[ExI] size of polities

[ablainey at aol.com]

 -----Original Message-----

From: Jef Allbright <jef at jefallbright.net>


Your other implicit assumption, again correct within historical
context, is that our actions, whether at the level of the individual
or the group (nation), normally reflect our **desires**, rather than
express our **values**   The significance of this distinction is
twofold: (1) action at the level of the group (the hive?) is optimally
an expression of a maximally coherent comprehension of the group
values-complex, functionally beyond the comprehension of its
constituents, and (2) to the extent that specific outcomes within a
complexly evolving environment are unpredictable, it is better to
discover the future by creating it, than to attempt to build to a
preconceived specification within an incompletely conceived context.


> More people would vote if the representatives they were
> electing could effectively represent them in much smaller
> legislatures, too.


 


 One of the main problems as I see it is that we are still basing our political models on primate hierarchies. It is the Alpha's that inevitably make the decisions based largely upon 'Their' own personal views. Yes as a nation we choose which monkey gets the alpha position based upon similarity to our own views, but that generally doesn't equate to them making a decision the way we would.
I would like to see a voluntary referendum based system, where each person gets to vote on a decision (or not if they choose so). Where their vote is weighted according to their personal level of interest, competency, and expertise in the subject. That way, the education board or politician a one end of the country doesn't get as much say in issues that only affect schools at the other end of the country. It would also be helpful to have sunset clauses as standard and the ability for referendum based tear down of decisions that looked good on paper and haven't worked.
With existing technology and the inter connectivity already existing, putting together a system like this is not beyond us.
We could still have our figureheads if we think they are still needed. Personally I feel that in a system like this, any figureheads should have risen to their position based entirely upon merit, rather than the dubious methods employed today.
With regard to ensuring our values trump our desires, perhaps an amendable constitution of national
values could be created to act as a framework in order to ensure all
decisions meet a basic level. Very tricky and probably impossible to achieve anything more than the most basic of guidelines.
In all, would a system like this answer the short comings which you highlighted?


Alex





It is already the future, so why do we continue to argue about yesterday?








 


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