Chain Issue: An International Incident

[Trotterdam]

I'm thinking of going 387.2->389.1->391.2->405.1. Does this seem sensible?

Sure, why not?

It all depends on what kind of nation you want to run.

What you've chosen here is the pacifist-with-teeth path, utterly crushing Brasilistan without sending a single troop, forcing their surrender, and then going back to being nice to them as soon as they've accepted you as their supreme and unquestionable overlord. It's only way to end up in charge of Brasilistan without violence (though there's plenty of nonviolent suffering as you grind their economy to dust).

[Azhdarchidae]

Thanks! It worked quite well; I'm now in the top ten most pacifistic nations.

[Trotterdam]

I'm now in the top ten most pacifistic nations.

Top ten percent. Of the region. Which is still only #469 because your region is so large. And you're falling short of the top ten percent of the world.

In fact, you're just very, very short of being in the top 9% in your region (but in the 9.0002%), but not quite in the top 12% of the world (you're in the 12.06514%).

[Quadraginta Quattuor]

I got this issue some weeks ago.

Picked the following route:

1. the military is on a massive recruiting drive in advance of an invasion of Brasilistan
1. troop transports blacken the sky as the military commences Operation Desert Ocean
1. the nation's armed forces are recruiting thousands to help colonise Brasilistan
1. the nation has gained millions of new citizens overnight

For some reason, after the last issue my tax rate doubled, 17% --> 35%.

Anyone else get a similar effect?

[Trotterdam]

1. the nation has gained millions of new citizens overnight

For some reason, after the last issue my tax rate doubled, 17% --> 35%.

Anyone else get a similar effect?

It was addressed somewhere around here.

Just a brief comparison of colonization options 1 and 2, based on experiences with two nations. Option 1 provides them with citizenship, and apparently involves a lot of social welfare, even if you didn't have any before. Option 2 does not. For nations that don't have a lot of social welfare, option 2 is the one to pick if what you actually want is for the economy and government to reflect having existing Brasilitanis treated like your own citizens, rather than better.

Basically, option 1 is supposed to be the "treat immigrants the same as your own citizens" option and option 2 is supposed to be the "treat them worse" option, but the issue code doesn't know exactly how you treat your own citizens, so it assumes you have moderately well-funded welfare and so on. Thus, choosing to treat the Brasilistanis nicely will cause you to devote a bunch of funding to helping them, even if you weren't doing that for your own citizens before.

Really, I don't think this makes too much sense, even in nations that did have welfare to begin with. Sure, annexing millions of new citizens means you'll need to spend more money on public works to support them, but it also means you have more taxpayers to draw that money from, so it evens out. Meaning option 1 should leave taxes around the same while option 2 or 3 should lower taxes due to the economic benefits of exploiting lower-class citizens. To be fair, Brasilistan has just come out of a devastating war and so its citizens may need more government help to be brought back up to reasonable standards of life than your other citizens, but that's the reasoning there should probably be some mention of war reparations in the option text.

[Excidium Planetis]

Finally got this issue a second time!

Going to choose the longest (and most brutal, by far) path this time:

#387 1: the military is on a massive recruiting drive in advance of an invasion of Brasilistan
#388 2: carpet bombing has decimated Brasilistan's landscape and population
#397 2: claims of genocide have been levied against the nation by international observers
#398 1: Brasilistan's industrial base is being quickly decimated
#399 2: elite teams of assassins have been sent into Brasilistan
#400 2: the armed forces have designated 'murder teams' that root out rebels in Brasilistan
#402 2: even the family pets of Brasilistani insurgents are being put down
#403 1: anyone found to be unemployed is shipped off to Brasilistan with a gun and a spade
#405 4. Brasilistan is being evacuated after its designation as 'Test Zone 1 - Nuclear'
#406 1. the nation is weighing the price of victory following a nuclear strike
#407 Brasilistan Go Boom

[Trotterdam]

Going to choose the longest (and most brutal, by far) path this time:

Not quite the most brutal. That would be this:
#387 1: the military is on a massive recruiting drive in advance of an invasion of Brasilistan
#388 2: carpet bombing has decimated Brasilistan's landscape and population
#397 2: claims of genocide have been levied against the nation by international observers
#398 2: the airforce has intensified its bombings of hospitals and schools in Brasilistan
#401 2: military chiefs pretend they're not at home when foreign governments call
#402 2: even the family pets of Brasilistani insurgents are being put down
#403 1: anyone found to be unemployed is shipped off to Brasilistan with a gun and a spade
#405 3/4

The longest path actually has you briefly backing down from war crimes before returning to them. The wishy-washiness is what ends up dragging it out so long:
#387 1: the military is on a massive recruiting drive in advance of an invasion of Brasilistan
#388 2: carpet bombing has decimated Brasilistan's landscape and population
#397 2: claims of genocide have been levied against the nation by international observers
#398 1: Brasilistan's industrial base is being quickly decimated
#399 2: elite teams of assassins have been sent into Brasilistan
#400 2: the armed forces have designated 'murder teams' that root out rebels in Brasilistan
#402 2: even the family pets of Brasilistani insurgents are being put down
#403 1: anyone found to be unemployed is shipped off to Brasilistan with a gun and a spade
#405 3/4

[Excidium Planetis]

Going to choose the longest (and most brutal, by far) path this time:

Not quite the most brutal. That would be this:
#387 1: the military is on a massive recruiting drive in advance of an invasion of Brasilistan
#388 2: carpet bombing has decimated Brasilistan's landscape and population
#397 2: claims of genocide have been levied against the nation by international observers
#398 2: the airforce has intensified its bombings of hospitals and schools in Brasilistan
#401 2: military chiefs pretend they're not at home when foreign governments call
#402 2: even the family pets of Brasilistani insurgents are being put down
#403 1: anyone found to be unemployed is shipped off to Brasilistan with a gun and a spade
#405 3/4

The longest path actually has you briefly backing down from war crimes before returning to them. The wishy-washiness is what ends up dragging it out so long:
#387 1: the military is on a massive recruiting drive in advance of an invasion of Brasilistan
#388 2: carpet bombing has decimated Brasilistan's landscape and population
#397 2: claims of genocide have been levied against the nation by international observers
#398 1: Brasilistan's industrial base is being quickly decimated
#399 2: elite teams of assassins have been sent into Brasilistan
#400 2: the armed forces have designated 'murder teams' that root out rebels in Brasilistan
#402 2: even the family pets of Brasilistani insurgents are being put down
#403 1: anyone found to be unemployed is shipped off to Brasilistan with a gun and a spade
#405 3/4

Well, sending in "murder teams" and executing pets is pretty brutal... Especially when you end up nuking the whole country after you've conquered it:

Here's the unique longest path:
#387 1: the military is on a massive recruiting drive in advance of an invasion of Brasilistan
#388 2: carpet bombing has decimated Brasilistan's landscape and population
#397 2: claims of genocide have been levied against the nation by international observers
#398 1: Brasilistan's industrial base is being quickly decimated
#399 2: elite teams of assassins have been sent into Brasilistan
#400 2: the armed forces have designated 'murder teams' that root out rebels in Brasilistan
#402 2: even the family pets of Brasilistani insurgents are being put down
#403 1: anyone found to be unemployed is shipped off to Brasilistan with a gun and a spade
#405 4. Brasilistan is being evacuated after its designation as 'Test Zone 1 - Nuclear'
#406 1. the nation is weighing the price of victory following a nuclear strike
#407 Brasilistan Go Boom

[Trotterdam]

Well, sending in "murder teams" and executing pets is pretty brutal...

Well, yes, but I'd say "intensifying bombings of hospitals and schools" is even more brutal. And the option that leads to "military chiefs pretend they're not at home when foreign governments call" is pretty brutal itself, even if the [effect] line is underwhelming.

Executing pets happens in either of the paths I quoted.

(You could have chosen "'Shoot the Villager' has become a popular pastime in the nation's armed forces" instead of the "military chiefs pretend they're not at home when foreign governments call" thing, which is more obviously brutal in that issue, but skips the ability to put down pets later.)

In any case "Brasilistan's industrial base is being quickly decimated" and "elite teams of assassins have been sent into Brasilistan" are disappointing on the brutality front, as they involve surgical strikes rather than indiscriminate slaughter of civilians.

Here's the unique longest path:

I know. I'm the one who charted it. Remember?

[Excidium Planetis]

Well, sending in "murder teams" and executing pets is pretty brutal...

Well, yes, but I'd say "intensifying bombings of hospitals and schools" is even more brutal. And the option that leads to "military chiefs pretend they're not at home when foreign governments call" is pretty brutal itself, even if the [effect] line is underwhelming.

Executing pets happens in either of the paths I quoted.

(You could have chosen "'Shoot the Villager' has become a popular pastime in the nation's armed forces" instead of the "military chiefs pretend they're not at home when foreign governments call" thing, which is more obviously brutal in that issue, but skips the ability to put down pets later.)

In any case "Brasilistan's industrial base is being quickly decimated" and "elite teams of assassins have been sent into Brasilistan" are disappointing on the brutality front, as they involve surgical strikes rather than indiscriminate slaughter of civilians.

Here's the unique longest path:

I know. I'm the one who charted it. Remember?

Yeah, but you left off the nuclear ending, which makes it the longer than the one you charted. And, who cares about whether or not you chose to bomb hospitals or execute insurgents when in the end you nuke everything? It's pretty much equally brutal.

Also, I think you underestimate how brutal destroying the Industrial base of nation is... That effects civilians pretty heavily.

[Trioad]

I got the chain twice is that normal

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

I got the chain twice is that normal

Yes, they made a reset after jostling with the validities, but remember this time it's final.

[Ancient Pluto]

I managed to compile a list of possible chain of events using some info I stumbled upon on a 3rd party site. However, I'm missing some info. Can someone help spoil the outcomes of the options one picks for 393, 397, and the events that they lead to?

387<388<390<405<end
387<388<390<405<406<407<end
387<388<390<395<end
387<388<390<395<405<end
387<388<390<395<405<406<407<end
387<388<397?
387<389<390<405<end
387<389<390<405<406<407<end
387<389<390<395<end
387<389<390<395<405<end
387<389<390<395<405<406<407<end
387<389<391<396<end
387<389<391<405<end
387<389<391<405<406<407<end
387<389<392<393?
387<389<392<395<end
387<389<392<395<405<end
387<389<392<395<405<406<407<end

[Drachmaland]

List of all possible chain paths (Xnn being one of the twelve non-nuking end results):

387-388-390-405-X10
387-388-390-405-X11
387-388-390-405-X12
387-388-390-405-406-407
387-388-390-395-X04
387-388-390-395-X05
387-388-390-395-405-X10
387-388-390-395-405-X11
387-388-390-395-405-X12
387-388-390-395-405-406-407
387-388-397-399-405-X10
387-388-397-399-405-X11
387-388-397-399-405-X12
387-388-397-399-405-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-405-X10
387-388-397-399-400-405-X11
387-388-397-399-400-405-X12
387-388-397-399-400-405-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-402-X09
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-405-X10
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-405-X11
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-405-X12
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-405-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-402-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-406-407
387-388-397-399-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-405-X10
387-388-397-398-399-405-X11
387-388-397-398-399-405-X12
387-388-397-398-399-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-405-X10
387-388-397-398-399-400-405-X11
387-388-397-398-399-400-405-X12
387-388-397-398-399-400-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-X09
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-405-X10
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-405-X11
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-405-X12
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-403-405-X10
387-388-397-398-401-403-405-X11
387-388-397-398-401-403-405-X12
387-388-397-398-401-403-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-403-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-402-X09
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-405-X10
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-405-X11
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-405-X12
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-402-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-406-407
387-388-397-398-406-407
387-388-397-406-407
387-389-391-396-X06
387-389-391-396-X07
387-389-391-396-X08
387-389-391-405-X10
387-389-391-405-X11
387-389-391-405-X12
387-389-391-405-406-407
387-389-392-393-X01
387-389-392-393-X02
387-389-392-393-X03
387-389-392-395-X04
387-389-392-395-X05
387-389-392-395-405-X10
387-389-392-395-405-X11
387-389-392-395-405-X12
387-389-392-395-405-406-407
387-389-390-405-X10
387-389-390-405-X11
387-389-390-405-X12
387-389-390-405-406-407
387-389-390-395-X04
387-389-390-395-X05
387-389-390-395-405-X10
387-389-390-395-405-X11
387-389-390-395-405-X12
387-389-390-395-405-406-407

[Ancient Pluto]

List of all possible chain paths (Xnn being one of the twelve non-nuking end results):

387-388-390-405-X10
387-388-390-405-X11
387-388-390-405-X12
387-388-390-405-406-407
387-388-390-395-X04
387-388-390-395-X05
387-388-390-395-405-X10
387-388-390-395-405-X11
387-388-390-395-405-X12
387-388-390-395-405-406-407
387-388-397-399-405-X10
387-388-397-399-405-X11
387-388-397-399-405-X12
387-388-397-399-405-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-405-X10
387-388-397-399-400-405-X11
387-388-397-399-400-405-X12
387-388-397-399-400-405-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-402-X09
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-405-X10
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-405-X11
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-405-X12
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-405-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-402-403-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-402-406-407
387-388-397-399-400-406-407
387-388-397-399-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-405-X10
387-388-397-398-399-405-X11
387-388-397-398-399-405-X12
387-388-397-398-399-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-405-X10
387-388-397-398-399-400-405-X11
387-388-397-398-399-400-405-X12
387-388-397-398-399-400-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-X09
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-405-X10
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-405-X11
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-405-X12
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-403-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-402-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-400-406-407
387-388-397-398-399-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-403-405-X10
387-388-397-398-401-403-405-X11
387-388-397-398-401-403-405-X12
387-388-397-398-401-403-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-403-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-402-X09
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-405-X10
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-405-X11
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-405-X12
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-405-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-402-403-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-402-406-407
387-388-397-398-401-406-407
387-388-397-398-406-407
387-388-397-406-407
387-389-391-396-X06
387-389-391-396-X07
387-389-391-396-X08
387-389-391-405-X10
387-389-391-405-X11
387-389-391-405-X12
387-389-391-405-406-407
387-389-392-393-X01
387-389-392-393-X02
387-389-392-393-X03
387-389-392-395-X04
387-389-392-395-X05
387-389-392-395-405-X10
387-389-392-395-405-X11
387-389-392-395-405-X12
387-389-392-395-405-406-407
387-389-390-405-X10
387-389-390-405-X11
387-389-390-405-X12
387-389-390-405-406-407
387-389-390-395-X04
387-389-390-395-X05
387-389-390-395-405-X10
387-389-390-395-405-X11
387-389-390-395-405-X12
387-389-390-395-405-406-407

Thanks!

[New Antegria II]

I'm waiting for somebody to take the nuclear option, personally.

same buddy same i cant wait for the Nuke Option

[Fin Dovah Junaar]

Is there any actual reason it can't be a repeat like any other issue?

[The Prome Society]

The Prome Society will reclaim it's resources through means of war.

[Democratic States of Srenia]

I chose Option 2 of the napalm in the morning issue...-1 Political Freedoms for me

[Altito Asmoro]

Is there any actual reason it can't be a repeat like any other issue?

It can be repeated.

[Sanctaria]

Is there any actual reason it can't be a repeat like any other issue?

It can be repeated.

It can't be repeated.

A few months back I edited the internal repeat flags, because of a new system we were moving to, which re-opened the issue to everyone who already had answered it. So some nations may receive it again, but from that point, no, it can't be repeated.

And there are a few reasons for that, but canonically a nation that has already got and destroyed Brasilistan won't be faced a year or so down the line with that nation stealing its children again, or whatever depending on the route you took. It's a one time only route with a one time only canon.

[Starkwood]

So I took the pacifist option, and this is what happened:

"Issue Series
“An International Incident”

The Story So Far

A distant country called Brasilistan has abducted The Frostwolvesian citizens and sent them to work in diamond mines in appalling conditions. You gathered your advisers and decided the best course of action was to wade in carefully with some carrot-and-stick diplomacy.

The Issue

The decision to try for a diplomatic solution with Brasilistan, rather than open warfare, has been a success with the hostages released. However, aggrieved leading members of the Brasilistani government are openly encouraging vigilantes in the nation's armed forces to hit back at The Frostwolves and its interests. The debate now turns to what The Frostwolves should do next to completely neutralise Brasilistan.

The Debate

"Extending the hand of peace was all well and good, but now we have to make sure they stay under our thumb," your Minister for Foreign Affairs Hillary Smoochinger says candidly, taking a seat in your office. "Right now they can fall back on their military and continue to do unspeakable and violent acts - don't forget they abducted their own children! But if we make that option unviable, then I think we'll find them more than eager to sit down to peace talks. To cripple their military, we need to cripple their economy, and the most effective way to do this is through sanctions. We can embargo the non-essential items, and stick considerable tariffs on the stuff we do need. Eventually they'll have to accede to our demands."

Accept

"Crippling their military is a good idea, but we don't have the time for economics to work," the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, General Dwight Powell barks. "We need to get our Navy to blockade their ports, get our Air Force to bomb their airfields and key economic centres – we don't have to put a single soldier on Brasilistan soil and we'll still be able to force them into submission. With blockaded ports, burning airfields, and a decimated economy, their military will have no hope of controlling the home front, let alone invading another country. They'll be soon doing what we tell them. A little gunboat diplomacy is all we need."

Accept

"These options all sound quite expensive," chimes in Timothy Lagarde, the Treasury Minister. "Wouldn't it be cheaper to, perhaps, send in a few very well trained, and very deadly, operatives and have them deal with the top officials in the regime? We might find some to be very agreeable to our terms after a few intense ... 'workouts', we'll call them. If they refuse to be co-operative, well, I'm sure removing them from the situation entirely might convince their successors to see our way of thinking. It'll be cheaper for us with no long lasting effects on either nation. Everybody wins! Except for those assassinated, of course, but let's not concern ourselves with those little details."

Accept

Dismiss This Issue"

Took the non-sanctionary, and the millist option. (2)

(Note- This happened in my alt)

[Starkwood]

Took the gunboat diplmcy opton, this is what happened.


The Story So Far

Your government's response to overtures of aggression from the Brasilistanis has been to blockade its ports and bomb its economic hubs.

The Issue

The Frostwolves's policy of forcing Brasilistan into submission via means of gunboat diplomacy has left the nation's government - and economy - in a shambles. However, rogue elements of Brasilistani society have taken to the high seas and are committing acts of piracy in order to make ends meet. With no functioning government to stop them, these pirates are being left to their own devices, putting The Frostwolves's shipping routes at risk.

The Debate

"Obviously we have to get rid of these ruffians," your Trade Minister says bluntly. "They're putting our own economy at risk, as well as those of our allies. We've put a lot of time, energy, and resources into ensuring Brasilistan no longer remains a threat to us, and if we don't deal with these pirates soon, we might as well rename the place Penzance. Look, we already have naval ships in the area, why not just divert a few to take care of the problem. That way our economy is saved and we don't put the lives of any more soldiers at risk."

Accept

"That sounds a little drastic for what is basically a bunch of Brasilistani entrepreneurs," an advisor interjects dryly from the other side of the room. "We should be rewarding them for succeeding when their nation's economy is shot. Brasilistan needs a new, functional, stable government, and here are a bunch of people who have proven their ability to fight through the bad times. With our support, we could put these patriots in charge of their country and, obviously as thanks, we'll have a much more amiable Brasilistan to work with in the international sphere. They can get on dealing with their problems, and we can get on looking after our own people. Everything will be back as it should be."



Went with accepting the pirates, made some 'Gingerbeard' dude the new leader of the nation.

[Phydios]

Took the gunboat diplmcy opton, this is what happened.


The Story So Far

Your government's response to overtures of aggression from the Brasilistanis has been to blockade its ports and bomb its economic hubs.

The Issue

The Frostwolves's policy of forcing Brasilistan into submission via means of gunboat diplomacy has left the nation's government - and economy - in a shambles. However, rogue elements of Brasilistani society have taken to the high seas and are committing acts of piracy in order to make ends meet. With no functioning government to stop them, these pirates are being left to their own devices, putting The Frostwolves's shipping routes at risk.

The Debate

"Obviously we have to get rid of these ruffians," your Trade Minister says bluntly. "They're putting our own economy at risk, as well as those of our allies. We've put a lot of time, energy, and resources into ensuring Brasilistan no longer remains a threat to us, and if we don't deal with these pirates soon, we might as well rename the place Penzance. Look, we already have naval ships in the area, why not just divert a few to take care of the problem. That way our economy is saved and we don't put the lives of any more soldiers at risk."

Accept

"That sounds a little drastic for what is basically a bunch of Brasilistani entrepreneurs," an advisor interjects dryly from the other side of the room. "We should be rewarding them for succeeding when their nation's economy is shot. Brasilistan needs a new, functional, stable government, and here are a bunch of people who have proven their ability to fight through the bad times. With our support, we could put these patriots in charge of their country and, obviously as thanks, we'll have a much more amiable Brasilistan to work with in the international sphere. They can get on dealing with their problems, and we can get on looking after our own people. Everything will be back as it should be."



Went with accepting the pirates, made some 'Gingerbeard' dude the new leader of the nation.

I appreciate your willingness to help, but we don't need you to be copying the issues here. The Chain has been completely mapped, and every issue documented in full, for a long time now.

[RyPolanden]

In my chain, I made 4 total decisions:

Issue 387:
"Media outlets have been buzzing about the thousands of children abducted from their remote villages across the exotic nation of Brasilistan, suspected to have been carried out on the order of their own government. Reports are coming in that the abducted children have been sent underground to mine for diamonds, Brasilistan's most precious resource, but military intelligence suggests that some young RyPolandian citizens living there have fallen to the same fate."
In the initial issue, I chose option 2, resulting in my nation giving money to the kidnappers.

issue 389:
"The decision to try for a diplomatic solution with Brasilistan, rather than open warfare, has been a success with the hostages released. However, aggrieved leading members of the Brasilstani government are openly encouraging vigilantes in the nation's armed forces to hit back at @@NAME@@ and its interests. The debate now turns to what @@NAME@@ should do next to completely neutralise Brasilistan."
I chose option 3 in the follow up issue. This sent my elite task force in to assassinate the heads of state in the Brasilitani government. The result was an anarchy in Brasilistan.

issue 390:
"The "intervention" into Brasilistan has largely been a success, but now the nation has devolved into anarchy with no functioning government. International allies and observers are concerned and have asked that @@NAME@@ clean up the mess it made."
I was surprised when it kept going. This was the first time I was truly amazed by how dynamic this game was.
I chose option 1. "The nation's armed forces are recruiting thousands to help colonise Brasilistan."

issue 405:
"The dust has settled and, somehow, @@NAME@@ is now the proud owner of a new colony! There are still some teething issues, however, and there are some cultural and societal conflicts between settlers and native peoples. It's up to you on how best to resolve these issues."
I chose option 1. "The nation has gained millions of new citizens overnight."
Ths integrated Brasilistan into RyPolanden.
I chose all of my options based on growing my economy while also protecting political freedoms. My path was definitely the best for that and choosing option 1 on issue 405 was easily the single best decision I have made for my nation. My taxes went up, and so did welfare and all other government expenditures. However: ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FREEDOM STAYED THE SAME!
I thought that economic freedom would go down, but no! My government is bigger, but as long as my trends stay in the same category, I am fine. Also, having an anarchy, my environment has always been shotty at best, same for my crime. This remedied that and averaged those measurements out, I even gained many banners regarding ecosystems and all around improvement. The only "negative" banner I recieved is one for filling my prisons. Though that really just means that my safety went up and crime went down.