History Fridge / PapersPlease

*** Commerce seems to be booming in Arstotzka too. You get returning citizens who promote their businesses such as am engineering firm and a gym, lots of immigrants come to the country for work, and Arstotzka has a sports team with a healthy fanbase. You never hear about positive business happenings in other countries (to be fair, the newspaper you read daily is Arstotzka-centric).

* M. Vonel arresting the Inspector for handing the EZIC documents to him seems harsh at first, but someone who co-operates will naturally be less likely to be seen as suspicious (''which is what an EZIC agent would want''). Vonel wants to ensure that there isn't any reverse psychology BS being pulled off here (something a ''secret police officer'' would be well versed in) and wants to verify for himself.

*** Commerce seems to be booming in Arstotzka too. You get returning citizens who promote their businesses such as a business firm and a gym, and Arstotzka has a sports team with a healthy fanbase. You never hear about positive business happenings in other countries (to be fair, the newspaper you read daily is Arstotzka-centric).

*** Which is thrown out the window if you consider the United Federation as a stand in for Yugoslavia and not one for the USA. Yugoslavia cozied up to the west to get better tech, but ended up balkinizing in the already [[UpToEleven balkanized]] Balkans because of a literal genocide. "United" may be as ironic a title as a PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny.

*** It could also be they were coerced into it. Maybe they were lied to or manipulated into doing it or their families and friends were threatened. They may actually be really happy they got caught so they don't have to go through with it. If an agent was nearby making sure they made the attempt, seeing the booth swarmed by guards is a good enough indicator that the would-be bomber made an honest attempt at it. At least an ambiguously honest enough that they can't justify hurting the bomber's loved ones without losing the trust and loyalty of other members. If you let them through, the observer would know they backed out if they don't denotate the bomb, so they ''have'' to trigger it. The reason they don't just admit to it immediately may be due to nerves (and fear of long term pain and torture as opposed to a quick death) or because they are still vaguely loyal to the cause even if their faith is wavering.

*** It could also be they were coerced into it. Maybe they were lied to or manipulated into doing it or their families and friends were threatened. They may actually be really happy they got caught so they don't have to go through with it. If an agent was nearby making sure they made the attempt, seeing the booth swarmed by guards is a good enough indicator that the would-be bomber made an honest attempt at it. At least ambiguously honest enough that they can't justify hurting the bomber's lover ones without losing the trust and loyalty of other members. If you let them through, the observer would know they backed out if they don't denotate the bomb, so they ''have'' to trigger it. The reason they don't just admit to it immediately may be due to nerves (and fear of long term pain and torture as opposed to a quick death) or because they are still vaguely loyal to the cause even if their faith is wavering.