NationStates Jolt Archive

We were just having a discussion on the UN forum about Labeling Standards possibly being miscategorized:

Labeling Standards

A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.


Category: Human Rights


Strength: Mild


Proposed by: Antrium

Description: SEEING THAT some companies may label their products incorrectly, or misuse words like “fresh“ and “organic“, and also seeing that there is a rising number of people that need to be able to know what is in what they are eating, this proposal imposes the following:

I. If a product is marketed in one or multiple countries that speak different official languages, all labels on the product must be in all official languages of those countries, and must all translate to mean the same thing.

II. Defining “fresh” as “not stale, sour, or decayed” and “not altered by processing,” and defining “organic” as “food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides.” Nothing may be labeled “fresh” or “organic” unless it fits the above definition.

III. All people have the right to know what is in the food they eat. This means all packaged products must be labeled with (if applicable) the ingredients of the product, and nutrition facts, which should include the amount of fat, trans fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, sodium, protein, vitamins and minerals, and calories in the product. Also, all packaged products must be labeled with the country where the product was grown/made.

Approvals: 214 (BrCru, Kansas and Wisconsin, Al Tira, Absolutely Anywhere, Kinthland, Isistan, Mikeswill, Republic of Freedonia, Gaiah, Athens and Midlands, Uluntu, Eve the First, Listeneisse, Lybo, Ghost_Goth, Brian-o-rama, Punrovia, Buhnuf, WZ Forums, Phatom Pirates, The Hunter Isles, Rockatopia, Darth Mall, Sobusa, Nelvaan, United Tribe of Maddox, CR Oscilloscopes, The Three Seeress, Kleinekatzen, Entropyville, Kevin Islands, Dsjtuj, Spaz Land, Jolaba, SuedoSuedoStan, Skrittany, Scandinavian Duchies, The County of Worksop, Bobton-on-sea, Gaelen, Brote, Funkdunk, Elghinn, Inaia, Thebrokenrose, Flobberistan, Of Cascadia, Elika, Koalatea, Waterana, Anser, Moroboshi, Bagder Badger Badger, Kavenna, Holy Beer, The God Hilario, Uzbekegod, Jey, Jjuulliiaann, Zadinya, Caseylvania, Oilsjt, Stafford and his Coke, Morgazm, Thatsallmine, Ficticious Proportions, Anundium, Laurinians, Les Patineurs, Aris-Connistan, Sanpellegrino, Tycholand, Welchyland, UntamedFangirls, Calisan, Bellaben, KnowBeDo, Brogantia, Aquarian Arcadia, Forumwalker, Jaghur, Havl, Bulgarian Legion, Bacon God, Pharan, LeahSharon, Natural Nerds, L4YER5, Gateborg, Tryssina, Seattletonia, Anteitam, The Bruce, Tonca, Sinsvyka, Freedmark, Caer Rialis, The City by the Live S, Aregon, Mommy D, Humabon, Universitus, Purpleation, Love and esterel, Tatuk, Zirai, New Prospero, King Islands, Wazzaville, Peachkissers, Crandora, Absimlard, Richard2008, Partholan, JMayo, Betelgeuse XII, Blue Floyd, Durnia, The 1st Kemdoph Army, Party States, Marion Oaks 2, Eldin, Theorb, Mortelatestan, Blamange, Missouriania, North Koster, ZUChat, Zhukhistan, Nordur, Jacob_is_our_king, Hassassh, Aneioeica, SovietRepublicofRussia, Soulja slim, Ireland eye, Sodakia, Lunatic Retard Robots, Lofeca, Northern Sushi, Two Forks, Gymnophobia, Auzdom, Jello Biafra, McGranaghanataria, Freedomstaki, North Sommerset, Jusma Kullailie, Winterdom, Tajiri_san, YaAllWantASingle, The Amazingly Crooked, Eneres, Beezer, Die Seelenesser, HCTV, Tannu Tuval, Kiesland, Porilisium, Pmace, Batheia Thalassa, Ben Holguin, Romania 1918, Kapellen, Antipatris, Tbohner, Shariann, Anticate, Verdanians, Selat, Grosseschnauzer, Safeland, The Unending Winter, Yissing Scalies, New Ocean, The Invisible Sword, The Talisman, Liberialand, Kamikastan, Andaras Prime, Luxus Mond, Harafat, Bizshraff, Italia Major, Ychat, Vathras, Tau Ceta, Blasewitz, Imperial Emperity, GanJapie, New Modern Egypt, Derektown, The Lewis Islands, The Norlands, Suuropolis, Maciavely, Timerlane, Drinnon, Paulus Johnsonus, The Killer Snowmen, Nevareion, Weightshire, Hypnotic Waves, The Louis Islands, Psbass, New Javert, Ushani, Skyscraper Island, Fitzland5, Cmabland, Shamm, Nova Verden, North Dutchfieldia, Militant Australians)

Status: Quorum Reached: In Queue!

UN Debate: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=444253

Summary of my conclusion:

I think this resolution should actually be classified as Moral Decency. Human Rights is the expansion of civil freedoms. While this resolution might protect a "right to be properly informed" per-se, my understanding of civil freedoms is a right for your action. In this case, we are limiting the freedom of (specifically) businesses to put whatever they want on labels or nations to define specific standards. This seems to fall better under the category of moral decency, which restricts freedoms for the betterment of society.

There is, perhaps, a few good arguments for both social justice and Free Trade (both of which were addressed in the thread I linked), but I think overall, it doesn't match either of them precisely (perhaps most evident by the fact that they are considered exact opposites in the Hackian Laws and it could fall under either).

It's not Social Justice. It does nothing whatsoever in terms of income redistribution.

It's not Free Trade. If there were a true opposite to Free Trade, it might belong there, but there really isn't. Despite Cogitation's argument, the two are merely polar complementaries, not true opposites.

It's not Moral Decency, at least not in terms of restricting everyone's behavior. A few companies, yes, but the general populace gains freedoms at the minor expense of the corporates. No one is required to act on the new labels - they're not even required to read the things, so no restriction truly exists.

It's not really Human Rights, but then we have no category that it truly fits into. The argument "All people have the right to know what is in the food they eat" makes a fairly good case for its inclusion into this category, and the strength of Mild (while a bit strong for the effect) is the bare minimum of what is available.

I'd say it's fine.

It's not Social Justice. It does nothing whatsoever in terms of income redistribution.

It's not Free Trade. If there were a true opposite to Free Trade, it might belong there, but there really isn't. Despite Cogitation's argument, the two are merely polar complementaries, not true opposites.


I'm going to ask that my opinion be considered here for a second ... perhaps this is an appeal???

Social Justice is the opposite of Free Trade for game stats. If Social Justice resolutions increase taxes and decrease economic freedoms due to some regulation, say requiring food not have rat pieces, though this isn't about helping poor people, the end result when all is said and done is that GOVERNMENT is larger and looking out for some small detail (rat content in peanut butter) that people might not have time for. The people who benefit the most from government doing these sorts of things traditionally tend to be poor people, and the costs are usually evenly distributed back to consumers as a whole ... the income equality is there, just not easy to see.

I'd let this proposal slide, but a "Social Justice" issue is a bad name for what is really just a "Government Programs to Help People". In game terms I'm assuming that Social Justice bumps up taxes, income equality, and restrictions on "let the buyer beware" economics (i.e. lower economic freedoms).

The income equality is more of a side effect than an actual purpose to the resolution, and a minor one at that. While certainly, economic regulations CAN come with a social justice (though more often, it's just a straight economic hit), it is not a primary consideration. Things such as welfare, for example, which would classify as social justice, don't really regulate economies. However, you get issues of the "lazy bum syndrom" per-se and that will result in an economic hit further down the line. In all cases, government spending should increase for some reason or another - something that would be minimal in this resolution (with, perhaps, exception to court fees.....). As such, a minor and non-mandatory point of social justice is the primary aspect of this resolution, while the two major and necessary points are minor in this resolution.