Stenza: Difference between revisions

|established_event2 = Colonization by Corumm

Stenza was originally populated by several [[Polynesian]] tribes. These tribes were spread all along the island, living off the land and occasionally fighting each other for more land, a unified government did not however exist. This situation persisted until [[Corumm]] discovered and colonized the island in 1671. The following colonial era saw Stenzan society develop from its tribal roots into a more modern puppet state, ending in a brief period of semi-self governance during the early 20th century. A bloody [[Stenzan War of Independence|war]] between Stenzan freedom fighters and the Corumm-aligned government followed between 1919 and 1921, resulting in a Daxian retreat from the Island. An internal [[struggle for power]] followed Stenzan Independence, ending with the rise to power of the [[Stenzan People's Party]]. The party had total control over the nation from 1923 until 2022, with the country being largely isolated from the rest of the world. This changed when the [[Stenzan revolution]] removed the Party from power and paved the way for the Republic to form.

Although most official accounts on Stenzan pre-colonial history were destroyed during the era of [[Corumm|Daxian]] occupation, it is known that modern day Stenza consisted of a collection of tribes before the colonizers arrived. These tribes were known to have one of either two main government types, a council of elders (Fono a Toeaina) or a single chief (Sili) with absolute power. Tribal territory usually did not extend beyond the tribe's own settlement, though the size of the settlement could vary from a couple of huts around a plantation to something more reminiscent of a city.

Over the course of the next 100 years the island was transformed into a rather modern mining colony, Stenzan's vast supply of metals such as Nickel and Iron being exploited by the Daxian colonizers. The local population was forced to follow Daxian culture and by 1887 the nation was a Daxian puppet state headed by a Stenzan governor named Noa Zhu. Although seemingly self-governing, Zhu was nothing more than a Daxian puppet while the nation was still ruled with a tight grip by those back in Corumm.

The standard of living was not bad however, with the low pay being balanced out by a low cost of living. Stenzans enjoyed a relatively free society on the social level, being barred only by the major barriers that were a lack of contact with the rest of the world and a totalitarian regime that took care of anyone who disagreed with it. For Stenzans that had no desire to leave the country or doubt the party, life was well enough. By 1953 it became clear to Party officials that the initial ideology of total isolation did not pay off, Stenza was sitting on mined metals that it had no use for while lacking materials it could not locally produce and falling behind on modern technological advancements. A Stenzan party was sent to Corumm and by December of that year the [[Treaty of Zanshu]] was signed by representatives of both countries. The treaty marked the start of a strictly controlled Daxian-Stenzan trade relationship, with Stenzan metals and resources being traded for Daxian resources, medicine, technology and weaponry. Most of the imported items would later end up reverse engineered to lay a base for Stenzan spin-off products, spring boarding Stenzan technological knowledge on various fields by decades within the span of mere years.  

By 1983 the golden era ground to a halt when youth across Stenza took to the streets to demand political freedoms and the right to travel outside of Stenza. These protests, known as the [[youngsters' mistake]], led to a massive government crackdown and twelve month long curfew, most of the involved youngsters being forced to attend long term re-education programs. The years after this incident were cold yet quiet, the happiness of the prior decades being replaced with a new-found fright for what happens to those who speak against the government while the relatively lax Party of the time was shaken to the core by the incident, tightening the squeeze on the population to avoid repeat incidents. It was around this time that the Stenzan economy peaked and slowly started declining, although the discovery of offshore oil and its export to Corumm briefly re-ignited Stenza's economy in the late 1980s.

This short boom lasted until 1992, when the [[Party of Daxian Democrats]] rose to power in Corumm and suspended the trade agreement between both countries as part of a general stance taken against foreigners. The loss of its only trade partner robbed the Stenzan economy of its only foreign connection, and for the next five years the standard of living for Stenzan citizens plummeted. It was not until 1997 that Stenza and Corumm reached a new, albeit watered down trade agreement with Corumm, incorporated as an addendum to the treaty. The return of trade with Corumm stabiilzed the Stenzan economy, although it never fully grew as it did decades before. This situation would persist until 2022, with the cost of living for Stenzans growing quicker than the GDP per capita. These last two decades of the Party's regime were characterized by bursts of violent actions taken against those considered enemies of the state, unfinished construction programs and repeated to modernize the military's equipment in large enough numbers.

''my creative juices ran out :(''

===Climate and Environment===

Stenzan law has historically been reported as rather fair, with the few outside studies on it indicating it as criminally harsh, yet fair on a civil level. Stenzan law enforcement has been historically known to act outside the law though, with mass imprisonment and disappearances not being uncommon under the previous regime. These practices have recently been outlawed under the new government however, and Stenzan state media has reported that those imprisoned under the old regime have been released and reimbursed.

Stenza's other main law enforcement agency is the [[Stenzan Internal Forces]], this military branch, under the supervision of both the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, acts as a paramilitary force capable of both enforcing Stenzan law and defending the country. The force is both highly mechanized and fully militarized, sporting military uniforms, weaponry and vehicles. These forces were previously known as the Civil Peacekeeping Force, used by the previous regime as a device of terror.

Stenza has started setting up relations with various nations ever since it has opened its borders, with economic or strategic value often being cited as the reason for these relations. One notable example is [[Arcerion]], a nation that over the last few years has become a close ally of Stenza. Stenzan-Arcer military cooperation has become frequent, and trade between both nations is both frequent and profitable. [[Corumm]] is another foreign partner of Stenza, with the nations sharing a colonial history that goes back hundreds of years. Stenza has also been doing business with [[Urcea]] on subjects such as trade and international maritime security. There is plenty of trade between Stenza and other nations, with Stenzan companies free to do business as they please.

Stenza's culture draws a lot from two distinct sources: Its Polynesian nature as an island state, and the influence Corumm has had on its culture during the colonial era. As an effect of this, Stenzans frequently have Polynesian given names and Daxian surnames, or vice versa. Emphasis has been placed on Stenza's Polynesian heritage over the last few years however, with Stenza aiming to characterize itself as a center of Polynesian culture.

Organized religion has historically been a minor to non-existant entity within Stenzan society, with its ancient tribal religions being outlawed during the colonial era. Independent Stenza started off inheriting its ban on religion, although the government allowed the creation of the [[Polynesian Revivalist Church]] in the 1970s. This religion, which tries to merge what is still known of ancient tribal religions with modern day ideals, was originally used by the state to relay its ideals to those who chose to attend it. By 2014 however, the church had gained independence from the state and gained popularity through interest in Polynesian Revivalism. By 2029, 12.2% of all Stenzans are part of the church, which is closely associated with the [[Polynesian Pact]]. The Polynesian Revivalist Church has been described as a "more modern and down to earth adaption of [[Kapuhenasa]]" by some.