The Most Serene Republic of Will Burtz is a large, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its state-planned economy, irreverence towards religion, and punitive income tax rates. The quiet, industrious population of 62 million Well Ben are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Education. The average income tax rate is 61.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but sluggish Weilbets economy, worth 1.18 trillion deniers a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient, quite specialized black market in Arms Manufacturing, Book Publishing, Uranium Mining, and Retail. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is 18,984 deniers, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Modelling agencies send their clients to work in nursing homes, exceptionally talented workers are praised more than Revolutionary heroes, motorcycle riders are required to wear so much gear they've been nicknamed "Stay Pufts", and the government has officially clarified that "wee on your hands to save time" does not count as proper hygiene. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Will Burtz's national animal is the dolphin, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Will Burtz is ranked 272,178^th in the world and 4^th in A New Place at a different Time for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring -53.85 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.