Ave, Sandum Citizens!
After two and a half weeks, the Sôgmô — along with the rest of the culturally-termed Royal Family — have returned to Kremlum Sandus province, Sandus. Though the vacation was a private affair concerning the Sôgmô’s graduation, his parents 30th wedding anniversary, and the graduation of the Sôgmô’s sister from undergraduate studies, several new implications have become apparent through a report concerning Iceland and also through visiting France. Though the vacation was a gift from the Sôgmô’s parents due to his graduation, the Sôgmô took note to Icelandic and French culture. The vacation was also a means for the Sôgmô to continue his research on the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta and its infamous law-giver Lycurgus.
As a report on Iceland — which stood out to the Sôgmô due to its lack of prior distinction in our Philosophy yet close adherence to Sandum-like values — has already been published, this article shall offer a concise report on recent additions to what are considered to by the French influences upon our Nation-State:
- Role of the Church and Organised-Religion: In France, one finds many medieval or early-modern églises or abbayes dedicated to the Catholic Church. For instance, in the town of Auxerre, near where the Sôgmô stayed, one witnesses three grand churches sitting upon the cusp of the hill upon which the town sits. Suffice to say, this is not the Sandum way: instead, we follow the practice of Lycurgus who, when asked why his sacrifices to the Gods were so small and economical, replied, “So that we may never stop worshipping the Gods”. The same is true of other religions, whose places of worship can be both small and awe-inspiring. As well, instead of confining religion and philosophy to certain places, it is the Sandum way to bring them into our daily lives, so that such large and frequent structures become unnecessary. Marcus Aurelius begins his first Meditation with “When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself […]”, implying this of the Sandum way of life: that our Philosophy never ceases.
Furthermore, these churches and abbeys were built under l’Ancien Régime, where the clergy were members of the first estate and were the most powerful estate. Not only does this warn us, in Sandus, of the danger of incorporating religion into the running of State (as both are separate and Sandus is a wholly secular state) but also of the danger of organised religion. - Working conditions and climate: In France, workers are paid more so that, when l’addition (the check) arrives, all taxes and tips are included; this therefore makes it rare and insulting to tip further, implying that they require the money. This is compatible with how we in Sandus wish to operate, where all citizens will earn a living-wage and not be driven to strive for more money through stray money. Furthermore, those who work live comfortably with what they have (as the Sôgmô witnessed in the Burgundian countryside surrounding Chablis) and do not desire McMansions and fancy cars. The ultimate display of this comfortable working climate is this: the working hours of shops and restaurants. Shops not only both open later and close earlier (compared to some shops opening in the early morning and closing at 22:00 in macronational Kremlum Sandus) but they also have a break after lunch hours from 15:00 to around 18:00. Workers also go out to lunch together, strengthening bonds between them and increasing class-consciousness. In all of these regards, these are the Sandum ways.
- Pride in Culture, or Patrimoine: In Paris and the French countryside, great respect is placed upon cultural sites. In Paris, a whole hôtel is dedicated to le patrimoine français (the French cultural heritage). So much emphasis is placed upon understanding the French culture and history, as well as safe-guarding it, that resonates with how Sandus pursues cultural policies for cultural achievement. This is the Sandum way of policy, as well, as we seek to safe-guard our cultural achievements and perpetuate further our culture.
- Pride in la République Française: In the 19th century and the 1950s/1960s, the French people endured political turmoil of Republicanism v. Monarchy and then the fall of the French Empire by the 1950s. In France, like many other countries, there is a practicality and a practical evolution behind the French constitution, unlike in the macronation that surrounds Sandus. On French streets, there are Place after Place of site dedicated to the building of the French Republic: Place de la Bastille, Place de la Concorde, etc. Walking on the Rue de St.Germain des Prés, one observes medallions emblazoned with France with a glorious solar crown and with the simple words: République Française on it. These sorts of medallions are found throughout the city of Paris and adorn the entrances of homes and shops. The French Republic also takes a common popularism in the countryside, where the mairies and the hôtels de ville are adorned with many French flags and even some European flags. This sort of commonality of the Republic and of the State is something which is very Sandum, and reminds us of Lenin’s saying: “Any cook should be able to run the country.” This is the sort of constitutional republic Lycurgus envisioned for Sparta when he commanded the Gerousia to meet on common land, near the river Cnacion, without any distracting adorned-building (this system is the subject of Sôgmô Sörgel’s most recent research for Sacerdotium).
With the Sôgmô’s return, the regular work of the State of Sandus shall resume. Work is already being put together to finish the research of the Sôgmô’s concerning Sparta (which, sadly, has suffered a set-back due to the Sôgmô’s notes being erased), forms for the upcoming Census, and writing a law code that will be shared between Sandus and Überstadt. Furthermore, as the Solstice is tomorrow, work shall also begin on collecting taxes and information, and the Sôgmô shall prepare a royal warrant for the creation of a horticultural cooperative, as planned for the 2015 Economic Goal and the All-Citizens United plan. The LGBT Pride Week is next week, as well, and so work must also be placed on celebrate that as well.
Let us perpetuate and build strong, with ardent work, the State of Sandus!
— Sôgmô Sörgel
sandus.org 
Sparta still exists….
It isn’t an ancient Greek city state (aka non-existent)
It is actually a town (in modern days) in southern Greece ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta_%28modern%29 )
The city of Sparta exists, yes, but — as worded by the author in this article — is no longer a sovereign city-state. Plutarch notes in his “Lives” that by his lifetime the traditions of the city-state (in his day, a part of the Roman Empire) were still held but were waning (some historians even jokingly consider the differences between Classical Sparta and Roman Sparta to have been a ‘tourist attraction’ in the latter).
None the less, the wording of the article remains truthful and there is hardly a case to correct the article.