Uncle Noel
25-04-2006, 13:39
OOC: Hello all. While it does indeed say that I joined this forum two years ago, I spent much of that time NOT on NationStates (hence the lowly number of posts). I have returned, however, and have decided to start my own post. If I've put this in the wrong place then just tell me and I'll shift it.
Ta
IC: It was approaching the end of April on the Fiefdom of Uncle Noel, and thus the end of the financial year. For most people this meant very little, the high income tax and massive welfare state meaning that most of the things that they purchased or used were given to them by the state. This, however, was not the case for the Finance Minister Edgar Moqui. The end of April was also the time for the annual budget review and that, since the collapse of the Soviet Union and free money, made grim reading.
The centrally-planned economy of the island was collapsing under inefficiency. The population had grown to a massive 1 1/2 billion and controlling the economics of such a large amount of people was becoming impossible. Rumours drifted in from the North-East of factories and mills producing goods which were left to rot in yard for want of anything else to do with them.
The latest figures showed that $436,450,629,888 was being spent on administration alone and, despite various efforts; the economy was still classed as 'developing.' Moqui had no doubt what to do; they must open up and embrace the free market. This was not, however, the solution proposed by the Dear Uncle.
"Why not create," mused Uncle Noel, "A computer to do it."
"What?" asked Moqui, more confused than anything.
"Well, if the state ministries are unable to calculate how to manage the economy, why not construct a computer. It could check factory output, stocks in shops, when to increase production and when to ease off. Everything."
It was, Moqui thought, a generally good idea but one with a rather large problem.
"How sir," he replied, "Could we build such a system? Our main strengths lie in heavy industry, not computer chips."
The dictator was silent for a few moments. He gazed down at the Economic report before him and then gazed out of the window.
"We shall have to put it out to tender," he said eventually, "We shall have to take bids from nations and corporations with enough of a Computer Industry to construct our system. We shall advertise it as 'The GOSPLAN 4000 Project, the largest civilian economic computer program in the world'!"
"And how could we fund this sir?"
"Well, I'm sure some of the cities could go without electricity for a few months. It is summer after all."
OOC: Either post here or telegram for bids for it. Carry on...
Ta
IC: It was approaching the end of April on the Fiefdom of Uncle Noel, and thus the end of the financial year. For most people this meant very little, the high income tax and massive welfare state meaning that most of the things that they purchased or used were given to them by the state. This, however, was not the case for the Finance Minister Edgar Moqui. The end of April was also the time for the annual budget review and that, since the collapse of the Soviet Union and free money, made grim reading.
The centrally-planned economy of the island was collapsing under inefficiency. The population had grown to a massive 1 1/2 billion and controlling the economics of such a large amount of people was becoming impossible. Rumours drifted in from the North-East of factories and mills producing goods which were left to rot in yard for want of anything else to do with them.
The latest figures showed that $436,450,629,888 was being spent on administration alone and, despite various efforts; the economy was still classed as 'developing.' Moqui had no doubt what to do; they must open up and embrace the free market. This was not, however, the solution proposed by the Dear Uncle.
"Why not create," mused Uncle Noel, "A computer to do it."
"What?" asked Moqui, more confused than anything.
"Well, if the state ministries are unable to calculate how to manage the economy, why not construct a computer. It could check factory output, stocks in shops, when to increase production and when to ease off. Everything."
It was, Moqui thought, a generally good idea but one with a rather large problem.
"How sir," he replied, "Could we build such a system? Our main strengths lie in heavy industry, not computer chips."
The dictator was silent for a few moments. He gazed down at the Economic report before him and then gazed out of the window.
"We shall have to put it out to tender," he said eventually, "We shall have to take bids from nations and corporations with enough of a Computer Industry to construct our system. We shall advertise it as 'The GOSPLAN 4000 Project, the largest civilian economic computer program in the world'!"
"And how could we fund this sir?"
"Well, I'm sure some of the cities could go without electricity for a few months. It is summer after all."
OOC: Either post here or telegram for bids for it. Carry on...