Rusty Edge
Deity
We have some centralized civics that benefit the capital. I often wish for something decentralized and less burdensome, especially after a war. It leads me to confederations.
Conederations often formed historically to counter percieved military threats, and to open up trade. Cities and states would group together for individual benefit, and might leave whenever it was to their advantage. Like all governments, they are established to facilitate peace and prosperity, and when they do, they provide happiness.
The Greeks tried it. So did the Phonecians (Tyre, Carthage, etc. )
There were various confederations in Germanic Europe. Wiki even clasifies The Inca Empire as a confederation. The USA revolted as a confederation.
the American Civil War was often designated as Union vs Confederate. Some say that the EU is a federation.
Most government functions are localized with the mayors, princes, and councils( they could vary from member to member), keeping central costs low, and it's control minimal. Local government is more responsive to needs and less wastefull than central government.
Confederations were more often a commercial success ( probably due to common currency, weights and measures, and removing trade barriers) than a military one.
Hannibal had trouble getting support from Carthage. America had trouble borrowing money to fund it's revolotion. The Iraquois Confederacy split when forced to choose sides during the American Revolution . In the Civil War,
Southern state militias and the Central gov competed for resources and quarrelled over jurisdiction- the opposite of what was needed.
Either with the appearance of an ambitious leader, or gradually over time , Federations have a tendency to disband, or reform into a united nation.
I'm not sure how to express Confederation in civ terms but I'll get it started.
GOVERNMENT
Confederation
Tech- Nationhood?
Cost - low
Benefits - extra trade route or trade route bonus or free merchant specialist
- reduced or eliminated distance penalty
- possible peacetime happiness.
Drawbacks- Can't build World Wonders or projects, beakers or cash because city-states don't sacrifice for the greater good. National Wonders could still be built, because they mostly benefit their own city. Culture could still be built, to help grab nearby resources.
- possible No state religion.
It also seems to me that an uphappy city should be more likely to flip into or out of a confederation. I have doubts about implementation for this aspect.
Conederations often formed historically to counter percieved military threats, and to open up trade. Cities and states would group together for individual benefit, and might leave whenever it was to their advantage. Like all governments, they are established to facilitate peace and prosperity, and when they do, they provide happiness.
The Greeks tried it. So did the Phonecians (Tyre, Carthage, etc. )
There were various confederations in Germanic Europe. Wiki even clasifies The Inca Empire as a confederation. The USA revolted as a confederation.
the American Civil War was often designated as Union vs Confederate. Some say that the EU is a federation.
Most government functions are localized with the mayors, princes, and councils( they could vary from member to member), keeping central costs low, and it's control minimal. Local government is more responsive to needs and less wastefull than central government.
Confederations were more often a commercial success ( probably due to common currency, weights and measures, and removing trade barriers) than a military one.
Hannibal had trouble getting support from Carthage. America had trouble borrowing money to fund it's revolotion. The Iraquois Confederacy split when forced to choose sides during the American Revolution . In the Civil War,
Southern state militias and the Central gov competed for resources and quarrelled over jurisdiction- the opposite of what was needed.
Either with the appearance of an ambitious leader, or gradually over time , Federations have a tendency to disband, or reform into a united nation.
I'm not sure how to express Confederation in civ terms but I'll get it started.
GOVERNMENT
Confederation
Tech- Nationhood?
Cost - low
Benefits - extra trade route or trade route bonus or free merchant specialist
- reduced or eliminated distance penalty
- possible peacetime happiness.
Drawbacks- Can't build World Wonders or projects, beakers or cash because city-states don't sacrifice for the greater good. National Wonders could still be built, because they mostly benefit their own city. Culture could still be built, to help grab nearby resources.
- possible No state religion.
It also seems to me that an uphappy city should be more likely to flip into or out of a confederation. I have doubts about implementation for this aspect.
? I still think they should be able to build wonders but have more corruption, also affecting science. Federations have an additional layer of civil service after all 
Im still looking after this thread for Grave...cept I dont have any communication with him atm Im afraid...and as reported before, I don't(nor does anyone else) have his Source Code...hence no way without decompiling the whole thing (or rewriting Grave's bits from scratch) to upgrade....I'd love to start an ideas thread, would make sense...but its not at all really my thread, so I feel hesitant to ask the mods to make one....sorry........
