Community:Fanfiction/Haddon War/United Commonwealth Government

United Commonwealth Government is a Nation existing in the former state of Massachusetts after 2289.

Background
The successor to the Commonwealth Minutemen, the United Commonwealth Government is a nation made up of the incorporated settlements in the former Boston area. With a population of over 100,000 by 2310, the UCG is the largest functional society existing on the East Coast, and is an effective equivalent to the New California Republic in the West.

Government
The form of governance of the United Commonwealth Government is dissimilar to other post-war organisations, such as the New California Republic, in that it is not a recreation of the pre-war USA. Every settlement joins at any time, and is free to leave at any time, though there are exceptions. Additionally, the UCG is a direct democracy, not possessing a parliament or senate, nor a form of electoral college or representative body. Similarly, political parties are nonexistent, with any person capable of being elected provided that they have the support of the people. While settlement leaders do stand as advisors to the reigning president, they do not have the power to block the reigning president's policies, provided that they are not in defiance of the constitution. Policies affecting the settlements of the leaders can be debated upon by the council, in order to come to a fair conclusion. This, however, is not a true representative body, as the councilmembers effectively have no power, and merely exist in an advisory capacity. Ultimately, the system that is in place was chosen due to it being the most similar to what the average wastelander was already familiar with, to provide a more seamless transition.

Boston
The largest territory under UCG control, Boston is a radically different place to what it was prior to the fall of the Institute. Home to the majority of the UCG's population, Boston has largely been made safe from attacks by raiders and hostile super mutants, thanks to the Safer Settlements Campaign, which resulted in the majority of gangs and mutant tribes being destroyed. With over 40 settlements, and a large agricultural and manufacturing base, Boston is the beating heart of the UCG, as well the location of its capital, Sanctuary Hills.

Statistics:
 * Average Yearly Income: 18,000 Caps.
 * Population(2310): 57,000.
 * Species Disparity:
 * 1) Human: 69.3%.
 * 2) Ghoul: 23.7%.
 * 3) Super Mutant: 4.8%
 * 4) Generation 3 Synth: 2%.
 * 5) Robot: 0.2%.


 * Capital: Sanctuary Hills.
 * Most Populous City: Diamond City.

Nuka-World
Following the destruction of the Nuka-World raiders, settlers began to return to the region. Having kept an outpost in the area of the theme park in the form of the Red Rocket Truck Stop, the UCG offered annexation in exchange for protection. The settlers agreed, and Nuka-World was incorporated into the United Commonwealth Government as its second territory. Thanks to the proliferation of Handmade Rifles used by the Raiders, along with copious amounts of Nuka-Cola Quantum and the ability to produce more, Nuka-World quickly became a hub for weapons manufacturing. A curious feature of Nuka-World is that its inhabitants tend to speak with a stereotypical "Cowboy" accent. This is due to Dry Rock being its most populated area, as well as capital. Thanks to this, Nuka-World inherited some mannerisms of speech from the attraction's Protectrons. Additionally, Nuka-World benefits from a unique situation: Tourism. Due to being built out of an old theme park, the territory has more visitors than most other locations, all of which contribute caps to the economy.

Statistics:
 * Average Yearly Income: 20,000 Caps.
 * Population(2310): 23,000.
 * Species Disparity:
 * 1) Human: 80.3%
 * 2) Robot: 12.7%.
 * 3) Super Mutant: 4%.
 * 4) Ghoul: 2.4%.
 * 5) Generation 3 Synth: 0.6%.


 * Capital: Dry Rock Gulch.
 * Most Populous City: Dry Rock Gulch.

The Island
Widely viewed as the frontier of UCG territory, The Island, even under UCG rule, remains unpredictable. First integrated into the UCG in 2290, The Island is the least populated and most dangerous location under UCG control. As the UCG was unable to either completely remove the radioactive fog covering the majority of the area, or eliminate the threat of hostile wildlife, civilization on The Island remains much as it was prior to the UCG: Sparse, and clinging to life in a few isolated enclaves. The economy of The Island is largely based on the exporting of the locally produced Vim!, seafood, and the oil produced by condensing fog, both of which are relatively rare on the mainland. Unusually, the territory has a large Synth population, the end result of Acadia, a Synth sanctuary.

Statistics:
 * Average Yearly Income: 12,000 caps.
 * Population(2310): 7500.
 * Species Disparity:
 * 1) Human: 70.8%.
 * 2) Generation 3 Synth: 23.2%.
 * 3) Super Mutant: 3.1%
 * 4) Ghoul: 2.9%


 * Capital: Far Harbor.
 * Most Populous City: Far Harbor.

Colonial Territories
The most recent UCG acquisition, the Colonial Territories is a blanket term for the hundreds of colonies that were founded after the conclusion of the Haddon War, most of which were created from former Enclave territory. An incredibly varied area, the Colonies are all grouped together as the same territory, despite the fact that there is animosity and even open hostility between different settlements in the region. Exports from the Colonial Territories have a wide range of variety, but mostly consist of grain and livestock. As the area with the most minimal UCG oversight, the Colonial Territories are widely viewed as a good place to either make your fortune, or hide from your past, and the region sees an influx of immigrants seeking to do both.

Statistics:
 * Average Yearly Income: 10,000 Caps.
 * Population(2310): 12,500.
 * Species Disparity:
 * 1) Human: 75%.
 * 2) Ghoul: 15.4%.
 * 3) Super Mutant: 6.7%.
 * 4) Generation 3 Synth:2.5%.
 * 5) Robot: 0.4%.


 * Capital: None.
 * Most Populous City: New Charleston.

Laws and Society
Inheriting a large portion of its regulations from its Minuteman precursors, the United Commonwealth Government forbids raiding, banditry, or inter-settlement conflict throughout the entirety of its territory. Anything that could be classed as "Raider Activity" is punishable by either imprisonment for a long term or death. There is a reason for this: After the obliteration of raider gangs in Boston and Nuka-World, UCG officials feared the potential of a second collapse, similar as to what had happened to the Minutemen. In order to prevent such a collapse, and prevent the fledgling government from overextending itself, laws were put in place that were meant to severely discourage gangs from reforming. While a simple thief might escape unharmed, repeat offenders are likely to be punished as raiders.

Having been founded on the principle of individual liberty, the UCG is unusually lax on other issues that other nations or organisations are known to crack down on, such as chem usage, prostitution, and alcohol. Additionally, no laws restrict rights to individual citizens, regardless of gender, sexuality or species. Protections for non-humans are in place, and are partially responsible for a lack of anti-supermutant reprisals following the events of the Safer Settlements Campaign. Similar to most organised societies, the UCG forbids murder, rape, kidnapping, assault, blackmail, bribery, or harassment. This, paired with rigid military patrols throughout the entirety of its territory, has allowed the United Commonwealth Government to reduce the crime rate by approximately 90%.

The UCG's policy on unaffiliated settlements is that of nonaggression and pacifistic cooperation. Any settlement that is a member of the UCG is free to leave at any time, without repercussion. As an organisation based on coexistence and peaceful expansion, the military is forbidden from annexing settlements, with the UCG instead trying to convince new settlements to join via assistance. Ultimately, the UCG attempts to expand pacifistically, setting it apart from nations such as the New California Republic.

However, in day to day society, circumstances are different than the laws would lead outsiders to believe. Despite its strict anti-raider campaigns, along with executing those convicted of banditry, several gangs, though a fraction of their former selves, still exist within UCG territory. Remnants of the Nuka-World raiders, Forged and Gunners, being better trained and equipped than the average brigands, still hold out, albeit in isolated strongholds. The Rust Devils, though long since wiped out, left behind a legacy of hostile, well equipped, and extremely prevalent robots. The Triggermen, though weakened, are still around as guns-for-hire or petty thugs, with them remaining active in Goodneighbor and its surrounding area. Most of the smaller gangs were either absorbed into the aforementioned or fell apart, with only a handful remaining active, and an even smaller number still being a threat. Overall, while much safer than they were prior to the UCG, the Commonwealth and its surrounding areas are still dangerous, and lone travelers, while able to walk mostly safe roads, should refrain from travelling after dark.

While discrimination based on species is forbidden under UCG law, many ignore these regulations, still angry over the monstrous actions of the Institute. However, given that all former Institute members were either integrated into the UCG or forced to flee from Boston, this anger is often taken out on their creations: Synths. Communities with Generation 3 Synths that are open about their nature are often targeted by violent gangs of vengeful Institute victims, or bigots looking to stir up trouble. While the majority of these events are suppressed by either automated defense systems or military intervention, anti-synth sentiment is still prevalent within UCG territory, and the further away from Sanctuary Hills, the more frequent it becomes. Similarly, anti-supermutant groups are still common, with some refusing to accept that the mutants could be integrated into society. Within some settlements, Super Mutants are explicitly forbidden, and in others, they are relegated to menial labour. Overall, the sentiment towards Super Mutants and Synths, while fine in most communities, is hostile in others, to the point of violence.

As for the policy of peaceful integration, while this is practiced in almost every circumstance, it is not total. Two examples of this include Covenant, which had its entire population eliminated, and Diamond City, which was forcibly incorporated at the conclusion of the safer settlements initiative. While Covenant was wiped out due to its citizenry all being complicit in experimentation and torture, Diamond City is a more controversial topic, especially among its residents. At the conclusion of the Safer Settlements Initiative, also known as the War of Commonwealth Stabilisation, Diamond City, due to its ruling council funding the Gunners, was forced to stand down and annexed. While this may not have been controversial in itself, a group of citizens who attempted to resist the annexation were gunned down by the UCGM, leading to one of the darkest chapters in the city's history. In conclusion, while the regulations that the UCG places on itself and its citizenry are reinforced extensively, they are not perfectly enforced.

History
See the upcoming "History of the United Commonwealth Government" page for more detail. For a more simplified explanation, see below:


 * The UCG was founded in 2289, as a direct descendant of the network set up by the Commonwealth Minutemen.
 * Shortly after, the Safer Settlements Initiative began, resulting in the retaking of Quincy, the destruction of most Super Mutant tribes and raider gangs, and the Gunners being scattered.
 * Nuka-World joined the United Commonwealth Government.
 * The Island joined the United Commonwealth Government.
 * The UCG soon engaged in conflict with the Brotherhood of Steel under Rhys, due to Rhys enacting a campaign of annihilation against ghouls and mutants.
 * The UCG eventually drove Rhys' Brotherhood to the south, and began an uneasy peace.
 * However, Rhys gained help from Appalachia, and initiated an invasion of the rest of the Commonwealth.
 * The UCG was overwhelmed, losing the majority of their positions in the south, and was only kept in the north via heavy artillery shelling.
 * The war was turned around when codes were transmitted from Vault 88 to Appalachia, detonating the nuclear weaponry in that location. With Appalachia out of the picture, and his troops demoralised, Rhys retreated to the Glowing sea, and eventually fled to Enclave territory.
 * Honouring an agreement that they made with the New California Republic in exchange for aid packages, the UCGM invaded the Enclave. However, they were held back by the Enclave's superior technology.
 * Unable to break the Enclave's lines for a year, the war turned around when Canada entered it on the side of the Common Defense Bloc. Within a few months, the war as a whole came to an end.
 * Following the Haddon War, the UCG began to colonise former Enclave territory, establishing the Colonial Territories.
 * UCG entered a formal alliance with the Brotherhood of Steel under Danse, and began to trade with Canada and the New Haven Federation.

New California Republic
Allies in the Common Defense Bloc during the Haddon War, the United Commonwealth Government's relationship with the NCR is somewhat limited, thanks to the distance between them. While communications are maintained via radio and messenger, very few citizens of the two countries actually interact. While a military relationship does exist, the distance between the two coasts means that trade takes a long time, and the majority of it is done using the New Haven Federation as a middleman. Ultimately, while relations are warm, they are minimal.

Danse's Brotherhood of Steel
The relationship that the UCG has had with the Brotherhood of Steel has been many things, with "complicated" probably being the best descriptive term. Due to Danse being an old friend of the founder of the United Commonwealth Government, along with an acquaintance of Preston Garvey, an important figure within UCG hierarchy, Danse's version of the Brotherhood is tolerated by the UCG within its territory, and even collaborated with. While relations were initially tense following the Haddon War, a defensive and cooperative pact was signed shortly afterwards. With the Brotherhood helping in patrolling the Colonial Territories, keeping the relatively lawless area free of raiders and hostile tribes of Super Mutants, UCG views on the Brotherhood have softened, to the point that they were even granted administrative rights over a settlement in the region, Haylia. Overall, while the UCG, like most of its citizens, remains distrustful of most BoS detachments, those under Danse are considered reliable allies, and even friends.

New Haven Federation
Being located in the Mid-Western to Mid-Eastern regions of the former USA, the NHF is much closer to the Commonwealth than the New California Republic. As a result, relations between them and the UCG are less limited, with trade frequently ongoing between the two. The Federation's non-expansion policy additionally suits the UCG, with some within the UCG's ranks admiring the more pacifistic and non-interventionist NHF. The fact that the two countries were allies in the Haddon War aids with relations as well. However, in more recent times, diplomacy has become slightly strained, due to a series of events that were seen as controversial by Commonwealth citizens. Thanks to their floundering army, and with Khanic aid only just starting to arrive, the New Haven Federation began hiring groups of mercenaries in order to take the strain off their troops. Some of these mercenaries were made up of remnants of the Nuka-World Gangs, Gunners, and Forged, a trio of groups that the UCG had warred with since its Minutemen days. Due to the NHF hiring its oldest enemies, this understandably led to a large amount of tension, that has only recently begun to dissolve.

Enclave Remnants
The relationship that the United Commonwealth Government has had with the Enclave has always been hostile, due to a combination of factors. Thanks to access to Brotherhood of Steel archives, all data that could be retrieved by the UCG was. While stories of the Enclave had been around for years, this was the first time that they were confirmed. Realising the threat that the Enclave posed, the UCG entered the Haddon War on the side of the Common Defense Bloc, on the condition that they would receive New Californian support. Postwar, the remnants of the Enclave are designated by the UCGM as terrorists, with orders to kill or capture on sight. With hunter-killer teams being active, along with Commonwealth involvement in a joint operations group with CDB members to root out what was left of the Enclave, diplomacy does not exist between the two groups in any sense of the word.

Canada
The relationship held by the UCG and Canada is relatively new, as the two countries have only recently begun interacting. Allies in the Haddon War, the resulting peace led to trade between the UCG and their northern neighbour. Overall, relations are positive, though both nations are still somewhat wary of the other, with Canada being concerned regarding the Minutemen's predisposition to fragmentation, and with the UCG worrying as to the enormous arsenal possessed by the Canadian military. As such, both parties are cautious of overt alliances, though relations are improving due to the trade agreement that both countries share with the NHF.

New Republic of Dave
The New Republic of Dave and the United Commonwealth Government possess a disposition towards each other that could be described as just short of openly hostile. Enemies in the Haddon War, though neither party actually interacted, the UCG views the New Republic of Dave's rapid expansion as a threat to the already extremely fragile stability of the Capital Wasteland. Conversely, the New Republic of Dave views the UCG as an imperialistic power and a threat to its very survival. Ultimately, tensions between the two nations are rising, and the New Republic of Dave, despite being able to outgun almost anything in the Capital Wasteland, falls incredibly short of the UCGM, meaning that a future conflict between the two powers can only end in one way.

Policy
As a direct descendant of a militia group, heavy importance is placed by the United Commonwealth Government on maintaining their military supremacy, viewing it as the key to stability within its territory. As such, the highest levels of funding, aside from the improvement of settlements overall, go to the military. Having a manufacturing complex on Spectacle Island for the production of new weaponry, along with purchasing weaponry from nearby powers, overall a high priority is placed on military readiness.

Military service is mandatory for a set period of time. This period is encouraged to be taken upon the age of maturity for humans, and is requested within the first decade of integration with a Super Mutant, Ghoul, or Synth. The period is dependent on the overall role and branch of service. For a simple road patroller or base guard, the period can last upward of 5 years, but for a frontline trooper involved in operations such as raider destruction or joint force excursions, the time of service rarely exceeds more than two years. Additionally, all citizens are required to undergo basic military training every decade, and are taught the basics of self-defense, in order to remedy a problem that plagued the Minutemen: Inept settlers frequently asking for help due to being easily overwhelmed by miniscule gangs of raiders. Thanks to this program, the majority of these requests have ceased.

Divisions
The UCGM is split into multiple divisions based on a similar structure to that of the pre-war United States Military. While the majority of troops are located in the army, the naval and aerial divisions are growing in size thanks to experience in the Haddon War.

United Commonwealth Government Army
The primary division of the UCGM, the Army is equipped with large amounts of both pre-war weaponry and post-war manufactured equipment.