How to keep your cities happy

[Dakka]

I'm in the middle of a MAratha Confederacy world domination campaign, and the cities I have taken are getting really unhappy. Some of them are cities I have captured almost 25 turns ago. How do I get these people happy again?

[Sodaspender]

why are they unhappy? what kind of modifies do they have?

[HazardHawk]

Get rid of schools if there are any in those provinces. Get rid of religious buildings not your own and add you own religious buildings. Turn off taxes in that province for the first few turns you own it which will be a bankroll hit as it deducts from your other income for the costs of everything in that province. Keep a good general (usually the conqueror) in the settlement with a decent army until it settles down.

For the region, turn down both upper and lower taxes for the entire region which also encourages emmigration from other areas that are settled and loyal. That ought to get you started, but you really need to find what works best for the way you play.

[FSgt. A. Switz [3rd MAR]]

Sounds like you have a horrible Justice Administrator. Remove him by either kicking or dragging your choice (or other cabinet member) over him.

[Inardesco]

Things that impact population happiness;
+ Ministers
+ Buildings such as inns in the province
+ Government building and happiness building in province capital
+ Having an enemy army in the province
+ Government type

- Having a college in the province
- Enlightenment technologies
- bankruptcy
- Government type

The most elusive to unhappiness is the goverment type.

Maratha Confederacy starts as an Absolute Monarchy, meaning that there's an Upper Class and a Lower Class. Most enlightenment technologies will ruin the happiness of the Lower Class, industrialisation lowers the happiness of the lower class, the more enlightenment the more the Lower class wants to reform the government; thus you get a clamour for reform. This requires you to have more troops in your home regions to prevent rebellions but it also allows you to swap ministers left and right when you want to.


Poland-Lithuania is one of the few nations that start the game as a Constitutional Monarchy, meaning that there is an Upper Class and a Middle Class. This government type is still present within modern day Europe and still has a Monarch but the government is chosen by the people. The Upper/Middle classes are the least affected by technological advances within the Enligthenment tree and don't need as much military management against rebellions as the Absolute Monarchies.
Since your government is chosen by the people, you can't remove ministers willy nilly like you can in an absolute monarchy. However, once a government is in power, it'll remain in power untill the opposition wins an election.

The United Provinces starts the game as a Republic, meaning that there is a Middle Class and a Lower Class. Unlike the other government types, there is no Monarch (Royal Family) and the government can only be around for 2 terms. Meaning, that every 10 years there will be a change of government. However, due to having a Lower Class, this government type is, like the Absolute Monarchy, heavily influenced by Enlightenment technologies and thus you can get a lot of Clamour for Reform in provinces where you have a college.

Each and every Government type also gets innate bonusses but personally, my preference is the Constitutional Monarchy because it is the least affected by Clamour for Reform.

[SloppyToWhat]

That was awesome information. I had no idea despite how long I've been playing this. Thanks!

Originally posted by Inardesco:

Things that impact population happiness;
+ Ministers
+ Buildings such as inns in the province
+ Government building and happiness building in province capital
+ Having an enemy army in the province
+ Government type

- Having a college in the province
- Enlightenment technologies
- bankruptcy
- Government type

The most elusive to unhappiness is the goverment type.

Maratha Confederacy starts as an Absolute Monarchy, meaning that there's an Upper Class and a Lower Class. Most enlightenment technologies will ruin the happiness of the Lower Class, industrialisation lowers the happiness of the lower class, the more enlightenment the more the Lower class wants to reform the government; thus you get a clamour for reform. This requires you to have more troops in your home regions to prevent rebellions but it also allows you to swap ministers left and right when you want to.


Poland-Lithuania is one of the few nations that start the game as a Constitutional Monarchy, meaning that there is an Upper Class and a Middle Class. This government type is still present within modern day Europe and still has a Monarch but the government is chosen by the people. The Upper/Middle classes are the least affected by technological advances within the Enligthenment tree and don't need as much military management against rebellions as the Absolute Monarchies.
Since your government is chosen by the people, you can't remove ministers willy nilly like you can in an absolute monarchy. However, once a government is in power, it'll remain in power untill the opposition wins an election.

The United Provinces starts the game as a Republic, meaning that there is a Middle Class and a Lower Class. Unlike the other government types, there is no Monarch (Royal Family) and the government can only be around for 2 terms. Meaning, that every 10 years there will be a change of government. However, due to having a Lower Class, this government type is, like the Absolute Monarchy, heavily influenced by Enlightenment technologies and thus you can get a lot of Clamour for Reform in provinces where you have a college.

Each and every Government type also gets innate bonusses but personally, my preference is the Constitutional Monarchy because it is the least affected by Clamour for Reform.