A state built on corporate capitalism, the
Caldari State is run by a few mega-corporations which divide the state
between them, controlling and ruling every aspect of society. Each corporation
is made up of thousands of smaller companies, ranging from industrial
companies to law firms. All land and real estate is owned by a company
which leases it to the citizens, and government and policing are also
handled by independent companies.
Although this gives the corporations dictatorial powers, they are just
as bound by Caldari customs and laws as the individual, and the fierce,
continual competition between the corporations ensures a healthy, consumer-based
social environment, which benefits everyone.
While the Caldari State may not be nearly as big as that of the Gallenteans,
let alone the Amarrians, they are still universally feared and admired.
Their economy is strong, and their military might parallel to that of
the larger empires. Coupled to the fact that they are more unscrupulous
than the Gallenteans and more combative than the Amarrians, this makes
them in many ways the most meddlesome of all the empires. As most Caldari
trade is conducted by individual companies rather than the State itself,
this makes it difficult for the other empires to deal with them at a
political level. If a company is found guilty of unethical business
dealings, it simply disappears into its parent corporation, and before
long another one appears to take its place. But if a Caldari company
is threatened, the whole corporation and often the whole State backs
it up with full force.
Caldari society is steeped in military tradition. As a people, its members
had to fight a long and bloody war to gain their independence, and even
had to surrender their home planet to their hated enemies, the Gallenteans.
It was at this time that the corporations established themselves as
the driving force behind creating and maintaining the new Caldari State.
Even if the Caldari have not engaged in war for many decades, they still
strive to be at the cutting edge of military technology and their vessels,
weapons and fighting methods are inferior to none but the enigmatic
Jovians.
To curb their aggressive tendencies, the Caldari actively pursue and
sponsor a range of sporting activities. Many of these are bloody, gladiatorial-like
competitions, while others are more like races. But whatever the sport,
the Caldari love betting on the outcome, making gambling a massive industry
in the State.
The Caldari State offers its citizens the best and the worst in living
conditions. As long as you keep in line, do your job, uphold the laws
and so forth, life can be fairly pleasant and productive. But for those
who are not cut out for this strict, disciplined regime life quickly
becomes intolerable. They lose their respect, family, status, everything,
and the only options left to them are suicide or exile. Although not
xenophobic as such, the Caldari are very protective of their way of
life and tolerate only those foreigners that stick to the rules.
