New Britain (1983: Doomsday)

From Alternative History

New Britain is a state located in southern Africa. It acted as a homeland for British survivors of Doomsday. New Britain is known by many names, including New Blighty, Third British Empire and the British African Empire. Since its formation, New Britain has done much to make the previous injustices of apartheid illegal.

Contents 1 History 2 Regions 3 Law 4 Politics 5 Military 6 Economy 7 Religion 8 International Relations 9 Current Situation 10 Flag 11 See also

[edit] History

See main article: History of New Britain

[edit] Regions

• Makana
• Kouga
• Ndlambe
• Camdeboo
• Sunday's River Valley
• Blue Crane Route
• Kou-Kamma
• Baviaans
• Ikwezi
• Aberdeen Plain
• Mandela City
• British Antarctic Territories: New Britain has established a small colony in Antarctica in an effort to see if they can tap the natural resources located there.
• Saint Helena

[edit] Law

New Britain's way of maintaining order and stopping the various ethnic groups from collapsing into civil war is through instilling an idea of community, embracing the "cultural unity" of the Old Empire. When that doesn't work, the government falls back on the "Establishment of the Realm act". The act allows government representatives to keep law and order in their territory through draconian punishment. Minor crimes get lashes and time in the stockade, while major crimes such as murder  are punishable by death Treason is punishable by summary exacution by firing squad

[edit] Politics

Politics is dominated by the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Parties. However there are many other parties who have varying beliefs from the Communist Party of New Britain to the British Nationalist Party. An increasingly popular party currently, in the run up to the general election is the British Imperial Party, a liberal nationalist party. The Labour and Conservative paries are even less likely to win due to the uncovering of a smear scheme aimed against the BIP.

[edit] Military

The military of New Britain is deeply respected since it was them who founded the nation and set up the government that initiated the Exodus. It has fought in many engagements against KwaXhosa and the Orange Free State as well as attacking various warlords. The British people are deeply pained to know that their occupation of KwaXhosa cost them their Observer Status in the League of Nations. However this doesn't stop the Armed Forces from being quite large. On October 12th British forces were officially withdrawn from KwaXhosa though a large border garrison exists to ensure KwaXhosan compliance to the Anglo-Xhosa Treaty.

On September 15th, New Britain attacked various warlordships to the north and extended its frontier dramatically. There were scenes of great jubilation in Port Elizabeth as well as in the liberated provinces.

Although the navy is by far the largest and best equipped of the Armed Forces, the RAF and the Army are being re-equipped in tandem with the expansion in industry.

The most elite regiment in the New British army is the Special Air Services, made up of the fromer units of the SAS, SBS, and the Rhodesian SAS.

Other regiments include: the Life Guards, the Grenadier Guards, the Parachute Regiment, the Rifles, the Green Jackets, the Royal Hussars, and the Light Dragoons. The first two are the household regiments the rest are the regulars.

[edit] Economy

New Britain has strove to maintain a semblance of free market policy, but Doomsday forced them to adopt nationalization. Because of this socialism has a strong influence on government politics. The economy of New Britain is primarily agricultural. Many of the farms have been settled by British refugees under government supervision. The government has also began a program to redistribute the wealth of the white minority to the more populous blacks.

Many British people who fled to South Africa believe that the cause of World War III was industrialization and prefer the simple life. However other people, particularly Asians and Africans who had lived in poverty before Doomsday alongside some of the less well off British, want to reconstruct New Britain as an industrial nation. This division is one of the issues often discussed in the New British Parliament.

Technological progress has been slow, as the country concentrates more on building up former prosperity. It currently has little in funding for renewable resources, with its efforts aimed at utilizing the existing energy infrastructure. Recently a mass industrialisation has begun in an effort to make New Britain's influence felt on the international scene.

[edit] Religion

In the aftermath of Doomsday, faith in organised religion was brought to the brink. Christianity is still the dominant religion in New Britain, Anglicansim having evolved into Britannicism. Britannicism is basically Anglicansim that has absorbed the remnants of the Church of Scotland and Ireland as well as various African aspects. Other elements from the Asian community in South Africa have been added as well. However the atheist community constitutes a large proportion to the populace. Many theologians have observed that though Doomsday brought the greatest threat to religion ever seen, its very severity was its salvation. So bad was Doomsday that people looked to a higher being to help them where common humanity could not. A few new religions have sprung up in New Britain. Camelotism preaches the way of the warrior, combining ancient scruples of the knights of old with traditional aspects of the tribal warrior. Albionism believes that the British themselves are demi-gods, destined to survive the greatest catastrophes and battle against the greatest odds. And finally the Cult of the Once and Future King. This cult believes that Arthur was a god and that all Kings and Queens of the British are the continuance of that divine lineage and are blessed by the hand of the almighty.

[edit] International Relations

New Britain has dropped all claims on the British Isles in order to ensure co-operation.

New Britain's observer status in the League of Nations was suspended for their continued occupation of KwaXhosa. Following the Anglo-Xhosa Treaty, KwaXhosa's military is limited but not occupied by New Britain. Membership of the League has been requested again.

In 1984 the British Survivors Administration (BSA) was created to help British refugees in Australia. Since contact was reestablished with New Britain, the BSA has worked to encourage British immigration to New Britain.

New Britain claims the area of Southwest Africa, under the claim that since the collapse of the South African government, the mandate on it passed into the hands of the legitamate successor to the British Parliament, in this case New Britain.

New Britain has proposed that the Azanian League and itself move into KwaXhosa and form a Codominion under League supervision.

New Britain has proposed that a new Commonwealth could exist in a similar fashion to the Nordic Union. Suggested members are Australia-New Zealand, Canada, Victoria, Celtic Alliance, Northumbria, Cleveland and any US successor states.

[edit] Current Situation

Currently, New Britain is attaining new heights in technology and industry as it expands its infrastructure. The Pound is become far stronger in Southern Africa and British goods such as automobiles and consumer electronics are some of the best quality in the region. It is on the verge of a general election and political tensions are high. Feeling towards KwaXhosa and the League of Nations is generally negative, most people thinking that the League defends 'a nation of hardliners and terrorists' from one of the few stable, democratic nations in the region.

[edit] Flag

See Main Article: Union Flag

[edit] See also

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