NationStates Jolt Archive

We, the Federation of Monetarists, have just submitted a proposal to the United Nations for consideration entitled "Special Market Zones." The proposal aims to further the advancement of industry around the world by supporting commerce within certain Special Market Zones. This proposal allows the mutual benefit of both developing and developed nations, as well as promoting international trade.

We believe that the proposal neither violates the sovereignty of any nation, nor creates new and undue burdens for any nation or group. We encourage you all to read the language of the proposal so that you can see for yourself that its language is simple and mild, and yet its potential impact is huge and positive for everyone.

If you are a national delegate, we urge you to pressure your regional delegate to support "Special Market Zones" so that it may move to the UN floor for voting.

If you are a regional delegate, we urge you to support the measure so that we may quickly pass it for the betterment of the world.

If any of you have clarifying questions or concerns, we'd be pleased to entertain them here.

Please note that the proposal will be dismissed on the 22nd of June if it does not gather the necessary support.

Thank you for your consideration,
The Federation of Monetarists

Thank you for bringing your proposal to this assembly. First, two things: it is considered polite to include the text of your proposal in the post. Second, next time you submit something, post your draft here first so that the UN forum folk can assist you in making the proposal better and increase its chances of reaching quorum.

Anyway, I've located your proposal:

Special Market Zones

A resolution to develop industry around the world.

Category: Advancement of Industry
Area of Effect: Tort Reform
Proposed by: Monetarists

Description: Recognizing that many nations suffer from underdeveloped, and insufficient economies.

Acknowledging that certain disasters, natural or otherwise, have enormous impacts on local economies, condemning undeserving populations to poor health and a sub-standard quality of life.

Realizing that many nations lack the means to unilaterally remedy their poor economic status.

Affirming that the world community benefits from having more prosperous neighbors and trade partners.

Affirming that international trade has the power to positively influence national economies.

Recognizing that both the developed and developing nations benefit from the advancement of the latter.

Be it enacted by the United Nations that:

1. The United Nations general assembly shall have the power to declare the existence of certain Special Market Zones and corresponding Special Market Zone Funds for specified locations and for a specified amount of time, each accountable to oversight by the general assembly.

2. Nations may voluntarily donate funds to a centralized Special Market Zone Fund that shall exist for each Special Market Zone, which shall clearly and transparently document the origin of the funds.

3. Each Special Market Zone Fund shall subsidize the purchasing of goods and services by populations living within the corresponding Special Market Zone from those nations that donated funds in proportion to their donations, thus making goods and services more affordable for developing nations and expanding the consumer base for corporations located in donating nations.

4. If the existence of a Special Market Zone expires before the the Special Market Zone Fund has been depleted, the remaining funds shall be returned to the donating nations in proportion to their donations.

5. The nations located within declared Special Market Zones may choose at any time to refuse that status, and thus disqualify themselves from the effects of this resolution.

Approvals: 3 (Ultrasilvania, Ohrder, Expletus Ordination)

Status: Lacking Support (requires 126 more approvals)

Voting Ends: Thu Jun 22 2006

Are you sure that you have the right category?

EDIT: Scratch that, after reading about tort reform on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort_reform) I know that this is miscategorized as tort reform is about reducing frivolous lawsuits which this proposal doesn't do.

Bob Flibble
UN Representative

3. Each Special Market Zone Fund shall subsidize the purchasing of goods and services by populations living within the corresponding Special Market Zone from those nations that donated funds in proportion to their donations, thus making goods and services more affordable for developing nations and expanding the consumer base for corporations located in donating nations.

Let me see if get this right... WE as a nation donate funds and they are given to other nations to buy products from us based on how much we put into this fund. Why make it so hard. Tell us what they need and we shall donate those items we have that they can use, also provide the needed transports from our nation to theirs.

Thus I give Clerk A a Silence so that Nation Z can use it to buy a sprocket from me.. makes no sense.. as we have to pay Clerk A.. thus have lost part of the funds in that. Why don't I tell the UN what I can and am will to provide off a list of items that they determine Nation Z.. Thus I say yea or ney on it and then if yea ship those items to Nation Z needs.. no middle men to deal with funds.

2. Nations may voluntarily donate funds to a centralized Special Market Zone Fund that shall exist for each Special Market Zone, which shall clearly and transparently document the origin of the funds.As here you set up the means to find out what is needed and have a point of contact for me to tell what I can give off that list. Here all we have is funds sent to a bank until somebody decides how to use them.. Cut that and find out what Nation Z needs and tell members thus let those who can provide them do so.

This takes no action to check things beyond the giving part... thus doesn't account for where the items end up. As 'Origin of funds' is just that at the start of collection..

4. If the existence of a Special Market Zone expires before the the Special Market Zone Fund has been depleted, the remaining funds shall be returned to the donating nations in proportion to their donations.There would be no funds to return thus no added cost to pay Clerk D to handle this part of the deal.. as I would already have my funds and Nation Z their goods..

Poor nations don't need funds they need items to improve the status of their citizens to give them funds opens the door for abuse.. To give them what they need helps keep down abuse. AS a nation that would give what; we would want assurances that what we do give goes to those intended and expect to be able to confirm this.. Funds spent on items not sought are lost.. and those suppose to get those items no better off.

As we have seen it in dealing with nations that we are allied with and know the problems of giving funds not items to those who need items not funds.

I think that this clause 1. The United Nations general assembly shall have the power to declare the existence of certain Special Market Zones and corresponding Special Market Zone Funds for specified locations and for a specified amount of time, each accountable to oversight by the general assembly. makes the whole thing illegal: Under the NS-UN's current rules the only thing that the General Assembly can do is vote to accept or reject resolutions, so carrying out the functions that you suggest would require further resolutions... which would be illegal under the 'house of cards' rule, because of their reliance on this law...

To carry on with Jey's post, it's estimated that of proposals overall, 1/10 are deemed legal, and less than 5% of them actually achieve quarom

Of proposals that are drafted on a UN focused forum (Change, ACCEL, NSO, Jolt, UNOG, Reclaimation, etc), that number rises to 99% legal by submission and probably 1/4 reaching quarom. Much better odds.

This proposal hits the 90% that are illegal for the following reasons:

1) Wrong Category: as indicated by Flibs, Tort reform is about lawsuits, not about economic advancement. I would say this is either social justice, significant or advancement of advancement of industry, protective tariffs.

2) Metagaming. As indicated by St Edmund, you gave the power to the UNGA to determine these groups. If you want the UN to have that legislative capacity, you would need to give it to a committee - either one of your own creation or one that already exists. Read up on committees to find out more information about how they are formed and other relevant rules pertaining to them

3) Optionality. Article 5 grants the ability for nations to opt out of this resolution. Nations are not allowed to opt-out of a resolution. Period.

I highly recommend your immediate withdrawal of this proposal before you are handed a mod warning for it. I further suggest you draft it further on these forums where we can look further and make sure it is sensible and legal before you give it another attempt.

We don't like this. The way I read it, it says that we donate money to subsidize other nation's companies.

1. Subsidies are evil in most cases.
2. In cases where they aren't evil, Ceorana would prefer to subsidize it's own companies.

Robert Bobson
UN Officer

Hmm... let's see...
Clause 1: Yeah, that's a problem. If it was the only one, I might let it slide. As is, this would need to be reworked as a (gasp!) committee.
Category: I think Protective Tariffs is closest to what this seems to be trying. It doesn't really have the income redistribution jazz of Social Justice.
Optionality: Ehhh... that's a little thin, really. Personally, I would have Clause 5 reworked to say that nations can appeal to the committee to have their status re-evaluated.
Of course, that cuts close to a new metagaming problem. Probably best to just strike that clause.

So, optionality and metagaming are weak violations. Together, they'd probably be enough; however, the category violation is a deal-breaker regardless.

Proposal deleted; no warning added; author urged to continue working here to redraft.

I apologize if I broke any NationStates UN rules, for I did not break any rules of the actual UN. I had assumed, naively, that the NationStates UN limitations and jurisdiction would reflect reality. I suppose that the slew of prior resolutions that violate various limitations on UN power to override national sovereignty should have been clear negations of this premise. I fear that the moderators of NationStates may misunderstand the actual functioning of the UN general assemby, unless they have deliberately chosen to stray from it. Moreover, the category I originally proposed had no adequate sub-category for what I was "Special Market Zones." I selected tort reform as a default. For that, I apologize further.

As to the various complaints about the efficacy of the proposal itself, I could certainly resolve them. Most striking is the lack of foresight of those who cannot see the ability for this proposal to enhance international trade as well as cause economic growth for all nations involved, even accounting for the negligible administrative costs. Apparently not everyone is familiar the multiplier effect.

All that said, I acknowledge the importance of due process, and do not seek to undermine the system. To that effect, I will post "Special Market Zones" as a draft in a new thread in order to allow for your input. Hopefully we can quickly deal with the legality issues before adjusting the intent of the proposal. With that accomplished, I'd like to respond to any concerns about the aims of the proposal itself. I'm confident that we can all come together to support this measure.

Again, I sincerely apologize for any confusion, anger, or problems my unilateral actions may have caused.

The Federation of Monetarists

Greetings members of the UN. Posted below is the first draft of my proposal for your input on legality and then efficacy. Please look to the other thread entitled "New Proposal: 'Special Market Zones'" for the history of this proposal.

*********

Recognizing that many nations suffer from underdeveloped, and insufficient economies.

Acknowledging that certain disasters, natural or otherwise, have enormous impacts on local economies, condemning undeserving populations to poor health and a sub-standard quality of life.

Realizing that many nations lack the means to unilaterally remedy their poor economic status.

Affirming that the world community benefits from having more prosperous neighbors and trade partners.

Affirming that international trade has the power to positively influence national economies.

Recognizing that both the developed and developing nations benefit from the advancement of the latter.

Be it enacted by the United Nations that:

1. The United Nations general assembly shall have the power to declare the existence of certain Special Market Zones and corresponding Special Market Zone Funds for specified locations and for a specified amount of time, each accountable to oversight by the general assembly.

2. Nations may voluntarily donate funds to a centralized Special Market Zone Fund that shall exist for each Special Market Zone, which shall clearly and transparently document the origin of the funds.

3. Each Special Market Zone Fund shall subsidize the purchasing of goods and services by populations living within the corresponding Special Market Zone from those nations that donated funds in proportion to their donations, thus making goods and services more affordable for developing nations and expanding the consumer base for corporations located in donating nations.

4. If the existence of a Special Market Zone expires before the the Special Market Zone Fund has been depleted, the remaining funds shall be returned to the donating nations in proportion to their donations.

5. The nations located within declared Special Market Zones may choose at any time to refuse that status, and thus disqualify themselves from the effects of this resolution.

Bah, I doubt there was anger, you're new. You'll get the hang of it.

Be it enacted by the United Nations that:

1. The United Nations general assembly shall have the power to declare the existence of certain Special Market Zones and corresponding Special Market Zone Funds for specified locations and for a specified amount of time, each accountable to oversight by the general assembly.We didn't like the idea of a FUND in the first draft and still don't see comments below for why.

2. Nations may voluntarily donate funds to a centralized Special Market Zone Fund that shall exist for each Special Market Zone, which shall clearly and transparently document the origin of the funds.My first concern here was that you only document these funds at point of origin and there is no accouting for them aftert this but on a reread see this may be covered in first parteach accountable to oversight by the general assemblySo this is okay

3. Each Special Market Zone Fund shall subsidize the purchasing of goods and services by populations living within the corresponding Special Market Zone from those nations that donated funds in proportion to their donations, thus making goods and services more affordable for developing nations and expanding the consumer base for corporations located in donating nations.Here again you have us give funds they use those funds to buy goods from us with those funds. It would be much simplier to have some UN committee enter a nation determine what they need then send that list out and have individual nations say what they can get into the nation. Cutting a lot of middle managers thus reducing the need to pay them thus wasting funds that could buy solid usabe goods needed by nations.

4. If the existence of a Special Market Zone expires before the the Special Market Zone Fund has been depleted, the remaining funds shall be returned to the donating nations in proportion to their donations.This would not be needed it we gave goods based on what we could rather than sent funds in.. As time would be wasted in the handling of these funds when it would be simply go in see what they want ask for it and have nations say yea or nea we can get it to them.

5. The nations located within declared Special Market Zones may choose at any time to refuse that status, and thus disqualify themselves from the effects of this resolution.Most will not as there is no checks on this set into it. As we have funds going into banks and some of those funds going to pay for staff to manage this mess. Cut the idea of a fund and go directly to nations providing goods cuts middle management and waste and reduces chances of abuse. Also gives a means for watching where those goods go.. As if my nation has agreed to donate two thousand tons of rice to nation Bs poor then we will see they get it, with or without the help of a nations government, also without paybacks to that government. If the UN GS feels this is wrong then we have a problem.. and will not donate more into this.. as many other nations will follow so it will fail due to abuse.. as I would hope that the UN GS will have establish rules that see to it that these goods get to who they are meant for..

I fear that the moderators of NationStates may misunderstand the actual functioning of the UN general assembyNo, the Moderators don't care about the "real" UN, as we weren't selected to police the real UN. The NS UN operates the way it does because the creator of the game wants it run this way.

Firstly may I welcome the honourable member from Monetarists to the UN and wish them well with their endeavours within the body. With regard to the proposal itself, in general we applaud the principal of the resolution and welcome the opportunity to aid those less fortunate than ourselves. We do however note some problems with the draft.

Recognizing that many nations suffer from underdeveloped, and insufficient economies.

Acknowledging that certain disasters, natural or otherwise, have enormous impacts on local economies, condemning undeserving populations to poor health and a sub-standard quality of life.

Realizing that many nations lack the means to unilaterally remedy their poor economic status.

Affirming that the world community benefits from having more prosperous neighbors and trade partners.

Affirming that international trade has the power to positively influence national economies.

Minor comments here, I’d be loose all the ‘that’s in the preamble. The sentences will read the same but appear less clumsy.

Recognizing that both the developed and developing nations benefit from the advancement of the latter.

Again a minor comment, I suggest loosing the ‘that’ and the ‘the’ in this sentence. It reads somewhat clumsy again and looses impact.

Be it enacted by the United Nations that:

“Be it hereby enacted” or “The United Nations hereby agree” or some such may sound better.

1. The United Nations general assembly shall have the power to declare the existence of certain Special Market Zones and corresponding Special Market Zone Funds for specified locations and for a specified amount of time, each accountable to oversight by the general assembly.

My first comment here would be to provide some definition of a Special Market Zone. It does not need to be lengthy, just something to tell everyone what it is. Also as previously suggested the paragraph will make the proposal illegal. Power to choose zones cannot be granted to the General Assembly. If you wish to grant such legislative powers the proposal will require a committee. I’d suggest looking through some previous resolutions and also the stickied thread within this forum. The stickied threads particularly will provide a wealth of useful information and help to avoid creating illegal proposals.

2. Nations may voluntarily donate funds to a centralized Special Market Zone Fund that shall exist for each Special Market Zone, which shall clearly and transparently document the origin of the funds.

If you are going to form a committee I suggest the committee controls this. Impartiality is key if this proposal will have any chance of making it.

3. Each Special Market Zone Fund shall subsidize the purchasing of goods and services by populations living within the corresponding Special Market Zone from those nations that donated funds in proportion to their donations, thus making goods and services more affordable for developing nations and expanding the consumer base for corporations located in donating nations.

I almost died of suffocation after all that. Too much information in one sentence in my opinion, maybe something like this?

“Each Special Market Zone shall subsidise the purchasing of goods and services for populations living within their area of effect.”

I don’t feel you need to state why they subsidise, it is more important you make clear what the proposal will do. If you do wish to specify the reasons why, use the definition previously suggested or the preamble.

4. If the existence of a Special Market Zone expires before the the Special Market Zone Fund has been depleted, the remaining funds shall be returned to the donating nations in proportion to their donations.

Makes good sense. Small point you have two ‘the' in the first sentence.

5. The nations located within declared Special Market Zones may choose at any time to refuse that status, and thus disqualify themselves from the effects of this resolution.

Change the ‘that’ to ‘such’. Also nations cannot disqualify themselves from the effects of resolutions. I suggest changing to something like;

“thus terminating any support from the Special Market Zone.”

All in all Telidia could be in favour of this proposal providing the draft is refined. We would also suggest shortening Special Market Zones to SMZ as proposals have a maximum character length. This again can be defined in a definition or the preamble. Oh yes one final thought the preamble did feel like it dragged along a little bit. Perhaps reviewing the clauses to see if they are all needed may be worthwhile, particularly in light of some of the suggestions.

Best of luck.

Respectfully
Lydia Cornwall, UN Ambassador
Office of UN Relations, Dept for Foreign Affairs
HM Government of Telidia