alternatehistory.com

Ok, so I am helping a friend with an alternate historical fictional environment for his novel (the Swedish meaning of the word, that is a short story). His story will be a relation of another famous work, but set in an earlier time. What exactly is a secret, but I found the idea very interesting.

Anyway, there are some political prerequisites, and so I wish to know wether I can be made to work realistically, or if I need to bring in the ASB's.

So, here we go:

Your challenge is to bring about a MUCH more unified Europe, soon after Napoleon, or possibly earlier. It should preferably be based in the liberal idea's prevalent in the 1840's, but a unification by military force is acceptable.

1) The entity formed should be a federation, or a 'loose' republic. The republican government is de facto sovereign of all member 'states', but in reality most of the time the individual states get to run themselves with little intervention.

2) The official language should be German (although laws and such may be written in Latin), and German influence should be all around strong. The Republic's Capital, should be located in a German city, preferably Berlin. In daily life, however, the native language will be the most common.

3) The heartlands around the capital, while still consisting of many small independent states, should be heavily integrated in terms of industry, culture and educational system, with similar laws and living standards. The fringe areas should be much less so, with some even employing serfdom, and some without any public education and little industry. If eastern Europe is included, it should be like a 'wild east'.

4) The Republic should be run by a Senate (other name accepted), a democratic organ. There is an elected chancellor, who has veto rights, but can be overruled. Each individual state gets to send one Senator (for states that unify, they send the original numbers of senators), which is either the local monarch or his/her representative, or an elected official.

5) Eventually, a unified military system should be implemented. This too must be heavily German-influenced (particularly Prussian influence). The Senate may draft freely from all member states. Individual states may have their own small defense force, and supply their own police.

6) The republic should at least include all of OTL Germany, German Austria, and Northern Italy. Preferably it should include as much of Europe as possible (although all states don't need to join at one time). France is problematic, but a liberal revolution AFTER the republic has been created may provide more member states.

7) For some reason, the Prussian nobility should decide to take up east asian fencing and zen buddhism :D (this might provide some clues to where we are going...).

These are all difficult requirements, I realize, so I am prepared to invoke divine assistance. Thank you for any and all help provided.
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