An Explanation of What the HESS is

The Holy Edesu Socialist State

National Statistics

Regions: Bavaria, Ironyia, Ost, Surter, Fidelia, Salva, Desert, Pudendu, Sanktzal, Greater Norateos, Hijjma
Colonies: Hijjma, Greater Norateos (Colonies are not considered fully Edesu. Their numbers are excluded from national population statistics.)
Population: 200 million
Capital and Largest City: Kolbertiko (20 million)
Second Largest: Mora (12 million)
Third Largest: Kaishekh (8 million)
Fourth Largest: Threvin (6 million)
Fifth Largest: Bazra (5 million)
Sixth Largest: Salvador (4 million)
Seventh Largest: Versus (3 million)
Eighth Largest: Finix (3 million)
National Animal: Owl
Official Language: Edesu
State Religion: Roman Catholicism (Followed devoutly by Edesus and immigrants, mostly be Annexins, somewhat by Norateans, and nominally by Hijjmans)
Government Type: Theocratic Catholic communist single-party technocratic representative democracy (Officials are carefully chosen for their merits. Legislative officials require approval by popular vote. All non-military officials can be recalled. Edesus exercise their limited voting rights enthusiastically.)
Civil Rights: Average
Economy: Good
Political Freedoms: Below Average
Currency: Not Applicable

Economy: The fully socialized Edesu economy can be mostly divided into five sectors: agriculture, manufacturing, services, oil production, and mining. HESS produces fully half of all of Hiborea's food; it exports an immense quantity of foodstuffs, spanning the entire spectrum of global culinary tastes. Due to HESS's low labor costs, it is also a manufacturing giant, exporting products of all sizes globally. The Holy Edesu Socialist State is known for its sizable welfare programs. The government provides a wide array of services to its citizens free of charge: full education, medical care, housing, military and police protection, environmental conservation, public transportation, etc. Approximately 35% of all Edesu citizens are employed in the aforementioned services; this number varies little from region to region. HESS is also the leading producer of gasoline and natural gas, although many nations are closing in on its production levels. Due to low fossil fuel consumption levels the overwhelming majority of fossil fuels are exported. HESS's smallest sector of its economy is mining, which is mostly limited to Ironyia and Greater Norateos.

Explanation of government will be provided. Eventually. All of this is subject to change, notably due to population growth, shifting government expenditures, and refounding the RP elsewhere.

The Red Military

Although ill-equipped to invade modern nations, the devout Red Military is zealously patriotic and excels at converting occupied region's to the HESS's communist and Christian ideologies. The Holy Edesu Socialist State focuses on defense, heavily fortifying established territory for the perpetually nigh invasion. While not to be feared for its expansionist tendencies by modern powers, a foreign occupation of the HESS would be logistically impossible due to paranoid preparation for the constantly feared invasion.


All males ages 14 through 40 engage in weekly military exercises. Coupled with the HESS's mandatory and vigorous daily exercise, the Holy Edesu Socialist State has a population highly prepared to fend off a full-scale invasion, something which few other nations can boast.

The Red Army
All figures below are approximations.

• 23,000 T-90's (Main Battle Tank)
  
• 15,000 Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicles
  
• 10,000 Armoured Personnel Carriers
  
• 6,000 Towed Artillery
  
• 6,000 Self Propelled Artillery
  
• 900 Multiple Rocket Launchers
  
• 6,000 Mortars
  
• 3,000 Self-Propelled Surface to Air Missiles

The Red Navy

• 2 aircraft carriers
  
• 75 submarines
  
• 9 Amphibious assault ships
  
• 9 Amphibious transport docks
  
• 50 corvettes
  
• 25 destroyers
  
• 11 frigates

The above includes approximately:

• 600 Sukhoi SU-35's (Air Superiority Fighter)
  
• 300 Kamov KA-50's (Attack Helicopter)
  
• 200 Kamov KA-60's (Transport Helicopter)

The Red Air Force
All figures below are approximations.

• 1,000 Sukhoi SU-35's (Air Superiority Fighter)
  
• 500 Sukhoi SU-27's (Air Superiority Fighter)
  
• 500 TU-22M's (Strategic bomber)
  
• 100 Antonov AN-124's (Transport)
  
• 400 Antonov AN-32's (Transport)
  
• 300 Aero L-39 Albatroses (Training)
  
• 200 Ilyushin Il-76's (Transport)
  
• 50 Ilyushin Il-78's (Refueling Tanker)
  
• 80 Beriev A-50's (AWACS)
  
• 300 Kamov KA-50's (Attack Helicopter)
  
• 300 Kamov KA-60's (Transport Helicopter)
  
• 50 TIHA's (Surveillance Drone))

Government Budget Details
Administration: $1,560,503,871,927.00 14%
Social Welfare: $668,787,373,683.00 6%
Healthcare: $1,449,039,309,646.50 13%
Education: $2,229,291,245,610.00 20%
Religion & Spirituality: $668,787,373,683.00 6%
Defence: $891,716,498,244.00 8%
Law & Order: $1,003,181,060,524.50 9%
Commerce: $222,929,124,561.00 2%
Public Transport: $222,929,124,561.00 2%
The Environment: $891,716,498,244.00 8%
Social Equality: $1,337,574,747,366.00 12%

Edo Edi Essum Economic Statistics
Exchange Rate: 2.9935 Not Applicables = $1
Gross Domestic Product: $11,583,262,320,764.75
GDP Per Capita: $6,011.03
Unemployment Rate: 10.67%
Consumption: $457,855,200,000.00
Government Budget: $11,733,111,819,000.00
Government Expenditures: $11,146,456,228,050.00
Goverment Waste: $586,655,590,950.00
Exports: $1,444,141,729,589.75
Imports: $1,465,190,836,875.00
Trade Deficit: $21,049,107,285.25

War
Jordan Kriegipaz

the Army
Peter Hartak

the Navy
William Roskov

the Air Force
Rodger Venti

Foreign Affairs
Master Marcus Albinoni

Interior
Samuel Gurdado

Justice
Doctor Amelia Konlay

Displacement and Migration
Sabrina Munif

Trade
Master Jessica Fiskus

Finance
Doctor Roth S. Childs

Labor
Doctor Robert Arbeit

Production
Doctor Roberto Chavfrakt

Mining
Vladimir Burgbaom

Oil
Master Henry Pertz

Construction and Housing
Doctor Anna Volha

Agriculture
Master Patrick Terth

Electricity
Master Isabella Elekekraft

Education
Doctor Rachel Sapientia Mobergo

the Environment
Alexandra Verden

Transportation
Dcotor Michael Moton

Science and Technology
Dcotor Sofia Zukunft

Communications
Doctor Matthew Telelug

Health
Doctor Saul Medkur

Equity
Lola Mes

Water
Master Marco Voda

the Church
Cardinal Luke Cassava

Culture
Roxanna Buen

Government

The Edesu Communist Party (The Party, the EKP)
The EKP is the only legal political party in the HESS. Despite banning all forms of factionalism, it exists in the EKP. Party Membership is considered a great honor. As the Party only grants membership to those who "epitomize the Edesu spirit" (hardliner communists, devout Catholics, exceptionally hard workers, don't question the EKP), only 2% of the population are members.

Although the Edesu Communist Party has few actual powers, it holds undue sway over the entire government, as virtually every powerbroker is a card-carrying member of the Party. The EKP is the unofficial policy-maker of the Holy Edesu Socialist State. Government officials, military men, and the clergy disproportionally fill the Edesu Communist Party's ranks.

The Holy Office of the Inquisition (The Holy Office, The Inquisition, The HOI)
The public considers the Holy Office the formal appendix of the EKP, which makes sense because it is unheard of for an Inquisitor to lack Party membership. The HOI has three sets of duties: to interrogate all potential government officials, keep tabs on the general population, and monitor the media. All prospective government officials for any position above common grunt work, must undergo the Holy Office's analysis of their character before obtaining an appointment or participating in an election. An HOI condemnation will end the career of any ambitious person.

The Holy Office of the Inquisition is tasked with ensuring that everyone in the HESS is Catholic and communist. Denouncing either doctrine is strictly forbidden and will win one a free trip to a reeducation camp should the HOI get wind of said opinion. This isn't much of a problem in the Edesu homeland, where the Holy Office estimates over 99.6% of the population either approves, strongly approves, or zealously approves of Edesu dogma. In occupied areas, the Inquisition has endless work.

Edesu media is somewhat free. Generous grants are given to establish newspapers, and the State patronizes the work of authors and other artists. However, the HOI will analyze every publication and piece of artwork, searching for overt anti-Catholic or anticommunist statements. Edesu artists and reporters have been known to publish scathing works of dissent if said dissent is subtle enough. Sarcasm is the subversive artist's best friend.

While outright disapproval is forbidden and punished with reeducation, critiquing Edesu application of ideology is allowed and encouraged. One can say the HESS is a farce of a communist state. One may not say the communist ideology is a farce.

The Soviets and the Supreme Soviet
The unicameral Soviets constitute the legislative branch of Edes. Every municipality and large rural area has its own governing council, the Soviet, whose representatives have normal day jobs. The Supreme Soviet, located in Kolbertiko, is the highest legislative body, drafting law for the entire nation. EKP membership is a de facto requirement; every senator in the Supreme Soviet has achieved it for their notable work in whichever Kommissariat or Soviet they began their political career in.

The Supreme Soviet asserts its independence in legislative affairs, but it tends to rubber stamp appointments.

The People's Kommissariats
Of the 27 People's Kommissariats, all but the People's Kommissariat of Justice constitute the executive branch. They enforce the laws, organize the country, and employ the overwhelmingly majority of the population.

The Judicial Branch (The People's Kommissariat of Justice)
The Holy Edesu Socialist State uses the Socialist Law system, which is based off of the natural law system used by RL France and Germany. Socialist Law's notable difference is the near absence of property law, which Natural Law puts great emphasis on.

Powerful Figures in Edes
The HESS lacks a clear leader. Despite the Glorious Technocrat's sweeping authority over the executive branch, the Kommissariats tend to manage themselves. Due to the great unofficial power of the General Secretary, Grand Inquisitor, and Premier, the Edesu State is less centralized than it appears.

Glorious Technocrat- Popularly elected, heads the executive branch. Mainly focuses on getting appropriate budgets for the various Kommissariats from the Supreme Soviet.
The Central Committee- Dictates Party policy, appoints its own members with the General Secretary's approval
General Secretary- Head of the Central Committee, elected by the Central Committee
Premier- First among equals in the Supreme Soviet, elected by the senators
People's Kommissars- Equivalent of a minister, heads a People's Kommissariat. Nominated by the Kommissariat and receives the rubber stamp approval of the Supreme Soviet.
Grand Inquisitor- Heads the Holy Office of the Inquisition. Nominated by the People's Kommissar of the Church and receives the rubber stamp approval of the Supreme Soviet.
Senators- Popularly elected to the Supreme Soviet
Representatives- Popularly elected to a Soviet, only officials who often lack Party membership

Recall
The ultimate popular authority in Edes. Although the People often hold little sway over the actions of the State, they can initiate a recall vote with a petition signed by one quarter of eligible voters in the appropriate district. Then, if the majority disapprove of the loathed official's actions (a given to organize a recall campaign), the official is removed from office. All Edesus officials can be recalled. Central Committee members, as their positions are full-time jobs, may be recalled.