OriginsThe idea of a new nation, based on a radical perception of Man as a whole, appeared as early as the 1920s, but did not gain prominence until 1956, when a group of lecturers from the University of Ragsburg and several well-known intellectuals from the Spartanian Federation founded the Hipparchus society of knowledge and progress. Initially a philosophical workshop, the HSKP soon became a radical anti-globalist think-tank, attracting prominent artists, scientists and lecturers from both the Spartanian Federation and abroad. By 1960, the HSKP was renamed to Hypparchian society, and had an increasing influence over cultural life in Spartania. Pleading for the creation of a new nation with a moral code and values, cleared from the prejudices of the Old World, the Hipparchus society now attracted even ordinary workers in its lines.
A turnpoint for the HS's existence was the Whitefield purge in 1963, when a number of the organization's leaders were arrested and imprisoned for "crimes against national values". This sparked a national rebellion, which was short-lived and quickly became a bloodbath, after brutal actions by Spartania's army. Although it failed, the rebellion seriously destabilised Spartania's political system and disorganised all economic activity. Anti-government protests and worker's strikes plagued all of the autonomous republics and regions of the enormous federation, but did not succeed in the installment of a new government. However, domestic instability caused the government to take protective measures and develop a wide range of weaponry, as well as undertaking a program for increasing the army's personnel.
This made tensions with the neighbouring Stamotian People's Republic rise, and in 1967 a border conflict errupted. Two months after that, the Spartanian Federation falled into anarchy as the government of Constantine DuBois was toppled through a military coup. As Stamotian forces advanced into enemy territory, the Spartanian army decided to launch a massive biological strike on all major enemy cities. By this time, a flood of refugees boarded four ships, acquired by the Hypparchian society. By the time this fleet, nicknamed "The Children of Dust", leaved it, Spartania began to suffer the effects of its own weapons. In addition, Stamotia used its single superweapon in retaliation, the PRS-3, to disperse an enormous ash cloud over the Spartanian Federation, causing a severe drop in temperatures and destroying almost all wildlife there. By 1968, the SF effectively ceased to exist, and its population, for most part, left those territories or died of starvation.
A soldier of the former Spartanian army with protective gear outside a NBC shelter, 1968
The four ships, which comprised the "Children of Dust", headed north-west through the Galilean Ocean immediately after departure. The refugees, mostly Hypparchian society members, initially planned to set up a new colony near the Arctic circle, in the frozen (but resource-rich) Borealand subcontinent. This endeavour failed, as one of the ships sank and all but six of its crewmembers perished. The Hypparchian high command decided to head for the uninhabited polar Avarakian archipelago, and establish a capital on Elwukamag island. In 1969, the city of Equinox was founded, and marked Hypparchia's birth.
Establishment of Hypparchia and socialist ruleIn order to secure a stable government, a temporary Military Council was established, headed by lt. Fruzhin Dimitrov. The council decided to pursue a 5-year plan in order to stabilise the new republic. After its completion, the Military Council gave up its power and privileges, and announced the creation of the Hypparchist Republican Party (HRP), a left-leaning organisation which promoted socialist economic policies while remaining aligned with the ideals for a new order. After consolidating its power inside the state, the HRP initiated the second 5-year plan, aimed at creating a road network and other infrastructure on all 11 islands of the archipelago, and then - the third 5-year plan aimed at creating an efficient industry. Communes were established in order to improve control over production and work. The HRP introduced censorship on all media and established a secret police service.
Transformation into an authoritarian stateThe Hypparchist Republican Party eventually became the dominant force in all public life in Hypparchia. Many of the original Hipparchist ideals, such as those of individual freedom, "people's control over the economy" and rationalism were abolished in favor of Marxist-Leninist-like policies. Initial military influences played a major role in this transformation. The party itself was formed around a core of officers, former members of the Military Council. Lt. Fruzhin Dimitrov, former head of the Council, remained in power despite giving up his position. He was promoted to Secretary General of the HRP in 1977, and by 1979 had established himself as an authoritarian leader of the state. The Secret police service ("Derzhavinis Sigirno") conducted operations against opponents of the regime, and eventually sentenced them to labor camp service or even death. Under Fruzhin's rule, an estimated 267,000 people were arrested and executed in charge of "crimes against the State".
Meanwhile, Hypparchia's ever-expanding population reached a number, which could not be supported by the archipelago's resources, and its economy became unstable. In order to prevent an economic crisis, in 1981 Dimitrov announced an economic reform package, which included the legalization of private economic activity and the creation of State-regulated private markets. However, the newly-implemented market reforms never produced the intended effect. The isolated Socialist state never managed to make any serious economic agreements with other states, thus, food and power shortages became prevalent. This caused the formation of many opposition and political pressure groups. While Dimitrov managed to eliminate the leaders of many of those groups, by 1985 it was evident that a political and economic catastrophy was imminent.
Civil war and Democratic Republic of HypparchiaA fundamentalist religious group, the "Warriors of Peace" was founded in 1985, which gathered popular support throughout the poorer communities of the country. In 1986, the "Warriors of Peace" organized an uprise and a coup attempt, which failed after an army intervention. The growing instability caused the formation of two other militia groups - the anarchist "Freedom and Prosperity Movement", and the fascist "National Unity for Glory and Country". Both attempted to topple the government on their own, without success. Finally, the three militia movements united under a "Democratic Front", and caused widespread violence and riots.
The so-called "Democratic Front" finally managed to overthrow the government on 5 November 1987, and proclaimed a "Democratic Republic of Hypparchia" (DRH). The government of Ismael Wali, also leader of "Warriors of Peace", initiated a theocratical rule. Fruzhin Dimitrov, as well as many of his loyal ministers and secret police commanders, were executed. However, Wali's theocratic policies were extremely unpopular among Hypparchians which doomed his government to a rapid downfall.
Vadim Pavelic (center) and members of his "National Unity for Glory and Country" party on a rally in Equinox, 1992
Only two months after the 5 November events Wali was overthrown and killed by Vadim Pavelic of the NUGC. Pavelic ruled with an iron fist from 1987 to 1993, and managed to build a strong, industry and export-based economy, but severely limited civil and political rights. He is credited with the creation of the Cleric service - superbly trained, almost emotionless policemen, who tracked and eliminated any opposition inside the country.
Pavelic, even though a staunch Fascist, was educated in the Hipparchist principles and announced his goal of reforming Hypparchia into an egalitarian technocratic state by the year 2015. He diverted half the military budget for the purpose of developing science and industry. By incorporating scientific research and development centers into factories, Pavelic aimed at creating what he called "technological maternity wards" (TMW) - small towns, engaged only in industrial production and scientific research. These complexes produced stanning quantities of advanced, high-quality machinery which were to be integrated in Hypparchia's infrastructure. The results were impressive - from 1988 to 1990, electricity consumption increased by 60% due to efficient energy production facilities, while energy efficiency reached 100% by 1991 through the "Ecological and technological homes" program. The struggling State-owned car manufacturing companies were eliminated, and automobile production was diverted to the TMWs. Petrol-based vehicles were banned and replaced with lighter, locally produced electric cars. Fossil-fuel based public transport was also scrapped. Hypparchia's nuclear powerplants powered the now almost completely electricity-based infrastructure, while oil imports were cancelled.
While these, and other, economic policies turned Hypparchia into a developed country, Pavelic's other policies were not at all successful. All newspapers except the official "National Hypparchian Herald" were banned; censorship was severe, and even the slightest disapproval of Pavelic's rule was immediately punished with execution. His portraits appeared in every edifice, hall and classroom. Discontent was especially strong among the military, who lost half their funding in favor of his technocratic policies.
The DRH existed until 1996, when pro-HRP military forces toppled Pavelic's government and regained control over the country, but this lasted briefly. Two years later, this government collapsed, Hypparchia fell into anarchy and effectively ceased to exist. In the following chaos, several factions dominated the political landscape - remains of the Democratic Front, the Cleric Society (made of former Republican police services - the Clerics), the Military and the Communists. Due to their vast knowledge on internal affairs, excellent intelligence branch, perfect training and logistics, the Clerics managed to defeat their opponents. In 1996, they proclaimed a Grand People's Republic of Hypparchia, crushed all civil resistance and installed total control over the economy.
Cleric ruleCleric law introduced obligatory uniform attire for all citizens as part of the transition to Hipparchism.
Characterized by extensive control over the country, the Cleric Council initiated a program of mass re-education. According to Pierce Mosley, the leading Cleric ideologist, the main reason for Hypparchia's initial downfall and political instability is the "traditional" mentality of its population. According to Mosley, many Old World perceptions and concepts, such as the belief in money as a universal mean of trade, all types of social division and the emotional and "ideological symptosis" of countries with firm government control, still persist in the mindset of Hypparchia's citizens. A radical reform in the educational system was carried out, in parallel with a massive propaganda campaign promoting "spiritual self-sufficiency", "complete self-control" and "ideological firmness". This movement, at least in part, succeeded in stabilizing Hypparchia's volatile society.
Disbandment of the Cleric governmentAfter declaring the success of transition to Hipparchism, the Cleric Council disbanded itself. The Cleric Corps continues its existence, but the governing body was replaced by a Supreme People's Assembly with 387 members, supervized by a Grand chairman. Much of the old administrative system was preserved, but various social reforms have been planned to be carried out by 2025.
The Supreme People's Assembly announced the scrapping of all private trading activity, declaring it a "remnant of an unfunctioning capitalist system", and replaced all markets with state-operated "supply centers". Private production facilities have not been abolished, and will continue to receive small-scale state subsidies and logistical aid. Meanwhile, a geographic expedition southwards discovered an enormous, resource-rich continent, which would provide a significant resource base for Hypparchia's development and expansion. Its northernmost parts were colonized, and currently extensive construction and development work are being performed there.
A change in national symbols has also been carried out. The Grammaton Cross flag has been a replaced with a new one. It contains three horizontal bands of black (top), black (triple width), and again black; the center band is edged in white; on the hoist side of it is a white disk with a red five-pointed star - symbol of inspiration and martial spirit; the broad band symbolizes Hipparchist traditions and faith; the narrow white bands stands for purity, strength, and dignity, while the narrow black bands stand for stability of the system and the state. The Grammaton Cross continues to be in use, although not official; the coat of arms has not been changed. The national anthem was changed from the silent, technocratic tune of "Hidden Souls" to "Rule of Justice", a more imposing and powerful tune.