The United Republic of Tropicopa
Flag
Motto:
"Democracy and freedom, for all"
Planet Tropicopa seen from orbit
Capital: Vesucazo (Tropicopa)
Largest city: New Lessu (Tropicopa)
Official Language: None
Recognised languages:
Basic, Ryl, Bothan, Rodese, Ihorese, Bith,
Sullustese, Selkath, etc
National language: Basic
Demonym: Tropicopan
Government: Representative democracy
- President: Shakka Ziveri
- Vice President: Gan Mirrorl
Formation: 1 T.F.
Colonies
- 17 inhabited
- 4 unmanned
Population
- Total: 11,458,000,000
GDP
- Total: $406.759 trillion NSD
- Per capita: $35,500 NSD
Gini: 0.21
HDI (2014): 0.99
Currency: Tropicopan credit
Led by the President of the Republic, Tropicopa is known for its small, highly efficient democratic government, crafted from the beginning to be as effectual as possible whilst representing the interests of all citizens. While the government has grown in size somewhat since its inception, with the expansion of Tropicopa, its power and structure remains largely unchanged from Foundation Day to the present. The Republic Senate represents the interests of some four billion people, in what is largely considered to be one of the most multicultural nations in the known galaxy - almost entirely the descendants of extra-galactic immigrants. Thanks to their ties to even older, extra-galactic civilisations, the Tropicopans command advanced interstellar technologies, which they use both for daily life and for the defence of their territory and population.
These factors combine to form the sophisticated, largely crime-free society that exists today. The Tropicopan economy, while not large enough nor powerful enough to be considered major, is strong, stable and advanced, based heavily on the tertiary sector. While largely driven by market forces, it is regulated and incorporates numerous left-leaning policies such as state welfare programs, universal healthcare, and discretionary income support. Tropicopa is considered to be a pleasant and tolerant place to live, and the market is sufficiently free and competitive to be attractive to potential investors.
<< HISTORY >>
The United Republic is not amongst the oldest of nations in the universe, but its history is a long and colourful one nevertheless. Though the Republic itself was only founded seven centuries ago, its history dates back millennia, and spans intergalactic distances.
Exodus
In a distant galaxy, almost five millennia ago, the multitude of species living there were governed over, predominantly, by an entity known as the Galactic Republic. The Galactic Republic had already reigned for tens of thousands of years by this point, and had come to be thought of as an ineffectual system riddled with bureaucracy and corruption, and was prone to being dragged into devastating wars with opportunistic powers such as the Sith and the Mandalorians. While many groups campaigned for its reformation, one group, known as the Paradisians, wished to see the entity torn down and rebuilt, into a fairer, more representative organisation with much greater efficiency.
Their movement grew strongly, particularly during periods of civil unrest and highly destructive wars, with the Jedi Civil War being, bizarrely, one of its most prosperous times. Tens of thousands of people claimed membership within the Paradise Movement by 3,950 B.B.Y, and there seemed to be no sign of it waning. There was even a splinter group of Jedi within their number, who saw the Galactic Republic for the corrupt and degraded organisation it had become, and wished to enact change.
Unfortunately their movement, strong though it was, went largely ignored within the halls of the Galactic Senate for centuries, much to the chagrin of the Paradisian leadership. The most prominent leader in 3,690 B.B.Y, a human male named Tafet Vesucazo, offered a revolutionary solution to the goals of their group - do not build a government on the rotting foundations of the Galactic Republic, but instead lay new foundations far from its reaches. His unorthodox views were first met with scepticism and ridicule from the upper echelons of the leadership, until ten years later when the Great Galactic War occurred. Suddenly, in the wake of yet another wave of destruction on a galactic scale, Vesucazo's proposal seemed less impossible.
He proposed to take ships laden with their members, and any others who wished to join them, and flee the galaxy itself. It was his belief that their original goals of rebuilding the Galactic Republic were unworkable, while it would be impossible to escape its grasp for as long as they were within its range. The only possibility for them to escape its corrupting influence was to leave the galaxy it presided over, and start anew millions of lightyears away. With the War spurring support for his plans, numerous Republic warships loyal to the ideas of the Paradisians, deserted and came to the aid of the group, while they used what remained of their finances to purchase as many civilian ships as they could, and equipped them all with stasis systems. Tens of thousands of people, half of which were human while the other half represented dozens of different races, were crammed aboard the ships and placed into stasis, for even in hyperspace the galaxy they had selected as their destination would take thousands of years to reach.
When no more ships could be procured, and no more people wished to go, Vesucazo gave the order, and the Migrant Fleet jumped to hyperspace.
Foundation
The journey to their new home, a galaxy later found to be dubbed 'the Milky Way', took almost three thousand years in hyperspace. The journey was, so far as records show, largely uneventful, and the course they had plotted worked perfectly. On arrival, a single ship, the now-ancient Hammerhead-class capital ship Hammer's Strike, automatically awoke its crew and passengers from stasis, and they began looking for a suitable homeworld. They were also tasked to probe the region they arrived in for signs of intelligent life, for on approach the Migrant Fleet had recorded numerous signs of civilisation - subspace radio transmissions, unnatural radiation and other tell-tale signs that they weren't going to be alone.
Eventually, the Strike found a planet that was more than suitable, which the crew promptly named 'Tropicopa'. The world was lush with life, appeared unclaimed by aliens, and was possessed of a gorgeous environment, predominantly tropical. The rest of the Migrant Fleet was promptly summoned to the system, and the first ship to make planetfall was that containing their now-legendary leader, Tafet Vesucazo. Once the occupants were awakened, he also became the first member of the group to make footfall on the tender soils of Tropicopa.
At first, life on Tropicopa was difficult. The foliage alone was dense, and they struggled to integrate the lifeforms they had brought with them into the existing ecosystems. All of the ships of the Migrant Fleet, save for two Hammerheads which are still in service to this day, were landed and quickly stripped of useful components, and became makeshift homes and places of work. The precise location of Vesucazo's first step onto the world is now considered the exact centre of the capital city after whom the city is named, and it is home to a seventy-foot statue of him, surrounded by the extravagant buildings of the Republic Senate, the Jedi Temple, and the Council of Law, but at the time it was literally just a footstep in the soil surrounded by the remains of foliage and the husks of ships.
The first task of the Tropicopans, once some measure of survivability had been established, was to finally fulfil the goal of their organisation - the establishment of a fair, effective government, and once more Vesucazo was a key member of these founding fathers. It took several years before they finalised the details of the Tropicopan constitution, but when it was finally ratified by a referendum of all Tropicopans, the new nation that resulted was officially christened the United Republic of Tropicopa. The day became the start of their measurement of time (it occured in 0 Tropicopa Foundation, or 0 T.F.) Vesucazo was elected to be the first President, with little competition.
Twenty years later, the Galactic Senate, Jedi Temple and numerous other buildings key to the modern government were built, and largely remain the same seven hundred years later. Some manner of infrastructure was established, and very few of the old ships remained intact, their lifeless husks having been completely recycled, and replaced with permanent structures. Tropicopa was, at last, a firmly established nationstate with some semblance of civilisation about it.
Growth
The next century was a period of rapid growth. The population rocketed to hundreds of thousands, and an economy was formed. By 121 T.F, the first orbital facilities were constructed and used as a base to begin exploring their new galaxy. The planet itself had largely been mapped, as had most of the solar systems in the surrounding area. The Tropicopa Cluster, as it was dubbed, was rich in habitable, or near-habitable worlds, and Tropicopans were keen to establish their presence in all of the juiciest places. By 178 T.F. they had begun constructing new capital ships, based on the designs of the Hammerhead-class and other ships originating from the old Galactic Republic.
In 214 T.F. they finally encountered intelligent life, which seemed to have been lacking in the isolated region of the Cluster. While they had constructed a small fleet of capital ships for their defence by this point, they found the lifeforms they first encountered to be surprisingly pleasant - presumably helped by the fact that Tropicopan technology appeared to be superior in most respects. Initial negotiations were fruitful, and by 216 T.F. they had negotiated a non-aggression pact and a trade agreement. Such successes spurred them to continue their explorations on a greater scale.
Tropicopans celebrated the birth of their five millionth citizen in 251 T.F, and cities other than Vesucazo were being founded in different regions on the planet - including a city named after the original organisation that birthed their new nation, the coastal Paradise City, along with the Twi'lek-dominated (and subsequently largest) city of New Lessu. Their economy was self-sufficient, and although small it was burgeoning. Poverty was low, prosperity was high, income disparity was small and approval ratings for the government were high.
President Markin, the 39th President of the United Republic, intended to capitalise on the successes they had enjoyed for the last century, and in 255 T.F. ordered the launch of hundreds of automated probe droids. Each of these probes were hyperspace enabled, and contained holographic messages displaying an invitation by Markin to visit their world for peaceful encounters. These probes were launched by Hammerhead-class capital ships to random destinations, and they were programmed to randomly enter and exit hyperspace in different locations so as to increase the chances of them encountering somebody. Unfortunately, only two powers responded to their call for relations, the Amazonian Dominion and the somewhat more obscure Michiyo Empire, and no formal contact ever resulted. While the program was largely considered to be a failure, Markin did use it to illuminate that the Tropicopans did not need to fear revealing their presence from the galaxy at large.
Isolation
By 491 T.F. the Republic was a large, if not influential, power in the galaxy. They had little involvement in galactic politics by their own choice, and this removal from interstellar society became more pronounced in the years to follow. After greater surveys of the galaxy they learned that it was just as ridden by wars as the galaxy their ancestors had come from, if more so, and without a galactic government to keep civilisations in check, there was little to prevent the continual outbreaks of war. These wars often seemed without purpose, as well, and some powers were indiscriminate in their application of violence - worse than Sith.
Tropicopa became more and more distant from the universe at large, cutting off the few diplomatic relations they maintained and reversing the trade they had built up over the years. Eventually, the Republic sealed its borders, and all contact with the outside world was banned. During the time that followed, the Republic built up a larger army, and the economy grew more. Local planets were colonised and each of these colonies grew to be impressive in their own right.
By 522 T.F, the population of the Republic numbered in the billions, and they had a self-sufficient economy to back it up.
Little actually changed besides statistics during their two century period of isolation, however. Society changed its culture only moderately, and the government rarely altered its policies significantly from one administration to the next. Some small groups proclaimed that the Republic had become as stagnant and ineffectual as the Galactic Republic their ancestors had fled millennia ago, but such claims were dismissed by most - "if it's not broken, why change it?" was the common argument against such thoughts. Indeed, everything appeared to be 'ticking over' well. Standards of living were high, cities were beautiful, crime was low, and the economy was strong enough.
Re-emergence
President Shakka Ziveri, 103rd President of the United Republic, was elected in 691 T.F. after campaigning for an end to Tropicopa's isolation. Her argument routinely suggested that Tropicopa could only stand to benefit from interaction with peaceful races in the galaxy, and that there was no safety to be gained in isolation. To be truly secure against the indiscriminate attacks conducted by some empires, they needed friends. Their military was now considered large enough to repel the attacks of most alien races, and so upon her election, she recreated the Department of Foreign Affairs and the government began answering communications, and attending diplomatic events.
<< DEMOGRAPHICS >>
The United Republic of Tropicopa is a highly diverse nation, with a population projected to encompass just under nine billion sentients, and as such is somewhat average, compared to the galactic norm. This population is growing rapidly, however, presently rated at 4.7%, partially thanks to a high quality of life having a significant positive impact on death rates. It is estimated that by 720 T.F. the population will be well over 12 billion. Due to their previous isolationist policies, immigration - legal or otherwise - is extremely low, and there aren't thought to be a significant enough number of illegal immigrants to warrant a statistical analysis.
Predominantly, Humans represent a slightly larger proportion of the population, with 23.3% of citizens claiming 'human' as their species in the last national census. Twi'leks are the second most numerous, with 21.5% of the Tropicopan population, Bothans are third with 13.6%, and at fourth, with 12.9%, are Rodians. The remaining 28.7% is divided between dozens of different species, including but not limited to Ithorians, Sullustans, Bith, Weequay, Nautolans, Selkath, Mon Calamari, and even such unlikely species as Wookiees, Hutts and Trandoshans. So multi-cultural is the Republic that the government can never refer to species or gender in any official documentation - 'sentient' is the only classification recognised.
Of all of these species, some are growing in numbers while others are declining - most notably, the Human and Near-Human populations are slowly diminishing, giving extra percentages to other, more rapidly breeding species. Humans represented over half of the people aboard the Migrant Fleet during the Exodus, while now their numbers account for less than a third of the population. While this is not considered to be a problem, outside of the most right-winged Human zealots, it is a notable trend. Twi'lek, despite their reproductive systems not being particularly faster than those of Humans, are one of the more rapidly growing species in the Republic, though the rapid increase in the numbers of Bothans and Rodians outstrips them both. The government has never commented on these trends, for it is not deemed important, but it is the subject of common study by anthropologists and biologists who may be interested in the anomalies.
Roughly 78% of Tropicopan citizens live in urban areas, with most of them residing in cities with populations greater than one million. The tendency for citizens to reside in towns and cities is not new, for they arrived on Tropicopa with equipment for automated agriculture and industry readily available. New Lessu is the largest city, with over two hundred million residents, followed closely by Vesucazo at one hundred and sixty million, but there are now at least five cities on the planet with populations greater than seventy million. New Lessu is also the largest in terms of geographical space, covering more than 268,800 square miles, thanks primarily to its limitations on high-rise structures. The original settlers of the planet were terrified at the prospect of the world eventually becoming a ecumenopolis like Coruscant was, and enacted strict laws against the construction of buildings above ten storeys high.
In addition to the two and a half billion people residing on the capital world, over one and a half billion citizens live on the seven colony worlds, and some smaller settlements across their space, or aboard space stations. Ma’allesh, with a population of five hundred million and often called 'Tropicopa's Twin', is the most significant of these worlds with cities rivalling those of the capital planet in terms of population and scope, and is a major component of the Republic's economy. Tropicopa and Ma’allesh are together referred to as the Core Worlds, with the population growing sparser as one travels closer to the edges of Republic space, towards the Outer Worlds.
Language
Tropicopan Basic (a derivation of Galactic Basic which is virtually identical), or English, is the de facto language of the Tropicopan Republic, with 97.2% of all Republic citizens being able to read, write and/or talk in the language fluently, and 43% of people claiming it to be their first language. In spire of the lack of any official language, all official government documentation is nevertheless available in Basic, with translations into other languages only completed on request. Ryl is the second-largest language in the Republic, known at its most basic level by 69% of citizens, though spoken much less frequently than Basic. There are a multitude of other languages in the Republic, but these languages are typically used exclusively by the species that birthed them, or when dealing with these species. As most people can speak Basic, it is rare for these alien languages to be necessary, and they are kept alive more by tradition or personal preference.
Religion
The officially sanctioned religious body of the Republic is the Tropicopan Jedi Order, an offshoot of the Jedi Order of the old Galactic Republic. It operates in a similar manner to its parent organisation, with a Council of Jedi Masters and numerous ranks beneath them, and shares similar beliefs such as the Jedi Code and the nature of the Force. The Order answers directly to the Republic Senate, and again, much like its parent, functions as the defenders of the Tropicopan Republic. It is an unconventional religion in that its spirituality has demonstrable effects, and there are few citizens within the Republic who do not believe in the Force to some degree, but only Force sensitive individuals can ever be members of the Order. As a result of the latter, despite being the state religion of Tropicopa and holding great political influence, it is also the smallest religious institution. Nevertheless, large numbers of people still seek to follow the Jedi Code as best they can.
Numerous other religious systems have survived the Exodus, such as beliefs native to Human worlds such as Coruscant (14.3%) and Corellia (2.6%) , as well as alien beliefs such as those held by the Twi'lek (10.3%) and the Nature Priests of the Ithorians(1.6%). There is even a small community of people who claim to adhere to the tenets of the Mandalorians (0.03%), though heavily changed to be considerably less warlike than the original Mandalorian beliefs.
Education
Tropicopa boasts a comprehensive, three-tier, publicly funded educational system, to which attendance is compulsory for the first two tiers (ages 5 to 16). While the overall schooling system is governed by the Senate, funding and most of the administration of schools is determined at a federal level by individual cities or, in the case of smaller colonies, planetary governments.
Children of most species (there are some exceptions and differences due to biological differences in maturation) are required to attend school from the age of five, at which point they will enter the Primary Tier. This tier lasts for five years, and is concerned mostly with teaching students the basic skills needed for further education and life in general. Fundamental linguistic and mathematical abilities will be instilled in students, and they shall learn to read and write. Some rudimentary physical education is required, as well as some basic studies of the various religions of Tropicopa. This fundamental tier is regarded by many important political figures to be the most important.
At the age of ten, children will move to the Secondary Tier, where their studies shall become more sophisticated. The foundations built during the Primary Tier shall be expanded upon during this tier, and new, more advanced studies shall be incorporated. The goal of the Secondary Tier is to mould children into productive, educated members of Tropicopan society, giving them the skills they need to function successfully in the adult world and to earn a wage in basic jobs. When students turn fourteen they are permitted to select at least seven areas of study to focus on depending upon their interests (the study of Tropicopan Basic and mathematics are required to be amongst them), and they shall focus on those subjects with the goal of achieving either an Intermediate, Merit or Distinguished certificate in them at the end of the tier.
When students turn sixteen they are legally considered adults, and they are no longer required to continue in the educational system. At this age they are given the choice to continue on to tier three, or 'go it alone'. Roughly 70% of students opt to continue into the Tertiary Tier, more commonly known simply as university, where they can earn certificates in advanced areas of study that can help them acquire more sophisticated employment when completed successfully. There are no age limitations for joining university, nor is there any limit to how long people can continue to study there, although most courses last for three years. Roughly 50% percent of university attendees began their studies at the age of sixteen, 25% of them began at seventeen, while the remaining numbers started at various ages. And, lastly, there is no limitation as to how often somebody attends university - it is common for people to return to university several times to gain certifications in multiple subjects.
All three tiers are publicly funded, though in the third tier students must find their own source of income to support themselves if necessary. The educational system of Tropicopa is generally considered to be highly prestigious, producing intelligent and creative graduates, many of whom go into highly technical professions given the highly automated nature of most Tropicopan services, industry and agriculture.
The Jedi Order is considered to be an educational system apart from the standard three tiers; children as young as three years of age can begin their training with the Order if selected, and in this event they do not have to attend regular schooling. The Order uses an extremely intensive curriculum, and initiates are typically educated beyond even a university level when they ultimately become full-fledged Jedi.
Health
Life expectancy figures vary in the Republic due to the different lifespans of the constituent species, however humans, being the most numerous, are usually used as a gauge - at present, the expected lifespan of a human in the Republic is one hundred and sixty-five years, during which good health is meant to be enjoyed to a reasonable degree. Other species are similarly long-lived, according to their biological limitations, and these high figures are thanks to an advanced and highly accessible healthcare system. Issues such as obesity are uncommon, with only 3% of Tropicopans being identified as clinically obese, and only 7% are classified as overweight.
Diseases and other afflictions such as cancer or genetic dysfunctions are rare, and usually treatable with a high survival rate when they do occur. Other than old age, the most prevalent cause of death is by 'misadventure' - usually during spaceflight.
The Republic's healthcare system is funded primarily by taxation, governed at a federal level, and is made available to all citizens regardless of status. Responsible for a large amount of medical innovations and considered to have a high level of performance, the Republic's universal healthcare system is considered to be a key reason behind the good health and long lives enjoyed by its citizens. Private healthcare is available to more affluent citizens, but the only difference between private and public healthcare in the Republic is the degree of opulence enjoyed by patients. Roughly 11% of the population is estimated to hold a private health insurance policy of some sort.
Crime and punishment
Crime is controlled by the United Republic Police Authority (URPA), a civilian authority regulated by the Senate and administrated at a federal level. There are presently 317 jurisdictional forces in the Republic, each responsible for its own region of operation. There are also national agencies with no such jurisdictional limitations, who are responsible for the prevention of federal offences throughout the Republic - the United Republic Special Police is the primary such body, answering directly to the Justice Department in the Senate. It is not unheard of for the Jedi Order to assist police forces with tracking down and apprehending the most dangerous criminals or criminal organisations, and at times the Order has even operated without the knowledge of those forces.
The Council of Law is the highest legal body of appeal, also responsible for the administration of law, and it maintains a series of civil and criminal courts throughout the Republic designed to provide suspected criminals with fair, unbiased trials with a view to imposing rehabilitative punishments in the event they are found guilty. Punishments can vary from fines and community service for less severe crimes, to lengthy custodial sentences for more severe ones. Corporal and capital punishment is abolished in the Republic, and has been since its inception.
Crime levels are fairly low compared to similarly developed nations, with violent crime being particularly low at 0.3 murders per 1,000 people, and the prison system is largely unburdened by a low incarceration rate. The most pervasive criminal offences result from intoxication-related offences and crimes of passion. Firearm ownership is regulated, but not restricted, and is thought to contribute to the low crime rate in addition to their progressive social policies.
<< CULTURE >>
As one of the most multicultural nations in the known galaxy, it is difficult to quantify the culture of the Republic, much less give a general explanation. Alien words are commonplace in Tropicopan Basic, human religions have been adopted by aliens, and the traditions and celebrations of numerous alien cultures have been adopted by most people - such as the Ithorian celebration of nature, and even the Wookiees' Life Day. Such things as cuisine and fashion have been spread across the nation so diversely that some cannot even recall where they originated.
In general, however, Republic citizens are extremely patriotic, and have a curious outlook on life that integrates the principles of both individualism and collectivism, resulting in the mixed economy they presently have. A strong belief in ensuring personal freedom, whilst simultaneously working towards improving the quality of life for all citizens, is common, though there are of course groups with much different viewpoints. Most Tropicopans believe they have achieved a classless society, which may be true to an extent.
Given that Tropicopa was originally created by a group of political activists, it isn't particularly surprising to find that politics are at the forefront of many people's minds. Most people appear to be proud of the nation their ancestors have built, and how it has successfully remained highly representative, efficient and trustworthy to the present day thanks to their vigilance. It is common for Republic citizens to boast about the high degree of civil liberties they enjoy compared to other nations, as well as the degree of equality enjoyed by people of different species, genders and persuasions. A belief in small, accountable government with strong moral grounding is prevalent, and voting turnout is universally high - over 90% in most elections.
Popular Media
Music is perhaps the largest entertainment medium in the Republic, and the general musical style of Tropicopan bands is heavily influenced by the various differing cultures that live there, particularly . Early musical tastes in the Republic were not so different from those displayed in the old Galactic Republic, but have radically changed in the centuries that passed. The most common genre of music which began to expand in the 550s T.F. would most accurately be termed 'orchestral rock', incorporating elements of both rock music and classical music. High tempos and meaningful, uplifting lyrics are popular with listeners.
Holovids are almost as popular, but fail to reach the same diverse audiences and the studios producing them are not quite as affluent as the major music labels. Typical holovid fans are young humans, predominantly, and subject matters can feature anything from comedic situations to historical dramas. The early holovid industry featured a large number of portrayals of wars from the old Galactic Republic, with the Jedi Civil War and Mandalorian War being featured most commonly.
The Holonet is accessed by all manners of people from different age groups and species, universally. Accessible virtually anywhere in the Republic and beyond, the Holonet is used for the distribution of music and holovids, and is also the primary source of news, retail outlets and long-distance social interaction. There is a text-only element to the Holonet, and most journalists use this to publish their work, for the concept of a physical newspaper no longer exists.
Literature, Philosophy and the Arts
The Republic has a deep rooted appreciation of what they call 'higher arts' - that being reading, live performance arts and the like. Being an educated population, attendance at theatres and art exhibits is disproportionately high compared to similarly advanced nations, and theatre actors have the same celebrity status as movie actors in other countries. Theatre in particular is big business, and being able to see the most famous performing groups live is considered highly desirable, to the point where corporations often find vast swathes of their employees taking time off work when such a group is performing locally.
Other performing arts, such as opera and musical performances, are similarly popular, if not as popular. Dance in particular is enjoyed by many, particularly the style utilised by Twi'lek dancers. In terms of 'popular dance', most bars and cantinas contain stages for live performers, and becoming a dancer is often as desirable to youths in the Republic as becoming 'rock stars' is to the youths of other nations. Successful performers can go on to extremely profitable careers if they get their 'big break', such as being hired by the Starlight Entertainment Corporation or similar label.
Visual art is highly appreciated too. It is rare for a household to be devoid of works of art if they are able to afford such a thing, and art museums are more common than in many nations - and usually freely accessible too. Most notably, federal authorities take great pains to ensure that cities are decorated appropriately by wall paintings and sculptures, in a policy known as 'aesthetic politics'. Even the poorest regions of cities are generally considered to be aesthetically pleasing places, with architecture and street decoration being maintained by proud communities.
In terms of philosophy, many of the galaxy's greatest philosophical minds have originated from Tropicopa, where entire buildings have been dedicated to the 'business' of philosophical thinking. But by far the most well-known philosophers of the Republic are the Jedi Order, whose teachings and musings have filtered down into most sections of society to some degree. Common philosophical beliefs involve 'common sense' approaches, as well as an unusual interpretation of 'karma', which according to Tropicopan schools of thought is centred around the Force.
Although their influence beyond the borders of the Republic is limited, several famous authors nevertheless dominate the literary landscape of the nation. Famous contemporary fiction authors such as Vex Uthoria and Gand Triponi are appreciated for their quality and engaging works, and such writers have earned fortunes from the sale of their books. Somewhat ironically, science fiction is a popular genre in the Republic.
Food
The diets of Republic citizens vary considerably, though the general consensus is 'eat responsibly'. Clean, fresh ingredients that are not contaminated by chemicals are highly valued by all of society, Ithorians in particular, and although it is a general belief that over-indulgence is morally wrong, the enjoyment of food is universal. Yeast and grain based dishes are common to all species, thanks to the ease of growing such ingredients.
Owing to the multicultural aspect of the Republic, dishes from every corner of the old galaxy are commonly enjoyed, even if the species that created them are not even represented in the Republic. Human foods are amongst the most popular, particularly those based on lean meats accompanied by juicy vegetables. Twi'lek food has infiltrated the diet of almost every citizen, while Ithorian cuisine is highly revered. Even some of the more unusual meals brought to the Republic by the Rodians and Trandoshans have found success, though the ingredients used by contemporary chefs often differ from the original recipes a little.
Alcoholic beverages are popular, and so varied as to be impossible to list. The Republic enjoys a healthy drinking culture, with most meals being accompanied by a complementary beverage, and most social engagements being centred around cantinas and bars.
Sports
By far the most popular sport in the Republic is swoop bike racing. Annual racing events dominate the Holonet every year, and the riders and their distinctive personalities are the subject of conversation often. There are three swoop leagues in the Republic - the Republic Seasonal Championships are the largest and most distinguished, the middling Swoop Premier League coming up second, with the amateur Swoop Bike National Circuit being far less popular and sophisticated. It is often joked about that a corporation isn't truly 'big' until it can afford to pay for advertising space somewhere within the RSC. A common criticism of the multi-billion credit RSC is that it has become far too commercialised in recent decades, and many spectators are turning to the SBNC for what they consider to be a 'purer racing experience'.
Marksmanship is another popular spectator sport, and unlike the expensive sport of swoop racing it can be undertaken by amateurs too. Throughout the year, regional competitions take place, leading up to a broadcast national competition where the regional champions seek to become crowned the prestigious title of Republic Sharpshooter. Blasters are the primary weapon used in these events, however hard-line purists have set up 'crossbow only' events, believing that blasters take some of the sport out of marksmanship.
A multitude of other sports are undertaken, not the least of which is chin-bret, for which an entire stadium has been devoted in Vesucazo.