Funtime

Funtime Dominion
Flag Flag Coat of arms de facto Coat of arms
Anthem: Hymn of the Commonwealth
File:South-East England, East Anglia, Essex
Largest city	Hatfield
Official languages	English
Demonym(s)	Funtimer
Government	Constitutional Monarchy
• Emperor	Terry of Essexia
• Governor	Chris
Establishment	28 March 2019
Population
•  Population is also included in Essexia population totals census	3
Currency	Essex Yen (¥) (EXY)
Time zone	UTC ±00:00

The Funtime Dominion is the only dominion of the Commonwealth of Essexia. Its located 5 kilometres north of the Essexian county of Little Baddow in the province of Greater Danbury. It is entirely surrounded by the English county of Essex, and is vaguely in the centre of the county.

The Funtime Dominion was under direct rule of the Commonwealth of Essexia before the "Funtime Revolt" of 27 March 2019.

It acts as a unitary state within the Commonwealth of Essexia, and is the only devolved government within the Commonwealth. The current Governor of Funtime is Chris, who has been the Governor since the foundation of the dominion on 28 March 2019. The Governor acts as the sole branch of government in the Funtime Dominion as the population is considered too low by the Commonwealth government for a legislature to be created, so the Governor of Funtime acts as the sole government in the dominion, but may be replaced by the Emperor of Essexia at anytime.

Etymology

The name of the Funtime Dominion comes from the milkshake brand "Funtime" as the milkshake funtime is considered by many within Essexia to be an underrated drink. Which was considered to symbolise being underrated and ignored that was felt by the citizens of the Funtime Dominion.

History

Funtime Revolt

Background

Since Chris was replaced as a Lord in the Parliament of Essexia it was reported that there was a highented distrust with the Commonwealth. But due to the small percentage of people this encompassed it largely went ignored. The distrust and apathy towards the central government continued to climb until 27 March 2019.

The Revolt

On the 27 March 2019, Chris revolted against the Essexian government declaring the "Funtime Republic" with the intention of overthrowing the Essexian government. Chris was met with significant resistance by the Imperial Army of Essexia (IAE). Fighting raged on for a day with the IAE seizing Funtime held land within Sandon. With the military operations against the Funtime Republic being deemed to have been highly successful, the Funtime Republic changed it goal from overthrowing the Essexian government to independence from Essexia. Despite their stated goal being the end of Essexian rule, many in the Essexian government sympathised with the Funtime cause, with it being considered in some regards to mirror why Essexia proclaimed independence from the United Kingdom. It was decided that a diplomatic route to peace would be official policy, with then foreign minister, Earl Jack, heading the negotiations.

Peace Settlement

The then foreign minister Earl Jack, would head the negotiations with the Funtime Republic with the goal of keeping Essexia together as it was feared that a successful Funtime Republic could lead to other more apathetic areas of Essexia to attempt independence. After reportedly intense negotiation, a compromise between the two sides was reached with the Funtime Republic being granted the status of dominion of Essexia, entitling it to self governance, but having to return land within Sandon to direct Essexian rule. Anyone who participated in the Funtime Revolt and the Funtime Republic were exonerated of any wrongdoing, with the leader of the revolt, Chris, being appointed as the Governor of the newly created Funtime Dominion.

Post Revolt

After the settlement for the most part Essexia went back to normal, but at the time it was seen by some as possibly the start of a federal Essexia as there were three dominions at the time two of which, the Funtime Dominion and the Dominion of Slough, seemed to many as extensions of Essexia proper just with more autonomy. The Funtime Dominion has had issues with inactivity due to low population of the dominion but it has avoided becoming defunct as it is considered an internal division of Essexia so can live on only with Essexia, but some of these issues have been blamed on Essexia running Funtime thus removing jobs that could have been done by the Funtime people.

After the Decolonisation Act 2019, which proposed that Essexia would end its rulership in the Dominion of Slough, Dominion of Barnstable and Poplar Nerva, a small group within Funtime that included Governor Chris began questioning continued Essexian rule. This was as Essexia granting independence to their two other dominions was seen as the Essexian government admitting that either dominions weren't a good deal for their citizens; the government didn't care about dominions; that an attempt would be made to reintegrate the Funtime Dominion; or all of the above. With Imperial Decree No. 1, where Essexia was committed to full decolonisation of Slough, Poplar Nerva and the Devon colonies, there a sharp increase for the support of independence with a third of citizens saying they support independence. This is mainly credited to the spreading idea that as a Dominion of Essexia Funtime deserved the same right to independence like the other two dominions. This was taken as a disregard for Funtime sovereignty by Governor Chris who, became the leading supporter of Funtime independence. However, it is widely believed that the government simply forgot about Funtime, as supported by the Rhino Alliance's firm accusations that Funtime was indeed not a dominion, despite it's name remaining among the other territories that were Dominions of Essexia.

With the 2020 Essexian general election Funtime independence is expected to be the deciding issue for how the people of the dominion vote, with a poll of Funtime citizens showing 50% support for independence and 50% unsure (sample size of 2).

Politics & Government

Government

Funtime is ruled by a one person executive this is due to their population is considered too small by the government of Essexia for a legislature to be required. The Governor is appointed by the Emperor of Essexia, but tends to be on the advice of the First Minister of Essexia. The Governor has almost complete law making power within the dominion, but if an issue is found with a law the law may be taken to the Supreme Court of Essexia and if it is found to be unjust or unconstitutional, then the law will be removed. The Emperor of Essexia may force the removal of a law that is deemed unjust, but this power is often granted to the Interior Minister to act on the Emperor's behalf.

Criticism

The system has faced criticism as the Funtime people only have a minor role in choosing the Governor when they vote in Essexian elections, but since the current Governor was appointed there have been four governments in Essexia, and not one appointed a new Governor. However it should be stated that as a manifesto pledge the Old Guard Party has committed to appointing an official Governor of the Funtime Dominion, due to the claims by previous governments that Funtime was not a dominion. There is also incredible issue taken with the lack of involvement of the people in the lawmaking process, as it apparently rape was legalised by the Governor^{[citation needed]} and the Essexian government has made no comment on what is highly illegal in the rest of Essexia.

Politics

The politics of the Funtime Dominion are considered the most volatile as a poll conducted on 24 February 2020 showed (with a sample size of 2) that 50% of Funtimers support independence from Essexia, and 50% being unsure on the issue. This has lead to independence of the Funtime Dominion being one of the higher priorities of Funtime voters leading to speculation that the vote of Funtime will go to a the party that grants the most concessions to Funtime nationalists.

In 2019 Earl Finn met with Governor Chris, and among other things, discussed the future of the Funtime Dominion. This conversation is largely credited with the Liberal Socialist and Cooperative Party (LSC) committing to a referendum on the future of the Funtime Dominion if they win the next election, thus making the LSC the first national Essexian party to support a referendum on continued Essexian leadership in Funtime. But during the Rhino Ministry (January to February 2020) which saw Earl Finn become First Minister of Essexia there were no attempts to hold a referendum in Funtime, this is said to be as they held a one seat majority, and it was unclear if a referendum vote would be able to pass the parliament. When a vote to grant independence to Funtime without a referendum came, the LSC voted against it insisting that a referendum must be held.

In the 2020 Essexian general election, Chris initially supported the Rhino Alliance following brief conversations with Earl Finn, however diplomatic negotiations with Earl Jack resulted in Chris' support for the Old Guard Party and the Giraffe Concordat, on the basis that Funtime would be offered independence by 2021.

Geography

The Funtime Dominion is located around 10 km northeast from Chelmsford, which is the nearest large town, and it has connection by road and rail to. Funtime railway station is on uses Abellio Greater Anglia East Anglia rail network, which have come under great criticism from the Governor but provide easy access to the rest of Essexia.

The Funtime Dominion is the site of a priory founded by the Saxon Ingelrica, wife of Ranulph Peverel and reputed to be the mistress of William the Conqueror, to atone for her sins, and dissolved by Henry VIII. The parish church, St Andrew's is the surviving fragment of the Norman priory church nave.