[hider=Union of Nordic Socialist States][img]https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/attachments/sweden_com-png.360959/[/img][color=0072bc][h1][b]Nordiska Unionen av Socialistiska Stater[/b][/h1][/color] The Union of Nordic Socialist States (UNSS, also called Nordic Socialist Union) is what became of the countries of Finnland and Sweden after Post-Visitation era. Sweden sunk into complete anarchy as the widespread mutant activity crushed all semblance of national unity. This era of chaos was brought to an end by the rise of socialism and a federation states regardless of their race began to emerge. The more peaceful mutant communities and the dispersed human successor states found common ground through the values of socialism. Abandoned by their old allies the UNSS sought the help of Moscow. That being said the Nordic and Muscovite views on socialism had some fundamental differences. As such they are reluctant to accept Soviet control but they are willing to cooperate. The Nordic Socialist Union didn't join the Warsaw Pact. Instead they have their own alliance pact with the Soviets and those under them. While relations with the USSR can be tense this has nothing on the pure vitriol between the Nordic Socialist Union and the rest of Scandinavia. While devastating warfare was largely averted the tensions between the two dominant ideologies of Scandinavia continue to grow. [color=0072bc][b]Territory:[/b][/color] Sweden and Finland [h3][color=0072bc][b]History Overview[/b][/color][/h3]Early in 1961 the Kingdom of Sweden experienced an upswing of radical ideologies. As part of the new wave of politics various grassroots movements criticized advertisements, consumerism, wage gap and various other elements of modern life and economy. Yet all the buzz about their activities were drowned out when the Visitors have arrived. It's hard to define exactly what happened but strange reports surfaced in various places. The media initially shook off these reports as mass-hysteria and for a few years nothing happened. Nothing seemed to happen. Yet this era of complacency met a violent end with a sudden bombastic surge of frankly fantastical reports. Phenomena which defied understanding, mass attacks by horrifying monsters, kidnappings and mysterious disappearances. Sweden and seemingly the world as a whole found themselves under assault by forces of unknown. Within just a few years Sweden collapsed, unable to take the pressure. Social order was in shambles and the nation divided into a number of isolated states within the sea of unknown. The successor states of Sweden continued their struggle, fighting both monsters and even among themselves. Historical documentation stops for nearly a decade and it is uncertain what really happened. Those who experienced it have conflicting testimonies. As such it isn't certain exactly what happened but various Swedish states experienced their first legitimate contact with those whom they later call metahumans, people with very specific mutations who retained their intelligence and founded their own culture. They were the elves, dwarves, trolls and so forth. Researchers are not sure if metahumans chose these names based on their understanding of Swedish culture or whether the humans meeting metahumans started to refer them as such. Either way their cooperation with humans led to various confederations and eventually this ended Sweden's short-lived dark age. One of major factions of Sweden in this period were the Commune of Östergötland lead by Aron Holmlund. Their unity allowed them to extend their influence and swiftly gained dominance in Sweden. Holmlund wished for equality and a new order. He established the Swedish People's Confederation which within years encompassed the entire region of the former country. Of course this movement was not treated kindly by Sweden's neighbors. Though in a terrible shape Sweden received plentiful foreign aid from the West. As such Holmlund immediately sought out new allies and who else would be better partner than the Soviet Union? The freshly established People's Federation of Sweden sent ripples through Europe. Though they never formally joined the NATO, Sweden had close relations to the West. For such a country to suddenly join the Soviet influence sphere was almost unthinkable. While feuds between the East and West revitalized at the same time Finnland found itself in a perilous situation. With the reawakening of the Soviet Union and also Sweden becoming communist they could no longer retain their tenuous neutrality and they had to choose a side. Ultimately they fused with the Swedes and the country was renamed the Union of Nordic Socialist States. Finish society transformed to the Swedish vision of communist ideas and metahumans took residence in Finland. In a sense the change wasn't that obvious yet over the time they adopted more and more elements from Sweden. By now the Finland portion of the Nordic Socialist Union is deeply similar to Sweden's. [h3][color=0072bc][b]Government Overview[/b][/color][/h3]The Nordic Socialist Union is unique among communist states. It advocates itself as a true "people's democracy" with multiple political parties and its own elections. Of course all parties are communist but all the main parties represent different branches of communism. In theory it's possible for a non-communist party to enter the race but in effect such movements are quickly silenced. Small parties on the other hand tend to campaign for matters more closely related to the day to day lives of the citizens. Be it more rights for a certain race, advocating benefits for a certain profession and more. The Dordic Socialist union propagates the core elements of socialism, even to oppressive levels, yet in a sense they aren't a dictatorship. Nordic Socialist Union has a number of states with differing races and cultures. Aside from the various human states there are also metahumans. They are mutants yet for the sake of the law they are defined as something else. Metahumans have distinct races and they possess human intelligence. On the scale of mutations they are usually on the modest scale, neither light nor extreme. The most well-known metahumans are elves, dwarves and trolls yet there are some small minorities of other types. Metahumans in general revere the Visitors as their gods and each have their own religious system about it. Though Marx abhors religion the UNSS allows metahumans to practice their faith. Religious activities for humans are more regulated, albeit not completely forbidden. The Nordic Socialist Union outwardly seem like a single country yet in effect they are divided into a number of smaller states. While the states are nominally under strict central control in effect every region has their own customs and way of doing things. As long as they complete the plans and report satisfyingly to Stockholm they are good. [h3][color=0072bc][b]Pressing Issues[/b][/color][/h3]The Nordic Socialist Union is a relatively new state still bearing the scars of the Visitation. Social order has been long restored and economy is stable but as a fledging state the UNSS still has a lot to do. In addition NHC-related mysterious events never stopped occuring. Mutants, monsters and things even weirder still come up and provide security issues. The Western neighbors of the UNSS also feeling betrayed and tensions continue to rise. Even for the Soviets there's the ongoing ideological differences and frictions between the UNSS and other socialist neighbors.[list] [*] New nation on the ashes of old [*] East v.s. West Scandinavia [*] Mutants, Monsters and Mysteries [*] Communists of a different persuation [/list] [h3][color=0072bc][b]Budget[/b][/color][/h3] [/hider]