BARD PAPER: OPAL7001

Bolivar

E976654-5

by Idiot/Savant

Originally a balkanised agricultural world exporting mainly to Ximenes and Rith, Bolivar was only mildly affected by the Collapse. While there was some damage, as the few ships in the system went wild or crashed, there was no breakdown of governmental authority, no mass die-off, no descent into disorder and chaos. The lack of offworld imports has forced Bolivar to rely on its own (lower-tech) production capabilities, but the loss of technology has not been significant (and critical technologies - eg the ability to manufacture filter masks to deal with the atmosphere's excess CO2 - have not been lost).

Bolivar's national governments were dissolved when the planet was forcibly integrated into the Solomani Confederation during the Second Rim War; since then, the world has been governed by the Solomani Party. Suffrage is universal, but only Party members (who must be of Solomani descent) are eligible for election. Despite this undemocratic setup, the party enjoys almost universal public support.

The benefits of Party Membership are not restricted to the politically active - the Party forms a kind of "old boy network", thus membership is also advantageous to those in buisness or seeking government contracts. However, more overt corruption is almost unheard of in Bolivarian society. Racism, on the other hand, is common - the Party's doctrine of inherant Solomani superiority having been retained.

Bolivar Government Values: