NationStates Jolt Archive

The government of the Most Serene Republic of Etanistan wishes to direct the attention of regional delegates to the following proposal. Thank you.

-Fatima Gilbert-Gandalfson, Copy, Facimile and Caffeine Technician, United Nations Delegation, Most Serene Republic of Etanistan


"Excessive Income Distribution

A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice Strength: Strong Proposed by: Etanistan
Description: Article 1: Finding the income disparity to be alarmingly large between the wealthiest and least wealthy individuals, all individuals with yearly incomes of more than 500 times the poverty rate of their nation shall be taxed at a rate of 85% for all income above 500 times the poverty rate of their respective nations.

Article 2: Each member government of the United Nations shall retain the right to define, with the exception stipulated by Article 5, for their own nation, the poverty rate to be used. Should the government currently not define any poverty rate, they will be required to do so at the passing of this resolution.

Article 3: The monies collected by this tax shall be put into a fund at the United Nations entitled "Excessive Income Distribution Fund," which shall be administered by a body entitled, "Excessive Income Distribution Administrative Body." This body shall consist of 100 administrators from 100 different nations elected by all UN Regional Delegates. Elections shall take place every three years, no nation shall be represented in the Excessive Income Distribution Administrative Body for more than two consecutive terms and no nation may be represented for more than four terms in any 30 year period.

Article 4: The purposes of this fund shall be the following: 1. Aid given to both member and non-member governments for humanitarian purposes, 2. Aid given to the poorest individuals of each member nation. The governmental aid shall be awarded at the discretion of the Excessive Income Distribution Administrative Body. The individual aid shall be given to any individuals of member governments that currently have yearly incomes below the poverty line of their nation. The amount of aid to be given to individuals shall be exactly the amount to bring their yearly income up to the poverty line for their nation.

Article 5: Should any member government define a poverty rate that is either too high or too low for one or more of the articles of this resolution to be effectively enforced as judged by the Excessive Income Administration Body, a new poverty rate for the nation will be created by the administration body for purposes of the enforcement of this resolution.

Article 6: The general body of the United Nations shall retain the right to overturn any actions of the Excessive Income Distribution Administrative Body via United Nations resolutions, which shall be proposed and voted on in the same manner used for all other resolutions. Furthermore, the general body of the United Nations shall retain the right, as need arises, to alter the provisions of this resolution through further resolutions."

I have one thing to say to this NO

I agree that there is too much income distribution. Let's just do it once through the free market. The government should never redistribute income at all. That's too much distributing.

my people pay taxes, and I use a little of those for welfare, however I will not punish my doctors and lawyers and CEOs and take their wealth from them, disturbing is a good word for it

I have one thing to say to this NO

I dislike Nazi's but Soup Nazi is always so right. Why rob the rich, they made the money it's theirs. If I become rich I will decide where my money goes, not you or anyone else(directed to the starter of thread, not Soup Nazi...)

Well, toodles... :twisted:

i need to put a disclaimer somewhere in my motto so people realize I do not endorse nazism, i endorse Seinfeld :wink:

I know you're not a Nazi, just a joke...

Anyway, I do like your policies, and it's nice to see real conservatives.

I have one thing to say to this NO

I dislike Nazi's but Soup Nazi is always so right. Why rob the rich, they made the money it's theirs. If I become rich I will decide where my money goes, not you or anyone else(directed to the starter of thread, not Soup Nazi...)

Well, toodles... :twisted:

Good job, Anti-Commi and Soup Nazi (no soup for you!) Income "redistribution" is just a buzz word for "Socialism" or "Marxism" (what was the quote from Marx about "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs"?)

Income redistribution punishes the productive and rewards the unproductive. Panhandlia would recommend to the Delegate from Locketonia to vote a resounding "No." Since all nations in Locketonia share conservative/libertarian values, Panhandlia can virtually guarantee that the entire region agrees unanimously.

Anti-Commi, Soup Nazi...you would be welcome to join Locketonia if you're so inclined. :)

hooray for socialism! of course we need more wealth distribution, its the only way to make a fair society. the market never balances anything out, the rich just get richer and use the poor in the process.

so some doctor who works his ass off everyday should be punished and should redirect some of his pay to a fry cook at mcdonalds, oh yeah REAL fair. A CEO should send some of his money towards a sewer cleaner, you know some careers require more work, therefore they GET more

Fatima Gilbert-Gandalfson, Copy, Facimile and Caffeine Technician, United Nations Delegation, Most Serene Republic of Etanistan
The Free People of Frisbeeteria have voted, and have decided that Fatima Gilbert-Gandalfson makes far too much money in her role as a Technician. This money would be far better spent by the fine citizens of Frisbeeteria.

In keeping with the spirit of this proposal, and as a sign of good faith, Frisbeeteria invites Ms. Gilbert-Gandalfson to publish her real address, so that the citizens of Frisbeeteria could come to her home and legally relieve her of that burdensome money.

We feel certain that Etanistan would be equally delighted to distribute the entire Gross National Product of their nation to the indigent of the world, as they feel so strongly about this issue. It seems the proper thing to do.

"Line 'em up, boys - they're giving away free money!"

I have one thing to say to this NO

I dislike Nazi's but Soup Nazi is always so right. Why rob the rich, they made the money it's theirs. If I become rich I will decide where my money goes, not you or anyone else(directed to the starter of thread, not Soup Nazi...)

Well, toodles... :twisted:

Good job, Anti-Commi and Soup Nazi (no soup for you!) Income "redistribution" is just a buzz word for "Socialism" or "Marxism" (what was the quote from Marx about "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs"?)

Income redistribution punishes the productive and rewards the unproductive. Panhandlia would recommend to the Delegate from Locketonia to vote a resounding "No." Since all nations in Locketonia share conservative/libertarian values, Panhandlia can virtually guarantee that the entire region agrees unanimously.

Anti-Commi, Soup Nazi...you would be welcome to join Locketonia if you're so inclined. :)

The same to you, I invite you to come to Galts Gulch Lair of Ayn Rand. We only allow right-wingers. Soup Nazi is obviously invited too.

Who is John Galt?

so some doctor who works his ass off everyday should be punished and should redirect some of his pay to a fry cook at mcdonalds, oh yeah REAL fair. A CEO should send some of his money towards a sewer cleaner, you know some careers require more work, therefore they GET more

I love this guy! Read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, you will love it!

This is a preemptive rebuttal towards those who will whine and say, "But a coal miner works harder than a CEO so let's hand him the CEO's salary." The worth of a person's work is determined by how much their employer cares to pay them. You are worth however much you make, no more. If your employer feels that your value is minimum wage, either work harder, or find a new employer who values your efforts higher. It is not for bystander's to decide how much money your effort should earn. To quote a not very wise, but surprisingly accurate person, "What would you rather have, unequal distribution of blessings or equal distribution of suffering." Why should midgets be payed by the government to assail basketball players in bright daylight and saw off their legs? A crude metaphor, but it is true. I at least got that Soup Nazi had nothing to do with Nazis. Yay Capitalism! All should read Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand; it's a great book.

"'I've chosen a special mission of my own. I'm after a man whom I want to destroy. He died many centuries ago, but until the last trace of him is wiped out of men's minds, we will not have a decent world to live in.' 'What man?' 'Robin Hood... he was the man who robbed the rich and gave to the poor. Well, I'm the man who robs the poor and gives to the rich -- or, to be exact, the man who robs the thieving poor and gives back to the productive rich... He is remembered, not as a champion of property, but as a champion of need, not as a defender of the robbed, but as a provider of the poor. He is held to be the first man who assumed a halo of virtue by practicing charity with wealth which he did not own, by giving away goods he had not produced, by making others pay for the luxury of his pity'" --A character in Ayn Rand's book, Atlas Shrugged.

This is the most ludacrious idea ever concieved, the majority of affluent people got that way from WORKING, if somebody decides not to go to school or to go on welfare, its their own fault and they suffer the consequences for their actions, to quote winston churchill " The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries. "

Etanistan is amused by the many interesting responses to this proposal.

Far from being anti-capitalist, this resolution will actually make sure that capitalism continues to flourish. Unchecked capitalism will lead to huge class divisions, which will in turn lead to the very communist revolutions the nations on this forum fear and abhor.

Furthermore, we seriously doubt that some of the nations actually read the proposal. It does not give a coal miner the salary of a CEO. It makes sure the coal miner has, at the very minimum, a poverty-level income. In most countries it is very difficult to live on the poverty rate. Most people making exactly the poverty rate are still poor enough to want to better themselves and willing to take the low-payining jobs that provide the labor needed for rich people to stay rich.

Also, it has been statistically proven that countries in which there are large amounts of people under the poverty level have higher rates of violent crimes and larger black markets. CEO's don't make any money off the black market and no one likes to live somewhere where people are murdered for a few bucks, so vote for this resolution!

Therefore, a vote for this resolution is a vote FOR the continuation of capitalism AND a safer world!

- Villejo Garbanzo-Helmhand IV, Etanistan High Minitster for Juridico-Political Affairs of the United Nations.

This is changing some of the game features thus I do not support this proposal.

We would also like to reiterate that this proposal:

-does NOT give low-level employees the same pay as experienced, powerful people. 500 times the poverty rate is a LOT of money in almost every country and you still get 15% after that, leaving lots and lots of very, very rich people.

- does NOT give any individual any more money than the poverty rate for their country. They are still fairly poor in most countries.

- does NOT undermine state sovereignty as there are plenty of checks and balances written into the proposal.

- DOES make sure that everyone gets - at the very minimum - the amount of money their government thinks they need to survive.

- DOES lower rates of street crime by eliminating abject poverty.

- DOES shrink the black market by making it less profitable.

- DOES help capitalism by preempting the creation of extremely poor revolutionary classes.

Eowyndel Garfassel-Kwan, Associate Undersecretary for Diplomatic Immunity and Bagel Presentation, Most Serene Republic of Etanistan

I think you'll find that most nations will not want to give up any part of their sovereign right to set tax rates. They also will not want to lose control over how that tax is spent.

Also, big business and fat cats will simply up-sticks and move to non-UN countries, damaging UN economies, and widening the rich-poor divide in non-UN countries.

King Flubbert III
Grand High Lord of THe Evil Flea of Doom

My excesive income distribution resolution is better:


Excessive Income Distribution
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.


Category: Human Rights Strength: Strong Proposed by: The Global Market
Description: Article 1: Finding the UN Resolutions and the actions of national governments to strip individuals of their right to their body and mind to be alarmingly tyrannical, and also finding that income is [re]distributed way too much, be it resolved that no nation, nor the United Nations, shall redistribute more than 4% of its GDP a year.

Article 2: In cases of national emergency, that amount may be expanded to 5% a year, but that's as high as it goes.

Article 3: The monies not collected by this anti-tax shall be retained by their respective owners.

Article 4: The purposes of this non-fund shall be the following: 1. To promote the individual's right to life, and thus to his own mind and body 2. To promote his right to the products thereof.

Article 5: Should any member government distribute more than the maximum amount, the problem should be rectified by the United Nations.

Article 6: If by some fluke Etanistan's EID Resolution or a similiar piece of communism passes, all nations shall reserve the right to nullify the said law within their own sovereign borders in the name of human liberty.

Approvals: 6 (The Global Market, Midgard X, Nova Lox, Faybian, The Anti-Commi Clan, OClerkin)

Status: Lacking Support (requires 134 more approvals)

Voting Ends: Wed Jan 14 2004

The Confederated Trade League of The Global Market has approved this proposal. [Withdraw Approval]


'Tis currently on page 20.

I think you'll find that most nations will not want to give up any part of their sovereign right to set tax rates. They also will not want to lose control over how that tax is spent.

Also, big business and fat cats will simply up-sticks and move to non-UN countries, damaging UN economies, and widening the rich-poor divide in non-UN countries.

King Flubbert III
Grand High Lord of THe Evil Flea of Doom


This resolution does not force nations to give up their sovereignty. UN nations have the right to veto any decision made by the administrative body through UN resolutions and the body is made up of 100 administrators from 100 different nations, democratically elected by UN regional delegates to positions with strict term limits (see Article 3).

If big businesses do move to non-UN countries, then the administrative body may give aid to those countries if they vote to do so. This aid can be in exchange for joining the UN or for forcing the new companies to pay better taxes or whatnot. Also, UN members may pass their own laws preventing such transnational companies from doing business within their borders.

Lastly, we urge all regional delegates to ACTUALLY READ the proposal at hand. Please do not make your judgement based on the knee-jerk reaction of several more fanatical nations. Far from the international communist plot our more zealous conspiracy theorist friends would have you believe, this resolution would actually prevent such communist revolutions, decrease crime rates, eliminate the most abject poverty, leave plenty of very rich people in your country and shrink black markets worldwide.

Thank you.

- John Bon Jovi VI, Interior Minister of Submarine Biology, Socioeconomic Justice and Musical Promotion, Most Serene Republic of Etanistan

this resolution would actually prevent such communist revolutions,

Just like the Nazi occupation of France prevented a fascist uprising in France.

decrease crime rates,

By mkaing government the criminal.

eliminate the most abject poverty,

At the cost of human liberty.

leave plenty of very rich people in your country

How can you be rich when you are taxed nine-tenths of your income? And even if you are it sounds like you are using the "they can afford it, so let's rob them" justification.

and shrink black markets worldwide.

Black markets are the result of either price regulation or fixing (in the case of minimum wage) or abolition of a good (in the case of say, drugs). Please study economics before you post something like this.