Federations, autonomies, dependencies

[Hunor 5]

Federations

I would love to have a form of government of federations. These would differ from the unitary governments in the cases of internal affairs, and the player would be able to choose if it wants to play as the national or the regional government.

• If playing as the national government, the player could enforce laws on the states that are the part of the federation. They would have the ability to expel states from the union or request other nations joining it. The player would manage external affairs, finances, the military and the autonomy of their states. Playing as the national government, the player could even decide to turn the federation into a unitary country, but this could lead to rebellions across the country, if not supported by the majority of the people. Federal territories would also exist. These territories would be under the direct control of the national government.
• Playing as a state, the player would be able to manage the internal affairs of the state. As more powerful a state is in the federation, the more influence would it have in the national government. The state could have the ability to request leaving the federation, if national laws make it possible for states. If leaving isn't a legal option or the request was simply rejected, the player would still be able to declare independence unilaterally, which in most cases would spark a war with the country the state is seceding from. If there are other states in the federation that want independence from the national government but are not opposed to statehood, they could join together and declare independence as a separatist federation, just like the CSA did during the American Civil War. Regional governments would also be able to decide their form of government (monarchy, republic etc.), if national laws allow it.
• If not yet part of a federation, a sovereign nation could request joining one. For instance, let's imagine a parallel universe, in which the Kingdom of Hawaii that is willing to join the US, and sends a request to the US government about joining them as a state. The government of the country can accept or reject the request. If it accepts, the foreign affairs would be handed over to the national government. If national laws are forcing the states to be republics, the Hawaiian government would have to force their monarch to abdicate.

Autonomies

Autonomy could be given to provinces with different nationalities from the main nationality that is making up the population of the country. The main difference between a vassal state and an autonomous region would be that the player who is playing with the national government would handle external affairs of the autonomous region and would have the right to build and destruct buildings, farms, factories etc. But intervening too much in internal affairs that are not serving the region's interest could lead to discontent or even a unilateral declaration of independence. Of course, the national government would have the option to give these territories independence if the player thinks maintaining an autonomous region comes with too much responsibility. Players would be able to play as autonomous regions as well, of course. Both unitary and federal countries could have autonomous subjects.

Dependencies

"Dependencies" would be a collective term for vassals, colonies, territories, protectorates,  occupation zones, leased territories and dominions. I really don't have anything to say to improve vassalage in Age of History, so I'm going to skip that.

• Colonies would be a new type of dependencies. Governing these territories would be similar to autonomous regions, however, colonies would also differ from other dependencies in some way:
  • unlike vassals, protectorates and territories, colonies can only exist overseas,
  • maintaining a colony would cost money, the amount of money required would depend on supply lines and distance from the metropolitan area,
  • colonial governments are always loyal to the mainland governments, only rebellions can occur,
    • if a rebellion succeeds and captures the capital, the colony can declare independence
  • colonial borders, names, capital and flags can be changed by the metropolitan government at any time,
  • the national government doesn't have to enforce laws, if it wants to implement it in its colonies,
    • the player can choose if a colony would be a subject of a new law, so the player may abolish slavery in India but not in Nigeria if they decide to
  • a colony is completely under the sovereignity of the mother country,
  • a colony can be incorporated as a department of a unitary country or as a state of a federation.
• Territories are just like colonies, except a territory is a dependency that borders the mother country.
• A protectorate is a dependency that is dependent on a country in case of external affairs in exchange for military protection, because the protector and the protectorate signed a protection agreement. These agreements would last to 20 years maximum. The agreements can be mutually renewed or terminated before expiry, and can be enforced by peace treaties.
• Occupation zones can only exist if a peace deal includes the victorious power's right to occupy the losing power's territory. An occupation zone can exist up to 5 years maximum. These dependencies' mechanics would be the same as occupied provinces when two civilizations are at war.
• Leased territories are dependencies that are functioning as colonies or territories, legalized by a leasing contract signed by two countries. The leaser gets paid a certain amount of money for the territory by the lessee. These contracts can last up to 50 years, and can be mutually extended or terminated before expiry, and can be enforced by peace treaties. Great option for gaining concessions from the collapsing Qing Empire. Terminating such a contract does not enforce the leaser to pay anything back to the former lessee.
• The most interesting of all dependencies might be the dominions. The main difference of a dominion from a vassal is that the dominion, while maintaining a high level of autonomy and it manages its internal and external affairs, is still under the mother country's sovereignity. But there are some other things that make a dominion unique:
  • the conditions to become a dominion are simple:
    • the regions that are about to become a part of a dominion have to be colonies,
    • with a minimum 30% population of settler descent.
  • if a foreign nation invades either the dominion or the mother country (or its colonies), both automatically declare war on the aggressor
    • however, if the aggressor is the mother country, the dominion can not be forced to enter the war, but has the option to join
  • a dominion can't declare war by aggression
  • a law implemented by the mother country can't be enforced on the soil of its dominions
    • however, the parliaments of the dominions can ask their mother countries' parliaments to extend their laws to their dominions
  • the mother country is not able to collect taxes from dominions
  • a dominion can be either unitary or federal
  • dominions can't have holdings outside its defined borders
  • the mother country can't shrink the territory of a dominion, but can always enlarge it
  • a dominion can always ask to become a colony again
  • after 30 years of dominionhood, the dominions can ask for federating with their mother country
    • a federal dominion has to become unitary to federalize with the mother country
  • after 30 years of dominionhood, the dominions can request full territorial sovereignity
    • if the mother country is a monarchy, the ex-dominion will still be in a personal union with it
      • these ex-dependencies are called realms, which always can ask to become dominions again
      • realms can decide to become republics, but can always ask to become realms again, if the declaration of republic was in 15 years
    • if the mother country is a republic, the dominion becomes a fully sovereign nation

Edited April 26 by Hunor

[Wayne23lololh 1,043]

Maybe for federation, instead to play as the federation or one of its states, play as the federation and the state with the national capital at the same time.

Examples :

United States of America 🇺🇸

Plays as the federation, and plays as Washington D.C

United States of Greater Austria (proposed in 1906) 🇦🇹

Plays as the federation, and plays as Austria, because the national capital is Vienna, in Austria.