Republic of Florida (The Many Nations of North America)

When the CSA finally crumbled one of the forgotten questions was, “what is to become of Florida”. While it was a profitable agricultural state, producing cotton, sugar and tropical fruits alike, it was considered to be hot, swampy and ridden with disease. The halfhearted attempts to bring it into the boarding successor states were easily rebuffed whether through military or diplomatic channels. In time Florida may have ended up like the peaceful central American republics of Costa Rica, Yucatan, El Salvador or Belize. But ambition, greed and perhaps even destiny would interfere. Henry Morrison Flagler, a high ranking executive within Rockefeller’s sprawling corporate empire, came to the small republic hoping to net the sole right to construct Florida’s rail system. What he saw instead was an opportunity to make money in a very different manner. Florida’s water was clear, its sands were clean, its climate was eternally temperate and perhaps most importantly, the land was cheap. He went around the republic buying tens of thousands of acres of land, building the railroad for his company but making certain that its routes would increase the value of his recent acquisitions. The rail lines brought both people and jobs to Florida and as new cities began to sprout from the coast he began work on his master plan. He built a series of resorts in areas his people scouted out and determined where perfect for tourism and even as the foundations were being laid he started to covertly advertise Florida’s climate and beauty in both Europe and the American North. The city Miami soon became a bustling resort town attracting the global elite and their money to Florida’s fair shores. By the beginning of the 20th century Florida had becoming one of the world’s view tourism hotspots. Although Flagler was nether native or youthful, the people of Florida unanimously elected him president, a position he served until his death.

Despite the turmoil of the Americas Florida is remarkable for its stability and near absolute neutrality. While its economy has always gone between periods of boom and bust, it remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Americas. Miami itself is home to some of the largest and most renown casinos in the Caribbean. Tourism isn’t Florida’s only business, it has an extensive rum and tobacco industry developed largely by its massive Cuban population. Florida’s nearly non-existent taxes have earned it a reputation as a tax shelter and a banking center. The elite from throughout the former confederacy, Caribbean and South America all come to Florida as a means of dodging taxes and hiding their assets. This has in turn brought an astoundingly lucrative albeit highly illegal business straight to Florida’s doorstep.

Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru all share America’s proclivity towards revolution and internecine warfare. While traditionally they have been seen solely as exporters of cash crops and raw materials; they are among the worlds sole producers of cocaine. Florida has become a principle transit node for the illicit substance and Miami (and Havana) are the principle sites for the laundering of its profits. The cocaine trade has help push Miami’s real-estate values up to amongst the highest in world while creating some of the nations biggest internal problems. Florida’s government is plagued with corruption on account of the drug trade and the intense competition for market share has led to endemic warfare between the states various criminal gangs and syndicates. The most notable criminal leader in Florida is Mikaiel Demirdjian, a Russian expatriate of Armenian ancestry. He rose high in the ranks of the Ukrainian Mafia eventually being sent to Miami in order to safeguard it’s role in the coke trade. He is one of the most wanted men in Russia but so far all attempts to capture and extradite him and have failed.

Florida has recently been experiencing a sizable wave of immigration, brought about by both the Great American War and the ongoing unrest in Cuba. While its northernmost counties suffered greatly from neo-confederate siege and occupation, the everglades and Floridian national guard proved to be an insurmountable barrier for further advances. As a result of the War, and subsequent declines in tourism revenue, Florida has been enduring a five year recession. These loses are unofficially being made up for by increased smuggling on the part of its black market.