[GD]The shadow-plan: Volume 1: Congress and public discussions

As I was asked here by Olv and a few others to give advise on getting the country on it's feet, I decided to write up a plan. I will publish this is parts, one part every 2 to 5 days. (depending if I have IRL the time for it)

I call it the shadow-plan named after the RL "Marshal-plan" that brought our RL country on it's feet after WWII (yes, I am so narcissistic to give it my own name         )




Volume I: Congres and public discussions.


As some of you know, I am a beta giant. I joined day 22 in eUK. Without going trough my entire e-life story and boring you all I can say that I was of major influence in how the current eUK political system is set up. Me, kaleb, nel and a few others designed it and set it up. That system still stands today in eUK and is seen as the basis for the country.

Am I planning on setting up a similar system for ebelgium as in eUK? no. The system in eUK has proven outdated and bad and is not suited for a country that wishes to remain neutral. Some elements however are good. This is my suggestion of what would be a good political system for eBelgium. This is a draft, this is a frame. The content of this frame needs to filled in as we continue down the road and when our country faces new challenges. Feel free to discuss it.


Section 1: Congress

My motto for this is the same as for my military structure:



Keep is fast, keep it simple and keep it efficient.

Since we are a starting nation, our primary goal should be to get as much ppl involved in this country as possible. The best way to do this is to keep them interested and give everyone a chance, so not only those few congressman, a chance to be involved. We want to give everyone the opportunity to able to maximize his/her input in this country. The best way to do this is by getting as much people involved. And who exactly do I mean by “as much people”? I mean everyone. Every single citizens, even foreign visitors, all able to bring in arguments for the sake of the country. (and no, I’m no communist, before y’all start shouting  ‘dirty commie”     )


That is why I propose the following structure, which is much like the irish system and is very open and accessible.



The keyword here is transparency

1 forum named "public congress discussions"(or use the current "public announcements"). Every citizen can post up a proposal in here. We will then give this a review time of, depending on the urgency of the proposal, 24 hours, 48 hours or longer (can still be determined). In this time period every user on this forum can discuss the proposal and everyone can give his idea's about it or give his opinion.

After the time period is passed, the proposal will go into a public viewable board where only congressman can type and write (the public can see everything that happens here, tho). In here, these congressman can cast their votes based on the arguments they heard in the public congress discussions forum. That way, every citizen can see for himself if the congressman he or she voted for is actually representing his idea.



Every rules has it’s exception

1 hidden forum where the president and congressman can discuss urgent and secret matters. Only visible to the congressman, president and ministers. This forum is more a emergency forum and shouldn't be used often.
Don’t waste time with 3 zillion different forums so everyone will needs to look for ages until they found the post they wanted to. Keep it simple to 3 forums, one for discussions, one for voting and one for secret emergencies.


We are the hive!!

If we get everyone involved in this country, there will be a much bigger cohesion in eBE. In many countries, like eUK, you see that country is run by a small group of old-timers. A sort of “elite” if you wish to call it. They have themselves a House of Lords where they can still have power and a say over all that happens in eUK without being elected. The rest of public in eUK are just grunts. They just spend their days in the army and other then that they have little or nothing to do except read the posts about all the discussions that are being taken place above their heads.

This is something we must prevent. Look at the internet, look at Wikipedia, look at blogs and discussion forums… knowledge and wisdom does not lay in the minds of a few but the collective mind of a whole group. "A hive" as some name it. The bigger our group, the bigger our knowledge. More ppl= more points of view= more idea’s= more ppl involved= more ppl staying and actively participating.

Why everyone and not just citizens only? Why allow foreign visitors to participate in our discussions as well? In my experience in this game I have more then often seen the biggest screwups happen because congress was misinformed, in my time as ATLANTIS SG I can’t even count the failures eUK did because it’s congress was misinformed and the public didn’t knew what was happening in eworld. This is something we will prevent this way. Foreign forums often have other and sometimes better info on matter then ours, citizens from those countries that info with them and what we get is a sort of free information exchange.


Pro? Contra?

Let me put the advantages and disadvantages in a small list

Advantages:

-we will work in one big group
-everyone will be involved meaning more ppl will stay
-congress will be less likely misinformed.
-the country will be build for the people by the people
-the public can see if the congressmen they vote for actually their job properly


(possible) criticisms

-everyone (e.a.  spies) will be able to read all our congress discussions
-it will slow things down



To the first point I want to reply: what would spies do with things that happen here? The info posted here is of little military value and we are no treat to anyone.  Secondly, coming from the guy who was actually the first in e-world to set up a successful intelligence agency and run it for nearly 1,5 years, if they really want in, it’s piece of cake. There is no such thing as security in e-republik. I spied on the PEACE forums for 8 months, had full access and used a former Secretary general’s account for that. I know everything that happens in Phoenix and I can assure you, getting into a foreign congress is easy as hell, we might save ourselves the trouble having to find the leaks every month by posting it all out in the open. Take eUK for example: their congress has more holes in it then a Dutch cheese.

To the second point:
It won’t if you deal with it properly. Keep to the time tables, that’s something that can be worked out later.


Any comments, any remarks?

PS: I will soon start working on Volume II


In conclusion of this wall of text


A open, simple and transparent congress system is in my opinion the best way forward for Belgium at this stage. Our concerns at this point shouldn’t be keeping info safe (I doubt we will have much sensitive info in the first months) but rather to get everyone involved and get new players active in our community. Getting babies here is one thing, keeping them here… now that’s the real challenge. Imo, this systems offers us the best solution to have a clear, fast working and open government where everyone can contribute and where all citizens can help instead of a select few. This is a system for the people, to make a eBelgium by the people.


the system in a nutshell

Congress consisting of:
------>public discussions (where the real power is, with the ppl)
------>Voting area (where congressman will be able to cast votes)
------>hidden emergency forum (for emergency use only)

dirty commie

Agreed. I was already trying to change the system of the forum. I don't like it either, before your post i already grated everyone the right to speak in congress section. I'm close to your opinion and i will set it up right now.

Apotygma wrote:Agreed. I was already trying to change the system of the forum. I don't like it either, before your post i already grated everyone the right to speak in congress section. I'm close to your opinion and i will set it up right now.

Good ideas, and thanks for your hardwork Apotygma!

Rod Damon wrote:dirty commie

Damn... you were quicker ^^

Anyway, thank you for the different posts. I'm slowly starting to understand how things work in this game though I joined only a week or so ago.

I am quite happy about the idea that everyone has got a chance to say something. That will give the opportunity to get people involved with the country, you'll eventually stay coz it's entertaining/interesting.

I like that. I think this system would work great in a country like Belgium. And I know something about the ruling "elite" and people that can do sh** - I'm from Poland...

Great system for true democracy.

This is actually the same system as (U)NL has.