Masalk

Masalk (known formally as the Kingdom of Masalk, Turkish: Masalk'nin Krallık) is a sovereign state located in Asia Minor, on the edges of the European and Asian continents. The nation borders Greece and the Aegean Sea to the west, Bulgaria and the Black Sea to the north, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Iraq to the east, and Jordan, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

The kingdom is a democratic monarchy with elements of absolutism and direct democracy intertwined into the nation's governing structure. The royal house, officially the House of Hassa, has held rule over the nation since its conception in 1916, with the monarch being selected based solely on their order of birth. The ability of the monarch to rule is withheld within a set of rulings known as the Doctrines of Governance which outlines the nation's government system and acts as the de facto constitution. The monarch has the power to introduce legislation to the general populace, which then, through a system known as the courts, votes directly on the decision. The rulings of the magistrates by a three-fifths public agreement in three-fifths of all courts allows for the legislation to pass into action. The monarch is not the only ruler with the ability to introduce legislation, and a "vice versa" court system then allows for the public to introduce legislation for the approval of the monarch. The current government has existed since the introduction of the doctrines in 1916, with the House of Hassa being appointed into power by the Allied Mandate which effectively transitioned Ottoman rule into contemporary Masalkish rule. The democratic aspect of the government was introduced in 1927, after a change of heart in the policies of Masud I.

Masalk has a modernized, developed postindustrial economy based heavily on environmentally safe secondary sector activities and a variety tertiary activities. Much like other postindustrial nations, the economic infrastructure has matured past the point of dependence on primary economic practices, though the continued existence of these activities in an extremely intensive scale allows for a large amount of self sufficiency. The national economic status was achieved through government instated policies in the 1930s, the 1960s, and in the early 2000s which would protect the nation from global economic periods of boom which attributed towards a much more globalized market. Instead, regionalism and protectionism are distinctive features of the Masalkish economic composition. Domestic trade is the predominant type of economic transit which occurs commercially, and international trade is extremely balanced by a set of quotas which prevent large-scale intervention and attribute to a much more regional and stable populace. As of 2013, Masalk has one of the smallest margins of both population and GDP growth rates to date.

The country is a heavy follower of neutrality and foreign stability in its affairs, though it does hold strong diplomatic ties with many nations across the globe. While it is a full member of the United Nations, the government refrains from any major activities with foreign nations as a result of strong historical and social values developed in the mid-twentieth century after a period of foreign-based embargoes saved the country from the effects of the Great Depression. The economic and cultural prosperity which currently exists in the nation is also attributed towards popular support for commercial isolation from most of the world economy, further driving a social splinter against major participation in international organizations.

Etymology
The word Masalk comes from a combination of the name Masud and the Turkish word halk, meaning folk. This combination was formed after the rule of Masud I ended in 1951, who was the first monarch under the House of Hassa. Before this time, the country was simply known as the Turkish Kingdom and the Asia Minor Mandate in many Western countries. To honour the rule of Masud, the people introduced the measure to change the name of the country soon after the king's death, a measure which won massive support from both government and social entities. Accurately, the name means folk of Masud, though it is more widely interpreted as followers of Masud, in reference to popular support for his policies, or as land of Masud, referring to the land which he ruled over. Some critics of the name have called out the intention of naming the of a country after its king, referencing the heavy illusion of a personality cult which it may create. The argument is commonly rebuked with foreign locations also named after persons who are generally not viewed in negative connotations, such as Peter the Great, with St. Petersburg, and George Washington, with the state of Washington.