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“In Light and in Silence”

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The Democratic States of Arcandias is a huge, efficient nation, notable for its keen interest in outer space, otherworldly petting zoo, and frequent executions. The hard-nosed, hard-working population of 890 million Arcandians are free to succeed or fail in life on their own merits; the successful tend to enjoy an opulent (but moralistic) lifestyle, while the failures can be seen crowding out most jails.

The tiny, corrupt, pro-business government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Law & Order, and Defense. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Arcanum. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 6.2%.

The frighteningly efficient Arcandian economy, worth 129 trillion Arcandian Coins a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Retail industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, and Uranium Mining. Average income is an impressive 145,472 Arcandian Coins, but there is a large disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 629,231 per year while the poor average 21,390, a ratio of 29.4 to 1.

The nation's first space rocket -- sponsored by Eckie-Ecola and shaped like an enormous soda bottle -- is being developed, it's said that an Arcandian always pays his debts with significant compounding, travellers are often forcibly evicted by torch-bearing mobs, and doctors prescribe medicines but they rarely dispense hope or compassion. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Arcandias's national animal is the Fox, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Arcandias is ranked 247,811^th in the world and 94^th in Lands End for Largest Populations, with 890 million capita.