Caphiria: Difference between revisions

Higher education is done in either academies (academiae) or universities (universales), whether one wants to receive an Academy Degree and become a Doctor (PhD) or not respectively. While attending a grammaticus is compulsory for all citizens, higher education can be avoided in order to take an apprenticeship in manual work. At this level, courses are distinguished into the classical branches of philosophy. Graduating as a doctor in one's field is not only prestigious but beneficial for one's career as well. Modern lawyers, senators, medical doctors, scientists, generals and economists are almost unanimously doctores. There's no distinct school system for medicine or law as these already have academies like other subjects.

Main article: Health in Caphiria

Caphiria has a (virtually) completely private healthcare system, with the only state-sponsored healthcare system in place for those who would otherwise have no access to it and are in severe need of it, as well as children of citizens before they acquire their citizenship and elder citizens above 70 years of age. In 2030, private insurance paid for 65.4% of personal health expenditures, followed by 34.6% by private out-of-pocket payments. All hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers are entirely private. Because of political and social pressure on employers to provide at least minimal private health insurance, only 13% of the public is uninsured.

The average national life expectancy in Caphiria is 81.3 years. By gender, the average is higher for women at 83.6 compared to 78.9 for men. This can be explored further by going into detail based off of social class: Obviously the Patrician class has the highest life expectancy at 86 years, the Equestrians at 81, Upper-Plebs at 78, Lower-Plebs at 76, and the Indigeni at 68 years on average.

Main article: Stratification in Caphiria

Caphirian society has a strict national stratification dating to its ancient Republican era called the ordones.

The final stratum is the lowest order who, in addition to receiving almost no government benefits, is heavily looked down upon by the rest of society. Making up 23.73% of the population, they are the Indigeni, who are the native population who have been conquered by Caphiria. Most citizens view them as inferior to Latin races and, consequently, most of the country's racism is directed at them.

Main article: Culture of Caphiria

The culture of the Imperium reflects the diversity of its population. Regarded as a melting pot of ethnicity and identities, Caphiria is tolerant and respectful of the majority of cultures within its empire, encouraging some of their activities through socioeconomic measures. Even the bureaucracy and local elites reflect the regional distinctiveness of the population, allowing a degree of cultural independence that goes beyond mere appearances into religious and political recognition.

A principle which underlies Caphiria's cultural achievements is Libertas (Freedom). Freedom of movement within the country, freedom to share ideas and customs and freedom to seek wealth. The Senate hardly limits these liberties of the people with law, force, or even propaganda. Furthermore, inside the Imperium's borders for the last 300 years has been a stability unseen at any other time or place, a true Pax Caphiria. Safety and liberty are no less immanent as factors today, driving Caphiria ever more into the future.

Examples of Caphiric architecture

   

Traditional Caphiric architecture places emphasis on symmetry, proportion, geometry and the regularity of parts. It often used visual and theatrical effects, designed to surprise and awe the viewer and to portray a sense of power, majesty and virility. The architecture of modern Caphiria is best described as "New Classical-Parametric Brutalism" in that it continues the practice of classical and traditional architecture (new classical) but also mixes in simple, block-like structures that often feature bare building materials and exposed concrete (brutalism) while subscribing to an overall design philosophy that rejects both homogenization (serial repetition) and pure difference (agglomeration of unrelated elements) in favor of differentiation and correlation as key compositional values (Parametricism).

   

Tomatoes are common in Caphirian cuisine

Alcohol, specifically wine, is the 3rd-most consumed beverage by volume behind water and coffee, and is commonly consumed (alongside water) in meals, which are rarely served without it, though it is extremely uncommon for meals to be served with any other drink, alcoholic, or otherwise. Caphiria consumed 25 billion liters of wine in 2035 alone. The second-most consumed alcoholic beverage is whiskey at 19 billion liters.

Some examples of Caphiric artwork

   

Art museums are very popular destinations within Caphirian cities. The three largest museums of art receive 18 million, 9 million and 4 million visitors each year respectively. Also featured in the art museums are the ever popular Caphirian sculptures. The art of sculpting is perhaps the greatest product of the Western arts, and definitely one which the Imperium made full use of. The grandest statue in the Imperium, however, is the Statue of Victory (depicting an Angel) in the Castra Veteraian Bay. Standing on a 60 meter pedestal, the Statue itself is 240 meters tall. The Statue of Victory is a widely recognized national symbol representing the indomitable spirit and power of the Imperium.

The immensity of Caphiria and the security that its citizens enjoy necessitates a great deal of effort in both entertaining and informing the public. Until recently, the primary means by which news was spread was the praeconis (heralds). These public-wage scribes stood in major plazas within the cities every day to declare recent news to people walking in the streets, in the manner of giving a speech. Amazingly, this form of reporting was so popular with the public that not even personal telescreens could supersede heralds in getting government funding to relay news. It is only in modern times, in the larger cities, that live heralds were replaced with holographic recordings. These holograms look realistic enough that the change is irrelevant to the public. The rich, as always, use personal secretaries to bring them the news. Except in Venceia and Adamentium, the news given by heralds is relevant only to the city itself, with the exception of major national news. While news of a murder or disaster in Osctatellia will be spread by heralds there, no one elsewhere in the country will hear about it. An interesting case regarding dissemination of the news is Cadro whose heralds proclaim global economic updates on top of local news.

Mass advertising has had an interesting life, never developing traditionally in the Caphiric world, leading to a commercial dynamic unseen anywhere in the world. Advertisements of any kind are banned in newspapers. The only permitted and publicly accepted form of advertising is within designated movies and telescreens street signs, though some businesses shrewdly bribe heralds to mention their product in a good light. Nearly all shops abide in distinct market districts in the cities and villages, so business owners rely on signs and their own charisma to attract customers to their stall or shop. Nearly every product is sold by a regional monopoly, or by two or three large businesses, therefore advertising for products is wasteful anyway. Certain kinds of street adverts like electric signs or excessive lighting are outlawed in large cities since people find them to be disruptive and bothersome - especially neon signs. That aside, the advertising industry has seen an explosive growth over the last decade or so. The laws have become less rigid and enforced, which as led to innovative marketing that sits in between the legal and illegal realm, though this appeals mainly to smaller businesses looking for a competitive edge against much larger companies.

Society within the Imperium is regarded as a model for the rest of the world in terms of art and culture. Global polls by by an international institution which queried 10,000 people from each country, found that 65% saw Caphirians positive light while an opposing 32% saw it in a negative one. From these results, it seems that few lack a strong opinion of the empire. An internal census of the empire in 1977, polling its entire body of citizens, showed a 95% approval of their country. 3% were completely neutral on the subject and only 2% believed Caphiria was harmful to or had a negative impact on humanity.