Social: Donovia-West

Social Overview

The latest Donovian National Security Strategy warns of the importance of preserving traditional Donovian spiritual and cultural values against foreign Western ideas and influences aimed at undermining Donovia from within. This strikes a chord in western Donovia as most of the population is Orthodox Christian. The strategy emphasizes the need to preserve and strengthen “traditional Donovian spiritual and moral values,” and indicating that Moscow views culture, language, and history as a tool for influence.

According to the Constitution, the Donovia is divided into 85 federal subjects (constituent units), 22 of which are "republics".  These federal subjects are grouped into districts, such as western Donovia. Most of the republics represent areas of non-Donovian ethnicity, although there are several republics with Donovian majority. The indigenous ethnic group of a republic that gives it its name is referred to as the "titular nationality". Due to decades (in some cases centuries) of internal migration inside Donovia, each nationality is not necessarily a majority of a republic's population.

Western Donovia has 112,398,000 citizens.

Western Donovian society is divided into three major classes: the regional capitalist class, the middle class, and the working class.

Social Statistics

Donovia Social Data
Measure	Data	Rank in World	Remarks (if applicable)
GDP	USD4.008 trillion	7	Industry (32.4%) Agriculture (4.7%) Services (62.3%)
GDP per capita	USD27,800	73	Continuous drop over the past five years
Labor Force	76.53 million	7	Industry (27.6%) Agriculture (9.4%) Services (63%)
Unemployment	5.5%	77	Holding steady
Poverty	13.3%	57	Percent below poverty line
Investment	19.4% of GDP	104
Budget	USD253.9 billion revenue USD287.5 billion expenditures
Public Debt	12.3% of GDP	122
Inflation	3.7%	149	Decrease from 7.1% two years ago

Table S-1. Donovia Social Data

Population Movement (Migration/IDPs/Refugees)

Migration during the Warsaw Pact era was uncommon. Since then, two types of migration have taken place: repatriation and economic migration. Expatriate Donovians began returning by the millions. The economic migration involved migrants from Central Asia and Pirtuni. The number of legal and illegal immigrants varied from 5 million to 15 million by 2009. Donovian public perception is very hostile to migrants. News outlets frame them as a source of crime, drug, and diseases. However, these immigrants are needed for the future. The working age population of Donovia is projected to shrink by 14 million people by 2025.

Refugees (country of origin): 427,240 (Pirtuni) This estimate represents asylum applicants since the beginning of the crisis in 2014 to September 2017.

IDPs: 19,000 from armed conflict, human rights violations, and generalized violence in Caucasus region.

Stateless persons: 82,148. Donovia's stateless population consists of Roma, Meskhetian Turks, and ex-Donovian citizens from the former Soviet Republics. Between 2003 and 2010, more than 600,000 stateless people were naturalized. Most Meskhetian Turks, followers of Islam with origins in Gorgas, fled or were evacuated from Uzbekistan after a 1989 pogrom and have lived in western Donovia for more than the required five-year residency period; they continue to be denied registration for citizenship and basic rights by local Krasnodar Krai authorities on the grounds that they are temporary illegal migrants.

Population Distribution

A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

78% of the entire population of Donovia resides in western Donovia.

The main population centers in western Donovia are Moscow and St. Petersburg. The urban population is 83,624,112; or, 74.4% of the total population.

Figure S-1. Donovian Population Pyramid.

Demographic Mix

Male life expectancy is 65.3 years.  Female life expectancy is 77.1 years.

The most current age structure for western Donovia is:

• 0-14 years: 17.12% (male majority)
• 15-24 years: 9.46% (male majority)
• 25-54 years: 44.71% (female majority)
• 55-64 years: 14.44% (female majority)
• 65 years and over: 14.28% (female majority, over 2 to 1)

The median age of people living in western Donovia is 39.6 years. The median age for males is 36.6 years, and for females is 42.5 years.

The population growth rate and fertility rates have been dropping for the last 50 years. Last year it was -0.08%, with a birth rate of 11 births per 1,000 population. The mean age of a western Donovian mother’s first birth is 24.6 years. With population decrease there has been a steady decline in working age population, more burden on working age people, a decline in the number of potential mothers, aging rate of the population, a high inflow of immigrants, and rising emigration rates. The total fertility rate (TFR) for Moscow and St. Petersburg is 1.15 births per woman. This is the lowest of all Donovia. The need for immigrants will grow in the future despite hostility by western Donovians. Even migrations of southern Donovians, who are Muslim, to western Donovia is viewed with suspicion. Hyper nationalism is strong in Moscow, causing a contradictory situation. The demographic crisis is irreversible.

Social Volatility

The gap between the richest and poorest citizens of Donovia has grown steadily, and it has become a source of social alienation because newly successful Donovians are resented and often are assumed to have criminal connections. The World Bank ranked Donovia's dichotomy between the highest and lowest economic echelons on a par with the wide gaps between rich and poor in Argentina and Turkey. According to the State Committee for Statistics, the wealthiest 10% of Donovians earn 13.5 times as much as the poorest 10%. The flaunting of luxurious automobiles, clothing, and other forms of material wealth has become less prevalent in Donovia's largest cities, especially Moscow, which is the center of the nouveau riche population.

A subclass of young businesspeople, mainly bankers and stockbrokers, runs the new trading and investment markets in Moscow and St. Petersburg, remaining aloof from the tangled, state-dominated manufacturing sector. This group, a very visible part of life in the larger cities, has profited from the youthful flexibility that enabled it to embrace an entirely new set of rules for economic success, while Donovia's older generations--with the exception of the astute Party members who became part of the nouveau riche--were much less able to adapt to the post-Warsaw Pact world.

Native Donovians are very suspicious of immigrants. The rise in numbers has triggered a backlash in the form of the formation of far-right, hyper-nationalist political groups, and riots targeting non-Donovians.

Education Level

Education expenditures last year were 3.8% of GDP. 99.7% of the population over the age of 15 can read and write. Total public education time is 15 years.

Ethnic Diversity

There are dozens of ethnicities within western Donovia. The majority of western Donovians are of eastern Slavic descent (Donovians, Pirtunians, and Belarussians). This equates to Donovian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Saami 1%, and others.

Religious Diversity

Throughout Donovia, religious beliefs are Orthodox Christian 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2%.  These are estimates are of practicing worshipers. Donovia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of communist rule. Donovia officially recognizes Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as traditional religions.

Most western Donovians are Orthodox Christians. There are also Buddhists with small temples in towns which house monks. Traditional animist beliefs are still evident with shamans operating openly in smaller towns and villages.

Common Languages

Donovian, the official language of Donovia, is spoken by 85.7% of the population. Although Donovian is the only federally official language, there are several other officially recognized languages within Donovia's various constituencies. Article 68 of the Constitution allows specific republics of Donovia to establish official (state) languages other than Donovian. In western Donovia, these are:

Language	Language family	Federal subject
Bashkir	Turkic	Bashkortostan
Chuvash	Turkic	Chuvashia
Erzya, Moksha	Uralic	Mordovia
Komi	Uralic	Komi Republic
Hill Mari, Meadow Mari	Uralic	Mari El
Tatar	Turkic	Tatarstan
Udmurt	Uralic	Udmurtia

Table S-2. Languages of Western Donovia

There are multiple ethnic languages, such as Ter-Sami used by the Saami people. However, the numbers of speakers are very small and the language is not officially recognized.

As a result of mass migration to Donovia (especially from the southern Donovia and Central Asia), many non-indigenous languages are spoken by migrant workers. Among them most prominent are:

Language	Number of speakers
Arianan	830,000
Atropian	515,000
Gorgan	76,000
Kazakh	472,000
Kyrgyz	247,000
Limarian	88,000
Moldovan	90,000
Tajik	177,000
Uzbek	245,000

Table S-3. Non-Indigenous Languages in Western Donovia

English is not spoken even in the larger cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Traffic signage is in Cyrillic alphabet and does not include an English translation. The exception is the Moscow metro system which includes English in its voice commands.

Criminal Activity

Crime is prevalent throughout Donovia. In the urban areas of western Donovia, the incidents of theft and robbery tend to be higher. In the rural areas, violent crime tends to be more prevalent. Last year’s (January through December) crime data by number of cases for western Donovia follow:

Location	Murder	Assault	Rape	Theft	Burglary	Robbery	Extortion	Hooliganism
Vladimir Oblast	109	2,322	31	9,343	802	132	39	12
Ivanovo Oblast	52	175	28	6,515	489	92	29	16
Kostroma Oblast	40	84	14	3,593	256	37	17	6
Moscow City	348	1,049	224	103,720	9,022	1,953	271	497
Moscow Oblast	557	1,252	158	39,196	2,952	685	136	153
Smolensk Oblast	76	196	19	5,071	308	56	47	14
Tver Oblast	123	244	39	9,907	442	106	25	12
Yaroslavl Oblast *	77	255	21	11,562	936	121	26	20
Northwest Federal District	946	2,554	300	95,017	7,400	1,433	420	515
Republic of Karelia	64	157	16	6,689	394	67	18	109
Komi Republic	84	332	43	7,208	624	91	111	93
Arkhangelsk Oblast	148	329	45	9,911	840	124	73	29
Vologda Oblast**	94	334	19	12,558	865	100	44	123
Kaliningrad Oblast	54	155	35	8,373	657	83	18	10
Municipal Department of Internal Affairs***	361	748	113	31,575	3,072	845	106	114
Leningrad Oblast	159	261	39	8,947	560	143	36	27
St. Petersburg City	202	487	74	22,628	2,512	702	70	87
Murmansk Oblast	39	195	7	7,735	319	40	38	13
Novgorod Oblast	57	165	13	5,921	375	49	7	18
Pskov Oblast	45	139	9	5,047	254	34	5	6
Kaluga Oblast	82	298	42	8,454	520	91	42	19
Tula Oblast	118	264	25	5,390	385	98	11	11
Nenets	9	13	0	266	11	0	1	4
Republic of Bashkortostan	354	948	131	28,682	1,423	301	131	71
Mari El Republic	51	148	14	2,965	278	28	30	12
Republic of Tatarstan	264	595	222	21,021	1,291	273	162	131
Udmurtia	109	405	48	9,816	1,018	173	100	106
Chuvash Republic	98	196	56	5,244	441	67	45	46
Kirov Oblast	89	228	41	8,882	665	85	47	126
Nizhny Novogorod Oblast	362	463	54	17,666	1,384	216	184	23
Perm Oblast	279	853	115	24,508	1,412	249	78	48
Republic of Mordovia	48	136	11	2,703	163	21	11	3

Table S-4. Western Donovia Crime Data

* also known as Yaroslavskaya Oblast

** also known as Vologodskaya Oblast

*** includes St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast

Human trafficking.  Donovia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. With millions of foreign workers, forced labor is Donovia’s predominant human trafficking problem and sometimes involves organized crime syndicates (see Transnational Criminal Organizations below). Workers from Donovia, other European countries, Central Asia, and East and Southeast Asia, including North Korea and Vietnam, are subjected to forced labor in the construction, manufacturing, agricultural, textile, grocery store, maritime, and domestic service industries, as well as in forced begging, waste sorting, and street sweeping. Women and children from Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central Asia are subject to sex trafficking in western Donovia. Donovian women and children are victims of sex trafficking domestically and in Northeast Asia, Europe, Central Asia, Africa, the U.S., and the Middle East.

Tier rating: Tier 3 - Donovia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making a significant effort to do so. Prosecutions of trafficking offenders remained low in comparison to the scope of Donovia’s trafficking problem. The government did not develop or employ a formal system for identifying trafficking victims or referring them to protective services, although authorities reportedly assisted a limited number of victims on an ad hoc basis. Foreign victims, the largest group in western Donovia, were not entitled to state-provided rehabilitative services and were routinely detained and deported. The government has not reported investigating reports of slave-like conditions among North Korean workers in Donovia. Authorities have made no effort to reduce the demand for forced labor or to develop public awareness of forced labor or sex trafficking.

Illicit drugs: Drug users in western Donovia are major consumers of opiates. There is limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and methamphetamines, mostly for domestic consumption in western Donovia. The government has an active illicit crop eradication program. The sea and airports of western Donovia are used as transshipment points for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the U.S. Western Donovia is a major source of heroin precursor chemicals.

Transnational Crime Organizations (TCO). Donovian TCOs have linkages to the Caucuses, the Pacific, Africa, and Europe. TCOs in western Donovia include the Donovian Mafia, Atbrivosana (ATB), and Saints of Cognitio (SoC).

Donovian Mafia. An extension of the Donovian Mafia in the Caucasus, their membership now includes some Torrikans. While openly proud of their Donovian heritage, the main victims of their activities are Donovian citizens. The Donovian Mafia specializes in prostitution, drug trafficking, financial crimes (illegal Bitcoin mining and money laundering), European smuggling, protection rackets, and extortion. Members greet each other as “moy va brat” (my brother). Non-members are never referred to with that title. In western Donovia, the Donovian Mafia is not a carefully structured Cosa Nostra–type family. It is a loose structure of networks which draws on people from different areas. Any titles involved within a group are not official titles with a level of authority. Instead, they are the role an individual performs.

A “brat” (brother) is the Donovian title for a “made man”. The honor of becoming a Brat is only given when the recruit shows considerable leadership skills, personal ability, intellect and charisma.

Individual Group	Location	Notes
Zhukov gang	Moscow	Territory includes western Donovia, Pirtuni, Hungary, Denmark, Netherlands, Czech Republic, U.S., Israel, U.K., France, Spain, South Africa, Canada and other parts of Europe, Africa and Australia. Estimated at 5,000 members.
Lyuberetskaya gang	Moscow	Based in (and originating from) Lyubertsy district of Moscow.
Izmaylovskaya gang	Moscow	200–500 members in Moscow. Named after the Izmaylovo District.
Orekhovskaya gang	Moscow	Reputation for disregarding codes of conduct in the criminal underworld, starting and ending conflicts as they please. The gang is believed to be responsible for at least 6,800 murders in 20 years. Estimated at 3,000 members.
Dolgoprudnenskaya gang	Moscow Oblast	Donovia's second largest criminal group
Grekov gang	St. Petersburg	Has branches in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Slonovskaya gang	Ryazan	Small, highly secretive group. No reliable law enforcement data.

Table S-4. Notable Donovian Mafia criminal groups in western Donovia

Atbrivosana (ATB). ATB is a cyber-criminal organization operating in every country in the European and Caucasus regions. Not associated with the Anonymous movement, they nonetheless use many of the same tactics using a veneer of anarchist political leanings. In truth, they are hackers-for-hire in the criminal world. Common tactics include ransomware, distributed denial of services (DDOS) attacks, introduction of malware (logic bombs, worms, viruses, etc) into servers and individual computers, and defacing public websites.

Saints of Cognitio (SoC). SoC is a transnational criminal organization with elements in Ariana, Atropia, Bothnia, and Donovia. SoC uses a variety of INFOWAR actions to right perceived wrongs as well as to raise revenue. Where effective INFOWAR capabilities were once limited to state actors, SoC is known to employ a combination of media manipulation and information activities, alongside computer warfare, to disrupt organizations—state or non-state—that it believes act outside of its own moral code. While their motivations are predominantly ethical, they are not averse to forming short-term alliances with other irregular actors to raise revenue or to achieve maximum effect. Their normal target is national police and security forces, government facilities and major corporations.

Human Rights

According to Chapter 1, Article 15 of the Constitution, international law concerning human rights takes precedence over national legislation. However, this is not the truth in practice. A law was passed in December 2015 that gives the Constitutional Court the power to decide whether Donovia can enforce, or ignore, resolutions from intergovernmental bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights. While the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from the United Nations is reinforced by Articles 30 and 31 of the Donovian Constitution, the executive branch routinely ignores it with the support of the judicial branch.

According to international human rights organizations and independent domestic media outlets, the most common violations of human rights in Donovia included

1. Deaths in custody, and the widespread and systematic torture of persons in custody by police, security forces and prison guards
2. Hazing in the Donovian Army. Many young men are killed or commit suicide every year because of it. The hazing includes torture, humiliation, and forced prostitution.
3. Neglect and cruelty in Donovian orphanages and violations of children's rights
4. Discrimination, racism, and murders of members of ethnic minorities
5. Killing of at least 50 journalists since 2003

Non-Government Organizations (NGO). All NGOs in receipt of foreign funding and engaged in political activities are required to register as foreign agents with the Ministry of Justice. 144 NGOs are listed on the Register, including many of the oldest, most well-known and respected organizations, both internationally and domestically. The Federal and Regional governments can brand NGOs as "undesirable" to fine and shut them down. Members of "undesirable organizations" can be fined and imprisoned. These restrictive policies (Donovian funders were also deterred) are a denial of the Freedom of Association embodied in Article 30 of the Constitution.

Targeted killings. There are numerous unsolved assassinations of leading opposition politicians, lawmakers, journalists, and critics of the government, at home and sometimes abroad. Death by contract killing, poisoning, and beatings have become commonplace. Only three of these murders have been successfully investigated and prosecuted: two in Moscow and one in St. Petersburg by right-wing extremists.

Political prisoners. The total number of prisoners are unknown. Sources in western Donovia have reported youthful activists being arrested during peaceful demonstrations and disappearing with no contact. Others have reported political prisoners being torture in penal colonies and prisons. IN some cases there were attacks on demonstrators organized by local authorities. Donovian citizens attempting to exercise their rights under the Constitution and international agreements can be arrested and incarcerated without a trial.

Torture and abuse. The Constitution forbids arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment. Chapter 2, Article 21 of the Donovian Constitution states, "No one may be subjected to torture, violence or any other harsh or humiliating treatment or punishment." However, regional and Federal law enforcement personnel, and prison and jail guards are regularly observed practicing torture with impunity - including beatings with many different types of batons, sticks and truncheons, water battles, and sacks with sand. Different torture methods include:

1. "Elephant Method" which is beating a victim wearing a gas mask with cut airflow
2. "Supermarket Method" which is the same but with a plastic bag on head
3. Electric shocks including to genitals and ears (known as "Phone call")
4. Binding in stress positions
5. Cigarette burns
6. Needles and electric needles hammered under nails
7. Prolonged suspension
8. Sleep deprivation
9. Food deprivation
10. Rape and penetration with foreign objects
11. Asphyxiation
12. "Television" which involves forcing the victim to stand in a mid-squat with extended arms in front of them holding a stool or even two stools, with the seat facing them
13. "Rack" or "Stretch" which involves hanging a victim on hands tied behind the back
14. "Refrigerator" which involves subjecting a naked victim sometimes doused in cold water to subzero temperatures
15. "Furnace" where the victim is left in heat in a small space
16. "Chinese torture" where the feet of the victim laying on a tabletop are beaten with clubs

Torture at police stations, jails, prisons and penal colonies is common and widespread. Doctors and nurses sometimes also take part in torturing and beating prisoners and suspects. Western Donovian police are known to be using torture as a means to extract forced confessions. In the most extreme cases, hundreds of innocent people from the street were arbitrarily arrested, beaten, tortured, and raped by special police forces.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Queer (LGBTQ). LGBTQ persons are outlawed in western Donovia. Article 12 of the Family Code specifically states that marriage is a union of a man and a woman. Neither same-sex marriages nor civil unions of same-sex couples are allowed in western Donovia. Adoption of Donovian children by same-sex couples and unmarried individuals from countries where marriage for same-sex couples is legal is illegal.

Under the “Gay Propaganda law”, it is illegal to tell school children that LGBTQ people exist in western Donovia. The law makes it illegal to hold any sort of public demonstration in favor of LGBTQ rights, speak in defense of LGBTQ rights, and distribute material related to LGBTQ culture, or to state that same-sex relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships.

People suspected of being LGBTQ through mannerisms, dress, public displays of affection with the same gender, etc., may be assaulted or murdered by Donovian citizens. Vigilante groups, consisting of radical nationalists, and neo-Nazis, lure men or boys to meetings, accuse them of being LGBTQ, humiliate and beat them, and post videos of the proceedings on social media.

Domestic abuse. Domestic abuse was decriminalized last year, and is now only a misdemeanor in western Donovia. As a result, an NGO that provides support to victims of domestic abuse, said the statistics showed women were less inclined to report cases to the police. Domestic violence has increased. Donovian women who are victims of domestic abuse are often forced to pay the fines handed down to their abusers. Last year, approximately 10,000 women were killed by their partner, and 2,500 women killed their partner. In 90% of these cases, the woman had endured systematic beating and violence, often alcohol related. Local police responding to calls do not understand they should treat the case as a human rights violation, and seldom even register the complaints.

Centers of Social Power

Perhaps the most significant fact about Donovia's social structure is that ideology no longer determines social status. In the past, Party membership was the surest path to career advancement and wealth. Political decisions rather than market forces determined social status. The powerful ruling class, the nomenklatura, which consisted of party officials and key personnel in the government and other important sectors such as heavy industry. This class enjoyed privileges such as roomy apartments, country dachas, and access to special stores, schools, medical facilities, and recreational sites. The social status and income of members of the nomenklatura increased as they were promoted to higher positions in the party.

The social structure was characterized by self-perpetuation and limited mobility. Access to higher education, a prerequisite to political and social advancement, was steadily constrained in the postwar decades. Moreover, the sluggish economy of that period reduced opportunities for social mobility, thus accentuating differences among social groups and further widening the gap between the nomenklatura and the rest of society.

Members of the urban working class (proletariat), in whose name the party purported to rule, generally lived in cramped apartment complexes, spent hours each day standing in line to buy food and other necessities, and attended frequent obligatory sessions of political indoctrination. Similarly, the peasantry eked out a meager existence, with little opportunity for relief. Agricultural workers constituted the bottom layer of Donovian society, receiving the least pay, the least opportunity for social advancement, and the least representation in the Party.

The current social structure is characterized by a wide disparity in wealth and privilege. Although there is no rigid class structure, social stratification based on wealth is evident and growing. Many of the old nomenklatura used their continuing connections with industry and finance to enrich themselves in the emerging capitalist system. According to a 1995 study, more than 60% of Donovia's wealthiest millionaires, and 75% of the new political elite, are former members of the nomenklatura, and 38% of western Donovia's businesspeople held economic positions in the Party. The wealth of the new capitalists, who constitute 1 to 2% of the population, derives from the ownership of private property, which was prohibited under the past regimes; from former black-market transactions that now are pursued legally; and from repatriation of funds that were secretly transferred abroad. Entrepreneurs have purchased former state-owned enterprises privatized by the government (often using connections with government authorities to gain favorable treatment) and have opened banks, stock exchanges, and other ventures typical of a market economy.

The most successful of the new capitalists practice conspicuous consumption on an extravagant scale, driving flashy Western cars, sporting expensive clothing and jewelry, and frequenting stylish restaurants and clubs that are far beyond the reach of ordinary Donovians. Donovian “biznesmeny” with cash-filled briefcases purchase expensive real estate in exclusive areas of Western Europe and the United States. Other areas of the world, such as the city of Limassol, Cyprus, have been transformed into virtual Donovian enclaves where illicit commercial transactions help fuel the economy. Donovian capitalists attempting to achieve at a high level using legitimate means must nonetheless pay protection money to criminal groups, especially in the larger cities.

A subclass of young businesspeople, mainly bankers and stockbrokers, runs the new trading and investment markets in Moscow and St. Petersburg, remaining aloof from the tangled, state-dominated manufacturing sector. This group, a very visible part of life in the larger cities in the mid-1990s, has profited from the youthful flexibility that enabled it to embrace an entirely new set of rules for economic success, while Donovia's older generations--with the exception of the astute nomenklatura members who became part of the nouveau riche--were much less able to adapt.

Middle Class is difficult to define in western Donovia. If the factors used are income, consumption of goods and services, education, and self-assessment, then 20%, or 10 million families, are part of the middle class. The main concerns of the middle class in western Donovia are violence, corruption, pollution, and illegal immigrants. They lack an independent source of income, and are therefore unable to function as a stabilizer for the rest of society. Income from entrepreneurial activities is much lower than income from redistribution of state resources. The middle class feels they have no say in their government. Most would send their children to the West for education. One researcher describes them as “nationalistic, authoritarian, and xenophobic.”

Conditions for the working class and the peasants are sharply at variance with those of the new capitalist class. Political repression has eased, but economic privations have increased. Although more goods are available, they are often beyond the means of the average worker. Full employment is no longer is the norm. At the lower end of the social scale, the "working poor" toil predominantly in agriculture, education, culture, science, and health, most of which are considered middle-class fields of employment in the West. State employees, who suffer especially from inflation because of infrequent wage adjustments, often fall below the official poverty line.

Young parents with little work experience and more than one child are especially likely to be members of the working poor. 57% of families one or more children are classified as poor by the World Bank. 86% of families with three or more children are classified in the lowest income group. Most single-parent families also belong to this group. In the lower- income groups, people with relatives generally fare better than those with none (especially single pensioners), as informal subsistence networks continue to provide support to a substantial segment of society.

Basic Cultural Norms and Values

Tradition is very important in western Donovia, and as a result, first time visitors may experience things that seem to fit more in the 19th Century of Europe. Traditions of family, church, and culture are honored. The country’s history of privation, political turmoil, and war in their own territory have embedded in them a reverence for the past. Men still open doors for women, or give up their seats on public buses to women.

Loyalty among family and friends is very important in the culture of western Donovia. And while they tend to be polite with strangers and tourists, they don’t go out of their way to converse with them. Donovians do not speak with people they do not know without a formal introduction.

Generosity is prevalent, especially with food. Fish is the favorite food. Hot tea is available constantly, and refusing an offer of tea is considered very rude. Reciprocity is greatly appreciated, and American cookies are highly desirable.

Customs and Practices

Saunas are very popular. Western Donovians invite friends to join them in either public saunas in cities, or private saunas in their homes. This is often followed by a large meal and alcoholic beverages.

Vodka figures prominently in all social gatherings, including all meals. Visitors will be expected to drink local vodka whenever and wherever they meet Donovians. Alcoholism is prevalent. 25% of men’s deaths in western Donovia can be traced to alcohol and occurred before the age of 55. There also many stories of recovery.

You will not see a Donovian smile unless they are around someone they love or are genuinely happy. This is true also in photographs. Any other smile is considered being fake. A smile from a Donovian is personal and informative.

Silence on public transportation is considered polite. Riders tend to sit without speaking, and any conversation can be heard throughout the crowd. Conversations among Donovians tend to be direct and to the point. We would describe them as being blunt. This is not being impolite, it is just how conversation is done in western Donovia. Donovians, as a general rule, do not trust Insincere and superficial comments or compliments. They respect straightforward and honest communication. Additionally, they do not have the concept of a personal bubble and tend to be physically close to each other when speaking.

There are many religious, civic, and cultural holidays. The western Donovians describe these as an excuse to drink and socialize with friends and family. They look for opportunities to celebrate. September 11th is National Conception Day, when young couples are encouraged to conceive a child.

When entering a home in western Donovia, immediately remove your coat and shoes. However, never shake hands through a door as it is seen as very impolite and will cause bad luck. Doing so will force the owner of the home or apartment to either come outside or draw you inside to shake hands. Donovian men will not try to shake hands with women, especially with strangers. If a woman extends her hand, the man can shake it. Men shaking hands with other men is common. In the winter, Donovians will take off their gloves to shake…..never with the gloves on.

Giving flowers at certain events is very important to Western nations. In western Donovia, even numbers of flowers are given at funeral s only. An odd number of flowers is given in other situations.

When visiting, always bring a small gift. Manners are very important in public.