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  • — I am President Kevin Baugh,

  • of the Republic of Molossia.

  • — I am King George II,

  • current ruler of Slabovia and one of the founding members.

  • My name is Dr. Eric Lis.

  • I am the unquestioned tyrannical dictator of the Aerican Empire.

  • If you don't remember any of these countries from geography class,

  • you're not alone.

  • They're all micronations:

  • self-declared sovereign states not formally recognized by the countries in which they reside.

  • This summer,

  • representatives from 27 micronations gathered for a summit in Dunwoody, Georgia.

  • Say, “Micronation.”

  • Micronation!

  • Our governing philosophy is absolute monarchy

  • based upon divine right theory.

  • And I have over 200 citizens who tend to agree with it.

  • I don't think it makes us exactly a cult, but

  • Jean-Pierre!

  • You're the new lieutenant?

  • I love your outfit.

  • That one's wonderful.

  • I can give the tour of the house,

  • if anybody wants it.

  • Ruritania is

  • and all micronations, for that matter

  • are more of a political statement than an ideology.

  • We don't care for the way things are going in the countries we come from

  • and we think we could do a better job,

  • even if it's just over a postage stamp-sized piece of property.

  • Micronations came to prominence in the 1960s,

  • when two manmade islands declared their independence

  • the Republic of Rose Island, off the coast of Italy,

  • and Sealand, off the coast of the U.K.

  • The Italian government did not take kindly to Rose Island

  • and, in 1968, they sent forces who demolished it with explosives.

  • Sealand fared better,

  • surviving a hostage situation and legal troubles

  • ranging from passport fraud to money laundering.

  • Other micronations were founded with a wide variety of goals,

  • including establishing a libertarian utopia,

  • creating a matriarchal BDSM state,

  • and circumventing drug laws.

  • Many of these had less than ideal outcomes,

  • however, the majority went unnoticed by society until the '90s,

  • when previously isolated micronationalists realized they weren't alone.

  • — I wasn't even aware that there were other micronations out there

  • until the advent of the internet.

  • You know, you get out there and start looking around, like,

  • Whoa, that guy's got his own country declared,”

  • that guy's got his own country.”

  • Your majesties, your highnesses, your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen

  • My country is an anti-state

  • We now consider ourselves to be a classical republic

  • Money.

  • What is it anyway?

  • Ruritania has had a long tradition against the vile vermin of squirrels

  • Most of my citizens never even meet me.

  • They send in the application, I approve it.

  • We also get a lot of people trying desperately to leave third-world countries.

  • They think that we're a country with enough land that they could move here.

  • We can give them a citizenship,

  • but it comes without residency.

  • They are absolutely no potential benefits to being a member of the Aerican Empire.

  • It is purely something that someone can be happy about.

  • Naturally, we do sell bank notes, and coins, and printable passports, and citizenship certificates,

  • but really it's not a question of tangible benefit,

  • it's a question of just belonging.

  • And when you get right down to it,

  • that's really one of the most powerful things in the world.

  • Our land claim is actually only the size of a small rock.

  • It's right here in this box,

  • and it weighs roughly about two pounds.

  • Many micronationalists are not isolationist.

  • They also want to shape the world around them nd question what makes a state legitimate.

  • For them,

  • even small acts of rebellion help challenge bureaucracies

  • and give them control over their own lives.

  • Some people describe it as role playing.

  • Micronations actually hate that.

  • This is more of a lifestyle.

  • In special recognition of your services,

  • my special gift to you.

  • — I am honored.

  • My husband was an invalid for a number of years.

  • He came up with laws and rules that we still use.

  • When he passed away,

  • we got about 100 condolence letters from other micronations.

  • I spent 10 years being a caregiver.

  • Suddenly, I didn't know what to do with myself.

  • This fills my time.

  • Thank you.

  • When I'm not being the queen,

  • I'm being what other people want me to be.

  • When I'm being the queen,

  • I'm who I want to be.

— I am President Kevin Baugh,

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