Lately, as many of you may have noticed, I've been wallowing a lot in my fanatical hatred for George W. Bush and all Republicans in general (is that hyperbole?). That's all well and fine, but I often ask myself, "Well, smartypants, if I'm so smart then how would I run things?" Now, the scope of action open to the President is far too limited for a man of my grand vision, so I have no interest in explaining how I'd reform the US at this time. Instead, I'm going to outline how I'd start a new country entirely from scratch.
Let's assume for the moment that a large island like, oh, Madagascar suddenly became depopulated (assume they all emigrated to Greenland). Then assume that I won the subsequent contest to design a new country on the island in any way I liked. It would be similar to the creation of Israel in that when Israel was created, Jewish people from around the world moved there to help start the new country off. Except, instead of Jewish people, I'd recruit atheists from around the world and form the new nation of Secularia.
The next couple of posts explain the nature of my proposed country. This is a rough draft, mind you, so if you see any errors or inconsistancies then I would be willing to amend things where necessary. Also, it should be obvious that things may appear to lack a clear organizational structure as I'm neither a professional writer nor a political science major, but I would be willing to clear up any misconceptions or misunderstandings that may crop up.
Next, then, is my outline for Secularia:
Originally posted by rwingettName: Secularia
Lately, as many of you may have noticed, I've been wallowing a lot in my fanatical hatred for George W. Bush and all Republicans in general (is that hyperbole?). That's all well and fine, but I often ask myself, "Well, smartypants, if I'm so smart then how would I run things?" Now, the scope of action open to the President is far too limited for a man ...[text shortened]... sconceptions or misunderstandings that may crop up.
Next, then, is my outline for Secularia:
Flag: None
National Anthem: None
National Motto: No gods, no masters.
Executive Branch:
•Secularia does not have a President, or ruler.
•It has an executive council of five members elected to five year terms, staggered so that one comes up for election every year.
•Three votes are needed to pass any item into law.
Legislative Branch:
•Secularia has a unicameral legislature voted in on a basis of proportional representation. Members serve three year terms with 1/3 of legislature coming up for election every year.
Judicial Branch:
•Secularia has a Supreme Court of 12 members who serve 12 year terms, staggered so that one comes up for election every year.
•4 are elected by the Executive council, 4 are elected by the Legislature, and 4 are elected directly by the people.
Economy:
•Secularia has a mixed economy.
•There is a very heavily regulated capitalist sector, and an egalitarian socialist communal sector.
•All basic services and utilities are operated by the government.
Capitalist sector:
•Taxation is very heavily progressive, with the wealthy being taxed at a high rate.
•Labor rights are very strongly observed.
•Overtime pay is required for everyone except upper management.
•The hiring of scabs during a strike is illegal.
•All advertising in print media, television, radio, and billboards, as we know it, is illegal. Special publications, television channels, and radio stations will be designated for advertisement. If anyone wants advertising information, they can seek out these avenues. But no one will be subjected to a constant and all pervasive barrage of advertising in their daily lives unless they actively seek it.
Communal sector:
•Egalitarian socialist communities of up to 500 people each will form much of society.
•All the communities will be organized into a Federation of Egalitarian Communities to facilitate cooperation and support between them.
•Communities hold their land, labor, income and other resources in common.
•Communities assume responsibility for the needs of its members, receiving the products of their labor and distributing these and all other goods equally, or according to need.
•Communities use a form of decision making in which members have an equal opportunity to participate, either through consensus, direct vote, or right of appeal or overrule.
Originally posted by rwingettReligion:
Name: Secularia
Flag: None
National Anthem: None
National Motto: No gods, no masters.
Executive Branch:
•Secularia does not have a President, or ruler.
•It has an executive council of five members elected to five year terms, staggered so that one comes up for election every year.
•Three votes are needed to pass any item into law.
Legisl ...[text shortened]... ity to participate, either through consensus, direct vote, or right of appeal or overrule.
•Secularia is officially an atheist country. The government actively promotes a secular agenda.
•Separation of church and state is absolute and uncompromising.
•All religions are taxed and are strictly prohibited from engaging in the political sphere in any way.
•All children are required to attend secular public schools. Any religious education a child receives would be in addition to the required public school education.
•Within these limitations, Secularians are free to practice any religion they wish, or none at all.
Ecology/Social issues:
•All solely gasoline powered vehicles are banned from Secularia. Only electric, hybrid, bio-diesel, and other alternative fuel vehicles will be allowed. Public transport will be heavily subsidized.
•Solar power, wind power, and hydroelectric power will be heavily subsidized.
•Prostitution will be legalized, taxed and heavily regulated.
•The sale of marijuana will be legalized and taxed. The sale of other drugs will be legalized, taxed and heavily regulated with a heavy emphasis on anti-drug education and rehab.
•Gay marriage will be legalized with gay couples receiving all the benefits of traditional
marriage.
•All health care is free.
•Abortion will be legal and accessible to all women. Sex education, information and contraceptives will be made available to all teens.
•Zero population growth is the goal of Secularia. Tax penalties against excessive children per family will be enforced.
Foreign relations/Military:
•A government ministry will rank all worldwide corporations on their social and ecological practices. Corporations which receive a poor ranking will be prohibited from doing business in Secularia. Corporations which already do business in Secularia but then fall below an acceptable ranking will be more heavily taxed.
•Foreign governments will also receive a ranking for their social and ecological practices. Trade with countries which receive poor ratings will be subjected to high tariffs or embargoes.
•Military spending will be limited to 2% of the budget. Secularian troops will be prohibited from engaging in any overseas military operation that does not receive UN approval.
Education:
•All primary and secondary education is free and compulsory.
•Higher education is heavily subsidized.
•All educational institutions use a strictly secular and naturalist cirriculum.
•All religious schools are allowed to function in a strictly supplementary role to the required secular public school education.
•All cirriculum stress the learning of critical thinking skills.
•The right to dissent is to be stressed. All students will be required to participate in at least one antigovernment demonstration before graduating.
Three thoughts:
1. Elections of at least one member of every branch of government EVERY year? There would be a never-ending stream of political campaigns. Can you say "voter disengagement"?
2. Advertising in the media is banned entirely? Ummm, so how will newspapers, radio and television sustain themselves without income?
3. Free health care, free education, heavily subsidized post-secondary education, most property is communal, labour rights are entrenched and the richest will face the greatest proportion of taxation... hmmm, ok, so after the few rich people you have leave the country or move their head offices overseas, exactly how do you intend to pay for all this largesse? Print more money?
Originally posted by DecanterYour concerns have been noted. I will be in and out until later in the day and will address them at that time.
Three thoughts:
1. Elections of at least one member of every branch of government EVERY year? There would be a never-ending stream of political campaigns. Can you say "voter disengagement"?
2. Advertising in the media is banned entirely? Ummm, so how will newspapers, radio and television sustain themselves without income?
3. Free health care, ...[text shortened]... ead offices overseas, exactly how do you intend to pay for all this largesse? Print more money?
Originally posted by rwingettOne rec for you, just because you rememberd from previous discussions to say "jewish people" and not "jews".
Lately, as many of you may have noticed, I've been wallowing a lot in my fanatical hatred for George W. Bush and all Republicans in general (is that hyperbole?). That's all well and fine, but I often ask myself, "Well, smartypants, if I'm so smart then how would I run things?" Now, the scope of action open to the President is far too limited for a man ...[text shortened]... sconceptions or misunderstandings that may crop up.
Next, then, is my outline for Secularia:
Shaul
Originally posted by rwingettKeep in mind I'm in a unique position to comment on a lot of this. I live in Canada so I've seen free health care and subsidized education in action. I live next to the U.S. so I'm constantly bombarded with their political and economic structure. Also, as it happens, I've got a history degree and have studied the rise and fall of many an ill-advised economic and political structure.
Your concerns have been noted. I will be in and out until later in the day and will address them at that time.
I can give you points for good intentions, and for having no OBVIOUS manner to subvert the political structure. However, you might want to consider that without a leadership role, or without the concept of a governing political group, it may be difficult to manage any long-term policy or vision.
I like the environmental idea, but rather than subsidizing them, it may be a better revenue stream if your little country were to become a techological leader in the development of alternative energy sources. It's something that could actually generate money for you, rather than most of your policies which just cost money.
1 edit
Originally posted by rwingettWhat's the reasoning behind the yearly voting? I can see benefits behind focusing attention more on individuals, but there would probably be some negative consequences (such as that mentioned by decanter).
Name: Secularia
Flag: None
National Anthem: None
National Motto: No gods, no masters.
Executive Branch:
•Secularia does not have a President, or ruler.
•It has an executive council of five members elected to five year terms ...[text shortened]... ough consensus, direct vote, or right of appeal or overrule.
I dont think your executive branch is a good idea, you only need 3 for it to be a commitee, and being led by a commitee... Any country which doesn't have one man at the top is in BIG trouble. However I could see possibilities in selecting one of them to be "chairman" by some method or another.
I think your "communals" of 500 are little bit too much, or rather too few. Are there to be no cities in secularia?
MÅ¥HÅRM
Originally posted by DecanterThis depends entirely on whether you believe the rich to be monetary sinks or wells.
3. Free health care, free education, heavily subsidized post-secondary education, most property is communal, labour rights are entrenched and the richest will face the greatest proportion of taxation... hmmm, ok, so after the few rich people you have leave the country or move their head offices overseas, exactly how do you intend to pay for all this largesse? Print more money?
Ardent capitalists claim that rich people help stimulate an economy by bringing in more money to spend, the counter argument is that there is less opportunity for other people to obtain monetary wealth.
My opinion is that both arguments are true and cancel each other out such that it matters not whether rich people come or go, the net economic equation (and thus tax revenue) retains it's equilibrium.
MÅ¥HÅRM
Originally posted by MayharmNot necessarily.
This depends entirely on whether you believe the rich to be monetary sinks or wells.
Ardent capitalists claim that rich people help stimulate an economy by bringing in more money to spend, the counter argument is that there is less opportunity for other people to obtain monetary wealth.
My opinion is that both arguments are true and cancel each other o ...[text shortened]... me or go, the net economic equation (and thus tax revenue) retains it's equilibrium.
MÅ¥HÅRM
This country has heavily subsidized transit, heavily subsidized alternative energy sources, heavily subsidized post-secondary education, free health care, free primary and secondary education, and economic policy is heavily pro-labour.
All of this has to be paid for. Traditionally, the best source of income is taxation. Corporations will be heavily regulated and subject to pro-labour government policy, and not permitted to publicly advertize. So the economy is going to suck wind. What foreign company would want to subject itself to THAT?
As for home-grown industry, well land, labour and income are communal it'd be kinda tough to be an entrepeneur, so there won't be much there.
The basic problem with the Capitalist model is that the people in power make basically everyone else suffer. On the flip side, the problem with this model, which is basically Communist, is that the government would basically have to run the entire society without any revenue to do it with.