United Mercantile Federation
The second largest and wealthiest league in the North, the United Mercantile Federation is a counterpoint to the NLC. While the Norlight Confederacy was born out of religious fervor, the UMF was built on corporate will. While the first steps toward the UMF were taken in response to the rise of the NLC and WFP, the new league soon became a corporate entity and used corporate methods to expand its power base. Internally, the UMF made citizenship a monetary issue, granting votes to those willing to pay (including corporations). This revenue serves as the state’s sole revenue base, making taxation a straight trade-off for representation.
Externally, the UMF proceeded to accomplish takeovers in surrounding city-states, using military might and aggressive diplomacy hand in hand. One common tactic was to assure targeted city-states that they could maintain their internal social system. Before the formation of the CNCS, the UMF was considered the most powerful and aggressive state in the North because of its aggressive tactics and well-equipped army. Gears, optical NNets and many other cornerstones of Terranovan military technology were originally developed in the UMF.
The most powerful UMF corporation is Northco, the manufacturer of the Hunter and Jaguar Gears. Northco practically dominates the city-state of Rapid City and is the biggest voting entity in the national elections. Northco CEO Natalya Korolov is generally considered to be among the most important power-brokers in the hemisphere. Indeed, she chairs the Corporate Council, an assembly of the UMF’s top corporations that acts as some kind of shadow government in the league. It was her support of current Treasurer Yves Banderas that won him his position, and most people feel he must be some form of mouthpiece for her. Korolov is a ruthless business leader and is greatly concerned by the rise of Norlight competitors such as Shaian Mechanics. She wishes to see Northco remain on top of the technological heap and is ready to do almost anything to ensure this.
The UMF’s industrial strength made it an attractive target for the invading Earth forces and the league suffered orbital bombing and repeated attacks from the CEF. The Ashington Plains suffered most especially during this time. The UMF used strategic arms to hold back the invaders when necessary and parts of the Plains still bear the terrible scars of this time.
Corporate Diversity
The Mercantile strategy of guaranteeing the social systems of city-states that were incorporated into the league has made the UMF the most polyglot league in the North and arguably on the planet. While cities geared toward big business are the rule, including the motor-city of Rapid City and the computerized town of Marathon, the UMF also includes a strict matriarchy in Swanscombe, a hereditary monarchy in Ashington and a communist state in Zagreb.
The most powerful social current remains corporate business, however. Huge corporations such as Northco and Abaline Research purchase enough votes to control much of the election results and most governmental functions are thought of in corporate terms. The nation itself is a corporation, with its bureaucracy held to a strict sense of accountability. The UMF Army, while supremely well equipped, has a roguish reputation.
Indeed, according to some, it is mostly a glorified PR machine for the state, a showcase for Northco’s best products. UMFA veterans of the War of the Alliance greatly resent these comments.
An Eye Toward The South
The postwar period has seen an increasing gulf growing between the UMF and the NLC. The Norlight state has tried to assert its economic independence and many Mercantile corporations resent the rise in Revisionist feeling across the North — which they see as an instrument of Norlight power. Treasurer Yves Banderas, in inimitable Mercantile style, is busy transforming this problem into an opportunity. Looking South, he has tried to build bridges to the Mekong Dominion, the Allied Southern Territories’ own corporate state. Banderas and some of his allies have visions of an alliance between the two wealthy states that could exert financial control over the rest of Terra Nova.
The CNCS would consider this plan treasonous, of course, so Banderas has established a network of spies and secret negotiators of his own. Northco CEO Korolov has become aware of Banderas’ plans and is less than happy about it. Indeed, she fears that any ties with the Mekong Dominion will cost her company lucrative contracts with the NLC and WFP, and expose it to increased competition. So far the Mekong response has been careful interest.