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In 1977, 15-year-old Kevin Baugh and his best friend from boyhood, James Spielman, watched “The Mouse That Roared” – a satirical 1959 film about a tiny, imaginary nation at war with the United States.
During a phone interview with Insider, the 60-year-old, who requested to be referred to as “Your Excellency” or “President Baugh,” stated, “I was struck by the inventiveness and ingenuity of that.”
Four decades later, he has lost contact with his friend, but his desire to rule his own small nation persists.
Baugh is the self-proclaimed “benevolent dictator” of the Republic of Molossia, a one-acre micronation in the northwestern Nevadan desert with a population of 35.
Kevin Baugh is the ‘President’ of the micronation of Molossia.
Government of Molossia
In 1977, the micronation was founded in a suburban home in Portland, Oregon. Originally referred to as the Grand Republic of Vuldstein. Baugh named himself Prime Minister, while Spielman was crowned King.
Baugh acknowledged that it was a bit more than juvenile fantasy at the time. It was more fantastical. I suppose one could say that,” he remarked. “Because there was no internet at the time, we had to improvise.”
Spielman ultimately abandoned the project, although Baugh continued to work on it intermittently while serving in the United States Army. In the 1990s, he quit the service and moved to Nevada with his family. Approximately at this time, he began to take the micronation more seriously.
“With the advent of the Internet, I was able to discover that other people had established their own nations,” Baugh stated. Thus, I transformed Molossia from a print publication to a website.
Baugh continued his internet research on micronations, gathering information on how he could establish one of his own.
What exactly is a micronation?
The international community does not recognize the sovereignty of self-proclaimed micronations. World governments and the United Nations, for instance, do not recognize them as legitimate.
They are frequently small, the offspring of a single person, and deemed insignificant enough to be ignored by the established nation whose territory they occupy. Baugh stated that the US is aware of Molossia’s existence but “essentially ignores” it.
Insider previously revealed that there are at least 67 distinct micronations on Earth.
Nevada has signs displaying ‘USA’ and ‘Molossia’.
Government of Molossia
Baugh learnt that micronations are typically established by claiming the ground on which they reside as their domain. In 1998, he purchased a small plot of land in Nevada and declared it the “homeland of our country,” which was then known as the Kingdom of Molossia.
After then, it was ruled by a communist dictatorship for a brief time. Baugh stated that the micronation’s communist imagery infuriated locals, so he resolved to transform Molossia into a capitalist military dictatorship.
Baugh proclaims himself to be the “benevolent dictator” of what is currently known as the Republic of Molossia.
“I mean, not a dictator that makes people vanish during the night or anything like that,” he remarked. “We’re a country of families. It would be quite upsetting to the family if someone suddenly disappeared.”
In 2019, the citizens of Molossia, who are all members of Kevin Baugh’s family, gather to celebrate Christmas.
Government of Molossia
There are 35 residents who are all related to Baugh. He stated that this number also includes the family’s three pets.
All human citizens hold “dual citizenship” with the United States.
“Having US citizenship is advantageous,” Baugh remarked. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to shop at Walmart or similar stores, and we would all starve to death.
Citizens participate in US elections and pay US taxes, which Baugh refers to facetiously as “foreign aid.”
Baugh stated that Molossians had “extremely positive relations” with neighboring communities. They make regular “appearances” in the nearby Nevada town of Dayton and participate in Carson City’s annual Nevada Day Parade.
Kevin Baugh and his family participate in the Nevada Day Parade in 2016.
Government of Molossia
Baugh stated that he has relative freedom to do as he pleases in Molossia, but he avoids introducing legislation that would violate American law or otherwise irritate US authorities.
“As long as I don’t insult the larger countries around me, I may pass whatever laws I want,” he explained. “You may have your own currency, stamps, whatever, as well as your own customs and holidays. So it’s a lot of fun.”
Molossia has its own money, time zone, and measuring system.
The valora is the currency of Molossia. Unusually, it is based on the relative worth of chocolate chip cookie dough.
Baugh stated, “We enjoy doing things a bit differently in our own country.” Additionally, we have our own measuring system and time zone.
The time zone is 21 minutes behind Mountain Standard Time and 39 minutes ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Using the peculiar and illogical Kokintz system, dimensions are based on the size of Baugh’s hand and Diet Pepsi cans, respectively.
Despite its landlocked status, Molossia has a fleet. “Our entire navy is comprised of inflatable kayaks,” Baugh remarked, adding that Lake Tahoe is frequently used for training drills.
The ‘navy’ of Molossia, which comprises of two kayaks, at Lake Tahoe.
Government of Molossia
Baugh stated that the nation is currently at war with East Germany, which ceased to exist in 1990, and was formerly at war with Mustachistan, another micronation. He explained, “A micronational conflict is simply someone flooding your email inbox or something similar.”
Molossia’s economy relies on tourism, with roughly 200 visitors per year. Tourists receive a passport stamp upon entry and are free to explore the country’s attractions. He stated, “It takes roughly an hour and a half to view every location.”
The border customs office of Molossia.
Government of Molossia
Baugh leads the excursions while still maintaining a full-time job. He declined to remark about his occupation because it would diminish the “sense of comedy”
Baugh acknowledged that operating Molossia is “a little of fun” and “a chuckle,” but stated that at its foundation, it is a serious examination of what defines a nation and what a world of micronations would entail.
Baugh stated, “We rely on the United States for practically all of our economic needs, including food, clothing, and other items that you would ordinarily purchase.” However, within these parameters, we take our nation rather seriously while also having fun with it.