Restructuring in Milesia
A press release from the UPM Foreign Office...
A complete restructuring of the Milesian economy has taken place since the collapse of the banking system (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=98619&highlight=) in which many fundamental changes have taken place.
With the collapse of all the commercial banks, the Milesian Central Bank (MCB) created an account for every individual and made all transactions electronic and through a central MCB system. This has made many shops obsolete as people can buy the items they want for the cheapest price and straight from the manufacturer, though there is a thriving trade in craft shops and other small stores that people have opened, who enjoy providing the good or service, more as a hobby than a necessity.
A growing unemployment problem (due to increasing automation to the point of human labour being unnecessary in the productive process, capital and not labour being “exploited”), the government realised that something would have to be done and to this end, the idea of Basic Income became popular. All transactions are subject to a 50% sales tax, which goes to the central government account. This money is then re-distributed through-out the entire adult population of Milesia and guarantees a basic level of income and standard of living for all.
People, for the most part, have been relieved of the necessity to work and are free to follow their own pursuits, unfettered by the brutalising world of mind-numbing work. Roads within Milesia are also obsolete, a large network of mag-levs has replaced them (run by Mag-Lev Op and Lal Magnetics) and provides cheap, high speed transport to all sections of Milesia.
The Government was also reorganised, the only 3 sections remaining now are the MCB, Foreign Affairs Office and Local Government. Private ownership of land, outside that of enough for a personal house, was abolished and held in trust by the Government, and now a rent is charged on land use and this goes to fund Local Government (eventually electing officials from a constituency of 10, 000, elected to a local council. One of the local council is elected to the regional council, then one of the regional council to the Central Government. Local Government protects the environment, gives planning permission and elects the Court and Judicial Officials.
Most of the Defence Forces were also disbanded, though some sections and automated defences remain on today.
Jeruselem
13-12-2003, 15:42
What about the industries like mining which traditionally require human labour as machines simply cope with some of those hostile conditions?
Does the system have recourse on system failures where say part of the MCB system fails due to sudden inability to communicate with the core system (eg power fails and communications systems lose all power)?
whoa, major restructure. almost anti-capitalist, but not quite. private ownership of the means of production remains, even if wage labor is undermined by Basic Income.
is this still a market economy?
also, how do you intend to keep corporations in an environment as business hostile as yours?
We don't consider it anti-business at all, changes have just been made to provide a certain minimum standard of living for all our citizens, while allowing business to go on as normal, the only change is a 50% tax on all sales, where it is redistributed to all, be they the owner of a small craft store, or one of the few people who still work in a traditional industry.
Yes, we allow the laws of supply and demand to determine what is produced, the government does not interfere in that sense.
We're future tech so there's no huge problem dealing with mining as we've machinery to do that, that can cope with problems as they arise and produce much more efficiently than a human can.
Also, we havenm't experienced power failure in several years anywhere on the National Grid and thus don't see it as a problem, though several back-ups exist.
Jeruselem
13-12-2003, 16:06
About the automated defense systems, any checks against your system going AWOL?
The systems are minimal but more than enough to defend us, we do have a small group of technical experts who are very familiar with the system and perform checks on it quite regularly. We also have a Command Intelligence (D.A.N.A) that keeps an eye on it, she's very stable herself and makes sure everything is in tune between human checks,
We don't consider it anti-business at all, changes have just been made to provide a certain minimum standard of living for all our citizens,
well, think about wages in your country. everyone, it seems, now has a guarnateed standard of living regardless of employment status, correct? if that's true, then consider how easy it will be to strike. also recognize that many people will now make MORE on the BI than if they worked as, say, a McDonald's employee, meaning you've just moved your nation to a living wage.
for the record, living wage initiatives have not been shown to adversely affect local business, but do tend to move multinationals out of an area. of course people pro-living wage are often happy to see multinationals go, so that's not a problem to them.
so yes, this is anti-business because it drives up the cost of labor, which let's recall is the largest single cost in most products, and thus makes it extremely difficult for corporations in Milesia to remain profitable, thus they move overseas.
at this point you might as well sign the IFTA and at least compete with nations that have laws similar to yours.
You're thinking on modern tech lines and, of course, you're right in that sense. However, Milesia is a future tech nation and isn't subject to exactly the same conditions.
I think I said it in the first post but we had the "problem" of rising unemployment due to technology replacing humans in the production process. I should have explained it in more depth but very few people are actually employed by other people, there are no McDonalds here anymore (nor were there ever, hate the place) In most cases i.e. actual industry, only a very small number of people are employed and they are only there to maintain machinery which is usually long lasting or self repairing. Most labour costs are slashed.
Oh and all people are entitled to the BI, those who own their own shop, those who own industries, those who do not work at all.
so you've basically assumed away your economy just like most people assume away political opposition?
Assumed away just as all future tech economies, armies and gadgets are.
The Empire heartily applauds Milesia for its sweeping economic and governmental reforms.
~ Ambassador Dejure
[OOC: Woah, that's the first time I've seen someone implement a similar style of economy to EOTED. There are a number of differences, but it's about as close as I've seen.]
[OOC: Really? I got the idea from a book I read by Gerard Leahy about the creation of a jobless society.]
We wish to thank the Empire for it's support and we hope that our economies will continue to grow together, such as our appearance as a noted trade partner of the Empire.
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Cathal Ó Séagdha,
2nd Tigern,
UPM Foreign Affairs Office.
[OOC: Really? I got the idea from a book I read by Gerard Leahy about the creation of a jobless society.]
We wish to thank the Empire for it's support and we hope that our economies will continue to grow together, such as our appearance as a noted trade partner of the Empire.
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Cathal Ó Séagdha,
2nd Tigern,
UPM Foreign Affairs Office.
The Empire looks forward to a future of mutually beneficial relations between the Empire and Milesia; indeed, the Empire wishes to propose the signing of a Treaty of Friendship, in order to further cement our present relationship.
What say you?
~ High Lord Commodore Ax-randiri Rihad (High Lord of Ma-tek)
[OOC: Well, as I said, there are some differences; but the basic ideals behind the two systems appear to be aligned. Although the EOTED economic/governmental system is entirely of my own construction, I hasten to add - I say 'construction' rather than 'creation' because it is more a combination of seperate ideals than any one particular creation. :D]
[OOC: :D ]
We would be most happy to sign a Treaty of Friendship with the Empire and to the strengthening of relations between our 2 nations.
Did you have a particular text in mind or just a general one?
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Conan Skye,
An Taoiseach,
Elected leader of the United Peoples of Milesia.
The Empire expresses its pleasure - indeed, delight - at the agreement of Milesia to improve diplomatic relations between our two increasingly ideologically aligned political entities. The Empire would be willing to sign a general agreement of friendship - non-military, of course - but if Milesia has certain specific goals (such as increased trade quotas, for example), then we are most prepared to consider such options.
~ High Lord Commodore Ax-randiri Rihad
The UPM have no particular interest in military matters and wish to remain non-aligned in that sense.
We would like to see more trade between our two countries, especially in light of our similar ideologies. Would like to see the free movement of people and ideas through our countries, though we recognise that this may not be one of the Empire's goals as of now.
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Conan Skye,
An Taoiseach,
Elected leader of the United Peoples of Milesia.
The United States of Pilot
Statment from the Department of Foriegn Affairs
The people of Pilot have expressed their joy at the restruction of the United People's of Milesia. We will be watching the progress of your nation closely.
The UPM have no particular interest in military matters and wish to remain non-aligned in that sense.
We would like to see more trade between our two countries, especially in light of our similar ideologies. Would like to see the free movement of people and ideas through our countries, though we recognise that this may not be one of the Empire's goals as of now.
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Conan Skye,
An Taoiseach,
Elected leader of the United Peoples of Milesia.
We request a definition of 'free movement of people', please - but otherwise, we see no forseeable difficulties with any of the goals outlined in your communique. We look forward to further discussion.
~ High Lord Commodore Ax-randiri Rihad
Free movement of people: We'd like to see an increase in travel between our countries and tourism, abolition of visas or other restrictive measures aimed at controling the number of visitors, we shall understand if there are security concerns or if there is a policy to the contrary in operation already.
A pleasue, as always.
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Cathal Ó Séagdha,
2nd Tigern,
UPM Foreign Affairs Office.
The Empire is indeed willing to allow such free movement of people, but we request - indeed, we insist - that if such a thing is to be done, that the Milesian population are informed with all due forcefulness that they are not to bring mechanical lethal weapons into the Empire. Such weapons are banned, and the punishment for repeated lethal arms smuggling is death. Deportation is the initial punishment, now, but nontheless the requirement remains.
Beyond that, we see no problems.
We would also like to propose an educational exchange program between our two nations, but feel that perhaps this is something for the educational entities themselves to negotiate.
We look forward to further conversation and negotiation on this topic, and extend our apologies for our sluggish response.
~ Ambassador Dejure
We understand the ban on mechanically lethal weapons. Indeed it has been a longstanding element of the Empire that we remember. In recent time we ourselves have launched a tender for the provision of non-lethal weaponry for our police force.
We agree on the point of leaving educational institutes decide on the specifics of the exchange, though we feel that they would be most open to such a proposal, especially along the lines of our long standing Erasmus program.
Cathal Ó Séagdha,
2nd Tigern,
UPM Foreign Affairs Office.
Are there any other points of interest that the respected 2nd Tigern, Cathal Ó Séagdha, wishes to bring to the fore?
~ Ambassador Dejure