Democratic Republic of Marbordo
Democratic Republic of Marbordo Demokratia Respubliko de Marbordo (Esperanto) | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Emblem
| |
| Motto: "Workers of the world, unite!" | |
| Anthem: "Our Glorious Motherland" | |
 Territorial claim of Marbordo shown in green | |
| Status | Active |
| Capital | Goodwin |
| Official languages | English, Esperanto |
| Ethnic groups (2024) | |
| Religion (2024) | Secularism |
| Demonym(s) | Marbordan |
| Government | Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic |
• General Secretary and Chairman | Marcus Salisbury |
• Premier | Steven Liu |
| Legislature | People's Congress |
| Independence from Canada | |
• Declared | 13 August 2024 |
• Current constitution | TBA |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.118 km2 (0.046 sq mi) |
| Membership | 12 |
| HDI | 0.944 very high |
| Currency | Marbordan dollar ($) (MD) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| Date format | mm/dd/yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +1 |
| Internet TLD | .ex |
Marbordo, officially the Democratic Republic of Marbordo (Esperanto: Demokratia Respubliko de Marbordo), is a North American micronation on the British Columbia Coast. It was established by Canadian micronationalist Marcus Salisbury in 2024, and consists of a small territorial claim roughly 0.118 km2 in size.
Generally considered a communist state by outside observers, Marbordo officially describes itself a socialist "workers' and peasants' state." It is governed under a one-party system with a centrally planned economy focused primarily on agriculture. The ruling Workers' Party of Marbordo (WPM) takes a leading role in all state affairs, with its general secretary acting as the nation's de facto supreme leader and chairman of its collective head of state.
Marbordo was initially created as a tongue-in-cheek political experiment to see how a government modeled closely upon those of the former Eastern Bloc could operate within a micronational framework. However, it has since grown into a functional nation-state with serious aspirations of achieving internationally recognized statehood.[1] Since its foundation, Marbordo has taken an active role in promoting social equality, labor rights, and environmental protection around the globe.
Etymology
Marbordo translates to "seashore" in Esperanto, the world's most widely spoken constructed language, and one of the country's two official languages alongside English. Marbordo's territorial claim is located in Oceanside, the adopted name for a group of communities on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, and the relationship between the sea and the Morbordan people is an important part of their national identity.
History
In 2019, a small group of Canadian micronationalists founded the Vancouver Island Soviet Socialist Republic (VISSR), with the goal of creating a functional communist society within the framework of a micronation. The VISSR was largely a tongue-in-cheek political experiment, not a serious micronational venture, and despite some initial success in late 2019 and throughout 2020, had largely fallen into inactivity by early 2021.
Founding member Dustin Carlson then declared the establishment of the Dominion of Vancouver Island and continued his efforts in micronationalism in the form of a constitutional monarchy. This created tension with fellow VISSR founding members, Marcus Salisbury and Steven Liu, who were dedicated to establishing a socialist state on Vancouver Island. Both men attempted to establish separate independent micronations, but found limited success.
By 2024, Salisbury and Liu had reunited and combined their individual efforts into a single state that would become, what they considered, a true successor to the VISSR. On 13 August 2024, the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Marbordo was officially declared. Salisbury was announced as general secretary of the new nation's ruling communist party, and he quickly appointed Liu as the country's premier and head of government.
Politics and government
The Democratic Republic of Marbordo is a one-party state governed by the WPM, which is nominally considered Marxist–Leninist but describes itself as "a broad movement of the working class, centered on the alliance of workers and peasants." Marbordo officially terms itself as a democracy although the ruling party maintains almost total control over political power in the country. Smaller political parties are permitted to exist within Marbordo as long as the accept the "leading role" of the WPM.
General Secretary of the WPM
The General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Marbordo is the country's supreme leader and de facto head of state. The general secretary is ex officio the Chairman of the State Council and commander-in-chief of the Marbordan People's Army. In this capacity, the general secretary has the power to lead the overall affairs of state and policy, and appoint all diplomatic officials. He also has the authority to appoint diplomatic representatives abroad, conclude treaties with foreign powers, declare a state of emergency or a state of war, and direct the national defense of Marbordo during times of war. Marcus Salisbury has served as general secretary since the country's foundation in 2024, and is often referred to by such titles as "Honorable Chairman", "Beloved General", and "Father of the Marbordan Socialist Revolution."
Premier
Marbordo's head of government is the Premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic Republic of Marbordo, commonly called "the Premier." The premier is appointed by the People's Congress, the country's legislature and highest organ of state power. The premier organizes and oversees the cabinet, and represents the government of Marbordo both at home and abroad. Premier's are appointed to a renewable five-year term and are nominally the second most powerful official in the state after the general secretary.
People's Congress
The People's Congress is the unicameral legislature and only branch of government in Marbordo. It consists of 10 deputies, each directly elected by their constituents to a five-year term. The main duties of the People's Congress are to introduce and vote on bills to be formally signed into law.
Political parties
The WPM holds a near-total monopoly on power within the country through a coalition with the Socialist Alliance, a popular front of minor political parties that are under the de facto control of the WPM. A party congress was convened following the foundation of the WPM in 2024 to elect a central committee, which in turn organized a politburo and party secretariat. Party rules stipulate that a congress must be held at least once every five years, but can take place whenever it is deemed necessary by the central committee. An instrumental version of The Internationale is played at the closing ceremony of each congress, under the slogan, "No language divides us. The Internationale unites us."
| Logo | Name | Spectrum | Ideologies | Seats | Status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Workers' Party of Marbordo | WPM | Far-left | Communism Marxism-Leninism Left-wing nationalism Marcus Salisbury Thought Socialist patriotism |
7 / 10
|
Ruling party | |
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|
Socialist Alliance | SA | Left to Far-left | Social democracy | 3 / 10
|
Popular front, subordinate to the WPM | |
Law and order
The Socialist Constitution of Marbordo is the supreme law of the country and consists of written text and unwritten conventions. Marbordo's legal system is largely a civil law system, with a judiciary made up of the Supreme Court and Appeals Court. The Marbordan People's Police, or MPP, is the national civilian police force responsible for public safety and the investigation of criminal offenses. The Ministry for State Security, commonly known as the Statseku, serves as a counterespionage organization that is used to monitor and control perceived threats to the government and WPM.
The Democratic Republic of Marbordo publicly maintains a policy of macronational privilege and follows all Canadian federal and provincial laws. The Marbordan government can revoke or deny citizenship of any individual convicted of a criminal offense.
Military
The combined military forces of Marbordo are the Marbordan People's Army (MPA). It is made up of four service branches — Ground Force, Air Force, Navy, and Rocket Force. The MPA is not a traditional nation-state military. It is the armed wing of the WPM and controlled by the party, not by the state.
In 2024, Marcus Salisbury defined the core principles of the MPA as follows:
- To consolidate the ruling status of the Workers' Party
- To ensure the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Marbordo
- To protect the citizens of Marbordo, and guarantee their safety
- To provide emergency response and natural disaster relief
- To help maintain micronational peace.
As an island micronation, Marbordo places a priority on the development of its naval power and amphibious warfare capabilities. However, the MPA is widely considered to be a ceremonial military or "parade force" by outside observers and is described as a peaceful organization by the Marbordan government. A considerable portion of Marbordo's small defense budget is dedicated to sea exploration and scientific studies.
Foreign relations
To date, Marbordo has not received diplomatic recognition from the United Nations or the government of any recognized sovereign state. It instead focuses its efforts on establishing diplomatic relations with other micronations and independence movements. Marbordo's government cites the declarative theory of statehood, famously expressed in the 1933 Montevideo Convention, as legal justification for its sovereignty since it meets all of the criteria to be considered a sovereign nation.[a]
Unilateral recognition
All United Nations member states
Athabasca
British West Florida
Cook Islands
Haida Nation
Holy See
Marhaenia
Molossia
New Reno
Niue
Palestine
Paloma
Sancratosia
Sealand
Slowjamastan
Snagov
Somaliland
Wa State
Westarctica
West Papua
Mutual recognition
Gannovia
Martian Olympus
Recognition refused
Territory
The territorial claim of Marbordo consists of a small enclave completely surrounded by the sovereign territory of Canada. It is approximately 0.118 km2 in size, and is situated close to Vancouver Island's eastern coast in the northern portion of the Canadian city of Parksville.
Geography and climate
The majority of Marbordo is comprised of farmland, with large fields, rolling hills, and small streams, bordered by forests on three sides. The southern region of Marbordo contains its main border crossing with Canada as well as its embassy and government headquarters. The country has a mild Mediterranean climate, described by Köppen as "Csb." July and August typically has less than 40mm of rain, while the rest of the year can experience heavy precipitation in spring, autumn, and winter.
| Climate data for Marbordo | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.4 (57.9) |
16.1 (61) |
18.9 (66) |
24.0 (75.2) |
31.5 (88.7) |
30.5 (86.9) |
31.1 (88) |
31.1 (88) |
32.0 (89.6) |
23.5 (74.3) |
17.8 (64) |
16.0 (60.8) |
32.0 (89.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 5.7 (42.3) |
7.3 (45.1) |
9.5 (49.1) |
12.7 (54.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.1 (66.4) |
22.0 (71.6) |
21.8 (71.2) |
18.4 (65.1) |
13.0 (55.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
5.8 (42.4) |
13.3 (55.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) |
4.0 (39.2) |
5.6 (42.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
11.7 (53.1) |
14.5 (58.1) |
16.8 (62.2) |
16.6 (61.9) |
13.4 (56.1) |
9.1 (48.4) |
5.4 (41.7) |
3.3 (37.9) |
9.3 (48.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 0.3 (32.5) |
0.8 (33.4) |
1.6 (34.9) |
3.9 (39) |
7.0 (44.6) |
9.9 (49.8) |
11.6 (52.9) |
11.3 (52.3) |
8.4 (47.1) |
5.2 (41.4) |
2.4 (36.3) |
0.7 (33.3) |
5.2 (41.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | -15.6 (3.9) |
-13.0 (8.6) |
-9.0 (15.8) |
-2.8 (27) |
0.0 (32) |
2.8 (37) |
5.0 (41) |
4.4 (39.9) |
-0.5 (31.1) |
-6.0 (21.2) |
-14.0 (6.8) |
-14.4 (6.1) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
| Average Precipitation mm (inches) | 193.4 (7.614) |
163.6 (6.441) |
118.1 (4.65) |
68.9 (2.713) |
50.9 (2.004) |
47.3 (1.862) |
28.0 (1.102) |
36.9 (1.453) |
51.7 (2.035) |
137.4 (5.409) |
218.0 (8.583) |
199.9 (7.87) |
1,314.2 (51.74) |
| Source: Environment Canada[2] | |||||||||||||
Economy
Like the former VISSR, Marbordo has a planned economy guided by a series of "five-month plans" which are closely modeled on the five-year plans of the Soviet Union, but adapted to a "micronational scale." In addition, reforms have also been undertaken to direct the economy towards market socialism, highlighting the fact that Marbordo has not yet achieved true socialism but is in the process of working towards the creation of a future socialist society. Marbordo's economy is primarily focused on its two largest industries, agriculture and fishing, and is almost entirely dependent on Canada for the importation of essential goods and services.
Culture
Marbordan culture is heavily influenced by the labour movement and the collective effort of the people to defend and continuously improve workers rights and the standard of living for all people. Canadian labour activist Albert "Ginger" Goodwin", who was murdered on Vancouver Island in 1918, is considered a martyr and national hero.
Marbordo dedicates significant resources to promoting an atmosphere of tolerance and racial equality, and is a staunch ally of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. As the proclaimed successor state to the VISSR, communist symbolism and revolutionary songs from both eras are popular and widespread across the country, with an abundance of art and music extolling the achievements of Marcus Salisbury and the WPM. Environmental protection and animal welfare are top priorities of the Marbordan government, with formal standards of living for animals being codified in Marbordo's constitution.
National symbols
Marbordo's primary national symbols are its flag and national emblem. The Flag of Marbordo consists of a yellow field defaced with a red star in the canton, and the bottom third of the flag containing broad green and blue bands separated by thin white stripe. The symbolism of the flag contains both ideological and regional meaning. Blue symbolizes the Salish Sea with its surf (white) meeting the shoreline of Vancouver Island (green). The yellow field represents the western sunset with a red star in the sky embodying the triumph of communism.
The National Emblem of Marbordo was designed in the traditional socialist heraldic style. Its prominent symbols include the sun shining above Douglas-fir trees, the most common tree across Vancouver Island, with Marbordo's national animal, a black-tailed deer, standing in the foreground. The emblem is bordered by ears of grain wrapped in a red ribbon bearing the inscription "Marbordo." The emblem is topped with a red star, again symbolizing the nation's commitment to the socialist cause.
Holidays
Public holidays in Marbordo include important dates unique to the country and its people, as well as holidays shared with neighboring Canada. Work is typically cancelled on these dates, with particular reverence given to the anniversaries of the nation's birth and foundation of its ruling party.
| Date | Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day | Celebration of the start of the new year. |
| Third Monday in February | Family Day | Shared statutory holiday with British Columbia. |
| 8 March | International Women's Day | Celebration of women's rights, gender equality and reproductive rights. |
| 1 May | International Workers' Day | Celebration of labourers, the working class and the international labour movement. |
| 15 July | Party Foundation Day | Commemoration of the establishment of the Workers' Party of Marbordo on this day in 2024. |
| 27 July | Ginger Goodwin Day | Observation of the martyrdom of labour activist Albert "Ginger" Goodwin" who was murdered on this day in 1918. Red roses are typically left at his burial site followed by a moment of silence. |
| 13 August | Revolution Day | Commemoration of the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Marbordo on this day in 2020. |
| 30 September | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Recognition of the impact of the Canadian residential school system on Indigenous children (shared with British Columbia). |
| 11 November | Remembrance Day | Memorial holiday shared with Canada. Honors Canada's war dead. Anniversary of the armistice ending World War I in 1918. |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Commemoration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. |
See also
Notes
- ↑ The Declarative Theory of Statehood defines a state as a person in international law if it meets the following criteria: 1) a defined territory; 2) a permanent population; 3) a government and 4) a capacity to enter into relations with other states.
References
- ↑ "Independent States of the World" nationsonline.org
- ↑ Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed July 5, 2012