Transrhine

Transrhine officially referred to as the Peaceful Lands of the Rhine is a sovereign state located in Western Central Europe bordering France to the West, and Germany to the East. Transrhine has a population of approximately 60,197 people as of 2015 forming a tightly knit community, and covers a total land area of 3,025 kilometres squared.

In the 1960's a joint project between France and Germany over the development of the Rhine flood defences was scrapped, and the villages that were evacuated remained vacant. Soon, squatters moved in, and began a campaign to bring anarchists, hippies and other new age cultural movements together to form a nation and push for independence. The campaign was somewhat a success as several villages turned into new age anarchist communities, and became synonymous with attracting discriminated and ostracised groups from all over Europe. Members of the LGBT community, Radicals, Bohemians and Roma people were among many of the people who emigrated to the region, alongside those disaffected by mainstream Cold War politics. By the end of the 1960's the campaign had moved towards a push for independence from France and West Germany. In 1969 Transrhine declared itself independent, a move which received no response from both governments at the time, with it being dismissed as unrealistic or fantasy. However as the nation established its own constitution and began issuing passports, the French government took Transrhine's rhetoric more seriously, finally recognising their independence as a nation in 1979, 10 years after their initial declaration, followed by West Germany in 1982. Transrhine is still not recognised by all League of Nations countries, and retains LN observer status.

Transrhine refers to itself as a 'self-governing country' based on a system of localised syndication, in which the people are regarded as being sovereign. Transrhine is said to be a serious and significantly successful attempt at creating a realistic counter-cultural anarchist state, through a unique hybrid of statism and anarchism. The Constitution of Transrhine was ratified by popular vote in 1969, and sets out the fundamental laws and political framework of the nation. Under the constitution, Transrhine is divided into 8 communes, who collectively govern themselves through direct democracy in Communal Meetings, which are open to every single individual in the commune over the age of 18. Furthermore, each commune elects a representative to attend the annual Council of Representatives, who reports on the decisions made by the people in each commune. Every 5 years, Transrhine votes to elect a Spokesperson, who acts as the embodiment of the Transrhinian people and nation and is Transrhine's international representative and ambassador.

Transrhine's economy has been characterised as a post-industrial barter economy, where individuals trade goods or services directly without using a medium of exchange. However, the Transrhinian economy has also incorporated elements of a gift economy in recent years, with an emphasis on mutual aid, and reciprocal exchange. Each commune coordinates the distribution of food rations, healthcare, education and other vital services freely to it's citizens.

Closely associated with the anarchist and hippie movements, Transrhine is a highly multicultural nation, with citizens originating from all across the world, drawn to Transrhine by its culture of openness, liberty and peace. There is specific emphasis on artistic and literary expression and artisan crafts in both Transrhine's culture and economy. Transrhinian culture has taken influence from various cultural influences from across the world, from Anarchism to Bohemianism, and is based on a principle of the freedom to be the individual one desires to be, whilst being part of a close community. Transrhine has also been revered by anarchists and libertarian socialists alike.

Settlement
A joint French and German flood defence plans forced the relocation of the population of several small towns and villages along the Rhine River to make way for floodplains during the 1960's, however this plan was eventually scrapped, however the populations did not return to the settlements and they remained abandoned, attracting graffiti artists and looters. In 1962 the area began to be taken over by squatters, establishing several counter-cultural communities and collectives, also attracting several groups of Roma travellers. A Ger Quarter was also established. The region quickly developed into one of the hippie movement, the squatter movement, collectivism and anarchism. The areas became known as 'Transrhine' by local residents in 1963.

In 1964, a plan was hatched through cooperation by the 8 Transrhinian communities who hatched the "Mission Statement of Transrhine" which sought to bring anarchists, hippies and other new age cultural movements together to form a nation and push for independence.

The mission statement of Transrhine said that it's cause was to create a "self-governing society whereby each and every individual holds themselves responsible over the well-being of the entire nation. Our society is to be economically self-sustaining and, as such, we will be steadfast in our aspiration to bring freedom and peace to these lands, and create a place where an individual can be who they desire to be."

The campaign was somewhat a success as several villages turned into new age anarchist communities, and became synonymous with attracting discriminated and ostracised groups from all over Europe. Transrhine became one of the most influential and important communities in Europe for Anarchists, Punks, Hippies, Counter-culture, New Age beliefs, and those disaffected by society.

The inhabitants of Transrhine were steadfast in their beliefs, and worked hard throughout the 1960's to create an economically, environmentally, and culturally sustainable and unique community, that could function in paralell with the modern world outside of it's borders. The communities moved towards this by developing collective farming methods, a barter and gift economy, encouraging tourism from outside it's borders generating significant income.

Independence
At the culmination of Transrhine's mission, was the declaration of independence on the 16th March 1969. Immediately following the declaration, Transrhine staged a series of popular constitutional conventions, involving both volunteers and individuals from across the 8 communities, allowing people from all walks of life, cultures and beliefs to have a say on the decision making process of Transrhine's fundamental law.

The news of Transrhine's declaration of independence was largely ignored by the governments of France and West Germany, who dismissed it as a fantasy or elaborate protest, however it caught the attention of large groups of people across the world who staged demonstrations supporting Transrhinian self-determination. Transrhinians argued that the land it occupied was of little importance to neither West Germany nor France, while such governments refused to recognise their claims.

However, after Transrhine began to develop, it's national identity, its economy and it's functioning political system of direct democracy, more and more officials in both governments began to take the nation, and in 1971 several high-positioned members of the leading Christian Democratic Union, and the leading party of France voiced support for recognition of Transrhine as a sovereign nation, and the cracks in the resolve against recognition began to show.

Politics
See Also: Politics of Transrhine, Communes of Transrhine

Transrhine is unique among contemporary nations, with the political system lacking many of the characteristics of a modern state, instead operating in a system of direct democracy and syndicalised anarchism. The Constitution of Transrhine establishes the framework of the nation's political system, in which sovereignty is to be vested with the people. Transrhine is a serious and significantly successful attempt at creating a counter-cultural anarchist state, through a unique hybrid of anarchism and statism, advocating the establishment of "anarchism with borders."

Governance
See Also: Communal Meetings, Council of Representatives

The political system of Transrhine can be divided into three branches; Transrhine is divided into 8 self-governing divisions, known as Communes. Each commune governs itself through inclusive voluntary grassroots Communal Meetings, in which any citizen of the commune over the age of 18 may vote and take part in. Communal meetings are the highest authority in Transrhine. Based on the principle that every individual has the responsibility for their, and their community's lives and each and every individual has the power to decide for themselves how their community is run. All residents of a commune have the collective responsibility for the areas development, provision and maintenance, and make laws on, debate upon and implement policies relating to the provision of healthcare, education, food, and raw materials.
 * Communal Meetings (highest authority)
 * Council of Representatives (reports on decisions made in communal meetings)
 * Spokesperson (international representative)

Every year, each commune elects a representative to attend the annual Council of Representatives, in which such elected members report on the decisions and laws made in their commune. The representatives have no legislative power, however are permitted to act in the best interests of the nation and it's people if a national emergency were to arise, adding an element of representative democracy into Transrhine's political system. Every five years, Transrhinian citizens vote, through universal suffrage, to elect the nation's Spokesperson. The Spokesperson is the international representative of the Transrhinian nation, and it's interests. The Spokesperson has no formal powers to make or amend decisions made by the Communal Meetings, and simply serves as the titular Head of State.

Divisions
Transrhine is divided into 8 communes, who are self-managing. Transrhine has been likened to a confederation, due to its lack of central authority and differences between the laws and customs of the communes. The eight communes stem from the original eight Transrhinian communities who sought to establish the nation in the 1960's.

Law and Justice
See Main: Law of Transrhine

It is the responsibility of each commune to enforce the laws they make through a system of community policing and there is no established law enforcement organisation. Laws and punishments vary dependent on the commune, as laws are decided upon locally and something that may be a crime in one commune, may not be in another. Perpetrators of crimes are tried in a community court, and all communes enforce punishments for crimes as forced labour for the commune, with the length of the sentence dependent on the severity of the crime. However, Transrhine has a low crime rate, with violent crimes being particularly rare, Transrhine has the lowest homicide rate in Europe.

Economy
See Main: Economy of Transrhine

Transrhine's economy has been characterised as a post-industrial barter economy, where individuals trade goods or services directly without using a medium of exchange. However, the Transrhinian economy has also incorporated elements of a gift economy in recent years, with an emphasis on mutual aid, and delayed reciprocal exchange. Transrhine economy is not ranked in international economic tables, as it does not retain many elements of a modern economy.

Transrhine is a generally self-sufficient nation, domestically producing it's own food and raw materials, it imports few products and engages in little foreign trade other than the export of some goods, preferring to provide for itself. The main industries in Transrhine are artisan crafts, farming, fishing and tourism. Transrhine has no currency of it's own and currency has little use within it's borders, with Transrhinians instead engaging in barter between one another, however some currency is in circulation in use by tourists or foreign visitors who are not able to barter, leading Transrhine to be described as a "dual economy."

Instead of working for wages, Transrhinian citizens work for the collective preservation of their commune, so it may provide vital services in return. Each commune coordinates the distribution of food rations, healthcare, education and other vital services freely to it's citizens, who put in labour for the commune. Some communes enter into domestic bilateral trade with each other, for specific materials to support it's own economy.

The largest economic sector in Transrhine is agriculture, which approximately 45% of citizens employed by collective communal farms. Approximately 55% of Transrhine's territory is taken up by farmlands, either for pastures or harvesting crops. Following agriculture, the manufacture of artisan goods through a cottage industry, is the second largest sector. Arguably the most profitable sector of Transrhine is the farming, production and export of cannabis.