{{Version|1.18}}
Policies are a mechanic introduced in patch 1.6. Each policy gives a substantial bonus but costs one monarch power per month depending on the category of the chosen policy.
Polices are unlocked by completing idea groups. Each possible pair of ideas from different types unlocks a policy. Since there are 6 administrative, 6 diplomatic, and 7 military idea groups, there are 6 * 6 + 6 * 7 + 6 * 7 = 120 different policies. Since nations may have up to 8 idea groups, they can have up to 21 possible policies available. However, a nation may only have 5 policies active at once.
Once activated, a policy cannot be deactivated for ten years.
Our nation has formalized its system of weights, scales and measures. Four to eight bovates to the hide, and five hides to the fee makes a wapentake at a hundred. We're not quite sure. While this is no metric system, it does go a long way to help that we are at least decided on using the same basic units everywhere in the country..
This innovative style synthesizes aspects of Late Gothic architecture with influences of the Spanish, Italian and Flemish elements. The constructions in Manueline were largely financed by proceeds of the lucrative spice trade with Africa and India.
Checking on suspicious behavior within the administration might be a good idea from time to time. The creation of royal commissions will certainly help to reduce corruption.
The policy of removal of unwanted heretical elements from the realm will guarantee that the faith of our loyal subjects is not subverted in their social interactions with these elements. They are therefore ordered to depart and never return.
The poor have to suffer most in times of trouble. Some small donations shall help to ease their misery - and make sure that the mob won't pick up the torches and pitchforks.
Let us look much more closely to our holy scriptures to distinguish crimes and penalties for our society. Only when a society is ruled in a truly pious way may its people achieve true greatness.
Espionage operations are sometimes undertaken without full appreciation of the repercussions. By carefully evaluating the possible outcomes of a potential course of action, we minimize both the risk and impact of failure.
With promises and assurances of safety and toleration, we can convince the unbelievers within our realm to remain peaceful and disarmed. This should at least temporarily delay the threat of a religious civil war until we're better equipped to deal with their wickedness and return them to the true faith.
By opening our court to men of all nationalities we can ensure that we get the best advice for the least cost to ourselves, as well as creating valuable diplomatic links abroad.
Incorporating foreign lands into our country is a difficult and time-consuming affair. By setting down a series of standard practices for integration we can make it easier.
Ruling distant lands is difficult, particularly when those lands are an ocean away. By establishing dominions ruled by local viceroys loyal to the crown we can get the most out of those lands.
Encourage education and high literary standards among the aristocracy in order to ensure that the men leading our nation are the closest followers of our Humanist ideals.
We have seen much of this strange New World. Things that our enemies certainly would like to know. Henceforth, all naval matters shall be regarded secret information.
Our shipwrights tell us that much could be accomplished in terms of efficiency when it comes to the production of galleys for our navy. By streamlining and standardizing production processes and ensuring that the shipyards are never unsupplied we will lay a solid foundation for our country as a great naval power.
To ensure better quality of the cloth offered in the market we declare that if the cloth offered by a merchant is not found to be of satisfactory quality on three separate occasions, such merchant shall be tied to a post with said cloth attached to him as punishment.
Our ambassadors abroad should not only act as envoys, they should also be tasked with protecting and promoting our trade. They should look that all past agreements keep being extended and honored in foreign courts and shouldn't shy from spying on our competitors in order to sabotage their efforts.
By maintaining trade outposts in foreign countries we have trade ties with we will get to control their commerce without having to fight for the territory.
By avoiding alliances with other countries we also ensure that we won't have to participate in any of their future wars, securing lasting peace for the republic.
Exploration has become profitable and our merchants want to reach farther than their individual wealth allows. By establishing colonial companies, we can harness their capital to explore, expand and exploit.
Our ships carrying trade goods throughout the world benefit from taking routes established by the nature of winds and oceans. By securing these lanes, we can ensure that our trade is carried both safely and efficiently.
Craftsmanship gives many opportunities to celebrate the spiritual, giving our religious leaders reason to support such work. We aid the manifestation of the divine in the creation of the mundane.
Raging storms on the open seas can test the faith of any sailor, especially one travelling in a war-torn vessel. Military Chaplains of the Fleet aid our recruits in maintaining hope through times of adversity.
Our nation has a considerable understanding of the customs and traditions of foreign cultures, allowing us to seamlessly blend into their society when necessary.
Establishing trading posts in foreign lands is vital to our economic interests, but they tend to be at risk to attack from foreign powers and hostile locals. By providing each with a small garrison we can reduce this risk.
Supplying troops in foreign lands is never easy. Thankfully, we have learned a few tricks that make this a lot easier. For more details please see Hearts of Iron III on how to make a flawless logistics simulator.
Increasing the number of priests within the ranks of our military will help convince our soldiers that God is on our side in war and that they are doing God's work.
We must strive to instill zeal in our soldiers and make them willing to sacrifice themselves for our holy cause. At any time we must ensure that there is a great number of priests to care for the spiritual health of our men in the field, to lead them in worship and to take care of them when their lives end. We must also ensure that they are never without prayer books or any other religious material they might desire during our campaigns.
Forgoing neither the power of actions nor the power of words, our nation enlists both great ambassadors and orators and the military force to back their arguments.
Sometimes people need a 'gift' when you try to persuade them. By funneling more of our resources unto our diplomats we can easier make people see things our way.
The prospect of wealth and prosperity has drawn a lot of adventurers to the newly discovered lands. By hiring the most capable ones we will make sure that their services are always at our disposal.
Granting a certain degree of political autonomy to the estates of our subjects will give us more negotiating room in extracting taxes from their lands.
Scholarly learning tells us that war is inevitable, but it can also help us understand when it is likely to break out so that we may be prepared for it.
Include the armies of our subject states into our own command so that everyone is getting the same orders and there is no confusion on the battlefield.