry, with agrarian socialist groups flocking to the UUWP. This hampered Artadesian reconstruction, with [NEWSPAPER] describing Artadesian economic policy as 'senseless; like a chicken running around without a head'. Food shortages threatened to unseat the revolutionaries, with notable events being the 1929 peasants uprising in Adipashratta that was violently put down by the Artadesian Red Army. By 1932, the worst food shortages had ended and Artadesia's economic outlook began to turn more positive. Foreign socialist nations were invited to effectively serve the role of foreign capital, providing material investments in Artadesia in order to begin the program of modernization championed by Maurya. Increasing UAFA control over the Red Army and the KSRS (Standardized Airya: क्रांति की सुरक्षा के लिए राष्ट्रीय सेवा transl. 'National Service for the Security of the Revolution'), the secret police force, led to the National Alliance slowly losing political power and being marginalized again.

Politics

Artadesia is a Federal Republic consisting of 11 National Autonomous Socialist Republics, 19 Protected Autonomous Communities, 5 National Territories, and 2 Union Territories. It is a representative democracy, with citizens electing the Premier and the members of the two Assemblies. The nation is a "Federation of socialist republics... based upon the alliance of the nations of Artadesia", with heavy protections for minority languages, cultures, and religions.

The Ordained Constitution of the CRASS is the nation's supreme legal document, setting up the structure, responsibilities, and power of the national and regional governments, as well as establishing the fundamental rights of Artadesian citizens, and the goals of both the government and the Artadesian citizenry at large.

Artadesia has operated under an uncodified four-party system, although various other parties do exist and have varying control over certain regional affairs. The United Artadesian Forwards Alliance (UAFA) is the current ruling party, and officially represents ""Mauryite" thinking. Unofficially, however, the party has transitioned to what is often dubbed "Neo-Mauryaism", with far more socially progressive and less rigid economic views. The Righteous Artadesian People's Party (RAPP) represents more traditionally Bergist views, and has held government between 1964-1979, 1989-1991, and 1999-2009. They remain one of the largest opposition parties in the nation. The Red Nation Socialist Party sprung from the Artadesian centre-left around the time of the Post-Maurya Thaw, and has held government between 1979-1984, 1991-1994, and 2009-2014. The Union Party for Progress and Peace represents the libertarian socialist current in Artadesia, which has found inspiration in the governance of Aosta, having held government between 1984-1989 and 1994-1999.

Governance

The Artadesian National Government is split into five major divisions. The Executive Council of Artadesia, the Folksforsamling, the Nasjonsforsamling, the Highest Court of Artadesia, and the Artadesian Bureaucracy.

The Nasjonsforsamlinghus, where the Nasjonsforsamling meets

The Folksforsamlinghus, the new meeting place of the Folksforsamling under construction

Power is intentionally balanced between these bodies to force consensus, both inside and between them. The two assemblies are elected directly by the people, with the Folksforsamling elected by the entire population, with votes given to parties and seats doled out based on percentage of votes. The Nasjonsforsamling is elected per region, with different regions having varying numbers of Assemblymen. The Executive Council is the collective executive of Artadesia, made up of the directly elected Premier of Artadesia, the Primary Assemblyman of the Nations, elected by the Nasjonsforsamling, and the General-Secretary of the Assembly of the People, elected by the Folksforsamling. Laws are presented by the Folksforsamling and approved by the Nasjonsforsamling, before being approved by the Executive Council.

Administrative divisions

The primary administrative divisions in Artadesia are the National Autonomous Socialist Republics (NASR), Protected Autonomous Communities (PAC), National Territories (NT), and Union Territories (UT). Each NASR holds jurisdiction inside their borders and share sovereignty with the National Government. The NASRs are also subdivided into provinces, which are further divided into municipalities. The PACs exist within the borders of an NASR, however are not subject to the laws of the NASR and have their own governments. Each subdivision is allotted a certain number of seats in the Assembly of Nations, proportional to size.

Largest cities

Largest cities in Artadesia Artadesian Census 2020
	Rank		Province	Pop.	Rank		Province	Pop.
Enqilapur Zikām	1	Enqilapur	Enqilapur National Capital Territory	32,431,083	11	Foreighi	Spentāvratā	4,332,134	Sohanpuram Mauryabād
	2	Zikām	Čakadeś	12,671,326	12	Agnikaadu	Tolavil Nāḍū	4,241,421
	3	Sohanpuram	Venikārikam	11,951,115
	4	Mauryabād	Airyavej	10,531,985
	5	Taśvīn	Hwarśan	8,413,122
	6	Gaonitān	Airyavej	8,112,325
	7	Ayunagaram	Venikārikam	6,951,942
	8	Vritrānagar	Chorap	6,142,482
	9	Cochit	Čakadeś	6,052,132
	10	Mailaab	Mehrdeś	5,913,244

Foreign relations

Artadesia is a member of the International Assembly and Association for Socialist Liberation. Under Premier Maurya, Artadesia did not hold strong relations with other socialist countries, not joining the ASL and pursuing only limited cooperation with countries like Druermark, with its closest connections being with the members of the Sorenway Pact for Mutual Defense and Assistance or SOPAMDA. However, since the Post-Maurya Thaw, Artadesia has become a leading member of the ASL, joining it in 1969 and being supported by it in its transition towards democracy. Artadesia has been supportive of providing military and economic aid to ASL member nations and to councilist nations around the world, and successive Artadesian governments have vocally advocated against what is seen as Marisian neo-colonialism.

Artadesia posesses a permanent seat on the IA Security Council and has been one of the top contributors to IA peacekeeping forces since 2003. It has undergone rapprochement with nations like Ilbon, establishing economic ties, however relations are still tense between these countries. Artadesia especially holds an antagonistic relationship with Elesthra, having engaged in many wars and proxy wars with its neighbor and the two countries have been in competition over influence in West Sorenway over the past few decades. Relations have been tense since the Third Elesthra-Artadesia War, and the two nations disagree on their borders, with Artadesia holding disputed Elesthran territory and Elesthra holding disputed Artadesian territory.

Artadesia is regarded as a Great Power, and holds significant hard power as well as soft power through language, cuisine, music, and movies.