Republic of Besonia
The Republic of Besonia, more commonly known as Besonia, was a micronation in California, USA. Besonia declared independence on 29 July 2022.
Besonia was a social democratic republic, with the last president being Ran DB, who was elected President when Besonia was created, and who won the last 2023 Besonian Presidential Election.
Republic of Besonia Žemi (Žekil, the Besonian conlang) | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
| Motto: For Peace and Prosperity | |
 Map of mainland Besonia | |
 Map of the Shaker Pines province inside of the U.S state of Connecticut | |
| Capital and largest city | Misol |
| Recognised national languages | English, Finnish, French, Besonian (conlang) |
| Demonym(s) | Besonian |
| Government | Social democracy |
• President | Ran DB |
• Vice President | Duck |
| Legislature | Besonian Parliament |
| Independence | |
| History | |
• Established | 27 July 2022 |
| Area | |
• Total | 12.32 km2 (4.76 sq mi) (194th) |
| Population | |
• Census | 29 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | ktl4498 ($404.82) |
| Currency | Besonian Kaantal (~$0.009USD) |
| Time zone | Pacific Time Zone |
| Date format | MM/DD/YY |
Etymology
The name Besonia came from the generated name Velonea.
| Velonea | Belonea | Besonea | Besonia |
|---|
LARP Besonia
Before declaring independence as an actual micronation, current President Ran DB made Besonia as a LARP (live-action roleplay) nation, which was ran by him and his friends. However, the project died out after Besonia, the serious micronation, declared independence.
Presidents of LARP Besonia
Below is a list of the presidents of LARP Besonia.
| January 2021 | July 2021 | January 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| President Moo | President Moo | President Oggy |
History
The history of Besonia is quite short so far, as it only recently reached one month of independence. The main events were Besonia's role in the August 2022 Terredepaix-Paxaris war and the (half-joke) cold war between Besonia and Terredepaix.
August 2022 Terredepaix-Paxaris War
The Unified Kingdoms of Terredepaix and Paxaris had a border dispute on August 20, 2022. This was resolved with the Midland Conference, allowing both parties involved to jointly operate the land disputed. However, as this land had been historically Terredepaixian, the leader, King Josh Alexander, was not satisfied. The next day, on August 21, 2022, Terredepaix declared war on Paxaris. Besonia supported Terredepaix tactically, providing help whenever needed, without getting into any combat. The conflict ended multiple hours later with all parties gaining some territory. Terredepaix gained the disputed territory, Paxaris gained a large portion north of Terredepaix as well as Ohio and most of Indiana as puppets, later forming a commonwealth, and Besonia gained the county of Gladwin as appreciation for the support. Terredepaix soon reduced their territory, and so did Besonia, signing the Treaty of Gaylord, removing the control of Otsego county and Gladwin county. In the business, Paxaris claimed almost all of Michigan, Ohio, and parts of Indiana and Kentucky.
Disputes following the war
Due to Paxaris's claims over Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, a few micronations condemned Paxaris, because many people say then King Xander of Paxaris cannot legally claim almost 4 states. On 2 September 2022, a meeting was held discussing the territorial disputes related to Besonia, which is still yet to be revealed in which the solution was.
August 2022 Besonia-Terredepaix Cold War
On 27 August 2022, Terredepaix put out a citizen application to the public. A few hours later, Besonia did the same. Terredepaix considered this threatening, and had raised tensions between the two nations. War was not expected, as of both nations commitment to peace, and it didn't. The cold war ended the next day, and good relations came back.
Cronican Civil War
On 12:04 PM Local Time (GMT), 13 November 2022, the Anti-Monarchy Organization (AMO), declared civil war on the Empire of Cronic, after raised tensions.[1] Besonia got involved on Cronic's side, and declared war on the AMO, breaking its No-war policy for the first time. President Ran justified this by claiming that the constitution had not yet been finished, leaving this war to have a bit of a loophole in Besonian law. On 28 December 2022, Besonia officially pulled out of the war.
2022–2023 Rebel Skirmishes
In 2022 and 2023, Besonia had a series of skirmishes between short-lived rebellions and the main government.
November 2022 Besonian Rebellion
In late November of 2022, a rebellion rose in Besonia. It ended with a short battle, with Besonian victory.
February 2023 Besonian Rebel Battles
In Mid-late February, Besonia had a series of battles between rebels outside of mainland territory, in Norway, which were, as President Ran DB describes, "pretty much glorified snowball fights". Soldiers built trenches into the snow and battle lasted for a few hours until a soldier got injured by a supposed accidental throwing of ice shards.
Politics and government
The Republic of Besonia is ran by the president as leader under a social democracy. Elections for president and vice president are held every 6 months.
Government documents and laws
Constitution of Besonia
The Constitution of Besonia was ratified on 29 December 2022. Its articles and a summary is listed below.[2]
| Article | Unofficial title | Summary | Exact words |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Diplomatic neutrality | Besonia cannot get into wars or conflicts without unanimous approval | The Republic of Besonia shall maintain a policy of strict neutrality in all international conflicts and shall not engage in any act of aggression or war without the unanimous consent of the people, as expressed through a referendum. |
| II | Equal rights | Equal rights for all, one of which is free speech | All citizens of the Republic of Besonia shall be treated equally under the law and shall have the right to freely express their opinions and beliefs, subject to reasonable limitations necessary to protect the rights and safety of others. |
| III | Economy | Besonia is ran under a capitalist economy | The economy of the Republic of Besonia shall be based on free enterprise and capitalism, with the government playing a limited role in regulating economic activity to ensure fair competition and protect the interests of consumers. |
| IV | Sovereignty in relation to alliances | Besonia cannot enter any unions or alliances | The Republic of Besonia shall not enter into any unions or alliances with other countries or organizations, and shall maintain its independence and sovereignty at all times. |
| V | Basic rights | Everyone can life freely and engage in the economy | All citizens of the Republic of Besonia shall have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as well as the right to own private property and engage in economic enterprise. The government shall not infringe on these rights except in cases where necessary to protect the rights and safety of others. |
| VI | Government | Besonia is a democratic republic and has power divided among three branches | The government of the Republic of Besonia shall be a social democratic republic, with power divided among the three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch shall consist of a parliament elected by the people, the executive branch shall be headed by a president elected by the people, and the judicial branch shall be composed of a system of courts responsible for interpreting and enforcing the laws of the land. |
| VII | Fundamental rights | Every citizen gets the fundamental rights, which cannot be infringed upon unless it dangers the citizens | The Republic of Besonia shall guarantee the following rights to all its citizens:
|
| VIII | Constitution's ratification | This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the parliament and the approval of a majority of the people through a referendum. |
The Besonian branches of government
Besonia has power divided among three branches of government, the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Legislative branch
The legislative branch of Besonia is the first branch of Besonia's government. It is made up of an 8 person parliament, which is elected every January and July.
Executive branch
The executive branch decides laws after the legislative branch approves them and makes major decisions. It is comprised of the president, vice president, and other members. The president and vice president appoint leaders of the other branches.
Judicial branch
The judicial branch is the third branch of Besonia's government and is comprised of a system of courts and judges that interprets and enforces the laws.
Election system
Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Members of Parliament are elected every January and July. Governors are elected every February, May, August, and November. Presidents and Vice Presidents can run unlimited terms, unless they are impeached. Members of Parliament can run for 4 terms, which equates to 2 years in office.
Foreign relations
Besonia was in the micronational alliance, Micronational Peace Alliance (MPA, formerly World Micronational Alliance (WMA)), until 30 December 2022, when it officially left the MPA following the constitution's ratification and its neutrality article. Besonia's best allies are with the Empire of Terredepaix and the Empire of Paxaris, with other allies such as the Molloxa of Garakhem.
Political parties
| Name | Logo/Flag | Ideology | Leader | Members | Members in parliament | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Democratic Republic Party |  |
Social democratic | President Ran DB of Besonia | 4 | 2/8 | Current |
| Blair Mountain Party |  |
Social democratic | Doc of Cambria | 1 | 0/8 | Current |
| Palma Dei |  |
Theology, pacifism | HillBoi of the HHBE | 0 | 0/8 | Assumed defunct |
| Besonian Democratic Socialist Movement | None | Democratic socialism | CD of Salem | 1 | 0/8 | Current |
| Union of Leftists | None | Left-centre (unknown ideology) | HM Emperor Owen I of Cronic | 2 | 1/8 | Current |
| Green Party | None | Social democratic, environmentalist | Ghost of Salem | 1 | 0/8 | Current |
| Besonia Federation Party | None | Social democratic | PLKartofel of Aistiai | 1 | 1/8 | Current |
| Besonia Progression Party | None | Progressionist | William Brown of Terredepaix | 1 | 1/8 | Current |
| Independent | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3 | 3/8 |
Military
Besonia has no military, as it has a strict 'no-war policy,' however, it does have a peacekeeping force to protect its borders in case any outside threat presents itself. The peacekeeping force has been activated twice due to rebel skirmishes (see 2022–2023 Rebel Skirmishes above).
Presidents
Besonia has presidential elections every 29 January and 29 July.
| Office Holders | July 2022 Election | January 2023 Election |
|---|---|---|
| President | Ran DB | Ran DB |
| Vice President | "Moo" | "Duck" |
Culture
Besonia's culture is mainly comprised of Californian culture, where Besonia is located, and many international culture, due to Besonia being prominent in the internet.
Demographics
| English | French | Finnish | Besonian | Polish | Russian | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 29 |
| Atheism | Christianity | Buddhism | Unspecified | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33.3% | 29.6% | 11.1% | 14.8% | 11.1% |
Census
The Besonian Census is counted every end of the month.
| July 2022 | August 2022 | September 2022 | October 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 23 | 27 | 29 |
See also
Website: besonia.org