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Online Encyclopedia Alphistiana
Alphistia
Alphistia is the name of a model country. This web version of the Encyclopedia Alphistiana describes characteristics of this virtual country and of Project Alphistia, the organization created to develop and to direct all aspects of the development of the lesenum(the Alphistian homeland).Arden
Arden is one of Alphistia's nine provinces. Its capital is Reval. Arden is a forested, rural province in Alphistia's northeast. Several of the country's artels are located in Arden, and many weekend cottages have been built on its lakes.
artel
Artel means group in Alphistian, and refers to any sort of organization which operatives on a co-operative basis.Farms in Alphistia are mostly privately owned and farmed by the owner. Producer co-ops buy and distribute farm output. A significant part of the Alphistian agricultural system however are also "artels". These would be farm co-ops modeled on the Israeli agricultural communities: the kibbutz and the moshav. The farmers themselves decide the degree of collectivity in their artels, so some farm the land in common and live more communally like the kibbutzim, while others have a less communal aspect, pooling their machinery, but living separately with their own families, like the moshavim.
bicycles
The use of the bicycle as personal transportation is encouraged in Alphistia. Since towns are compact and planned with separate bikeways, it is convenient to use bikes for everyday commuting, shopping etc. The small size of the country makes it possible to use bikes as inter-urban transportation or a way to get to weekend cottages, so bikeways as part of the road system have been built also. Combined with an integrated and comprehensive public transit system,Alphistians have the option to have largely car-free lives.books
The future growth of internet is not affecting the roles of books in Alphistia. The internet(known in Alphistia as the alfanet) complements and enhances reading and the use of books. The status of the Alphistian language as the most important tool of culture-building has created demand for books: translations from other languages, and original works in Alphistian. Alphistia would model itself on countries like Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, etc., where books are an extremely important part of creating and preserving national identity. A free public library system modeled on the excellent American public libraries provides copies of all books in the Alphistian language at local branches, plus access to all knowledge through the National Library, the university libraries, and foreign library loan programs. Bookstores are part of every local shopping district, with larger stores in Enteve's city center, as well as book-ordering co-ops available via the alfanet. A small country like Iceland publishes more than 1,000 titles a year. Alphistia's population resemble Iceland's small size (about 275,000 citizens), and the goal is to publish just as many book titles as Iceland does.banks
Alphistia has three banks, two organized as co-ops, and one state-owned enterprise. The Bank se Alvestea is the national bank, administered by the Ministry of Finance, and issue the national currency: the alpha. It also provides full consumer banking services, competing with the two co-op banks. Pravikense Sparenbank is a savings bank affiliated with the Nationale Konsument co-op retail system, with branches in each post office. The Ko-Op Bank is owned by the national Ko-Op movement, investing the large supplementary pension funds of most Alphistian workers, and providing full banking, financial, and insurance services to consumers and co-ops.Branoe
Branoe is a province in the southern area of Alphistia, due south of Sakasavesa. It surrounds the eastern half of Lake Vasa. Branoe town is the provincial capital. Many weekend cottages have been built along the northern shore of the lake. The southshore is a protected forest park. Small farms and gardens cover the area to the north of Branoe city.
cohousing
A cohousing scheme consists of renters or owners who share certain aspects of communal life with one another, while continuing to live in their own homes. The idea originated in Scandinavia and is popular in Denmark. The housing complex is usually designed around a common plaza, street or interior space, with a common room/house with a kitchen/cafeteria, meeting rooms, etc. People still have the privacy of their own lives and space, combined with a higher sense of neighborliness and shared experiences. In Alphistia, there are cohousing schemes available for those who wish to live together.In Enteve, a whole neighborhood in a one of the city's rayons is devoted to cohousing living, and many weekend cottage colonies are also organized as cohousing.
co-ops
Many economic enterprises in Alphistia are organized as co-ops, both profit and non-profit types. Co-ops modeled on the profit-making Mondragon model of Basque Spain are most common. These play an important part in the economy of the Basque region, and provide a voice for workers that is not possible in traditional private enterprise. Workers elect managers and make their own investment decisions. If a company is profitable, co-op members receive the dividends in addition to their salaries. Co-ops work well for larger companies. Most smaller companies are privately owned. Many media organizations are also organized as co-ops, and state-owned entities such as the railway, post office, and telecom company are also structured like co-ops.The three largest co-ops are the retail organizations Ko-Op, NK and AKEA, a consortium of industrial co-operatives. NK and Ko-Op operate department stores, supermarkets, and have specialty shop chains in direct competition with one another. AKEA produces many of the products available for sale to the retail co-ops (and private businesses), as well as exporting a large part of its output.
cultural centers
An important part of everyday life in Alphistia and the Alpha village is the community cultural center. Each town in Alphistia and each neighborhood in Enteve has its own cultural complex, with a local branch library, classrooms and workrooms, gallery space and an auditorium. In Enteve's city center Alphistia's national cultural institutions have their facilities: The National Museum, The National Library, the National Theater, as well as city institutions like the Enteve Opera and the City Theater. Since Alphistia's national territory is very compact, all parts of the country have easy access to Enteve's cultural life, but an important aspect of the Alphistian way of life is the attention given to integrating the arts into the everyday lives of citizens.
currency
The alpha is Alphistia's main currency, divided into 100 peranten(perant in the singular). The alpha is issued by The Bank of Alphistia which issues paper currency, coins, and smartcards in various denominations. Exchange rates are set by the Bank of Alphistia.
Dalvarne
Dalvarne is to the north of Sakasavesa province. Its capital is Usta. Dalvarne is Alphistia's favorite vacation spot, since it is along the country's northern shoreline. The resort towns of Vakasa Provinsea, and Leva have beaches and many weekend cottages. Usta is Alphistia's third largest town, with about 15,000 people. It has Alphistia's technical university, the Tekna. Usta has been built with many unique architectural features modeled on old European market towns.
Demos
Demos is a grassroots organization which safeguards democracy and acts as a type of ombudsman for political activity. It oversees election campaigns and acts as observer at all elections. It supervises the forming of new governments while coalitions are formed. It also sponsors citizenship programs and helps immigrants adjust to their new country.
ev's
Electric vehicle technology is one of Alphistia's niche industries, and the only form of internal wheeled vehicles (other than bicycles)permitted in the country. The small size of the country makes the use of ev's feasible even with their limitations due to the need for frequent refueling. Electric buses supplement the Enteve metrotram system and the electrified railway network throughout the country. Electric vans provide freight services not handled by the railway. And individual citizens can own their own private electric cars or rent them when needed. Since Alphistia is a planned environment encouraging the use of public transit and non-car dependent ways of living, private car ownership is much lower than in other countries. This is particularly true in the biggest towns.economy
Alphistia has a mixed economy, with privately owned companies competing with each other and co-operatives. Some state-owned firms exist also, primarily in the transportation, utility and banking sectors. Foreign firms can operate as branches or negotiate license agreements with Alphistian companies.Foreign companies are required to adhere to Alphistian norms and social legislation. Alphistia is an active participant in the global economy, and seeks out niche markets, while at the same time encouraging local industries and agriculture to support a self-sufficient national economy. Alphistia has a flexible and well-trained workforce. Alphistia's moderate wage structure and the national propensity to have simple living standards (but a very high quality of life) makes Alphistia competitive internationally. Alphistia is a proponent of a new economic order which has been characterized as a world of city states(a type of Hanseatic League), regionally linked politically and economically like the European Union.
Enteve
Enteve is the capital of Alphistia. It is located in Sakasavesa province. The population of Enteve is approximately 120,000. Enteve is the cultural, educational and commercial center of the country. It is a very well-planned city, with a modern transit system and pedestrian-oriented development. Electric trams run underground in the city center and connect above ground to the residential and industrial districts.The city center has the main shopping and office complexes, as well as many national cultural institutions, although there are residential areas in the center also. Each neighborhood has a variety of housing styles, local pedestrian-oriented shopping streets, schools, and neighborhood-based cultural institutions. In some instances there are low-impact industrial workshops too. Parks and an urban forest are included in the city's layout. The hub of Alphistia's railway system is Enteve Sentralstation, connecting all the towns and many villages to the capital. Several kilometers to the west of the city is be Alphistia's only airport, linked with the railway network. Several satellite towns are located near Enteve, which keeps the capital from becoming too crowded.
government
Alphistia has democratically elected representative institutions at all levels of government. The government is organized as a parliamentary democracy, with the Spor as the leader of parliament and the government administration. This means that the Kilrete is the highest level of government, the only legislative organ, and the sole amender and interpreter of the Constitution.Kilrete members are directly elected by he voters for 5 year terms.They can serve a maximum 2 terms. Elections allow for various parties to participate and take seats proportionate to the number of votes received, although a party must receive a minimum of 5 percent of the total vote. The judiciary operates independently of the government, with judges would be appointed by the Spor, and approved by the Kilrete.Referendums are used only for approving amendments to the Constitution, or whether to accept vetoes by the Spor.Referendums on social issues are expressly forbidden to prevent oppression of unpoplular minorities. Provincial and community councils are similar in form and function to the Kilrete.
homosexuality
Alphistia welcomes gay men and lesbians as citizens, and provides full legal equality and social status. Gay marriage are legal, with the right to divorce. Gay couples are permitted to adopt children and have access to insemination programs. Tolerance of homosexuality is promoted in educational programs and the social life of the country. The goal is to integrate gays and lesbians with full participation in society, worthy of respect and inclusion.ASK(Alvesteane Samtesekseren Komunitas)is the central organization for gay people, operating a network or community centers throughout the country.housing
Most Alphistians live in apartments. In Enteve and the provincial towns, most of the apartments are in medium-sized buildings, with 12-24 units. In the small towns and villages, most housing units are villa type buildings with 2-4 units. The reasons for apartment living are the small size of Alphistia’s territory, and the desire to encourage an urban lifestyle, without dependence on cars, with high use of public transit and bicycles, and pedestrian-friendly environments.Although the large majority of town-dwellers would live in apartments, these are well-planned and designed to give residents privacy and minimal noise. Each housing unit has its own garden, yard, terrace or balcony. The flooring between units of more than one story is concrete to minimize footfall noise, and walls between units have the necessary sound insulation. Most Alphistians rent their apartments from non-profit housing corporations organized as co-operatives. For those who wish to own their own homes, some housing units are available to buy. Although most primary housing is rented, many people have the opportunity to own a small weekend cottage outside the towns. This is encouraged to provide citizens with direct access to nature, although the small size of the country limits the amount of land available for such settlements.immigration
All Alphistians are immigrants, and all Alphistians learn a new language. Immigrants are welcome from any country, race, ethnic background, creed, sex, and sexual orientation. Immigrants select themselves by deciding to be part of Alphistia ,learning the Alphistian language, and taking part in building a new society and culture. The only restriction to immigration to the lesenum is time: not everyone can immigrate at once. Any immigrant also has the right to leave Alphistia at any time for any reason.
Kilrete
The national parliament of Alphistia is called the Kilrete. It is a unicameral legislative body, with 65 members elected from 8 constituencies of 8 members each, plus the office of the Spor, the highest elected office in the country. The Kilrete makes all the laws of Alphistia, amends the Constitution as needed, and approves the national cabinet for each government. The Kilrete Hos is located in Enteve, the national capital.
labor unions
Most workers belong to a labor union, although membership is voluntary. Management in all sectors of the economy negotiate contracts with the national union organization: Unitas. The contract is binding on all enterprises and all employees, including managers and non-union members. Strikes do occur after a "cooling-off period" if a contract could not be negotiated. Strikebreakers are not permitted to replace workers, and striking workers receive the basic minimum income during the strike.Basic working conditions for all employed persons are mandated by law, including limits on maximum working hours, minimum wages, vacation time, maternity/paternity leave, safety rules etc.
language
The official language of Alphistia is Alphistian. The working language of Project Alphistia is English, which is understood by many of the world's educated population. Alphistian was first developed in 1967 when the original Alphistian alphabet was first invented. Within two years, a unique Alphistian vocabulary began to develop. Some of the oldest words extant include: nomikle-book, ulanta-beauty, lesenum-country, native land. Many words have been borrowed from Dutch and the Scandinavian languages, and the grammar is simple and regular. The idea is to make Alphistian easy to learn and use. So far, the language has a vocabulary of 1500-2000 words. It will continue to develop until a vocabulary which will serve all the everyday needs of a working language will exist. The idea of a unique language for Alphistia is an important part of the development of an Alphistian identity. It allows the creation of a new and unique culture which the use of English as everyday language would make impossible. English has no official status in the Alphistian lesenum, but is the second language of all citizens, in order to communicate in a non-Alphistian context.
legal system
The Alphistian Constitution is the basic law of the country. The "Reknat", (the national civil and criminal code)lists statutes and provides for penalties. Each province has its own court hearing civil and criminal cases. A single judge hears simple cases. A panel of three judges plus a supervising judge hear serious cases. The panel of three judges decides the verdict, and the supervising judge passes sentence, if any. Citizen juries are not be used in the Alphistian system, due to the extremely bureaucratic and prejudiced nature of jury systems in other countries. The province appoints a procurator to investigate bringing a case to trial. The supervising judge decides on the merits of a trial. The defendant chooses a lawyer from the Advokat co-op. If the defendant is accused of a crime, the lawyer fees are paid by the state.Only if a citizen brings suit are there fees. There are strict rules about revealing the identify of accused persons in order to ensure a fair trial. All appeals go to the Hohe Rad (Supreme Court) in Enteve, consisting of 5 judges appointed by the Spor and approved by the Kilrete. The supreme court hears appeals only. It does not interpret the Constitution(i.e. "legislate from the bench".)Penalties for crimes range from fines to imprisonment. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment. The death penalty is considered a barbarism and is not permitted, in conformity with the norms of all civilized nations. Efforts are made to resocialize and rehabilitate offenders.
lesenum
The word "lesenum" in the Alphistian language means "native land" or "land of our own". The word "landa" refers to all other countries.
media
The Alphistian media is independent of government control and finance. Broadcasting is organized along lines similar to the BBC.Each owner of radio and television receivers pays a monthly fee to the ART(Alvesteane Radio en Televise)company. There are several radio and tv channels, and the ART provides a gateway to international cable channels. The domestic programs broadcast in Alphistian, with subtitles for foreign television programs. Commercials are limited to several blocks of time each day and are not permitted during children’s programming. Newspapers and magazines are organized as co-ops, owned by the writers and editors of the publications themselves. This would provide for more freedom of the press. Advertisements are limited, and placed in separate sections of the publication. Most periodicals receive most of their publishing budget from subscriptions. The two main daily newspapers are "De Alvesteane Teden"(The Alphistian Times) and Infodae(Newsday), both with paper and online editions. There are many general and specialty magazines,including periodicals published by each of the political parties, and publications in the native languages of the homelands where Alphistian citizens were born.
provinces
Alphistia has nine provinces: Sakasavesa, Taveola, Dalvarne, Branoe, Opole, Morea, Kanaha, Sioto, and Arden.Each province has its own local government and capital. The capitals are: Enteve(Sakasavesa), Tava(Taveola), Usta(Dalvarne), Branoe, Opole, Morea and Sioto towns in the provinces with the same names, Valeta(Kanaha), and Reval(Arden).
Metrotram
Enteve has its own electrified light-rail system called Metrotram. In the city center, Metrotram stops are primarily underground. They are above ground in the residential districts surrounding the city center. There are 3 Metrotram lines with about 50 stations, (8 underground). Each residential district has at least one Metrotram station. The transfer stations are at Sentralstation, where lines 1 and 3 stop, and Alvesteane Plan at the intersection of Alvesteane Prospekt and Pravikense Sata, the main streets of the city, where lines 1 and 2 stop. Metrotram is the main means of transport from one part of the city to another,plus carrying the majority of commuters to city center jobs. Tava and Usta also have tramlines.ministries
The cabinet of the national government consists of the Spor and the heads of each ministry, selected from members of the Kilrete. This Council of Ministers is called the Radas.There are 12 ministries: foreign affairs, defense, justice, finance, planning, industry, agriculture, social services, education, culture, transportation, and communications.The staff of the ministries are permanent members of the civil service.
Morea
Morea province is located in the southeast part of Alphistia, south of Valeta, and west of Opole.It has two main towns: Morea and Visenen. Morea is modeled on a typical Dutch/Flemish small town, and Visenen is a prototypical Alphistian small industrial town. Visenen faces the water and has a beach and camping facilities, and nearby cottage colonies. Many of the farms provide dairy products sold around the entire country.
Opole
Opole is a province located in the southern part of the country, south of Taveola and west of Branoe. It is partly divided by Vasa Laksa's western section.Opole city is on the north shore of the lake. It is a market town and small industrial center, well-known for its summer vacation facilities, including a large open-air theater on the lake, with the summer season of the National Theater, National Symphony, and the Opole Festival of Alphistian Songs. Most of the rest of the province is be farms and small villages
Ordent
The Ordent is a book describing all aspects of the lesenum in a hierarchical way to serve as a guide to all the institutions, beliefs, and values of the Alphistian experience.
political parties
Alphistia uses a system of proportional representation in its elections. This means that more than two parties take part in Kilrete and council elections, and parties take seats dependent on how many votes they receive. Some of the most stable countries in the world use the proportional representation system, including Germany, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries, Australia, and New Zealand. Alphistia's main political parties align along traditional left-right lines. The social-democratic party is called Praxis, and has similar policies to the labor parties of Western Europe. To the left of Praxis are the Pravikense Party(Peoples Party), a left-wing anarcho-syndicalist type group, and De Verten(The Greens). These parties generally have enough in common to form a ruling coalition. There are smaller left-wing parties such as communists and radical anarchists as well.The right-wing spectrum is dominated by the Lesenum(National)Party, a moderate center-right group, similar to the Liberal Party in Canada, or the Cristian Democrats in Germany or the Netherlands. It would have some policies in common with Praxis to form a coalition, but much less in common with the other left parties. To the right of Lesenum is the Frante(Freedom)Party, a libertarian type party. The left-wing parties have very little interest in forming a coalition with Frante, including Praxis. There are several smaller nationalist parties, but the dominant American style right-wing parties or Thatcherite conservatism would have little support with Alphistian voters, because many immigrants came to the lesenum to be able to live in a society not dominated by such an ideology.
population
Alphistia's population is not very large and more than likely grow slowly. The main reason for a small population (about 275,000)is Alphistia's very small territory, less than 500 square km(about 150 square miles). Another very important reason is the self-selected aspect of choosing to be part of the project and learning a new language represents a small number of people worldwide.Project Alphistia
Project Alphistia provides information about Alphistia, plansthe infrastructure of the lesenum, and continues the development of the Alphistian language.railways
Alvesteane Sporenvehaten(Alphistian Railways) operates a twin-track electrified network connecting all the towns of the country and many of its villages. The rolling stock consists of small railcars in twin sets, which are combined to create 4, 6, and 8 car trains. The main line connects the towns of Usta, Enteve, National Airport/Kenova, Tilioma, Tava, Kanaha, Morea and Visenen. There are 4 trains each hour on this line. Four branch lines connect the capital Enteve with other provincial towns, and these towns with each other on a 2-3 trains per hour schedule.The system hub is Enteve Sentralstation, where all lines intersect. The terminal of National Airport would has a railway station connecting all parts of the country to airplanes. The Metrotram system in Enteve and tramlines in Tava and Usta connect directly to the rail network. Electric buslines have integrated schedules connecting villages and cottage settlements to the nearest train stations. AS is the primary means of passenger travel between towns in Alphistia, at more than 50% of daily trips.rayon
In Enteve, the city is divided into neighborhoods, each with about 10,000 residents. The Alphistian word for district is "rayon". Each rayon has its own cultural center, school complex, medical center, sports facilities, and shopping streets with all the stores for everyday needs: supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores, etc. This is planned to be convenient to housing by walking or a short bike ride. The rayon centers are along Metrotram lines connecting with the city center and other districts. Each rayon has distinctive asthetic characteristics: particular housing styles or street patterns, a park, museum, or sports facility attracting visitors from outside the district. There are also small industrial workshops in each district that are non-polluting and non-dirsuptive. Most of the provincial towns are about the same size as a rayon in Enteve, except for Tava and Usta. Tava has 3 districts plus the city center. Usta consists of two districts and the center. Villages have basic shops and services but are always just a few kilometers from a provincial town or Enteve.religion
Alphistia is a religiously neutral country with complete separation of church and state, and complete religious freedom for all. Many Alphistians have secular outlooks, and religion does not play a dominant force in everyday life. This is largely a reaction to the religious zealotry which many Alphistians wished to leave behind when they immigrated from their native lands. All schools in Alphistia are public schools, and therefore religiously neutral, although courses on religious tolerance is part of the curriculum. Churches can provide their own after-school or weekend religious instruction programs on their own premises. Organized prayer is not permitted in government premises. Religious organizations have their own publishing co-ops to disseminate literature and scriptures, and have access to radio and television time for religious programs and services.Sakasavesa
Sakasavesa is Alphistia's most populated province. The capital of the country, Enteve, is located there, as well as the satellite towns of Tapiola, Sporeto, and Kenova. The National Airport is also in the province, just to the west of Enteve.To the south of the airport is the original Alpha Village, transported brick by brick from its previous location before the establishment of the lesenum, set up as a museum. Also next to the airport is the Immigrant village, where newcomers spend their first few weeks if housing or jobs aren't immediately available. Although most of Sakasavesa province is used by these mentioned towns and facilities, there are also several forest parks, two farming artels, and the grounds of many city dwellers' garden plots.
schools
Children in Alphistia begin school at age 5 with kindergarten, followed by 6 years in the "basikskola", 3 years in the "medeskola", and 3 years in the "hoheskola". For most students, this is followed by 2 years at an "knoseskola", or 4 years at a "universitat". Certain professional programs require several years beyond the university 4 year program. Many adults take courses at a "pravikenskola"(modeled on the folkschools in Scandinavia), lifelong learning centers throughout the country, as well as the Opad Universitat(Open University) via television and the alfanet. Children in Alphistia are not streamed into separate schools according to aptitude or early decisions about adult careers. All children attend the same schools requiring the same basic courses and testing programs. This is especially true in the lower grades. Middle and high schools offer courses that students take in addition to the basic curriculum required of everyone, specializing in languages, arts, technical subject etc. The institutes offering two year courses in specialized and technical subjects train skilled workers who choose not to go to university. The University of Alphistia, Tilioma University, and the Tekna(Tekniska Universitat in Usta) provide courses leading to first second and third degrees, equivalent to BA, MA, and PhD programs in other countries. Education is considered a lifelong process in Alphistia, and the role of the folk schools is very important in this regard. Alphistians have the opportunity to take continuing educations courses or job retraining course in order to stay technically proficient, but many folk school courses are offered just for fun or to provide social and cultural activities.Sioto
Sioto is a province in the southeast of the country. Its northern border is the Sioto River, and the provincial capital Sioto city is located along it. The capital is a market town for the many farms in the rest of the province to the south. Sioto city is also a satellite town of Enteve, just a few km to the west. Just to the west of the capital is the Alvesteane Skansen, a culture park devoted to the many cultures that Alphistians come from.Skansatala
The Skansatala is a mythical tale about an ancient Alphistia, which is an allegorical story relevant to the citizens of a future lesenum. So far it remains unwritten, although outlines of possible plots exist. The main character is a young man named Valadreal, and he embarks on a quest to save his homeland, Alphistia, encountering danger and love along the way. The Skansatala serves the cause of developing a unique Alphistian literature, and will be written originally in Alphistian. Its models are the Kalevala of Finland, or the Sagas of Iceland.
social security
The first aim of Alphistia's social security is to provide security. This means that the programs should be universal and adequately funded, and that the societal concensus should exist for the necessity of this type of social security system. Alphistia's social security system are based on three programs: health insurance, pensions, and basic minimum income. All citizens have a right to any services provided under any of these programs, as needed. Health insurance is universal and provides free access to a general doctor of one's choice, access to specialists by referral, and free hospital care, surgery, and rehabilitative services etc. A small charge is made for prescription drugs. Health insurance is not dependent on age, income, or employment status(as in the USA). The pensions system covers all workers, and provides a guaranteed pension at age 65, depending on how long a person was in the workforce. An optional supplementary pension similar to the 401-K program in the USA provides additional income from investments through the Ko-Op Pension Fund. The basic minimum income would provide for a basic living standard for any citizen unable to work, through unemployment, disability, maternity leave, or student status. Workers can pay extra for additional disability and maternity leave income. Any citizen unable to work for an extended period receives the basic minimum income until they complete a job retraining program and are placed in another job. The cost for these programs are paid through taxes on income, consumption, and enterprise income. The pension programs are funded primarily through the investment decisions of individual workers controlling their own pension accounts. Like all welfare states, Alphistia's social security system is expensive, but is considered a worthwhile investment in the country's human resources, providing a decent standard of living for all citizens.Spor
The Spor is Alphistia's highest level official, elected directly by the voting population at least every 5 years. The Spor is limited to two terms in office. The closest equivalent to the Spor in other countries is the prime minister, although the Spor also acts as head of state and has some responsibilities similar to the American president. The Spor appoints a cabinet from members of the Kilrete, which must be approved by a majority of Kilrete members. The Spor may veto legislation passed by the Kilrete, but this veto must then be upheld by the voting population in a referendum. If the Kilrete votes no confidence in the Spor's government, new elections must be held before the 5 year term.
symbols
Alphistia's main symbol is the "Kompas A", the letter "A" in the shape of an open compass. The "A" stands for Alphistia, the compass represents the tools to create a new country. Its color is golden, representing prosperity. The Kompas A is on the Alphistian flag, in the center of a white field flanked by two horizontal gold bands. Another symbol of Alphistia is the interlocking Three Golden Rings. These symbolize the three important concepts of the Alphistian Idea: Komunitas(community),Humanitas(humanity),Karetas(taking care of people). The symbol for the Alphistian currency, the alpha, is the lower case letter for "a" from the Greek alphabet. The letters "AA" after a number also stand for Alphistian alphas.
Taveola
Taveola is a central province to the east of Sakasavesa, south of Dalvarne, north of Opole, and east of Valeta. Its capital is Tava, the second largest city in the country, with about 25,000 people situated in a valley along the Sioto River. Adjacent to Tava is the university town of Tilioma, with about 10,000 people. To the north of the city is a hilly region with several lakes and many cottage colonies. Tava itself is a major industrial center, with many factories of the NK co-op organization and the AKEA concerns. South of Tava is a farming region.
town planning
The entire territory of Alphistia was planned from the start, to make good use of the land available, and to provide efficient and pleasant living environments for the whole population. The first principle of Alphistian town planning is high-density/low-rise design. This means to build housing and community facilities close enough together to allow for easy connections between home and everyday shopping, but not concentrating the population in high-rise tower blocks. Most buildings have fewer than 5 floors, arranged along or near transit to the city center or nearby towns and the capital. A city the size of Enteve covers an area of roughly 4km east-west and 4km north-south. Within this ring road 120,000 people live. This includes a lake, several forest parks, and an industrial area. The city's districts(rayonen), are arranged in corriders in each direction, along the lines of the Metrotram system, with transit hubs in the city center.Enteve's city center has a heavy concentration of offices, shops,restaurants and cultural facilities which creates a lively street scene day and night. Electric cars are allowed throughout the city, but many of the shopping streets are car-free. Landscaping is a very important part of the town planning process: trees line most streets, and parks are never far away from the city center or the residential areas. Heavier industry is located in a separate area on one of the Metrotram lines, while some smaller light industry is integrated within the rayonen. Tava, the second largest city, has a largely car-free city center arranged on several levels of a continuously connected superstructure of buildings around and over its tramline. Residential areas cluster along the stations of the tramline, which connect with the neighboring university town of Tilioma. Usta is built on the model of an old European market town, with lpedestrian-oriented streets, cosy squares and small buildings facing a harbour.The other provincial towns are smaller variations on the same themes: compact design, pedestrian and bicycle oriented environments, with central train stations providing quick connections with the other towns.Satellite towns have been built along the rail lines a few km away from Enteve,beyond the greenbelt, to absorb population growth. Villages are developed around village squares, usually next to the train station or bus station. Community and shopping facilities are around this square, and several streets of villa type housing are within walking distance. Rural areas are planned to maximize space for nature parks. Vilna colonies are designed to be near scenic spots without spoiling the view. The entire country has been planned to complement the various towns and provinces' connection with each other.
vacations
Every worker in Alphistia receives a minimum of 20 working days available for personal use or vacation time each year, plus 8 paid holidays. This is guaranteed by law and if a worker changes jobs, the accumulated vacation time for that year transfers to the new job. After 10 years of work, each worker would received 25 days of vacation, and 30 days after 20 years at work. Alphistia is similar to all the advanced industrialized countries which mandate paid vacations for all employees, except for the USA. Alphistia encourages a balance between work and leisure time for all citizens, in order not to encourage the development of unhealthy workaholic attitudes. Time off is legally mandated to prevent employees from working excessive hours for fear of losing their jobs.Valeta
Valeta is located in the western part of Alphistia, bordering Taveola to the east and Morea to the south. The capital is Kanaha. Valeta is less populated than other provinces, consisting of two larger towns(Kanaha and Aviolta), several villages, and a larger forest preserve in the northern part. A farming area near the Morea border is the location for several artels and vilna colonies. Kanaha is a medium-sized industrial town with several AKEA factories. Aviolta is a few km to the north and is a small industrial town, with several units of the NK co-op's factories located there.
vilna
Weekend cottages in the Alphistian language are called "vilnen"(vilna in the singular). Many Alphistians own or rent a small cottage in a rural area as a getaway for weekends and summer vacations. Due to limited land available for individual cottages, they would be very small on very small pieces of land. But grouped together in cottage colonies in forests, along rivers and lakes, more than 25,000 cottages have be built without creating sprawling settlements. Nearer the towns, small garden plots are rented or sold to city dwellers who want something more modest and closer to home. Another 10,000 or so of these plots have been made available to residents of Enteve and the larger towns.youth groups
The Demos organization sponsors two youth groups for children and teens in Alphistia. Yune Vanderen se Alvestea(Young Friends of Alphistia) has programs for 6-12 year old boys and girls. The goals of Yune Vanderen are to teach good citizenship, tolerance, and help to properly socialize children as members of Alphistian society. Their programs are similar to boy and girl scout programs in other countries, although in Alphistia, boys and girls are together in the same groups, and there is no military style emphasis. Yunat Alvestea(Young Alphistia) is the organization for teenagers and young adults. Their goals are social, running youth centers and summer camps, operating a youth travel agency, and providing athletic programs, sponsoring dances and club nights etc. Each political party also has its own youth groups, unaffiliated with the politically neutral Demos sponsored groups. There are also be groups for religious young people, gay teens etc, and many clubs for hobbies and sports.
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