Sinoptikon

Grand Communality of Sinoptikon

120px (Flag) (Coat of Arms)
State Motto	Από πολλούς, ένας.
• Ingliz	From the many, one.
State Anthem	Hισχύς εν τη ενώσει (Unity is Strength)
• Ingliz	{{{nation_anthem_ingliz}}}
Official language	West Heloan
Founding Date	2092
Government  • Type  • Coordinator General	Communalist Erin Mehmed Ilhami
Capital	Prynippia
Administrative Divisions	9 dekklades
Largest City	Crythea
Area  • Total  • % water	402,000 km² (155,200 sq mi) 1%
Population  • Total  • Growth Rate  • Density	28,140,000 -0.3 70/km² (181/sq mi)
GDP  • Total  • GDP/capita  • Growth Rate	N/A no realistic data available; probably about ∂ 225 N/A%
Currency	Scrip ($)
Time Zones	Miotan Standard Time (AMT -3)
Trigraph	SIN
Calling Code	+70

The Grand Communality of Sinoptikon is a Communalist country located in central Miotus.

Contents 1 History 2 Governance 3 Subdivisions 4 Geography and Climate 5 Agriculture 6 Economy 7 Demographics 8 Culture 9 Military 10 Current Issues

History

For the past 20 or so years, the country has been in turmoil. Through the 2070's and 2080's a parliamentary socialist republic with moderate freedoms had slid into the control of six political extended families, the Ekto'oikos. Their excesses of taxation, extortion, and graft turned to political murder as well, and in 2091 much of the citizenry erupted in revolt. Demagogues may have raised peoples' ire with government, but it really was a popular uprising, as well as a Populist one, politically. The Army stepped aside and refused involvement, which is all that stopped a bloodbath.

Communalist activists already had considerable power in the parliament; freed of the Ekto'oikos' firm control, they organized effectively and outright bought support of the two purely populist leaders, Miklos Androukietes and Timos Remistes. By August of 2091 a full framework was in place for a moderate communalist republic, duly authorized by parliament. Socialists saw little enough difference in their aims and those of the new Communality Group, and bought into the plans. Democratic leaders of a more capitalist belief withheld active support, but couldn't deny the "anything but ekto" sentiment, and also withheld any strong dissent.

Since the inception of the Grand Communality in May 2092, the parliament has changed into the Council of the People, and the elected positions of national leadership have shifted into being appointed by the so-called Inner Council of that body. While there may be less visible corruption than under the Ekto'oikos, the power elite of Sinoptikon is now a smaller group, and holds tighter control than that oligarchy ever did. The Army of the Sinoptical Republic was carefully brought into the new regime, and with its three top figures now a part of the Inner Council, it functions as a loyal arm of the Communality. Its subordinate position today is perhaps more clear to Ingliz speakers than to the native Heloans; being termed now the Synoptik Communalist Armed Minions. "Minion" in Heloan has a milder connotation than it does in Ingliz.

When the new Coordinator General (then, Hierakles Nestoloron) formally made his own position independent of the general electorate in 2093, the increasingly skeptical Democratic factions of the government withdrew, forming today's Democratic Republican Insurrection. At first, the central government had too many issues to deal with, for the DRI to get much attention. In the two decades since then, the DRI has grown to a virtual second national government, controlling some twenty to thirty-five percent of the land, and over twenty percent of the populace.

Before 1904, Sinoptikon fit the typical Helosan pattern of minor kingdoms with borders that shifted every four to eight decades. One of those precursor states, the Elealerikon Kingdom, covered about eighty percent of today's Sinoptikon and over ninety percent of today's Nolophon Caletica. It is from Elealerikon that the Grand Communality draws its claim over Nolophon's territory.

Governance

Since the Populist Revolt of 2091, Sinoptikon's communalist government has been working to strengthen its control over the the countryside. Several areas, notably in the eastern highlands and the south central region, are in contention despite claims of control by the central government. The leading anti-government faction in these unstable regions is the Democratic Republican Insurrection (DRI).

As a communalist state, leadership is theoretically vested in the Council of the People. In practical terms, the Coordinator General sets policy and serves as both head of state and head of government. Most of the legal framework of the old Sinoptical Republic has been dismantled and replaced with straight Communalist doctrine.

Subdivisions

There are nine subdivisions. The hold of the central government over some regions is tenuous but loyalties do not fit neatly into the subdivisional boundaries. The Communality refers to the first through ninth provinces, or dekklades. The DRI and the general public still refer to the same names those nine (back then ten, hence "dekklades") territories used through most of the 2000's. The usual list is Myrclades, Andrespetikon, Santudion, Narsis, Antixisa, Phryntala, Kripleptikon, Helubris, and Panaelaeon. Only Myrclades and Santudion on the northern coast, and Phryntala on the Onkyios River are entirely in communalist control. <div style="clear:left"/></div>

Geography and Climate

Elevations in Sinoptikon range from sea level along the Topal Sea coast to over 3,000 meters in the country's eastern Pindolikos Mountains. Winters range from mild along the coast to severe in the inland mountains. Summers are generally mild across the entire territory.

The Onkyios River forms the southeastern border of Sinoptikon. The Andemos River forms most of the northern border of Sinoptikon, though the Grand Communality also claims the entire territory of Nolophon Caletica across the Andemos. The Andemos valley is broad and fertile, and would be productive were it not for the sporadic fighting waged on both sides of the river.

Agriculture

Sinoptikon is nearly self-sufficient in foodstuffs, though that means a lower caloric intake to its citizens than such more prosperous neighbors as Nolophon Caletica. Much of the arable land that would otherwise be devoted to grain or livestock is planted in cotton by the government farm enterprises. Sinoptikon uses some of its cotton exports to directly trade for grain. Outside the cities, people are free to raise whatever minor livestock they can, and most do. Many families will have a few goats or a dozen chickens. What countryside that isn't involved in warfare supports a fair variety of game. Garlic-roasted rabbit is the national dish, in as many varieties as there are available extra ingredients. Sinoptikon has its share of the olives, figs, and grapes that are Heloan staples.

Economy

Because of the internal strife and the long-standing conflict between Sinoptikon and neighboring Nolophon Caletica to the north, the national economy is underperforming. Continual military spending and the relative scarcity of consumer goods results in not insignificant strain on the Sinoptik nerve. The Sinoptikon currency, the Scrip, is not worth much outside of Sinoptikon proper. Oddly, it has more value among the bitter enemies of the central government, the DRI, than it does with neighboring nations. The insurrectionists neither print nor mint their own money, leaving them free to leech whatever portion of the Sinoptikon economy that they can. Barter is common. So is the use of foreign coin, though the government technically outlaws it.

Sinoptikon has deposits of silver whose mining stretches back at least fifteen hundred years. Most are in DRI controlled areas, and are not presently worked, or are not worked efficiently. Many government raids into the highlands are aimed more at denying the Democratic Republicans use of these mines than at any attempt to regain territory.

Demographics

Ethnically, the Sinoptiks are almost universally Heloan. Despite governance by a rather extreme version of Communalism, non-Heloan minorities suffer repression and lack of access to fundamental services such as health care, education, housing, and even the right to work. Since 2100 there has been a net drop in population of Sinoptikon, as some citizens emigrated to escape the conflicts, and others "disappeared" and joined the DRI.

Culture

Average Sinoptiks do not have much opportunity, or the financial ability, to take advantage of such luxuries as the State Opera of Sinoptikon (SOS) or the National Oceanography Synoptik Technological Research Aquarium and Library (NOSTRAL). Nonetheless, local festivals are commonplace and every Sinoptik loves a gyro. A minor export trade in the instrument variously known as bouzouki or baglamas provides one of the few positive foreign impressions of the Sinoptik nation. Locally, its music encompasses wild dance tunes and drawn-out lyric sagas.

Military

Officially, the Synoptik Communalist Armed Minions is the only recognized armed force in the country. In reality, the Democratic Republican Insurrection fields a formidable guerrilla military force across about a third of Sinoptikon. Both groups are supplied from abroad, as well as devising their own local weaponry. The Minions' generally poor training is partly made up for by their large numbers.

Current Issues

The insurgency and the dispute with Nolophon Caletica are equally significant problems for Sinoptikon. Besides stifling the economy, including disproportionate expenditures on military hardware, the human toll in injuries and deaths has far reaching affects on Sinoptikon families and quality of life.