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Old 01-30-2018, 08:20 PM   #49
jason taylor
 
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Default Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems

One I found interesting was of replacing the welfare state with a network of endowments.

Most of the taxes are levied by vote of the Tribunes(elected by the citizens in general, one citizen one vote) and distributed by the Senate(representing the clans in the form of a joint stock corporation as described above). Except the stuff that isn't(whatever).

So far so good.

Now instead of making a welfare state it is the custom, once enough has gone into security and infrastructure to hand it to the "Vidoges"(something like nobles only not), for "adornment and benevolence"(basically prettying up the city and helping out with loose ends, like clanless folk, unlucky people, generic whatevers). Basically it is intended for what Plunkitt called "honest graft". The Vidoge(presumably in conference with local community leaders and whatever) will endow the money on something or other like a park or a hospital and of course will get his name on it. After a term there will be an audit which decides which Vidoge has done best. This audit decides where the next issue of funds goes, who gets their name broadcast and who gets the most bonus reward for a privy purse.

The advantage I see is that it gives the administrators a direct interest in the funds being used efficiently where they are used. The disadvantage is that it will make for an unequal distribution, and now that I think of it might well favor the better parts of town(where of course the well-off will compete to live).

Some of this was borrowed from Jane Jacob's concepts of "Ostentation" and "Largesse". I realized comparing the American and British system that a frank aristocracy does that aspect of government more gracefully than others. I also realized from history that aristocratic systems are often to brutal if they are given any other aspect of state to care for.
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Last edited by jason taylor; 03-17-2018 at 07:55 AM.
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