Describe Your Nation

[The Multiversal Species Alliance]

How would you describe your nation?
Personal Liberty:
Economical Liberty:
Political Liberty:
Defence Forces:
Political system:
Economical system:
Environmental quality:
Labour laws:
Scientific level:
Religiousness:
Social views:
Wealth views:
Non-sapient views:

[Fransikania]

How would you describe your nation? A nice nation but the taxes are far to high
Personal Liberty:Very High
Economical Liberty:High
Political Liberty:Very high
Defence Forces: 5% of the population
Political system:Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy and Federal Monarchy with directorial system and direct democracy
Economical system: A Mix between capitalist systems and socialist systems
Environmental quality: Very high
Labour laws: We have good labour laws
Scientific level: Very high
Religiousness: Low
Social views: N\A
Wealth views: N\A
Non-sapient views: N\A

[Undead Gypsies]

The Traveling Caravans of Undead Gypsies are a rowdy and disrespectful society, although we do everything in good fun. The population is composed of Zombies, Skeletons, Ghouls and other forms of the Undead, who survive by consuming alcohol and other normally-harmful substances. We mostly roam around our region, although we often branch out to other nations where trade can be conducted.

Personal Liberty: Paramount/Excessive personal freedoms.
Economical Liberty: Entirely unregulated.
Political Liberty: Gypsy Queen Violca Drom is our unopposed monarch.
Defence Forces: Although often unable to travel outside of our region, large armed militia caravans escort civilian and merchant caravans, each bringing often 100-200 soldiers armed with select-fire battle rifles, autoloader or revolver-type pistols, pump-action or semi-automatic shotguns and often molotov cocktails or homemade fragmentation devices. The total amount of men and women who are in such militias is unknown, but estimates peg them to be between 400 000 and 500 000 troops.
Political system: Individual caravans can enact whatever political system they feel will help them operate with maximum efficiency. The Queen is mostly a ceremonial position, whose decrees are usually nothing but the officialization of sentiments already popular among caravaneers.
Economical system: The creation and sale of alcohol and narcotics are popular ways to gain money from other caravans and nations where such goods are legal. Musical instrument making and musical performance, as well as the sale of sundries and handicrafts, are also popular.
Environmental quality: The level to which local environments are respected varies greatly from caravan to caravan.
Labour laws: Entirely unregulated.
Scientific level: Very little research comes out of Undead Gypsy populations.
Religiousness: Religion varies greatly from caravan to caravan.
Social views: Undead Gypsies try to remain separated from non-Undead populations when possible, although economic cooperation is a necessity.
Wealth views: If you've got a lot of money and nobody's murdered you, you're doing something right!
Non-sapient views: Anything capable of intelligent thought and the expression thereof is equal to a human being, or the reanimated corpse thereof.

[Meridiani Planum]

Personal Liberty: Maximal.
Economical Liberty: Maximal.
Political Liberty: All adults can vote for reps to repeal laws. Specially educated adults can vote for reps to pass laws.
Defence Forces: Primarily a space force to prevent troops from reaching Martian sands.
Political system: Private law centered on a constitutional republic.
Economical system: Laissez-faire capitalism, or near enough.
Environmental quality: We live on Mars. There is no "environment", however, our domes have carefully regulated internal environments.
Labour laws: Some health and safety laws.
Scientific level: We've colonized Mars with the Libra, a state of the art colony ship that uses ion and fusion propulsion.
Religiousness: Atheistic, and yet "religious" about our ethical and philosophical values.
Social views: We are staunch individualists, and yet we value life in society. We value the diversity of talents that individuals bring to society.
Wealth views: We have no problem with large differences in wealth. What matters is that wealth increases for everybody over time.
Non-sapient views: ?

[The Depths of Mordor]

Personal Liberty:you get to choose what(or who)you eat
Economical Liberty:Liberty?
Political Liberty:Huh?
Defence Forces:Everyone is defence, almost
Political system:Tsechklan rules everything
Economical system:Economy?
Environmental quality:Enviroment? We have ash and rocks.
Labour laws:Huh?
Scientific level:It depends on if you call magic science. If so. Really high.
Religiousness:Religion?
Social views:What?
Wealth views:Huh?
Non-sapient views:Food

Summary:Orks and Uruk hai are dumb and dont really do anything other than eat and kill.

[Saurisisia]

Personal Liberty: A cornerstone of our society and is thus an important issue in our nation
Economical Liberty: See above^
Political Liberty: Not so good
Defense Forces: Powerful and well-funded, ready to fight for Saurisia, wherever it is needed
Political system: A common sense middle ground between the failures of Democracy and the tyranny of an outright totalitarian dictatorship
Economical system: Laissez-Faire Capitalism is the best way to ensure great prosperity, government regulation destroys that prosperity
Environmental quality: Excellent as we balance preserving the environment and harvesting resources to benefit our civilization
Labor laws: Largely unregulated, it is expected that companies treat their employees with utmost kindness
Scientific level: Extremely advanced and continues to advance every day
Religiousness: It is prominent for the most part and religion is utterly respected and tolerated, to be not so would be liable for you to be labeled an asshole by more tolerant citizens
Social views: Individualism is a cornerstone of our society, though homosexuality, most recreational drugs, and a few other things are illegal
Wealth views: To be wealthy is considered to be the ultimate successor in society
Non-sapient views: Non-sapients are respected and treated with kindness, even as they head off to slaughterhouses to be converted to meat

[Zulgaria]

Personal Liberty: Non-Existent
Economical Liberty: Non-Existent
Political Liberty: Non-Existent
Defence Forces: Powerful, Omnipresent
Political System: Single-Party Communist Autocracy
Economical System: Centrally Planned
Environmental Quality: Hazardous
Labour Laws: Non-Existent
Scientific Level: 1960s Soviet Union
Religiousness: Non-Existent
Social Views: Conservative
Wealth Views: Anti-Capitalist
Non-Sapient Views: Repulsive

[Nationalist Tantalus]

How would you describe your nation?
Personal Liberty: If it does not cause harm to the State, people, or property, then that activity is legal. Desecration of political symbols and affiliating with Communist / nonhuman political parties are punishable offenses, however.
Economical Liberty: One is free to research/ fabricate/ write whatever suits fancy to the individual. Again, however, running a cyanide plant that leaks insidious gases into a populated area- for instance- is a punishable offense which might warrant the death penalty.
Political Liberty: One may not associate oneself with the illicit terrorist organization known as the Tantalan Communist Party, nor are non-human political parties allowed to be formed by illegal occupants.
Defence Forces: A career in the military is one of uttermost honour, for that individual in our armed forces is ceding what is known as the Ultimate Sacrifice of Life.
Political system: Our hybrid Monarchist-republic suits us perfectly. Not quite unbound nor a figurehead, our Kaiser shares power with the New Jericho Assembly
Economical system: We are of a State Capitalist model where thriving growth is rewarded with tax cuts for a specified duration of time. Serve the people well, and additional tax cuts may be bestowed upon one's property on our city-world
Environmental quality: We are maximum-concrete with extremely-few naturally occurring trees. Arcology Geodomes, however, provide habitats to whatever we could salvage during the Nanotech Revolution.
Labour laws: If you hate your job, leave it: There are plenty of other career series one may follow if his or her employer is paying crap-quality wages. Such competition encourages businesses to keep their salaries for employees high, thereby eliminating the necessity for minimum-wage laws. Laws pertaining to harassment, however, are equally enforced in the workplace as they are outside of the office megaplexes.
Scientific level: We possess Nanotechnology, fully-embedded atomic-circuitry, and repeating-mass driver weaponry alongside with directed-energy technologies and long-range Inter-Celestial Ballistic Missiles capable of deploying Gigaton-range quantum weaponry. Does that say enough?
Religiousness: We are a proud Abrahamic people whom welcome a growing-Vedic population as we continue forth with societal advancement. Science and religion are fully-compatible on our planet.
Social views: One must maintain proper bearing in public as well as sufficient acumen when one associates with his or her colleagues. Women enjoy full legal protections, responsibilities, and duties as outlined under Standard Protocol
Wealth views: Sustainable income- not net value of monetary possessions- is the ultimate indicator of how well one will survive the high costs of living on our planet. Research and invent thoroughly, and you will be rewarded with fame, monetary coverage, and even some private property.
Non-sapient views: Animals are not to be mistreated nor neglected; however, during times of strife, their sacrifices are recognized as having saved millions upon millions of lives.

[The Multiversal Species Alliance]

Personal Liberty: Personal liberty is highly valued in the Alliance, examples include: public mating and use of recreational drugs being legal, sapient euthanasia being legal, surveilance cameras being banned, and non-citizens get all the same priveleges citizens do.
Economical Liberty: All are free to acquire whatever they need or want, as all things are free, requiring only a smile to acquire.
Political Liberty: People may say whatever they wish about the government, political parties are not political organizations here, but rather, they are communities for people with similar political beliefs or opinions.
Defence Forces: The MSADF only attacks when we or our underdeveloped neighbors are attacked, it consists of two Arms, the Space Arm, and the Ground Arm, Spetsnaz, their uniforms can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=161660&p=8474656#p8474656
Political system: The MSA's government consists of the leader of the Alliance (kind of like a president or emperor), the "Imperial Family" (the advisers of the leader, often adopted into the leader's family), the "Kings" and "Queens" (regional governors, planetary governors, and mayors), and the People's Representatives (elected to represent the people and their best interests). Politician's are elected based on merits, not family or social connections, the leader is elected for life, but, may be asked to retire by suggestion of the people or the Royal Guardian's (secret service, who protect the leader and his/her family for the whole of office and for life afterwards).
Economical system: We don't have a currency, everything is free here, needing that you only smile to acquire something.
Environmental quality: Fantastic, our planetary environs are protected at all costs, much to the dismay of our capitalsts.
Labour laws: Since all labour is automated, there are no labour laws.
Scientific level: Very high, seeing as we have food & beverage replicators, travel to other universes, have eliminated death by age via nanites and genetic manipulation.
Religiousness: Barely any, 99.9999% of the population are Freethinkers (people who use scientific knowledge & reason to form their opinions & gain their knowledge.)
Social views: You may do whatever you wish to gain pleasure, al long as it doesn't cause harm to sentient beings nor infringe on sentient or sapient rights & liberties.
Wealth views: Wealth doesn't exist in our society.
Non-sapient views: Non-sapient animals (those that haven't been made sentient through genetic manipulation) are treated with respect and they have the same rights as sapients (right to life,right to privacy,right to liberty from torture and wrongful imprisonment, etc.).

[Our Lady Skye Sweetnam]

How would you describe your nation?
Personal Liberty: Extremely High
Economical Liberty: Moderate
Political Liberty: High
Defence Forces: We are all citizen soldiers
Political system: Parliamentary Monarchy
Economical system: Mostly socialist but with capitalist tendencies
Environmental quality: Our environment is very much protected
Labour laws: Our country has zero tolerance for employee abuse
Scientific level: Average
Religiousness: Not very
Social views: Liberal as it gets
Wealth views: Income here is pretty equal, there are some higher and lower classes, but they are very minute.
Non-sapient views: Only humans are citizen in our country at the moment. However animal abuse is never tolerated here.

[Ko-oren]

Personal Liberty: Just enough
Economical Liberty: Depends. For individuals, we value it highly. For businesses, we demand that they invest part of their gains in local projects.
Political Liberty: Important, but since we are a meritocracy, there is barely any democratic element left.
Defence Forces: None
Political System: Meritocracy
Economical System: Mixed. Planning happens by both governments and to a lesser extent to some businesses, too.
Environmental Quality: Fantastic
Labour Laws: Quite strict, but businesses fare well.
Scientific Level: High. Our education system is one of the best in the world
Religiousness: Not very, although freedom of religion is important to us.
Social Views: Highly progressive
Wealth Views: We have a love-hate relationship with capitalism
Non-Sapient Views: treated with respect; we believe we can judge a society by the way it treats its animals.

[ArghNeedAName]

Personal Liberty: Although sometimes quite conservative, we don't bother to force it on people so we're very free.
Economical Liberty: We are free market capitalist.
Political Liberty: We have elections every four years and a multi-party democracy.
Defence Forces: Moderately-sized. Our Ministry of Defence has the motto "Freedom needs Balls!"
Political system: Federal Republic with a hybrid between the parliamentary and semi-presidential system
Economical system: Free Market Capitalist
Environmental quality: These days it's pretty good though we wish we could stop all these floods.
Labour laws: Unions are legal and have legal recognition and protection. They hold influence but it is declining.
Scientific level: Modern Tech
Religiousness: We are quite strongly Christian, but our government is neutral and respectful towards religion and religious freedom is guarenteed.
Social views: A mix of liberal and conservative views.
Wealth views: The wealthy are respected and often considered a useful supply of tax money
Non-sapient views: Treated as "legally human" equals.

[The Multiversal Free Trade Corporation]

How would you describe your nation? An Anarcho-Capitalist society centred around the Corporation.
Personal Liberty: High, what the consumers do isn't the Corporation's business.
Economical Liberty: High, consumers may buy or sell whatever they want, no restrictions at all.
Political Liberty: High, consumers can elect their community leaders.
Defence Forces: MFTCSF (Multiversal Free Trade Corporation Security Forces).
Political system: Ruled by the Chairperson of the Corporation, a dictator, and the Board of Directors, his/her advisors.
Economical system: Pure Anarcho-Capitalism.
Environmental quality: The environment is exploited for resources to fuel economic expansion, however, we're funding thousands of scientists to help mitigate & repair the damage done.
Labour laws: None at all.
Scientific level: Very high.
Religiousness: Unimportent in regards to the Corporation.
Social views: You do whatever you want as long as it doesn't infringe on other's liberties or rights.
Wealth views: Wealth is a sign of cunning,intelligence, or being industrious.
Non-sapient views: Use them for your own ends, they are your property.

[Campana]

Personal Liberty: Extreme
Economical Liberty: Low
Political Liberty: Very Good
Defence Forces: Used rarely, only in emergencies
Political system: Libertarianism
Economical system: Socialism
Environmental quality: High
Labour laws: Workers own the industries.
Scientific level: Early PMT
Religiousness: Very low
Social views: Love thy neighbour. We iz lovin de comunitees, man.
Wealth views: Wealthy people are taxed and brought down to size.
Non-sapient views: Who cares? They're living beings too, ya know?

[Sabalta]

How would you describe your nation?- Very Coservative; Strong Capitalist Power; A bit oppressive to those who aren't wealthy

Personal Liberty: Wealthy- Many Poor- None

Economical Liberty: Massive

Political Liberty: None

Defence Forces: 4% of population

Political system: Imperialist; Absolute Monarchy

Economical system: Capitalism

Environmental quality: Good

Labour laws: None

Scientific level: Extremely High

Religiousness: Very (Roman Catholic)

Social views: None

Wealth views: The wealthy rule the nation

Non-sapient views: N/A

[Greater Mackonia]

Personal Liberty:Good

Economic Liberty:Very Little ..there is no such thing as economic freedom anyway

Political Liberty: Non-existent

Defense Forces:Brilliant , they receive nearly all the budget

Political System: Authoritarian Presidential

Economic System: Utilitarianism/Command economy

Environmental Quality: High

Labour Laws: Moderate the state looks after workers that work hard well

Scientific: High PMT

Religiousness:Low but those who follow Zingism follow it devoutly

Social Views: Moralistic but Liberal

Wealth Views: The wealthy have a responsibility to pay higher taxes to help the poor become wealthy.

Non-Sapient Views:If it aint Sapient it does not have rights but animals should be looked after and cruelty for cruelties sake is ghastly.

[Jaggerlonia]

Personal Liberty: Non Existant
Economical Liberty: Very High
Political Liberty: Non Existant
Defence Forces: 21%
Political system: Theocratic Monarchism, An Absolute Monarchy where the Kaisar/Kaisarina rule with an iron fist and Parliment is run by the Clergy
Economical system: Total government and Church control of all economical matters
Environmental quality: Non Existant
Labour laws: Non Existant
Scientific level: VERY NON EXISTANT
Religiousness: Extremly High
Social views: Those who do not follow the government or the State Church are either deported or treated as second class citizens
Wealth views: As long as 50% of all your wealth goes back to the Church, you can enjoy whatever you want!
Non-sapient views: HERETICS AND DEMONS IS WHAT WE CONSIDER NON HUMANISTIC BEINGS. But if their food production animals then they are food.

[Tedoka]

Tedoka is a mostly peaceful and quiet nation, where people are contented with their lives. Although not exactly a rich nation and not that endowed with natural resources, few people in the kingdom are homeless or starving.

The following can be described by different maxims in the Kingdom.

Personal Liberty: "You are free to do anything except to step on another's freedom."
Economical Liberty: "You are free to conduct business as long as you justly compensate the government and the workers."
Political Liberty: "The people will vehemently oppose any move to abolish the monarchy or promote military aggression, racism, or hate."
Defence Forces: "The desert, the mountains, and the sea are our defense force."
Political system: "Our government? It's a republic clothed in monarchical garb."
Economical system: "Laissez-faire, with a catch."
Environmental quality: "Everything down to the dust storms is mostly untouched. Unless you are referring to those mines."
Labour laws: "Gives capitalists a novel whenever they cut costs."
Scientific level: "I don't know what new contraption those students are making over there."
Religiousness: "Follow your heart."
Social views: "The natives welcomed us during the Kingdom's founding. We welcome all others in return."
Wealth views: "Rich or poor, I care not as long as there are four walls and a roof and food on the table.
Non-sapient views: "Just don't inflict unnecessary damage to them."

[Altmora]

A Corporate dominated sham democracy with corrupted civil rights and downright terrible political freedom. Its set on a planet with African evironment and western metropolitan cities. Poor people and rich people are living in completely different worlds, figuretlively speaking, and an unaccountable amount of races live there.

Personal Liberty: 11/10, Through the roof, exepct for killing folk and stealing, anything is possible
Economical Liberty: 9/10, i got taxes after all.
Political Liberty: 3/10, Some parties are banned and liberal and totalitarean parties are only permitted inside the Congress. Universal man suffrage
Defence Forces:8/10, depends on how you see it. The altmoran main army is normal sized, perhaps closely linked to the German army. The Altmoran security army is much larger.
Political system: Three house legislature with Supreme leader, Congress of elected representatives and Court of Judges (vary depending on religion, race etc.)
Economical system: Capitalism with Multicorporate Oligapoly and some government regulations. Lassiez-Faire
Environmental quality: 2/10, evironment is crap
Labour laws: 1/10, its the industrail revolution with child labour and even slaves
Scientific level: 8/10, Altmora keeps up with the rest of the galaxy.
Religiousness: 6/10, although most of the population is atheist there are many hundreds of religions in Altmora. No religion has a great influence, but togehter they have 46% of the population.
Social views: You take care of yourself and let the state be.
Wealth views: Rich people are Gods among men
Non-sapient views: Government takes no stand

[Lahuland]

Personal Liberty: Very high excepts criminals and traitors
Economical Liberty: Very high
Political Liberty: High with Multiple-Party System. But, the government can dissolve a political party if it has less than 1% votes on election or if it defect against the Kingdom or the King.
Defence Forces: TKL (Tentara Kerajaan Lahuland / Lahuland Royal Armed Forces)
Political system: Monarchy Absolute with Democratic Parliament
Economical system: Mixed-Capitalism
Environmental quality: Good
Labour laws: None
Scientific level: Very Intellectual
Religiousness: Secular Nation with Religious Toleration except on a dangerous violent religion
Social views: Extrovert and Introvert
Wealth views: Everybody is right to have wealth as long as he / she doesn't break the law.
Non-sapient views: No torturing animals! If you want to slaughter or to kill an animal, you must do it quickly.

[Alecanty Base]

How would you describe your nation? A quiet backwater amongst a vast collection of human states spread across four galaxies.
Personal Liberty: Fairly good, provided you are not too critical of the regime or subversive in your actions.
Economical Liberty: About average. Many things have been/are being privatised, while regulations are put in place to stifle competition in markets and maintain the oligopoly status quo.
Political Liberty: Fairly low nationally, although the municipal assemblies are democratic.
Defence Forces: Pitifully weak in comparison to the strongest states in the Commonwealth, but fairly large for a state in our 'local' space.
Political system: Hereditary Despotism, in which each ruler takes a 200-year term.
Economical system: Broadly state capitalist.
Environmental quality: Poor, although it was never great to start with. All major settlements are positioned underground, and most maintain a far more habitable and pleasant environment.
Labour laws: Lax, as most hard or dangerous labour is carried out either by unthinking machines or by hardened criminals.
Scientific level: FT, somewhat behind the Inner Territories of the Commonwealth and about average for a Rim Territory. Officially our technology is classed as 'developing'.
Religiousness: The official state religion and religion of most people is Salarism. According to the Constant Census, currently 48% of people class religion as "very important" to their daily lives and 27% of people class it as "important".
Social views: We are considered fairly conservative by most states of the Commonwealth (if they consider us at all, that is).
Wealth views: Wealth is great; everyone wants some.
Non-sapient views: Fair game for hunting, eating, breeding and experimentation.

[YellowApple]

How would you describe your nation?
Personal Liberty: High
Economical Liberty: High
Political Liberty: Moderate
Defence Forces: Strong
Political system: Autocratic corporate republic
Economical system: Laissez-faire
Environmental quality: High
Labour laws: Minimal (minimum wage is nonexistent, but unions are allowed to form and a number of safety standards are constantly in place)
Scientific level: High (faster-than-light travel, cybernetics and electromechanical prosthesis widespread, on the verge of consciousness upload/download)
Religiousness: Nearly nonexistent; freedom of worship is enforced by default, but few YellowApplans are religious
Social views: Secular, emphasis on rational thought
Wealth views: Wealth is good
Non-sapient views: Non-sapients make good pets. Hunting and ranching are okay. Animal experimentation is heavily regulated to ensure humane treatment.

[Tulija]

How would you describe your nation?:
Personal Liberty: Exceptionally High
Political Liberty: Very High
Defence Forces: Advanced but Medium Sized
Political system: Meritocratic Republic
Economical system: Capitalism
Environmental quality: Reasonable (improving)
Labour laws: Well structured
Scientific level: World Leader
Religiousness: (89% non-religious) Largely Uncommon
Social views: Liberal, with Welfare and Healthcare as standard
Wealth views: Treated like anyone else, if only taxed a bit more
Non-sapient views: Well Treated

[Urmanian]

Personal Liberty: Excessive, though the freedom of religion may be debatable.
Economical Liberty: Largely unregulated free market.
Political Liberty: Moderate.
Defence Forces: Strong, have a considerable power projection ability.
Political system: Autocratic theocracy with republican and meritocratic elements.
Economical system: Free market capitalism.
Environmental quality: Excessive, environmentalism is paramount and our species is quite nature-friendly.
Labour laws: Low.
Scientific level: Moderate, we somewhat lag behind other contemporary nations in technology but applications of magic serve to rectify that to a degree.
Religiousness: Extreme. We are a theocracy and religiousness is deeply ingrained in the society.
Social views: Liberal.
Wealth views: Wealth is success, success is good.
Non-sapient views: Non-sapient animals are treated as friends, with utmost kindness and respect.

[Dyste]

Personal Liberty: Dyste was specifically created to give Draconids a place to feel free; they are allowed to do basically anything they desire that isn't illegal (murder, theft, animal cruelty)
Economical Liberty: There are only a few different types of jobs within the kingdom, and the major ones (mining, farming, fishing) are all partially controlled by the state.
Political Liberty: King Tyroth listens to the desires of his people, but he still has the final say in anything.
Defence Forces: Due to the way our military works, it is actually very inexpensive to maintain; the only real expenditures are weapons (which tends to be a single weapon they use for their career), and the capes they wear to protect against their weak element. Their military is purely defensive in nature.
Political system: Currently an absolute monarchy.
Economical system: The necessities to survive - food, shelter, education, healing - are things that everyone is entitled to. Things such as entertainment or luxury items you do have to pay for.
Environmental quality: Draconids can be considered naturalists; as magic is considered a part of nature, they treat it with respect while still finding ways to improve on it.
Labour laws: While a bit lax, exploiting workers or being unfair to them is not permitted.
Scientific level: Dyste studies magic the same way a human nation would study science; in that regard, they would be considered quite advanced. In the matter of what humans would consider science, they would actually be seen as quite primitive.
Religiousness: Depends on the individual; they are a fairly spiritual race, but don't frequently worship a deity. They view religion as a set of ideals, not a way of life.
Social views: People are allowed to do as they please as long as it does not infringe of the rights of others or is disrespectful to the monarchy. Aside from the Royal Family, all Draconids are seen as equal, though some may get more respect than others.
Wealth views: Being wealthy or not has no real impact to your social standing.
Non-sapient views: Wind Drakes are a deeply loved, friendly, harmless species that many Draconids keep as pets; harming one is considered a crime. Cruelty to animals is frowned upon, but the citizens are allowed to defend themselves if one attacks them.