Caphiria: Difference between revisions

The total population of the Imperium is 785,178,356 as of 2021. Of these residents, 642 million are ''cives'', legal citizens of the Imperium. Citizenship is vital for living in the empire, exempting one from the poll tax, allowing one to join the army as a legionary rather than a guard, conferring inalienable rights like health care and welfare, and permitting appeals to a Praetor during litigation. It also grants voting rights at the age of 16 and allows someone to run for political posts according to their social class.

The empire had rapid population growth over the last two centuries. However, immigration is severely limited by the Constitution. Numerous bureaucratic hoops stand between a peregrini (foreigner) and entry into the Imperium to live. Citizenship is even more difficult and costly to acquire. Therefore, most of the country's growth is natural, with 2.8 million new births per year. The distribution of the population is widely uneven. The most densely populated areas are the metropolitan areas of Venceia and Augsustanis, while vast regions such as the Lacio Mountains are very sparsely populated.

''Patricians'' are the apogee of Caphirian citizenship. Accounting for 0.57% of the total population, they are typically wealthy and influential and they have the most freedom to engage themselves in politics and bureaucratic affairs. Thus they have the most control in the Imperium, often portrayed - if somewhat unjustly - as subjugating the other orders of society. The greatest of patricians are members of the imperial family. The current imperial family counts 177 members.

Next down the social ladder are the ''Equites'' (Equestrians), a rich mercantile class whose members manage a great part of Caphiria's economy. They account for 14.26% of Caphirian society and make up the "upper class" for those not born in the aristocracy. Members of the Equite class are typically knowledgeable and have been educated in "elite" settings and control and own significant portions of corporate Caphiria and may exercise indirect power through the investment of capital.

Below the Equite class are the ''Plebeians'' or, simply Plebs, who can be split into two orders according to their wealth: the Upper-Plebeian order and Lower-Plebeian order. Upper Plebs are the empire's middle class, earning a decent living but lacking the privileges of the upper classes. They represent your average citizens, making up the majority of the population. Lower Plebs are the work force, laborers who do jobs no one wants but everyone needs. Plebeians receive good benefits from the government to compensate for their reduced privileges and are more well-off than the lower classes citizens of other countries. Altogether, the Plebeians make up 55.9% of Caphirian society, with the Upper-Plebs consisting of 18.85% and the Lower-Plebs 37.15%.

Unofficially, there are also ''Peregrini'' (foreigners), non-citizens like expatriates or visitors. Making up 5.4% of the population, they have no legal rights under Caphirian law, as their home countries are expected to care for them even if they have no home. Nevertheless, they often remain in Caphiria with the hopes of one day gaining citizenship.

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.