Interactive Simulation BETA

Nation Simulator

Design a nation from the ground up. Choose your economic system, political system, government structure, and initial conditions — then simulate 50 years of history and see how your choices play out.

Based on empirical political science and economic history. Outcomes reflect real-world patterns and tensions observed across dozens of countries and centuries.

1

Name Your Nation

Set the stage: give your nation a name, choose its starting geography, and set the opening year.

2

Economic System

How is production organized? Who owns the means of production? How are prices and allocation determined?

🏭
Capitalism
Private ownership, free markets, profit motive drives allocation. Property rights protected by law.
High growth potential Innovation incentives Inequality risk Market failures
Real examples: USA, UK, South Korea
⚖️
Mixed Economy
Market economy with substantial state intervention: welfare state, regulated industries, public goods provision.
Stability Reduced market failure Bureaucracy overhead Tax burden
Real examples: Germany, Canada, Sweden
🤝
Socialism
Collective or state ownership of key industries; markets may exist but with worker or community control of major sectors.
Reduced inequality Public welfare Lower private investment Political incentives
Real examples: Cuba, early Israel kibbutzim, Bolivia
⭐
Communism
State ownership of all means of production; central planning replaces markets. Aims for classless society via vanguard state.
Theoretical equality Full employment Planning failures Authoritarian drift
Real examples: USSR, Maoist China, Cuba
⚓
Mercantilism
State-directed economy to maximize exports and national power. Protectionist trade policy, strategic industries subsidized.
Trade surplus focus Industrial policy Trade conflict risk Inefficiency
Real examples: Early modern England, France, modern China (elements)
🏰
Feudalism
Land-based hierarchy. Nobility controls territory; serfs provide labor in exchange for protection. Minimal market activity.
Social stability (rigid) No growth Extreme inequality No mobility
Real examples: Medieval Europe, Feudal Japan, Ethiopia to 1974
3

Political System

How is power legitimized and transferred? Who rules, and by what right?

🗳️
Democracy
Rule by the people through free elections. Civil liberties protected. Opposition parties legal. Press freedom guaranteed.
Legitimacy Civil liberties Slow decisions Populism risk
Real examples: USA, Germany, India, Brazil
👁️
Authoritarianism
Concentrated power, limited political freedoms. Opposition suppressed. Leader or party holds power by force or controlled elections.
Quick decisions Stability (short-term) Repression costs Succession crises
Real examples: China, Russia, Singapore (soft), Saudi Arabia
💎
Oligarchy
A small elite — economic, military, or hereditary — controls the state. Formal institutions may exist but serve elite interests.
Elite coordination Corruption Popular unrest State capture
Real examples: Russia (2000s), many Latin American states historically
☪️
Theocracy
Religious law is the supreme authority. Clerical leadership governs or vets political decisions. Secular opposition is suppressed.
Social cohesion (religious) Minority repression Scientific stagnation International isolation
Real examples: Iran, Taliban Afghanistan, Vatican historically
🌀
Anarchy
No centralized state authority. Voluntary cooperation, mutual aid, and horizontal self-organization replace coercive government.
Maximum freedom No oppression Coordination failures External vulnerability
Real examples: Catalonia 1936, Zapatista communities, some kibbutzim
4

Government Structure

How are executive, legislative, and judicial powers organized? How are decisions made institutionally?

🦅
Presidential
Separately elected executive and legislature. President serves fixed terms. Checks and balances via separation of powers.
Clear executive authority Term limits Gridlock risk Winner-takes-all
Real examples: USA, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia
🏛️
Parliamentary
Executive drawn from and accountable to legislature. Government can be removed by vote of no confidence. Faster policy-making.
Accountability Efficient legislation Instability No fixed terms
Real examples: UK, Germany, Canada, India, Japan
🗺️
Federal
Power divided between national and regional/state governments. Constitutionally entrenched regional autonomy. Policy experimentation possible.
Regional autonomy Policy diversity Coordination costs Inequality by region
Real examples: USA, Germany, India, Australia, Switzerland
🎯
Unitary
Single central government holds supreme authority. Regional governments exist but are subordinate. Uniform national policy.
Policy coherence Efficiency Less local control Centralization risks
Real examples: France, Japan, UK, Sweden, China
👑
Constitutional Monarchy
Hereditary monarch as symbolic head of state. Real power held by elected parliament. Strong continuity and legitimacy.
Stability & continuity Soft power Hereditary inequality Succession uncertainty
Real examples: UK, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Spain, Netherlands
5

Initial Policy Settings

Fine-tune your government's approach to key policy dimensions. These interact with your system choices above.

35%
5% (minimal)75% (maximum)

Higher taxes fund public services but reduce private investment and can cause capital flight.

40%
5% (laissez-faire)95% (total planning)

More state control enables coordinated development but reduces market efficiency signals.

70%
5% (total repression)100% (full freedom)

Higher civil liberties improve legitimacy and innovation but reduce regime control.

3%
1% (minimal)20% (militaristic)

Security vs. social spending trade-off. High military spending can trigger arms races.

5%
1% (minimal)15% (very high)

Builds long-term human capital and innovation capacity. Pays off after ~10 years.

60%
5% (autarky)100% (free trade)

Open trade boosts efficiency and growth but exposes the economy to global shocks.

38
20 (very equal)65 (very unequal)

Starting distribution. High inequality generates political instability over time.

20%
0% (secular)100% (full theocracy)

Religious governance affects minority rights, social cohesion, and international relations.

6

Simulation Settings

Configure how the simulation runs. Random events add realism — no country controls its fate entirely.

Simulation runs ~50 calculated steps. Results appear instantly.

Simulating history...

Calculating 50 years of political and economic dynamics.

Nation Statistics — Final State

After 50 years of simulated history. Compare against historical analogues below each indicator.

50-Year Trends

How key indicators evolved over time. Hover over lines for values.

GDP per Capita

Human Development Index

Political Stability

Inequality (Gini)

Historical Chronicle

Key events during your nation's history.

System Tensions

Structural contradictions and pressures within your chosen system combination.

Historical Analogues

Real-world nations with similar system combinations and their historical trajectories.

System Analysis

What If You Had Chosen Differently?

Counterfactual outcomes for alternative system combinations.