The Government of Floptropica
An MPA's thoughts on the Floptropican Government
As an avid fan of local governments everywhere, I enjoy learning about other communities with the critical lens of local government theory that I learned while pursuing a graduate degree that specialized in city management. Stumbling upon the government of the small island nation of Floptropica was exactly the thought-provoking and refreshing surprise my government studies needed. I will now present an overview and analysis of the Floptropican Government.
What is Floptropica?
The fictional nation of The United Queendom of Floptropica and Other Governed Territories was founded by four founding mothers (Cupcakke, Onika Franklin, Kristine Jenster, and Gabriella Washingthong) in the 1600s for the purposes of creating a matriarchal society.
The island covers 206km² and boasts a population of over 2.1 million inhabitants. The country’s annual GDP for 2024 was 19.775 trillion Floptroican Quid, or around $171 billion USD. The United Queendom is split into 8 states, the capital territory Floptopia, and several other overseas territories.
Government Structure
The government of the United Queendom of Floptropica appears to operate in a federalist system similar to that of the United States with federal, state, county (referred to as municipal in Floptropican practice), and local governments.
The biggest difference between the government structures are the political parties that are identified and endorsed. While American politics run on a two-party system, the current 400 seats of the Floptropican federal congress includes over 23 parties. The Independence Party holds the most federal seats with 163 members representing their moderate-liberal agenda. Notable political party leaders in Floptropica include Cupcakke, Nicki Minaj, Wendy Williams, and Trisha Paytas.
Something I’d be interested to learn about the Floptropican federal government is how the policy adoption process works. With so many parties represented, how do Floptrpican bureaucrats create new laws and spending proposals that appease congress across all party lines? How many votes are needed for a proposal to be enacted upon?
Another key difference between the American system of government and Floptropica’s is the presence of political parties in city and municipal elections. While in the US we may find ourselves electing non-partisan officials, Floptropicans vote on which party will run the local governments. This is interesting because there have likely been cases where cities or municipalities changed parties and long-term priorities several election cycles in a row, or potentially mismatched city and municipal governments. This form of local governance, while highly representative of the residents, may potentially stifle the long-term growth and stability of localities located within the United Queendom.
While there are no available resources about government careers in Floptropica, it is my assumption that these politically volatile local governments are supported by a strong public sector workforce dedicated to maintaining continuity of essential services and long-range strategic planning for the day-to-day city operations. Some cities may even benefit from having a city manager guide these organizations by separating hard services like utilities and infrastructure from the more political ongoings of these communities.
Budget
Expenditures
According to Floptropica’s official government page, the only two budgeted items from Floptropica’s national government are travel and transportation, with $69billion Flopdollars allocated towards the maintenance and operations of all transportation infrastructure including, but not limited to: seven international airports, public transit, public pedestrian and auto unfractured.
The other item, defense, is budgeted for $659billion Flopdollars or 90% of the total budget. While this may seem like a shocking number, here are some reasons why this seems reasonable. First, Floptropica has experienced several wars since it was founded in the 1600s. Not only have they fought several wars against the rebel group “DaBoyz”, a fascist patriarchal group led by Andrew Tate, but Floptropica stays on the precipice of conflict with the DaBoyzian political party maintaining control in some municipalities, and with representation in the national congress. Second, due to the broadness of the budget’s line items, it feels reasonable to conclude that “defense” also includes funding for public safety divisions like law enforcement, firefighters, ambulance services, and more. In a typical city in the US, you would see police departments alone taking up 40%-60% of the total municipal budget, so this funding along with the looming potential for war makes this budget add up.
Revenues
Floptropica’s revenues mainly come from sales tax on their exports of luxury goods to all over the world. Floptropican citizenship is also available for purchase with little restrictions. From the best of my interpretation, it appears that after one of the Badussy wars fought in the 1700s, only men are subject to local taxes and property taxes as their punishment for disrupting the Queendom. Other revenues include sales of Floptropica merch and sporadic user fees across government services.
This is perhaps one of the toughest sections for me to analyze. Government theory is much different in practice, and even though this nation has lots of history and lore, it doesn’t really have as fleshed out of a government as it thinks it does. Without clear revenue sources, it is hard to understand truly how Floptropica operates. It would be my recommendation to designate budget authorities to the different levels of Floptropican government, identify what is germane to each level, and have some sort of long-term plan for a financially sustainable future in the face of US tariffs that will definitely impact the profitability of their exports.
Government Programs and Services
The government of Floptropica provides many services to their residents. Here are the highlights:
Broadband
Floptropica provides free broadband and encrypted VPN services to all residents. There are no dark spots across the whole island. The budgetary impact of this free service is unknown, and the funding source for this is also unknown.
Free Public Transit
Floptropica boasts a large, interconnected public transit network around the island called FlopMetro. Free public transit is very common, and there are several ways in which this may be funded including:
fares from tourists and other non-citizens;
public-private partnerships with local transit developers and operators; and
transportation development districts that levy additional taxes to commercial enterprises that reap the benefits of being located near the public transit network.
Examples of successful free public transportation can be found all over the world, including the Kansas City, MO streetcar which uses the latter two methods to continuously fund public transit operations.
Land Bank
This is the reason I wrote this article, just so you know. The government of Floptropica runs a federal level land bank. A land bank is a governmental tool that connects vacant, blighted, abandoned, and other underutilized properties to responsible owners that may not be able to purchase the properties outright. Floptropica’s land bank program is specifically designed to ensure that all indigenous Floptropican people have access to land ownership and housing. Creating this program was a charge in the nation’s constitution, requiring a long-term commitment to respecting the island’s original inhabitants. This program is fully subsidized by the government for an unknown budgetary impact, and the funding source for the administration of the land bank is also unknown.
FlopRadio
Floptropica sponsors FlopRadio station 69.9, which broadcasts Floptropican music and content globally. This station is privately funded by the management teams of Floptropican artists and other private donors and administered by government workers.
Emergency Alert Systems
Floptropica has a sophisticated emergency alert system that protects residents from wartime hazards, as well as the natural disasters prone to the area like earthquakes, monsoons, and fires. When it was first implemented, it proved ineffective, but the alarm sound has been updated annually since 1991. This system is likely funded through the defense line item in the Floptropican national budget.
What I Want to Know More About
Like a said before, no matter how much I love the rich history and lore related to Floptropica, their governing system could use some more fleshing out. Beyond basic definitions, there is no way to tell which areas of law or service management are assigned to each level of government. Additionally, it is unclear where the country’s wealth stems from or how it is used. This is a potential indication of fraud or misuse of public funds. The government should be audited by financial representatives from the World Bank and United Nations to ensure government transparency in its financial reporting.
I also find it interesting how the government programs were designed, prioritized, and implemented. As a nation that only exists on TikTok, it isn’t shocking to see a political skew towards universal free public services for all, but does this sentiment go beyond infrastructure to include institutions of socialized medicine or food sharing? I am able to research the island’s violent history to do some more discernment on how the political shifts between fascism and liberalism have affected modern society in Floptropica. Are there any instances in which outdated laws are still in effect that harm communities similar to urban/suburban redlining in America? How does the density of their cities affect land and homeownership opportunities throughout the island? What percent of the land area is developed?
Final Thoughts
Admittedly, there is nothing less consequential to my life right now than the government of Floptropica. However, I’ve enjoyed going through the exercise of thinking about another government today. To me, Floptropica feels like a soon-to-be online archeological site that demonstrates the human urge for community, for society, and for government in the digital age. While Floptropica develops as a nation, maybe some Flops will implement common sense tax policies or designate administrative and executive jurisdictions throughout the territories within.
This is a TikTok rabbit hole that I recommend to all readers.
Would you become a Flop? let me know in the comments!
Sources
Floptropica | Floptok Wiki | Fandom
Governmental Hierarchy of Floptropica | Floptok Wiki | Fandom
Floptropica – Official Website – FLOPTROPICA
A big shoutout to every Flop!
About Quintessential
Quintessential is a collection of personal writings about how I am managing to live my life authentically as myself. You may be interested in this publication if you:
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