NationStates Jolt Archive

Description: The Abolishment of Age Restrictions

Through this proposal, the People's Republic of Modern Arabia calls upon all free nations to consider the abolishment of age limits and restrictions facing our people’s youth and elderly by all factors, this includes the fallowing:

Driver’s Licenses
Sale and/or Demonstration of Mature Publications
Organization of School Systems
General Legal/Governmental/Financial/Civil Privileges
Marriage and Spouses

The Problem:
The logic behind age limits and restrictions is obviously outdated and absurd. We have come to a new age where the ancient doctrine stating rash stereotypes concerning ages must be abolished and forgotten for good and replace it with a better system that will thoroughly and accurately determine the maturity and capability of individuals to do be able to do certain things such as holding office, purchasing property, applying and engaging in employment or entrepreneurship without parental clasp of any kind.

The Solution:
Replacing the ancient ideal and adopting the new one will not be too difficult and will become much easier through the coming generations. The idea is to have an OPTIONAL examination, a combination of written examination and small-scale projects, to determine the maturity level of the individual. The exam can be taken up twice every three years. Depending on the results of the exams, the individual will be assigned a maturity level. Each maturity level is attributed with different privileges. If a fallowing examination score is lower than the previous one, it will not be taken into account.

Exceptions:
The maturity levels apply until the age of 20 years. After 20 years of age, all legal privileges will be given, but by the age of 75, an individual must take maturity exams to reclaim the maturity levels and privileges that come with it.

Conclusion: This has no other consequences but good ones. Now the youth and elderly able to contribute to the society economically and socially will be able to do so without society’s constraints. This mainly improves civil rights, and should have a smaller but significant and positive effect on the economy and political freedom.

Thank you for looking over this proposal. Please take note that a vote for this proposal means abolishing the distribution of rights based on age; a vote against rejects this ideal and sticks with the original idea of privilege distribution by age.

Thank you again, on behalf of the people of the People's Republic of Modern Arabia

Please endorse :D Thanks to: WZ Forums, Pauliani Peoples, Gaiah, Noxx, Pointaholism, who already did so. Still 141 approvals needed :)
Thanks again.

Forcing the elderly to reclaim rights they have held all thier lives is barbaric, in my nation's view. We respect our elderly, and do not strip them of their rights when they can no longer contribute physical material to our society. We realise that their knowledge is all that our society needs from them, after their hard work before.

We choose not to support this proposal on these groounds in main. The rest we have not the will to criticise now, as apathy sweeps in after reading the title alone.

In Nargopia, we would rather just keep our age limits than increase tax dollars to pay for this system.

Forcing the elderly to reclaim rights they have held all thier lives is barbaric, in my nation's view. We respect our elderly, and do not strip them of their rights when they can no longer contribute physical material to our society. We realise that their knowledge is all that our society needs from them, after their hard work before.

We choose not to support this proposal on these groounds in main. The rest we have not the will to criticise now, as apathy sweeps in after reading the title alone.
Ever heard of Alzheimer's disease or senility? Ever wonder why so many car crashes involve the elderly? There comes a point at which people need to have certain privileges (not rights, but privileges...driving is not a right) taken back for the good and safety of others. It sucks, I know, and I'll probably cry the day I'm too old to drive safely, but I hope that I'll realize that giving up the wheel is something I must do.

This is not stripping the elderly's rights, this is just making sure that at a delecate state, like in infancy and old age that they will be able to do certain things such as driving for example. Its not stripping them of their rights at all. All it is, is just making sure that they can drive or whatever, in the elderly's case that is.

And as for Nargopia, your system will not be as efficient economically because anybody able to do bussiness will be held back when he or she is in complete form and maturity to do so.

Thanks for replying and expressing your doubts and opinions.

Why 75 though? Surely the government should decide how old people need to be to be unable to drive. As Makatoto offers free, full comprehensive health care, we find that our elderly are often not too infirm to drive until the age of ninety. And I won't remove the rights of the majority for the minority with Alzeihmers. I know you can get them back via a test, but examinations only show how good you are at passing examinations. Exam stress and other facotrs can unfairly bias the results. I apprectiate the ideas you are putting forwards, and I agree that maybe itn is something that needs to be addressed. But unlike most national soverienty arguments here, Makatoto will be taking the national soverienty side on this occasion.

Right, but see, at 75, they do not lose their priveleges at all. In the case of driving, all they simply have to do is take an optional exam and pass it, if they want to drive. Logic says, if they can't pass the exam, which will be fair in every respect, then they are in no condition to drive and endanger other drivers. So even if they live to a 100 or 120, they can still drive, as long as they pass the exam. We believe that this is the fairest thing.

But sorry, in middle of addressing your last reply, I realised you posted another one. You mentioned that stress of examination and so on will lead to biased results. That I can agree on. But do take into consideration that the exam can be taken twice every three years and that if the individual can present a valid argument for stress and disorientation that the result can be repealed and redone.

Again thanks for replying.

But I don't see anything about stress and examinations in your proposal, and so it isn't in the legal UN file. So it doesn't exist.

I appreciate it is far harder to create a new resolution than it is to ccriticise one but this really doesn't work for me. I don't see maturity as having anything to do with being able to drive a car. I see it as hand eye co-ordination and understanding of safety. Makatoto's progressive solcial policy allows those with mental disorders limiting intelletual growth to drive vehicles on building sites and the like. They may not be clever, but they can still drive and therefpore contributre to society. With these new maturity tests, which they would fail, they cannot even help our society. This proposal actually limits their civil rights more than before!

I'm glad that you brought that up. It is stated in the resolution that it will test both the maturity and ABILITY to have certain privleges.

...and replace it with a better system that will thoroughly and accurately determine the maturity and capability of individuals to do be able to do certain things...

I must admit, that the resolution might have some vagueness, but I can't make a reference to everything. If the proposal is rejected, I will revamp it to be much more specific and to address your causes. And thanks for bringing up your concerns as it will be easier for me now to address similar concerns that other nations may have.

Hey, that's why we're here! (Or at least, I hope that's why we're here-to help.)

I still think this is something every government should decide based on their own personal country, but I have no objection to this coming to vote, to see what the majority thinks.

Thank you, it is verily appreciated.

The Solution:
Replacing the ancient ideal and adopting the new one will not be too difficult and will become much easier through the coming generations. The idea is to have an OPTIONAL examination, a combination of written examination and small-scale projects, to determine the maturity level of the individual. The exam can be taken up twice every three years. Depending on the results of the exams, the individual will be assigned a maturity level. Each maturity level is attributed with different privileges. If a fallowing examination score is lower than the previous one, it will not be taken into account.


I disagree with the presmise. Just because someone can demonstrate the maturity to be able to drive (for example) doesn't mean they are old enough too. And under this you could have ten year olds marrying, seven year olds driving - people without any life experience doing all sorts of things they are not suited for.

And the idea that you can't lose your level of maturity is a little illogical as well.


Exceptions:
The maturity levels apply until the age of 20 years. After 20 years of age, all legal privileges will be given, but by the age of 75, an individual must take maturity exams to reclaim the maturity levels and privileges that come with it.


I would hazard a guess that most nations have ages of majority around 16 to 21. TilEnca has an age of majority of 14. So by defining 20 as the age at which you become an adult, regardless of any previous tests, is going to interfere a lot in the way nations operate. In TilEnca adults will no longer be adults - for six whole years. And in GeminiLand - where the age of majority might be 25 - you are actually dropping age limits on all sorts of things.


Conclusion: This has no other consequences but good ones. Now the youth and elderly able to contribute to the society economically and socially will be able to do so without society’s constraints. This mainly improves civil rights, and should have a smaller but significant and positive effect on the economy and political freedom.


I think it has a lot of bad effects. Firstly you are saying we should drop age limits in favour of testing, then granting people permission to do what they like once they reach a certain arbitrary age.
Second you are opening up the possibility that it will encourage paedophillia to a huge degree. (Example - Mr Smith wants to have his way with his neighbours daughter. So he bribes her with candy and video games and so forth. Then he gets her to take this test, and coaches her on how to pass it. She proves she is mature enough to marry, and bang - two ladies later this seven year old girl is now Mrs Smith and Mr Smith has not broken any laws).
Third - the elderly should not have all their rights taken away from them and then prove they are capable of being "mature" to reclaim the rights they have had all their lives. Yes - if they have gone blind they should be forbidden from driving. Yes - if they have gone senile they probably should not be issued a gun. But that is due to physical ability, not maturity.


Thank you for looking over this proposal. Please take note that a vote for this proposal means abolishing the distribution of rights based on age; a vote against rejects this ideal and sticks with the original idea of privilege distribution by age.


I think that waiting for someone to grow up - to gain some experience on life - is not a bad thing. Although it might seem priviledges are being distributed by age, from another perspective they are granted as people gain the experience to deal with them.

Thank you for ripping apart my resolution that well. :D But still, it be interesting to see what the other nations think, so It would still be interesting if it could be endorsed. I think all the arguments you brought up are mostly because I made this too vague and didn't really emphasize any exceptions. As I said before, I have to revamp this whole ideal for it to work properly and be a lot less vague about it. Thanks a lot.

oh, and forgot to mention that the passing of this bill would completely condratict the Children's Right to Schooling Act and the Children's Rights Protection Act.

Thank you for ripping apart my resolution that well. :D But still, it be interesting to see what the other nations think, so It would still be interesting if it could be endorsed. I think all the arguments you brought up are mostly because I made this too vague and didn't really emphasize any exceptions. As I said before, I have to revamp this whole ideal for it to work properly and be a lot less vague about it. Thanks a lot.
Why 20? Why 75?

It's inappropriate to put hard numbers in the resolution - not all nations have humans as citizens.

For the ones with elveses, they may not be reaching maturity until well after 100 years old.
For the ones with space alien nationstates the same or opposite problem with your numbers may apply.

Also: while I would fully agree that it is a *bad thing* for society that my mom is still driving, her reduced motor skills are no reason for forcing her to divorce. Your proposal, as worded, means 75 year-olds are no longer eligible to be married, read Newsweek, or...

wait, what was that about government benefits? Social Security should stop at 75 if you don't have good motor skills?

whoah whoah whaoh, you got it all wrong, I typed it very specifically so that something like that would not happen. You should read the proposal again with a more technical keen instead. This is the problem with this proposal, I find its too vague and that's why everybody here seems to hate it so much.
Man, I hate to say it, but I'm rejecting my own proposal. Anyway, I have typed up a better proposal on a completely different topic that I'm sure you will all find very important and necessary, go look at the other thread I posted.

What about little susie passing the maturity test at 7? THe tries to drive a car, can't reach the brake and crashes. This would all be complety legal. Also, what is this said test? Would it be standerdized, by country, by city, ect. In addition how can you mkae sure a test is fair to people who do not have the same culture. In addition, you never specify 20 what's. Many regions are on other planets where the years are longer or shorter, or did you mean 20 days? This is to vague and to precise at the same time.

oh, and forgot to mention that the passing of this bill would completely condratict the Children's Right to Schooling Act and the Children's Rights Protection Act.

Wouldn't that make it totally illegal and a "delete-on-site" proposal?

yep

I think that another problem with the proposal is that there are reasons for age restrictions outside of individual or societal morality. For example, a society with limited numbers of cars might push the driving age upward since teenagers are more likely to become involved in accidents, for example, which would threaten a scarce resource. Also, there is a problem distinguishing between intellectual, emotional, and physical maturity. A child prodigy might be among the most intellectually gifted people alive, but may also lack the emotional maturity to form and maintain stable relationships. Simply defining something based on "maturity" ignores these concepts, I believe, to the detriment of most.

I don't agree with this proposal at all. This should be up to a nation to decide for it's people, not the UN.

*runs up the "NATIONAL SOVERIGNTY" flag to see who salutes*

*runs up the "NATIONAL SOVERIGNTY" flag to see who salutes*
Stands at attention and sings the NSC Anthem...

Stands at attention and sings the NSC Anthem...
Joins in the singing

*Looks round for a box of matches*

*Ironicly, the one who created the damned proposal realises his abundance of mistakes and doesn't give a **** anymore and joins in. Gives Tilenca a box of matches and joins singing.*

Arrives with the Federation of Engineering Chaos national Orchestra and joins in at the chorus :)

*Ironicly, the one who created the damned proposal realises his abundance of mistakes and doesn't give a **** anymore and joins in. Gives Tilenca a box of matches and joins singing.*

Technically I was looking for the matches to deal with The National Sovereignty flag, but eh - I can use them for more than one purpose :}

ROTFLMAO!!! :D :D :D :D