Good point about Sumeria. I am guessing the game starts immediately at the Neolithic Revolution, so yes Oligarchy would make sense in that case. However, I do think it is slightly overpowered for a beginning civic. For now on I'll make my proposed tweaks more organized. (+) means add and (-) means remove. (>) means make a change.
Mind you I am doing this prior to gameplay in order to promote historical accuracy. After this I'll give input to my input as I play the game with the civics.
Oh and add "Can build Agora" to Democracy and Senate (so you can build it and it will work with either).
Power
Oligarchy:
(-) experience point (too powerful compared to the other available civics and too powerful for a starting civic)
Aristocracy:
(>) Available with Military Training or Bronze Working (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristocracy#History)
(+) +1 experience for new military units
Patrician:
(>) Available with Trade
(+) +1 happiness from Bazaar
(+) +1 happiness from Market
(+) +10/15% war weariness
Bureaucracy:
(>) Available with Civil Service
Senate:
(>) Available with Democracy
(+) +1 happiness from Agora
(+) +1 happiness in 6 largest cities (assembly = some voice)
Vassalage:
(+) Free units
Parliament:
(>) Available with Constitution (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_III_of_England)
President:
(>) Available with Representative Democracy (arguably the first "Presidential" system in America was the Lincoln administration, which came after the Nationalism of the 18th century. Before that America was arguably under a Parliament (Congress is modeled after a parliamentary system.))
(-) War weariness
(+) +1 experience point for new military units
Society
Tribal:
Perfect
Proletariat:
(>) Available with Democracy. ("If Oligarchy is rule by the elite, then Democracy is rule by the poor." Aristotle,
Politics)
(>) Just a minor tweak, but could you change the word "neo-liberalism" in the description to "modern liberalism?" My mistake in writing that.
(+) +25% corporate maintenance costs
(-) Unhealthiness penalty. Remember that Proletariat has the working class pretty much at the top of the social hierarchy, so anti-trust laws, labor rights, ETC. are enforced very heavily at the expense of industry. In fact, I would give a +1 health benefit.
(+) +1 happiness from Colosseum, Guild Hall, School
Bourgeois:
(+) +1 unhappiness from Agora (to make Proletariat and Bourgeois reciprocals)
(+) +1 happiness from Factory, Brothel, Casino
Caste:
(-) science penalty (neuters it)
(>) 20% production to 10% production
(+) culture penalty
Feudal:
Stunningly perfect.
Liberal:
Great.
(>) I'd take off the part of the description talking about Fascist and Communist as that was an intended effect that is impossible to do.
Nationalist:
Great
Marxist:
Eek. Needs a little work unfortunately. According to Wikipedia, these are the things Marxism composes of. Not sure if this brings up any new ideas.
It essentially tries to eliminate social classes altogether.
* an attention to the material conditions of people's lives and social relations among people
* a belief that people's consciousness of the conditions of their lives reflects these material conditions and relations
* an understanding of class in terms of differing relations of production and as a particular position within such relations
* an understanding of material conditions and social relations as historically malleable
* a view of history according to which class struggle, the evolving conflict between classes with opposing interests, structures each historical period and drives historical change
* a sympathy for the working class or proletariat
* and a belief that the ultimate interests of workers best match those of humanity in general
Economy
Barter:
What do the decreased maintenance costs represent? Otherwise perfect.
Slavery:
(-) Production bonus
(-) Quicker improvement building (for balance)
(+) Can build Slave Market
(+) +1 hammer from Mine, Shaft Mine, Quarry, Workshop
(+) +1 food from Farm, Apple Orchard, Workshop
(+) +1 commerce from Plantation, Winery, Olive Orchard, Silk Farm
Putting slaves in all those improvements would increase productivity, but the sheer existence of slavery would not.
Mercantile:
I like the science penalty, since arguably it is competition that is the driving force of technological innovation.
Laissez-Faire:
Perfect
Planned:
(>) Available with Communism
(+) Corporations have no effect
(>) 30% production in all cities (imagine this combined with Communist)
Corporatist:
(+) Lower corporate maintenance costs.
(-) Production bonus
(+) +1 hammer from Workshop
(+) +2 commerce from Well, Offshore Platform
Keynesian:
(-) Production bonus (the Town production bonus should be enough)
(+) +2 happiness from Central Bank
Green:
Not really a fan of Green since it doesn't exactly describe the type of economy, but nevertheless very good for the purpose it is intended to make. I think Green would make a better Society civic though.
due to government control of everything (or lack of food). Look at the Soviet Union in the '80s for inspiration.
because of more civilian involvement with the markets and government, maintain the 15% culture 
bonus, lose the espionage 
benefit (should be more open to foreign espionage), get the 3 happy 
associated with it (people disliking the rule) to promote the use of military garrisons
, get rid of the 10% food trade 
bonus (doesn't make much sense) or change it to economic 
, add a 10% economic bonus 
(Senates can be good at making armies. See US, Athens, Romans)
