Political: North Torbia

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Olvana's normalized relations with the west in the late 1970s resulted in a lessening of political and economic interactions with the Democratic People's Republic of Torbia (DPRT). Decreasing Olvanan support contributed to a collapse of the DPRT economy, widespread famine, and political instability. The DPRT government reacted to these changed conditions by becoming more insular, restricting travel, cracking down on dissidents, and beginning a nuclear weapons and power program. Facing flooding, international sanctions, the global collapse of communism, and enormous food shortages and famines, the North Torbian government expanded the DPRT’s nuclear and missile development while gradually increasing the role of the military in government, codifying a military first policy that made the Torbian People’s Army (TPA) the most powerful political body in the country.

Overall, North Torbia maintains a Level of Freedom categorization of Not Free and a ranking of 7 on a 7 point scale.

Political History

The DPRT, commonly called North Torbia, was born of a hasty negotiation between the United States and the People’s Republic of Olvana following Torbia’s occupation during WWII. Planners arbitrarily divided the Torbian portion of Luzon Island roughly in half from Lingayan Gulf to Dingalan Bay, with the US governing the southern portion and Olvana the north from Baguio. Olvana occupied and then governed the region until mid-1946, when Song Yang-Hwan, an Olvanan-trained guerilla fighter and former Olvanan army officer, was placed at the head of the new Torbian communist party.

By 1949, North Torbia was a full-fledged communist state implementing a hardline totalitarian set of policies. The Torbian Workers' Party (WPT) emerged as the dominant political body in the region, with Song Yang-Hwan serving as party head, head-of-state, and head-of government. Private industry was largely seized by the state, farms collectivized, dissenting political parties were suppressed, and power consolidated into a single-party government.

The Torbian War

The Torbian War was a formative event for North Torbia’s government. Song, along with Olvanan advisors, convinced Olvana that a North Torbian invasion of the south, the Republic of Torbia (RoT), would be quick and decisive, resulting in the island being unified under North Torbia’s communist government. North Torbia massed forces on the border and invaded in 1950, met minimal resistance from the South Torbians, and nearly completed their destruction before the United Nations (UN) intervention. The resulting UN counterattack and subsequent Olvanan intervention ultimately resulted in a stalemate that endured for nearly three more years before ceasefire terms were finally agreed upon. The war helped to consolidate Song’s power and gave rise to the idea of self-reliance that has dominated North Torbian politics since that time. The war also set into motion a series of complex diplomatic confrontations with South Torbia, Olvana, and the US that would eventually lead to North Torbia’s isolation and militarism.

Following the war, Olvanan interest in North Torbia led to substantial foreign investment. The North Torbian economy and industrial base grew rapidly (much more so than South Torbia) throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. North Torbia would eventually joint the Non-Aligned Movement, a declaration of their independence from Olvanan control and a strong endorsement of self-reliance. North Torbia was, however, still heavily dependent on Olvana as a trading partner, investor, and provider of financial and military aid.

Economic Crisis

As Olvana normalized relations with the west in the late 1970s, they gradually began lessening both political and economic interaction with North Torbia. This led to a complete collapse of the North Torbian economy in 1986. Widespread hunger and political instability ensued; the WPT responded by increasing restrictions on travel, cracking down on dissidents, and beginning a nuclear weapons and power program. In 1994, Song died and was replaced as dictator by his son, Song Ji-Hoon. The elder Song never established specific official positions. Thus, it fell to the younger Song to establish himself as party secretary and president. Soon after Ji-Hoon took power a combination of factors, primarily flooding, global sanctions, and the collapse of global communism, combined to create an enormous food shortage and famine throughout North Torbia. Ji-Hoon expanded North Torbia’s nuclear and missile development while gradually increasing the role of the military in government. By 1998, North Torbia codified a military first policy that made the Torbian People’s Army (TPA) the most powerful political body in the country.

Song Ji-Hoon died in 2013 and was succeeded by his son, Song Chong-Su. After a brief period consolidating his power, Chong-Su continued the provocative programs and policies of his predecessors. He also reorganized North Torbia government, creating the State Commission as the top of the party and government, with himself at the head as Secretary-General.

Centers of Political Power

Democratic People's Republic of Torbia

Tribes

Tribal politics dominated the premodern Torbian peninsula. However, very little of this tribal affiliation extended into the modern age, stamped out largely by foreign occupations. Aside from very small rural areas, there is no meaningful tribal element in North Torbia.

Elites

There are two basic classes of elite in North Torbia: the upper echelon of the WPT and the upper echelon of the military. These two groups are indistinct and thoroughly intertwined. The innermost elites are those that surround Song, along with influential senior general officers: most major decisions made in North Torbia stem from this group. As in most autocratic nations, the majority of North Torbian political structure and economy is designed to preserve and protect this group.

Ethnic groups

North Torbia is very ethnically homogenous, and what minorities exist are virtually all East Asian in descent. North Torbia is notoriously unfriendly to non-Torbians, despite their long-standing dependence on foreign visitors for currency liquidity and smuggling. Small populations of foreign families maintain close-knit communities scattered around the country. There were several historical ethnic groups, most prominently a variety of unique ethnicities in mountainous areas, but it is thought that their communities and separate ethnic identities are now extinct.

Military Authority

The Torbian People’s Army (TPA) dominates much of DPRT politics. General officers control the State Commission and, in effect, the entirety of North Torbia government. In turn, the WPT maintains political officers at every echelon of the TPA. The TPA essentially acts as a kingmaker in North Torbia – Song is ultimately dependent on their endorsement and protection to maintain power. The internal politics of the TPA are constantly shifting and are largely opaque to the west, but it is assumed that Song installs and supports allies in the highest positions in order to enhance his own security.

Family Authority

As in most Asian countries, family is deeply important to the North Torbian population and society. The family is the basic economic building block of the nation; the government administers much of the individual economy through a system called “cells” that essentially revolve around the patriarch of the family. Older parents often live with their children. This is ingrained in the society and is recognized and supported by the government. Families tend to be small and insular. Family authority can be seen at the highest levels of government: the Song family is essentially a family dynasty. Many other senior government and military officials hand their authority/titles to offspring or other family members wherever possible.

Religious/Clerical Authority

North Torbia is officially an atheist state; formal religion has no meaningful role in government. North Torbia actively seeks to suppress religion and does not acknowledge any freedom of worship. Organized religions are typically persecuted and actively suppressed. However, folk religions such as Shamanism are still widely practiced, though informally and away from the eyes of the government. There are small numbers of Buddhists and Christians in North Torbia, but they have no legal status and are actively persecuted by the government.

Description of Government

Official Flag of North Torbia

North Torbia is a tightly held military dictatorship. Its government does not have multiple parties and no real opposition during elections. The military controls all aspects of the government.

Branches of Government

Legislative Authority

As in other communist countries, the North Torbia legislature, called the People’s Assembly of Torbia (PAT), is little more than a rubber stamp for decisions made by the WPT. However, within the PAT, a smaller body called The Presidium fulfills several important government functions, operating as both the foreign office and the Supreme Court.

The PAT consists of 721 members, one elected from each constituency. The PAT is only called sporadically, however, usually to rubber stamp a major change in government. Elections are held every five years for terms of the same length. Members are often elected as a reward for party service or faithfulness to the Soon family.

There is no meaningful opposition party in North Torbia, and the PAT has little to no influence on day-to-day governance. The Presidium, however, carries significant weight with diplomatic and legal matters, though these are tightly bound with the will of the WPT.

Executive Cabinet of North Torbia

Executive Authority

The North Torbian executive consists of the head-of-state (the Secretary-General of the WPT) along with his cabinet, advisers, and senior military commanders. The party’s authority is processed through the cabinet. That body ultimately takes on most of the responsibility of governing the country. North Torbia is effectively a dictatorship and thus virtually all real authority lies with the executive branch supported by the military. The Secretary-General, along with the cabinet and military, runs the nation autocratically. A prime minister is appointed as the head-of-government but has no meaningful authority.

Although executive elections ostensibly occur in North Torbia, they are only for show. The most recent election showed Soon with 100% of the vote. Abstaining or attempting to vote against the WPT is considered treasonous. North Torbia provides no term limits for its executives; the cabinet is appointed to their positions at the will of Soon.

Cabinet Ministers are the functional element of North Torbia executive. Currently, there are nine ministers, covering the economy, diplomacy, and propaganda. These ministers are appointed by Soon and serve at his pleasure, though some, particularly senior military officers, are powerful party members in their own right and enjoy positions of relative power to Soon. Notably, the Ministers of National Security and Defense are not part of the Cabinet but serve the Secretary-General as direct advisors.

The North Torbia executive essentially controls all other elements of government; their primary role is to support the legitimacy of the WPT.

Judicial Authority

The judiciary of North Torbia cannot be thought of as a typical judicial body: it exists almost entirely to support the WPT and the Soon regime. It is modeled on early communist court structures. Practically all decisions are made either to maintain order amongst the population or to reinforce the standing of Soon and the WPT. Lower levels courts are the way that the North Torbian central government enforces decisions and employs its authority over broad regions; appointees to these courts are party officials rather than legal professionals.

North Torbia employs three levels of courts. The Central Court, consisting of a chief justice and two associate justices, is the high court of the land. Regional appeals courts govern large regions and generally concern themselves with translating the will of the Soon regime into meaningful day-to-day decisions governing the people. The lowest courts handle minor criminal cases while also serving as local points of political power. Different court systems handle the military and railroad/transportation workers.

All justices and judges are ultimately appointed by the PAT, though they are first chosen or otherwise approved by Soon or another WPT official. They are to serve 5-year terms, but loyal judges are usually de facto lifetime appointees. The North Torbian judiciary has no meaningful independence. Judges serve at the leisure of Soon; if they do not follow his will they are removed.

Political Parties and Organizations

Official Political Parties

There is no meaningful opposition party in North Torbia, and the Torbian People’s Army has little to no influence on day-to-day governance. The Presidium, however, carries significant weight with diplomatic and legal matters, though these are tightly bound with the will of the WPT.

Other Domestic Influential Groups

There are really only two centers of social power in North Torbia: one is the family, the other is the Torbian Workers' Party. The WPT recognizes the importance of the family in maintaining stability and generally seeks harmony with the family construct. Inside the home, families are a patriarchy, with wives expected to defer to husbands on most household matters. Outside of the family, the only meaningful holder of social power is the WPT: it establishes cultural norms, legal and illegal communications, jobs and education, and virtually everything else not directly related to the individual family.

Government Effectiveness and Legitimacy

North Torbia’s government is generally recognized as legitimate by the North Torbian population; very little dissent or resistance occurs to the best knowledge of western observers. North Torbia is, however, essentially a cult-of-personality: should that model break down or the ruling regime be otherwise undermined, the government would cease to be an effective entity almost immediately.

Very little information is available on the public opinions of North Torbia population; no valid public opinion polling has been done since the birth of North Torbia. Estimates range from “fanatically supportive of the Soon regime” to “desperately unhappy.” Defectors, along with the emerging North Torbian information era, are helping to provide more insight into North Torbia population, but information is still sporadic at best.

North Torbia government’s stability essentially revolves around Soon. Since he effectively consolidated his power following the death of his father, it is assumed that North Torbia government is both stable and unlikely to change or evolve in the near-term. The primary threat to North Torbian stability is external forces such as Olvana and the US, who North Torbia insists on provoking regularly.

Domestic Political Issues

The sole long-term domestic objective of North Torbia and the WPT is survival. In order to accomplish this, the WPT must remain in a position of absolute power. The WPT’s short-term political objectives are consolidation of power around Soon, specifically with the TPA and the regional bureaucracies. These are the chief fulcrums of power in North Torbia and without fully consolidating them Soon’s position will be vulnerable.

Elections

Elections in North Torbia have always been showpieces in support of the WPT. It is assumed that most North Torbians realize that their elections are rubber stamp affairs. However, interestingly, many defectors indicate that voting is a point of pride for many North Torbians. The international community recognizes the nature of North Torbian elections and does not recognize the nation as democratic. Elections for the PAT take place every 5 years, and for local assemblies every 4 years.

Rule of Law

Although North Torbia has a constitution and a formalized set of laws, the only meaningful authority in the country is the WPT. The WPT routinely modifies or ignores the law to suit its needs.

Corruption

Corruption is deeply rooted in North Torbian culture and government; North Torbia consistently ranks among the world’s most corrupt nations. The buying and selling of bureaucratic positions is one of the most common forms of corruption. Bureaucrats tend to be poorly paid and as a result rely heavily on corrupt monies to survive. This tendency goes up to the highest levels of government. For the military, it is difficult to separate what constitutes “corruption,” though it is thought that military ranks, especially general officer ranks, are commonly bought and sold, or given out as favors for party loyalty or other such actions. Government jobs are typically in positions to receive bribes and other forms of payment and are thus highly sought after. Bribery functions not only as means of avoiding punishment at the hands of the government, but also as a means of economic development: citizens are able to participate in low-level free markets with the tacit approval of their local bureaucrats. There is little business in the western sense in North Torbia. State-owned industries are just as dependent on corruption as any other part of the government.

Human Rights and Freedoms

North Torbia is one of the world’s most significant violators of human rights. Secret prisons, torture, enslavement, travel restrictions, and any number of other gross such violations occur habitually, either by the government or with the consent of the government.

North Torbia does not recognize any universal freedoms. Freedom of worship, speech, press, and assembly do not exist, and are not protected in any way by the government. Citizens do not have freedom to move around the country or to change jobs without government approval. The family is the one area of society in which North Torbia does not exercise autocratic control. Though families are closely monitored and managed, generally speaking, families are allowed to develop their own living arrangements and have children as they wish.

International Relationships

Regional Political Issues

Olvana remains the primary ally of North Torbia in the region. North Torbia continues to be an isolated country, cut off from many of the economic and other benefits of regional progress. Its closed society and resistance to normalized relations with western countries limits its potential for regional partnerships. Olvana, being its only real connection to the wider world, plays a critical role in importing needed commodities and resources.

Relationship with the US

US/DPRT relations have been highly strained and formally nonexistent. North Torbia views the US as intruders into Torbia and wants American presence on the island gone. North Torbia regularly antagonizes the US government. No formal research data exists about North Torbian citizens’ opinion of American citizens or government. North Torbia and the US do not have formal diplomatic relations; all diplomacy is conducted through third parties. The US and North Torbia do not have any meaningful economic connection aside from small numbers of American-affiliated NGOs. Tariffs and other trade barriers imposed on North Torbia have further distanced any trade relations between the two countries. The US and North Torbia share little culture; however, there is thought to be a large and growing grey/black market for western and especially American media among younger North Torbians. Despite various embargoes and tensions, the US continues to supply North Torbia with foreign aid amounting to nearly $1.6 billion since over the past twenty years.

Alliances and International Organizations

• International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
• International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)
• International Maritime Organization (IMO)
• International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO)
• International Olympic Committee (IOC)
• Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO)
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
• United Nations (UN)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
• Universal Postal Union (UPU)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

International Economic Associations

• ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

Military Alliances

Olvana is the country with the closest influence on the North Torbian military. The close relationship between the government and the military means that any alliance between governments is, essentially, a military alliance.