What If...

[RedSkunk]

What if you had free reign to rule over a country as you saw fit? Would you rule according to your personal beliefs? Would you try something new - test a new system? Radicalize your beliefs, or tone them down?

Give a little blurb explaining how you'd run the place - socially, economically & politically.

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Personally, I'd try to keep my social beliefs intact. The government wouldn't be in the position to legislate morality. The criminal court system would focus on rehabilitation. You could look at many Scandinavian countries to see what I'm thinking here.

But economically, I think it'd be interesting to socialize all business. If the country was already industrialized, had a stable economy and populace, it'd be interesting to see what would happen. I believe it could be done much better than it has before. If the people had a stake in where they were working, wouldn't it follow that they would work harder? I'm talking co-ops here. Every worker would have a stake in the company. Wages would be close enough so that no one unduly gets ahead or falls behind, but there would be room for advancement.

There's got to be something better than straight capitalism =P

[The-Enforcer]

I would run the country as a place to explore sociology. All business would be privatized with extremely little government interference. The government would legislate the rights to all citizens, born or not. After a few years of letting my people become successful through the capitalistic system I would invade Skvnk's country and murder every single inhabitant so I could use their natural resources to better my people.

[RedSkunk]

Good thing there's still an international community in this alternate reality, eh? And I'm paying my dues.

[JudgeDredd]

I'd run a totally W33D based economy. A place where all the derivitives of gunja plants become the nations standard currency and units of trade; hemp paper notes for barter trade, banks would exchange bags of dope for US$ at the airport, gold bullion would be freed up for electronic use as it's replaced by metric weights of quality assured blocks of pure hash, houses would be built from hemp fibre products, the machinery of business would be lubricated by it's sweet smelling natural renewable oil extracts, weed seed bread subsidsed and free for the needy, laced chocolate muffins would be known as the national food, hemp fabrics would be the basis for high fashion and everyday durable wears, and the countries flag.. (you guessed it -see pic's tablecloth ; ) ..and even the balance of trade would be weighed against exports of all mannor of marijuana merchandise such as ready rolled joints, pipes and bongs, biodegradable packaging, rope, and medicinal herbs, and much much more....

Also.. i'd divide the calender year into 4 growing seasons (moonths), street lighting would use grow lamps and be only about 2 or 3 meters above a wide medium strip of pure grass, music would be free, and driving under the influence tolerated at reduced speeds.

This would make a horticultural heaven on earth (a modern garden-of-eden marajuanadise) and be a great tourist boon for the "real economy" and the predominantly rastafarian public would be very tolerant of me their newly appointed leader ^_^

[ShadowsFall]

At 8/11/04 05:47 AM, I7-I2-E-I7-I7 wrote: I'd run a totally W33D based economy. A place where all the derivitives of gunja plants become the nations standard currency and units of trade; hemp paper notes for barter trade, banks would exchange bags of dope for US$ at the airport, gold bullion would be freed up for electronic use as it's replaced by metric weights of quality assured blocks of pure hash, houses would be built from hemp fibre products, the machinery of business would be lubricated by it's sweet smelling natural renewable oil extracts, weed seed bread subsidsed and free for the needy, laced chocolate muffins would be known as the national food, hemp fabrics would be the basis for high fashion and everyday durable wears, and the countries flag.. (you guessed it -see pic's tablecloth ; ) ..and even the balance of trade would be weighed against exports of all mannor of marijuana merchandise such as ready rolled joints, pipes and bongs, biodegradable packaging, rope, and medicinal herbs, and much much more....

Also.. i'd divide the calender year into 4 growing seasons (moonths), street lighting would use grow lamps and be only about 2 or 3 meters above a wide medium strip of pure grass, music would be free, and driving under the influence tolerated at reduced speeds.

This would make a horticultural heaven on earth (a modern garden-of-eden marajuanadise) and be a great tourist boon for the "real economy" and the predominantly rastafarian public would be very tolerant of me their newly appointed leader ^_^

And you my friend are very misguided lol but I suppose its your dream :-).

If I myself took control- one of my focuses would be on taking a very hardline on drugs. Massive jail sentences for people caught in possession of any drug. The death sentence for dealers with large quantities of class A drugs- after all a dealer for example dealing in a substance like herion will wreck and possibly cut short many a life throughout there criminal career. For all the lives they destroy I think it warrents their death. And after that hopefully the only people left dealing will be the bravest criminals- one trait criminals dont usually have :-)

[RedSkunk]

Dredd, can I live in your country now?

[Jlop985]

I would give people total freedom to do whatever they would want, provided they did not harm anybody else in the process. Drugs, all consensual relations, and self-destructive activities would be allowed. The government would encourage non-mandatory counseling programs for those who abuse their liberty.
Education would be free, from preeschool up to PHD. Government spending would be left to a minimum, while maintaining a balanced budget. All welfare would be temporary. Instead of negative business regulations, tax breaks and credits would be used to protect the environment and the little guy.
Everybody would be equal in terms of political and civil rights. Government would neither favor nor penalize the rich, or business. Political campaigns will be very tightly regulated- no money could be raised, and all campaigning would occur by government-funded debates. Term limits will be strictly enforced.

[Jlop985]

Of course, I would be a constitutional monarchical figurehead, with my own harem and a 500-room palace...

[witeshark]

At 8/11/04 05:47 AM, I7-I2-E-I7-I7 wrote:

driving under the influence tolerated at reduced speeds.

I actually like all I7-I2-E-I7-I7's ideas

[JudgeDredd]

At 8/11/04 09:00 PM, Skvnk wrote: Dredd, can I live in your country now?

..there's a waiting list and very strong demand - but for the price of a few wack seeds in an envelope, your name can slide on up the list aye : )_*

Let's see..? An island state would prolly be most manageable, but with rising oceans we'd be better tasked with the growing need for rapid reforestation of desert regions, involving the building of solar-desalinated (seawater) reservoirs under a canopy of artistic silica superstructures housing the many seedling banks and grasshouses.... -yep, full employment wouldn't be a problem and within no time people would be literally rolling in it.. *puffs on joint* ..and convicts from less-tolerant nations (ShadowsFall's real world example) would be welcomed to start over fresh (for lack of a better name..) in Newgroundland.

[bumcheekcity]

I'd run it pretty much on the basis of a "Complain about the country and you get exiled" basis. Exile would be the standard penalty for crime, from murder to speeding. Naturally crime rates would be low on my country, because the nearest place would be The-Enforcers country, and nobody watns to go there.

Therewould be no army, because everybody would love us, because it would be an island full of very liberal people who got on with their lives without pissing about anything that wasn't their business, getting on, and helping old ladies cross the street. If anybody should want to attack us, then we just turn up the Shania Twain music...

[lapslf]

First of all, I would illegalize the following things:
-Commercial Music
-Bad Anime *cough*dragonballz*cough*
-Converting people to a religion
-Microsoft (that includes xbox)
-Gothics
-Heineken
-Bacardi Breezer
-Misspelling the word "the"
-TV-shows like Idols
-Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren clothes

The penalty for disobeying my rules would be sucking my dick.

Second, I will change Monday into Marcday. The rest of the days will be referred to as "X number of day before/after Marcday".
Third, I will subsidise beer, pot and video games.

That would be all.