Edicts

An Edict is essentially a policy - whether that be informal such as a directive, or formal, which would make it a law - by which the ruling policy and community relations in any government are guided. In the case of Third-World countries such as the Banana Republic type featured in T5, the Edict may well be the most important form of law and policy period.

In the game the issuing of Edicts has a direct impact upon almost every aspect of play depending on the Edict - and can be used as a means of achieving relief from negative consequences of play - though usually only temporary relief - and to shape future play.

The reason that we have included the Edicts in our guide is because if you don't carefully read them you can very easily put into effect an Edict that actually does the opposite of what it appears to do. And when that happens, your game can go pear-shaped in an instant.

That being the case, it would be a very good idea for you to familiarize yourself with the Edicts here BEFORE using them!

The Edicts are organized below by Era, and alphabetically, including their cost, requirements, and the effects that they may have in your game. We strongly suggest that you read these before using them...

The Colonial Era

Building Permit (Cost = $1,000)

Requirements: Requires the 'Red Tape' Edict.

Effects: Requires that all new construction projects on the island pay for a "building permit," increasing the cost of buildings by 20%. Half of the cost for this permit is wired to the presidente's Swiss Bank Account instead of the treasury.

Census (Cost = $10,000)

Requirements: Requires the 'Red Tape' Edict.

Effects: Performs an official count of people in the nation, helping to discover those with special manager skills. Can only be performed once every 10 years.

Disaster Relief Fund (Cost = $1,500, plus monthly upkeep)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Sets up a fund for helping restore the nation in the event of a natural disaster. This lowers the likelihood of people dying from disasters and permanently lowers the cost of rebuilding destroyed buildings.

Extra Rations (Cost = $500)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Allows people to eat whenever they want. This increases the food quality around the island and pleases the communists but doubles the amount of food consumed, possibly leading to starvation.

Mardi Gras (Cost = $2,500)

Requirements: A Tavern.

Effects: Sets up a Mardi Gras celebration on the island. This increases the quality of entertainment on the island, but the drunken crowds also increase the amount of crime and has a negative impact on the religious faction happiness levels. Can only be performed once every 2 years.

Martial Law (Cost = $0, plus monthly upkeep)

Requirements: At least three military buildings.

Effects: Imposes strict military rule on the island that decreases crime and protects the ruling powers of the ruler. This Edict cancels all elections.

Bear in mind though that using this massively decreases Liberty, Tourism revenue and happiness, and impacts ALL production rates, while causing unrest among the various factions.

When you find yourself certain to lose an election this may (we say MAY) be the only option you have to keep from losing the game, but if you choose to use it you are going to need to scramble to shore-up the Happiness levels of your factions after you do.

Military Drills (Cost = $3,000)

Requirements: At least three military buildings.

Effects: Sets up intense training exercises for the island's military, making squads perform better in battle for the next 5 years. Can only be performed once every 5 years.

No Free Lunch (Cost = $3,000)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Ends free food handouts, requiring citizens to pay for the food they eat. This increases the happiness of capitalists but negatively impacts the happiness of communists.

Right to Arms (Cost = $1,000)

Requirements: None.

Effects: This Edict does what it sounds like - allowing citizens to purchase and use firearms. While this has the effect of increasing Liberty, and makes infantry units stronger in combat, it also increases the crime rate significantly and tends to lead to an increase in casualties during civilian uprisings.

Use of this Edict pleases militarists, and is an effective measure when dealing with Pirate attacks.

Tax Cut (Cost = Depends on number of citizens who are Rich or Well-Off)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Gives rich citizens some of their tax money back, raising their personal approval rating.

Urban Development (Cost = $7,000)

Requirements: Requires the 'Red Tape' Edict.

Effects: Sets up a fund for the development of the island's city centers, halving the cost of building residential structures for the next 2 years.

Wealth Tax (Cost = $0)

Requirements: At least one rich citizen.

Effects: Places a new tax on the wealthier citizens. While this will create revenue based on the number of Rich and Filthy Rich citizens, it will also lead to significant unrest and have serious consequences on your approval rating if there happen to be a lot of them.

This Edict is approved by the Communists but heavily opposed by the Capitalists.

World War Era

Agricultural Subsidies (Cost = $0, plus monthly upkeep)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Subsidizes agricultural industries, increasing the effectiveness of all Plantations and Hydroponic Farms by 50. This Edict has the effect of severely upsetting the Capitalist Faction.

Amnesty (Cost = $5,000)

Requirements: At least one Rebel Leader.

Effects: This Edit gives Rebels a pardon for their crimes against the state and offers a chance to rejoin society. Rebels with lower faction support will resume being ordinary citizens as a result of this Edict.

Early Elections (Cost = $0)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Forces elections to be held in the next year.

Global Research Initiative (Cost = $5,000, plus $600 monthly)

Requirements: An Embassy.

Effects: Starts a program for sending scientists abroad and sharing research data across national borders. Generates extra Research Points based on the number of superpowers that have a high standing with Tropico.

Industrialization (Cost = $10,000)

Requirements: Set number of previous Techs researched.

Effects: Sets up a fund for the development of the island's industries, halving the cost of building factories for the next 2 years.

Literacy Program (Cost = $500, plus $100 monthly for each high school and college)

Requirements: A High School and the Socialism Tech.

Effects: Starts a national program to increase literacy. This increases the rate at which citizens graduate high school and college.

Mortgage Subsidies (Cost = $2,000, plus $20 monthly for every residence)

Requirements: Socialism.

Effects: Subsidizes the payments and costs involved in owning a home, essentially lowering the wealth required for citizens to live in residential buildings. This Edict increases support of Globalists while decreasing support from Nationalists.

Paid Healthcare (Cost = $500)

Requirements: A set number of previous Tech researched.

Effects: Ends Tropico's tradition of free healthcare, requiring citizens to pay for visits to clinics and hospitals.

Prohibition (Cost = $0)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Makes the production, sale, and consumption of alcohol on the island illegal. This is not really a good one unless support of the Religious Faction is important - no - critical. The reason for that is that this can really mess up your economy!

You don't actually have to use this - if you end up getting the hostile message from the USA about your Rum Running, simply send one of your Dynasty members to negotiate - by the time that is done Prohibition in the States will have ended and so you get no negative result.

Smear Campaign (Cost = $2,500)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Initiates a campaign of demonizing one of the island's factions. Members of the targeted faction will lose support based on El Presidente's approval rating.

All remaining members of the faction - especially its leader - will have reduced approval, while borderline members will drop out of the faction entirely.

Social Security (Cost = $10 every month for every kid, student, and retiree)

Requirements: Socialism.

Effects: Gives money to all kids, students, and retirees on the island to ensure they have at least Poor levels of income. Approved by Communists and opposed by Capitalists.

Sovereign Debt (Cost = Special)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Allows the government to issue or buy back bonds.

Cold War Era

Big Brother (Cost = $15,000)

Requirements: Secret Police Edict must be active.

Effects: Reveals the roles of two-thirds of the unrevealed citizens with roles. Permanantly increases crime from residential buildings.

Contraception Ban (Cost = $1,000)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Increases the Tropican Birth Rate bur also decreases Liberty.

Geological Survey (Cost = $10,000)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Increases the amount of Iron, Bauxite, Coal, Uranium, and Gold in all non-depleted deposits.

Hydraulic Fracking (Cost = $15,000)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Increases the amount of resources in non-depleted oil deposits.

Immunization Campaign (Cost = $10,000 - Monthly Upkeep of $300)

Requirements: None.

Effects: The campaign takes two years. If completed it raises the efficiency of clinics and hospitals and reduces death by bad health care.

International Summit (Cost = $10,000)

Requirements: Naive Foreigners and at least one Airport.

Effects: All foreign relations improve by 20 for 5 years.

Organic Campaign (Cost = $7,500)

Requirements: Naive Foreigners.

Effects: Stops all Hydroponic and Factory Farms. All agricultural goods increase base price with 20%.

Provoke the Rebels (Cost = $5,000)

Requirements: Active Rebels.

Effects: Provokes a conflict with the rebels.

Secret Police (Cost = $0 = $500 monthly for every police station)

Requirements: A Police Station.

Effects: The Police Station discovers special citizens such as Rebels and faction leaders faster.

Sensitivity Training (Cost = $500 + $5 annually for every soldier and police officer)

Requirements: None.

Effects: All military and police buildings reduce liberty less.

Tourism Campaign (Cost = $7,000)

Requirements: Naive Foreigners.

Effects: Increases the Tourism Rating for 5 years.

Waste Sorting (Cost = $1,000)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Reduces pollution from residential buildings.

Modern Times Era

Commuting Program (Cost = $3,500, plus $35 monthly)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Reduces the number of people using cars.

E-Government (Cost = $10,000)

Requirements: The Internet.

Effects: The price of edicts are reduced by 25%

Free Wi-Fi (Cost = $15,000 + $300 Monthly Upkeep)

Requirements: The Internet.

Effects: Increases housing quality and hotel efficiency on the island.

GM Crops (Cost = $4,500, plus $200 monthly)

Requirements: None.

Effects: People need less food to be fed.

Host the Olympics (Cost = $10,000)

Requirements: At least one Stadium.

Effects: Increased the tourism rating proportional to the number of Stadiums on the Island. Stadium effectiveness increased permanently.

IT Education (Cost = $2,500 + $1 per month per middle aged and senior person)

Requirements: The Internet.

Effects: Increases the retirement age.

Legalized Substances (Cost = $0)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Provides additional money each year but makes foreign relations worse too.

Nuclear Test (Cost = $0)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Extort money from the Superpowers. All foreign relations drop significantly.

Same-Sex Marriages (Cost = $200)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Allows gay couples to marry. Gay tourism on the island increases. Increases liberty and tourism rating. Also increases unrest.

Smoking Ban (Cost = $0)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Stops all tobacco farms and cigar factories. Decreases healthcare death rate and increases life expectancy. Decreases liberty and increases unrest.

Social Engineering (Cost = $4,500)

Requirements: None.

Effects: Select any faction on the island and make it more prominent. Some citizens will convert to this faction immediately and the faction will attract more members.

Stem-Cell Research (Cost = $8,000 + $200 per month per Clinic and Hospital)

Requirements: A clinic or hospital.

Effects: All clinics and hospitals will provide research points but have increased budgets.