[Dr House]

Since we have dummy seats in parliament, I think it's not such a bad idea to disconnect the Pofo emographics from the Pofoland demographics. Pofo is a demographically very weird place anyway.

[Zagadka]

Based on our made-up geography.

Then we have to decide on the history and arbitrarily guess. Did the Scandinavians settle the island in large scale, like Iceland, or did Western Europeans edge them out? Which Europeans?

[Dave]

Large scale, but later on large numbers of Britons showed up, with smaller numbers of Huguenots and Dutch. Presumably Germans would've showed up after 1848, and postwar we could have the same kind of immigration much of the West has had, which also explains why my party exists.

[The Immortal Goon]

We can't just have the government do a "survey" as needed?

I'll just say it - I'm a little uncomfortable with a racialist leading the charge on this.

[Dave]

We can't just have the government do a "survey" as needed?

Survey of what exactly?

I'll just say it - I'm a little uncomfortable with a racialist leading the charge on this.

Do you have a problem with anything proposed? If so, do you think racialism is to blame?

[Zagadka]

So, basically... America with some extra French?

And we presume the Scandinavians wiped out the indigenous people (if any) (just for simplicity's sake)?

Meh. I'm trying to compile a basic history in my head, so everything needs to make sense. So to add to the general figures in the OP:

- No indigenous population (remaining)
- Viking occupation starting 900-1000 BCE, establishing most of the major ports/cities, and leaving a lasting cultural identity (ie, many things following their naming conventions)
- Decline of Viking connection around 1300 BCE, leaving a self-sustaining patriarchal monarchy
- Rediscovery and settlement by British, Dutch, and French protestants starting in the 1500s BCE
- Expansion of port cities as stopping point for traffic between the Americas and Europe, making an urban merchant class and agrarian peasant class
- Independence from British imperialism in the early 1800s
- Establishment of a Parliament underneath the monarchy, religion separated from state but remains strongly protestant
- Re-establishment of friendly relations with Western Europe by 1850s
- Overthrow of monarchy, parliamentary government gains rule but is dominated by old wealth
- Industrial Revolution brings about monopolies in the coal industry that suppresses development of inland natural gas industry, as well as the industrial working class in port cities
- Rail system connects most major cities and agrarian centers by 1860
- Unionization and socialist movements begin c. 1870
- Instability in government lasting from conflict between socialist groups and industrial monopolies
- Oil reserves begin production and export
- WWI participation - ? Presume closer ties with Europe, so involvement alongside England and France
- WWI participation introduces rift between isolationists and internationalists. No involvement in League of Nations.
- Great Depression has strong effect on economy due to reliance on shipping, but agrarian sector experiences a boon that keeps the GDP from slipping
- Resentment by agrarian Scandinavians against Western European industrialists over profits made during the Great Depression
- The two major islands are connected by landmark bridges. Smaller islands rely on ferry systems.
- WWII brings direct involvement in supplying agricultural products and fuel to Britain, protection of convoys coming from America, but no official involvement in the war
- UN participation ?
- Peak oil passed in 1954, net importer of oil by 1980s. Gas and geothermal energy resources not developed due to oil cartel
- People, mostly agrarian Scandinavians and industrial workers, vote socialist parties into majority in 1958
- CIA backed coup involving militarization of vital ports brings puppet government headed by an (ethnic) English dictator.
- Parliament dissolved many times, several major police clashes take place inland
- Socialist uprising in a major port city in 1988 brings the city to its knees under socialist party control with support from the USSR, but US-backed militia retake the city
- Dictator dies in 1994
- Period of instability; division between agrarian Scandinavians and urban Britons and Germans creates tension
- New constitution introduced in 2004, with mediation and backing of Western Europe
- Constitution ratified by majority vote in 2006
- Elections on the new Parliament begin in 2009

Acceptable?

[Red_Army]

I understand people's concerns with Dave, but I don't think it needs to be such a problem. He's a smart guy, and he knows that everyone thinks he's a racist, so he's not going to put anything racist into any official program or we'd hang him I think he can be trusted for these sort of things, if he asks to be in charge of any sort of final solution then we'll question his intent.

I'm fine with whatever pretend nation we end up being.

[Dave]

Acceptable?

Pretty good Zag, but why would we get independence from Britain in the 19th century given our geostrategic significance?

I understand people's concerns with Dave, but I don't think it needs to be such a problem. He's a smart guy, and he knows that everyone thinks he's a racist, so he's not going to put anything racist into any official program or we'd hang him I think he can be trusted for these sort of things, if he asks to be in charge of any sort of final solution then we'll question his intent.

I'm fine with whatever pretend nation we end up being.

The only final solution I'm interested in is a final solution to PoFo's ethnic question!

Wait...that came out wrong...

[The Immortal Goon]

Survey of what exactly?

If we needed to know something for the sake of a law, appoint a commission to run a census - and make it up then. Maybe that's a poor idea though, but maybe not.

Do you have a problem with anything proposed? If so, do you think racialism is to blame?

Not specifically. I'm just afraid there's some kind of grand scheme in the works. This is politics after all

[Dave]

If we needed to know something for the sake of a law, appoint a commission to run a census - and make it up then. Maybe that's a poor idea though, but maybe not.

Yeah but what would we be taking a census of? Or do you advocate a madeup census? I'm fine with a madeup census for fun, but I want the basic details hammered out since they strongly impact what problems we face, what advantages we have, and what policies we'll take.

Not specifically. I'm just afraid there's some kind of grand scheme in the works. This is politics after all

Rest assured, any grand racialist scheme I have will play out in my real life political activism, not the PoFo Parliament simulation.

[Zagadka]

Pretty good Zag, but why would we get independence from Britain in the 19th century given our geostrategic significance?

Thanks, working model.

I'll also try to come up with some cornerstone events (like the Shot Heard 'Round the World, the Decembrist Plot, etc).

I'm linking our independence from Britain around 1812-1815 based on the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, and showing the beginning of influence by America - after all, a lot of the money the merchant upper class is making comes from goods shipped from America. The idea of democracy flowed from America to France, and was introduced to Pofoland (we need a better name, something Scandinavian). While we didn't rebel with the Americans, while the Brits were pre-occupied and with American and French backing, we declared independence (to be more accurate, our monarchy declared itself independent of the Crown). Despite our geostrategic position, Britain could not mount an offense against our guarded ports. After the "Declaration of Sovereign Monarchy", I'll call it, we did fight a naval war and repelled a British invasion, but by the late 1820s, America was prepared to help us defend, and battles on the seas proved too costly for Britain. We had been continuing trading between America and continental Europe during this time, with naval skirmishes, and so built wealth and enough naval power to defend ourselves. There was no final conclusion to the war, but Britain just stopped trying - the age of piracy and those kind of naval battles coming to a close, and re-opening lucrative trade routes through our ports, since they had largely been cut off from imports from the Americas, as well as access to their remaining holdings.

Does that make sense? It is a little out of line, but I think we should have a history of independence from foreign power, like America, and unlike Canada.

[Fasces]

Should I stop working on my map, then?

[dilpill]

(we need a better name, something Scandinavian)

Blæstlande

[Le Rouge]

I am content with Zagdaka's history but because of our location there should be helluva lot more Africans.

[Dave]

that doesn't make any sense at all, we don't produce sugar or cotton

[Dr House]

I am content with Zagdaka's history but because of our location there should be helluva lot more Africans.

We're in the fucking North Atlantic. Why would there be more Africans?

[Le Rouge]

Wait, clarify North Atlantic.
I would consider Azores and the Canary Islands North Atlantic.

[Dave]

They are, but we're north of those islands since otherwise we'd be on top of them

[Fasces]

It does raise the question of how Columbus sailed to North America without crashing unto our shores first.

[Dave]

Not really since we're north of Iberia