About Novaltia
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Novaltia is a sovereign European nation-state founded in 2004, which has the welfare and security of its own Citizens as its only mission. The word Novaltia comes from Latin roots nova, meaning 'new', alta, meaning 'heights', joined with the Latin suffix ia, denoting land or territory. Hence Novaltia literally means ‘The land of new heights’.
The founders of Novaltia looked around and realized that the world has devolved into a place that is no longer suitable for families, the bedrock of civilisation. Economies have been so ravished by new fiscal paradigms that often both parents must leave the home to work, gravely neglecting proper child-rearing.
Children and teenagers are condemned to propaganda-laden instruction in immense government schools, resulting neither in education (in the classical sense) nor in job-training (in the practical one). Middle-aged adults watch their wages decrease as their expenses rise and pensions evaporate, feeling more and more helpless. And the elderly, after a lifetime of devoted service to society, are repaid with violent crime, neglect, and barracks-like living conditions in isolated nursing facilities.
On top of this dreariness, the once-ordinary consolations to be found in mainstream life are fewer and fewer. Mass media outdoes itself ever year in crassness and subversion, pushing the common cultural denominators ever-lower. With the nearly wholesale eradication of traditional social values, and the ceaseless promotion of short-term consumerism, most people collapse into nihilists of one shade or another, resigning themselves to fill their lives with such meaning as may be garnered from cheaply-made trinkets.
The founders of Novaltia, seeing this, and knowing from history that things need not be this way, resolved to start fresh: to create a new nation-state which earnestly seeks and promotes goodness for its own people, without compromise.
What makes Novaltia different from other nations?
The time-honoured concept of the nation-state has been increasingly sidelined since the second World War by a new multicultural model, in which the nationhood (or ethnic folk) of a state are regarded as unimportant and arbitrary populations, with the real importance attached to the power and prestige of the state (or government) instead.
In this way of thinking, it would not matter if the whole population of Lithuania were supplanted by Eskimos, for example, so long as the government of Lithuania remained in place, and large corporate enterprises and multinational banks were still able to squeeze out their profits from that particular territorial ‘zone’.
This misguided theory is wrong and perverse, and the polar opposite of legitimate statehood. Novaltans firmly reject, therefore, the notion that ‘might makes right’.
Novaltia’s uniqueness derives from its deep commitment to the welfare of its own Citizens above all else – a commitment not just in theory or rhetoric, but one in practise. Indeed, Novaltia was established for just that purpose alone.
The short answer: Yes.
The long answer: Yes. Like with many other facets of political philosophy, there are many different ideas and opinions about sovereignty. The science of logic tells us that the degree to which an idea is prevalent or popular has no bearing on whether or not that idea is in fact true (argumentum ad populum), and this applies as much to sovereignty as to any other concept.
Uniquely, contemporary opinions about sovereignty are largely assembled from third-party legal fiats, rather than from philosophical deduction – despite these settlements having no relevant jurisdiction. Two of the most prominent of these landmark decrees are the so-called Westphalian Peace of 1648, and the Montevideo Convention of 1933, which was only signed by 19% of the world’s countries, all of them in the Americas.
The Westphalian treaties concluded the Thirty Years’ War amongst the states of the Holy Roman Empire (an entity, as Voltaire pointed out, which was ‘neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire’), in an attempt, as in all such treaties, to retroactively broker the legitimacy and spoils of such victors left standing by force of arms. The new perception of sovereignty which emerged from this charade, whilst in accord with Novaltia’s view of a state being matched with a constituent nation, also endorsed a more dangerously de facto vision of sovereignty: i.e., that a state would not be sovereign if its internal affairs could be tampered with by an external or higher human power. To use an analogy, this is the international equivalent of saying that if a human being is assaulted, then they lose their humanity and human rights.
For better or worse, Westphalian sovereignty became a meme and dominated political thought from the late 17th through the early 20th centuries. And, although its name is still used to refer to the present status quo of statehood, it has been largely replaced in substance by internationalism and supranationalism – which posit that invasions, interventions, and international organisations like the United Nations are justified and even necessary, in order to ‘enforce’ one’s own worldviews on those elsewhere for whom mere persuasion fails to convince. This global-caveman paradigm is rejected wholly by Novaltia, in favour of unembellished, national self-determination.
The Montevideo Convention, which like the Westphalian treaties is now de facto void even for its own signatories, was an agreement among North and South American countries initiated by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt during his first year in office. It boldly attempted to codify (and therefore control) the otherwise fiercely independent Declarative theory of statehood, which posits in its pure form that no state needs rely on the acknowledgement of any other actor for its existence as a legitimate state entity.
While this underlying sentiment is far from repugnant, and is, in fact, admired by Novaltia, its actual execution in the Convention does omit some vital elements, whilst inserting others which undermine its sanctity. Indeed, to give weight, authority, or credence to the Montevideo Convention at all implicitly acknowledges that a human authority higher than the state can be summoned to legislate its first principles – a dangerous and false idea that was perhaps the true intended message of its authors. In any event, the United States long ago rendered the Convention a dead letter even in the most realist terms by its own chronic and unrepentant violation of article eight, to wit: ‘No state has the right to intervene in the internal or external affairs of another.’
As temeritous as the Montevideo farce was, however, it cannot hold a candle to the pretensions of the Constitutive theory of statehood. This theory posits that only diplomats can determine when and whether a sovereign state exists – and not just any diplomats, but, in practise, only the diplomats of ‘Great Powers’, a self-styled attribute. Needless to say, Novaltia rejects this confabulation as well.
Sovereignty is simply another way of saying ‘highest legitimate human authority’ over a particular people and/or territory. Novaltans know that true sovereignty is not endowed by might alone, since otherwise sovereignty would be transferred (at least temporarily) to any brute in the commission of a violent crime. A band of brigands would be able to invade one’s house and rightfully declare it as their own sovereign allodial property, were this to be true. Real sovereignty, then, comes not from force, but from moral right. And just as moral right cannot be determined by who has the most guns, neither can it be conjured or abrogated by mere fiat.
Moral right to govern is determined solely and simply by the population being governed. This is equally true whether a population is standing together in one place at once, or whether it is spread out over many places, among other peoples. The connection to government is a personal one, but it is also tribal, through the lens of a nation.
Novaltia is sovereign because the people of Novaltia are united in the Novaltic Crown, as well as by everything else it represents, such as a shared language, laws, morality, church, and culture. The consent of those who are not subjects of the Novaltic Crown is not required or even sought. No human power can overrule the Crown in right of internal Novaltic affairs except the Novaltic nation itself – which is to say, Novaltic Citizens acting in corporate unison by the spirit of Novaltia.
Land that Novaltia owns and will own in the short-term future, however, is not sovereign Novaltic territory, even if the government and nation of Novaltia are sovereign. Governments frequently own parcels of land within other countries for various reasons, under the laws of the host countries. Such ownership is viewed like any other land holding by any other private institution or individual, since, in any case, a domestic for-profit or non-profit trust is set up in the host nation for the property-holding purposes.
Possessing sovereign territory, whilst a long-term goal of any nation, is not a primary mission of Novaltia at this point. Instead, the Novaltic government is dedicated to supporting the Novaltic people wheresoever they live, whilst planning for the purchase of land for the development of Shires.
A Novaltic Shire is the basic constitutional unit of the Novaltic state, and consists of about two hundred families, in a largely self-sufficient manner. Territorially, the average Shire is about 100 hectares (or 250 acres, plus a buffer zone), walled and guarded in a fashion, similarly, though not identically to, a suburban gated community.
All normal public services are provided therein, solely by Novaltic institutions, including police and fire protection and other emergency services, a hospital-grade medical facility, a post office with postal delivery, schools, libraries, roads, shops, offices, dentists, recreational areas, and of course residences, among many other enterprises, amenities, and utilities. Essentially, one could be born, live a whole life, and die in a Shire, without the necessity of having ever to leave it if one so desired – much like the vast majority of our ancestors did among the villages of Europe in times not long past.
The Shire is locally governed by a House of Burgesses, which is comprised of all of the vote-qualified Citizens in the Shire, on a rotational basis. They elect a Sheriff (from the older English, ‘Shire Reeve’), who serves as chief executive for government functions, as well as appoints the heads of all civil departments. A Lord-Lieutenant, appointed by the Sovereign from the Novaltic nobility (or else a local figure of high repute ennobled for the purpose) serves as the impartial, ceremonial leader of the Shire and as its ‘mini’ constitutional monarch. The Lord-Lieutenant will generally be of an Earl’s rank, and have the title-name of the Shire, owing to the long historical association of Earls and Shires in Anglo-Saxon history, and analogous Count and County association on the Continent.
The capital of Novaltia, to be built first, will consist of two or more contiguous Shires in Eastern Europe, with architectural styles representing the varied European heritages of the Novaltans who will live there, from Swedish to English to French to Hungarian, and all in between. Most Shires, however, will be located all over Europe, with their inhabitants being Novaltans from the particular host country, and with such Shires reflecting, aesthetically at least, a more traditional and wholesome version of that host country.
A Parish is a sub-division of a Shire, consisting of about fifty families. It is used to better serve the local community, as well as a useful area of apportionment for selecting certain representative offices, such as Members of Parliament, in rotation.
What is Commonwealth Founding Day?
Commonwealth Founding Day can mean one of two things. When it is used alone, it refers to the literal Founding day of Novaltia, which was the 27th of October, 2004. When the phrase is accompanied by a Roman numeral, however, then it refers to an anniversary of the Founding (e.g., 'Commonwealth Founding Day II" refers to the first anniversary of the Founding, and 'Commonwealth Founding Day VII' refers to the sixth anniversary of the Founding). Sometimes in the latter usage, the word 'Founding' is omitted.
Does Novaltia sell Citizenship, Passports, Titles of Nobility, etc.?
No. There is no fee or monetary cost in becoming a Novaltic Citizen, though that does not mean it is easy. The requirements are crafted in order to preserve the high-quality of our Citizenry. Passports and Honours are given only to Citizens, also without any fee, but only through proper channels and according to legitimate statutory procedures as outlined in Novaltic law.
If you have encountered any individual, organisation, or website claiming to be selling any Novaltic status, title, document, or property, please notify Novaltic law enforcement immediately at investigations@novaltia.org.
What is Novaltia’s foreign policy?
Novaltans wish peace, happiness, and prosperity to all the peoples of the world, and have a strict non-interventionist stance. Novaltia does not engage in or seek alliances with other states, and has not yet formally extended recognition to any other state, nor explicitly denied it either.
Novaltia does, however, explicitly disavow and repudiate any claims of sovereignty by would-be supranational entities, as well as the existence of so-called ‘international law’; not out of any disagreement with the noble causes of peace and human rights, but out of Novaltia’s firm and principled conviction that a nation-state is the highest sovereign human authority that can exist. This repudiation does not extend to international organisations which maintain no pretenses to sovereignty, compulsion, or militarism, but which exist as wholly volountary associations.
Does one have to be religious in order to become a Citizen of Novaltia?
All Citizens are simultaneously members of the Church of Novaltia, which is a faith that primarily concerns itself with the spiritual well-being of Novaltans, and the promotion of virtue, by the grace and worship of God. This being a core part of what it signifies to be a Novaltan means that other religions, and the lack of all religion, are not harmonious with Novaltic Citizenship. Such persons who are incompatible with this policy are accepted therefore not as Citizens, but as Denizens or as Resident Guests.
Even for Citizens, however, Church attendance is not mandatory, but membership cannot be revoked or resigned independently of Citizenship, with which it is integral. Marriages conducted within Novaltia, for example, are only legal when prescribed by rites of the Novaltic Church.
Is Novaltia some kind of a cult?
Not in the least. We are ordinary, rational people who have simply decided that rather than live in a pop culture-driven society that is growing increasingly hostile to our values and heritage, that we will instead simply go our own way and do things better. This spirit has imbued all of the great explorers, inventors, artists, and pioneers of history. All of the technology and progress that you enjoy today was originally conceived in quite the same way.
The world is very large and there are billions of people on it, each more or less taking life as they find it. We Novaltans, however, have decided not to leave our fate to chance, but rather to forge ahead with our own custom-tailored nation-state. If more people did as we are, according to their own lights, there would be conceivably many hundreds of Novaltia-type communities to choose from, each giving people a truly democratic freedom of choice – as well as that many more good reasons to arise from bed each morning with optimism and hope.
To learn more about how to become a Novaltic Citizen, please click here.
A Head of State is the symbolic head of the nation, and is often the chief diplomat and titular commander-in-chief as well. In Novaltia, the Sovereign is Head of State, and in this capacity He grants honours on behalf of all the Novaltic people, presides at functions of the first rank, reviews troops, and serves generally as the ceremonial leader of the Commonwealth. Contrast this with Head of Government, which is more of a political rôle, held by the Prime Minister.
The Crown can refer to two things: 1) the physical Crown Imperial, worn by the Sovereign on State occasions, and 2) the Crown corporation, which is to say, the legal character of the Monarchy as an institution, and as a fount of authority, the powers of which in practise are exercised by the main estates of society: namely the Privy Council (exercising executive authority), the Parliament (exercising legislative authority), the Supreme Court (exercising judicial authority), and the Church (exercising spiritual authority).
A Head of Government is the leader of the practical, day-to-day apparatus of the state. He directs the heads of senior agencies, helps to develop policy, and generally guides the course of the nation. In Novaltia, the Prime Minister serves in this rôle. Contrast this with the non-political functions of the Head of State (i.e., the Sovereign).
What is a Great Officer of State?
Great Officers of State are the five most senior advisors of the Sovereign, and hold the principal Offices of State, namely that of (in descending order of precedence): the Lord High and Great Steward, the Lord High and Great Chancellor, the Lord High and Great Marshal, the Lord High and Great Constable, and the Lord High and Great Chamberlain. Each Great Officer is a senior trustee of the Commonwealth, and oversees several Ministers. Although the law indicates that they must have the approval of the House of Lords for appointment, the fact that they are appointed by Order-in-Council also, in practise, means that their appointments must have the approval of a majority of the Privy Council. Great Officers serve for life or until retirement, resignation, replacement, or loss of a vote of confidence by Parliament, or technically, loss of confidence by the Privy Council or Sovereign.
What is a Minister of the Crown?
A Minister of the Crown is a head of a major section of Government, such as law enforcement, health, foreign affairs, education, and the like. Ministers are appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of Parliament. A full list of Ministers can be found by clicking here.
Novaltic’s succession law is determined by strict primogeniture, whereby elder sons succeed before younger sons, and elder brothers and their descendants succeed before younger brothers and their descendants. If the patrilineal line is extinguished, succession is then determined by conclave of the House of Lords, according to prescribed rules and customs, in effect to ascertain whom God has proclaimed as heir.
What are the duties of the Protector of the Faith?
As Protector of the Faith, the Sovereign may formally give advice on the appointments of the senior officers of the Novaltic Church, as well as on changes of Canon law. He generally offers such counsel in light of the over-arching interests and realities of the whole Commonwealth.
By convention and by implication the Sovereign is also Patriarch of Novaltia, and therefore Head of the Novaltic Communion. This is distinct from the person and office of the Patriarch of the Church (of Novaltia), often also referred to as Patriarch of Novaltia, who is the most senior clergyman and administrative Head of the Church. During situations in which the Patriarchal See is vacant, and there are also no remaining Cardinals or Bishops, the supreme power of the Church devolves upon the Sovereign in right of being Protector of the Faith, who may then revive the Novaltic episcopal succession, and, by stages, the Church's proper hierarchy. Even at other times, He retains autonomous clergical power to perform the Sacraments in a personal capacity.
What is are the duties of the Patriarch of the Church?
The Patriarch, as the most senior clergyman in the Novaltic Church, is its chief day-to-day executive, and symbolic leader. He is elected by the self-perpetuating College of Cardinals, and serves for life.
What is the Novaltic College of Cardinals?
The College of Cardinals is a self-perpetuating council of the most virtuous Novaltans (in practise being a grade of clergy, senior to Archbishop), which nominates the Patriarch of the Church in conclave, and acts as the Church’s legislature and court. The College may also render non-binding advice on any topic of its choice to the Government, and grant such advice when sought.
What is the Great Steward of the Commonwealth?
Great Steward of the Commonwealth is one of the principal titles in the regal style of the Novaltic Sovereign, and refers to the Sovereign’s supreme responsibility to sustain and advance the Novaltic nation-state in a wise and conservative manner, and for the long-term.
The Novaltic Lyre is the most prominent and important symbol of Novaltia, both as a Government and People. It resembles a Greek lyre, but distinctly has three scrolls and eight strings, both of these numbers being significant in Novaltic culture. The Novaltic Lyre appears in the Imperial Arms, the national flag, and more informally in other public and private contexts. It is also the primary icon of the Novaltic Church. An example may be seen at the left.
Seize Quartiers, or ‘Sixteen Quarters’ in French, refers to the sixteen coats-of-Arms belonging to the fifth generation ancestors of a particular individual, namely their great-great grandparents. In particular, it refers to a chart which depicts these Arms: in essence, the Armorial bearings of a person’s thirty most recent ancestors, as a citation of their noble or gentle station. Heraldry is a revered science in Novaltia, and all Novaltic Citizens are given an heraldic grant, if they are not already Armigerous.
What is the Principality of Saint Ambrose?
Saint Ambrose, more precisely called the Principality of Saint Ambrose, is the name for the forthcoming capital of Novaltia. It will consist of two or more Shires, and shall be situated in Central Europe, in a self-contained and largely self-sufficient manner consisting of hundreds of hectares of scenic countryside. It will be purchased and held by a non-profit, perpetual Novaltic trust within the host country, with the first Shire projected to be built by Commonwealth Day XII (2015). The title 'Prince of St. Ambrose is also the peerage held by the heir-apparent to the Crown.
The Octonovakros is the Novaltic Parliament building, to be built within the decade in St. Ambrose, Novaltia’s capital. It is designed as an eight-sided Neo-Classical tower of several floors, surrounded by a grand portico of the Corinthian order, and containing the Houses of Lords and Commons, along with conference rooms, formal offices, a chapel, and a law library. The Octonovakros, used as a metonym, may also refer to the Parliament itself.
A Burgess is an adult, vote-qualified Citizen, who has passed a course in civic fitness, and explicitly sworn their allegiance to the Crown of Novaltia. Burgesses have deep knowledge about all facets of Novaltic life, culture, and governance, and may take a place in Parliament or Cabinet without any significant learning curve. Being a Burgess is a requirement for many high offices, as well as those of special responsibility, like police constable and military officer.
What is a Citizen of Novaltia?
A Citizen of Novaltia is a full member of Novaltic society, as well as a member of the Church of Novaltia. Immigrants must take an oath to the Novaltic Crown, after meeting other qualifications, in order to be bestowed Citizenship; in practise this means that dependents of immigrants born before such Citizenship of their parents are only Denizens until they reach their majority and can take the oath themselves. Citizenship is also conferred automatically and permanently onto any baby born to a Novaltic couple - i.e., to a father and mother both of whom are already Novaltic Citizens; they are uniquely not required to take the oath upon reaching their majority, since their fidelity to Novaltia is implicit in their blood. They must, however, take the oath to become a Burgess.
What is a Denizen of Novaltia?
A Denizen is a status of Novaltic residency (or virtual residency, as the case may be) who has been a Resident or Virtual Guest for some period of time, passed an examination in ethics and civic fitness, and been approved by the Board of Immigration. Denizenship entitles the bearer to a host of privileges, including participating more actively in Novaltic life. Those who have been Denizens for some period in good standing, and are nominated by two Citizens, may then be considered for full Citizenship.
'Friend of Novaltia' is a status for those who support Novaltia, the Novaltic people and spirit, and wish to retain an association with Novaltia, but who are either unable or unprepared to be active Citizens or Denizens. Friends of Novaltia have the same broad privileges as Resident Guests, but additionally are enabled to receive honours from the Novaltic Crown.
What is a Resident or Virtual Guest?
A Resident Guest, also called a Virtual Guest in an online context, is a visitor to Novaltia who is considering the possibility of immigration. Despite its name, it does not by necessity imply physical residence in any particular location, but rather denotes the longer-term status of the guest. Guestships typically expire after ninety days if the Guest has not applied for Denizenship, which is a higher status. It can, however, be resigned before that date, extended, or revoked.
Resident or Virtual Guests are expected to use the opportunity to learn about Novaltia and to meet Novaltans. To learn more about why to join Novaltia, please click here. To skip to the application, please click here.