Talk:Four nations/@comment-5179242-20120609215431/@comment-69.116.220.194-20120615025837

I see what you're driving at SparksFromHades but there are many nations that cropped up during the 20th century that were confederal (Northern Alliance Afghanistan, Russia - to a certain extent with the autonomous regions, Native American Reservations) or states that had de jure control over all region without having de facto control there (Koumintag China, Pakistan in Waziristan, Iraqi Kurdistan etc.). The Earth Kingdom is certainly NOT a unified, but diverse state like the United States. It has no common laws, common system of representation, common currency, or any of the other hallmarks of unity. As you noted many of the areas are ruled by Kings, Chieftains, or by the regional inhabitants, but none of them openly oppose the expression of the Earth King's power with the exception of Avatar Kiyoshi. Earth Kingdom forces come from the various provinces even if the seeds of those territories were under warlord or enemy control. In fact, it appears that the inspiration for the Earth Kingdom was pre-modern China which while being politically united on its face was controlled by numerous warlords.