08-08-2016, 12:00 PM | #31 |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
The promotion competition on Centrum is probably about as vicious as interbusiness competition on Homeline, since it would serve much the same psychological and many sociological purposes.
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08-08-2016, 01:20 PM | #32 | ||
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
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Marxism, whether "ideal" or real-world, has always been about giving to workers according to their need, not according to equal shares. If communism is "From each according to their ability, to each according to their need", then Centrum is "From each according to their ability, to each according to their merit". Quote:
The ONLY thing that tempers Centrum's own revolutionary aspect is that uncontrolled revolutions may have a tendency to shift timelines in ways undesirable to Centrum's long-term goals, or worse, cause a timeline to drift away from Centrum along the quanta. But make no mistake: in the one timeline in which this was never a concern (their home timeline), they had zero qualms about staging revolutions or anything else to overthrow local power structures in order to emplace their own socio-economic model. ----------------------------- It may be worth examining the differences between capitalism, communism, and Centrum in a bit more detail (and noting where appropriate that capitalism has both social-democrat and laissez-faire flavours, communism has ideal and OTL real-world flavours, and Centrum has dark and light flavours). Welfare State? Vulnerable Adults? How does society treat its weakest? This may further divide to the following groups:
Cap.: There may or may not be a welfare state sufficient to meet basic needs. Even if there is, the work-shy need not apply. Pensioners aren't likely to have more than basic needs met unless they planned for it (which in turn requires a decent job during their prime years). In highly specific circumstances, you might hope for a big insurance/lawsuit payout if you become disabled through corporate malpractice or employer negligence.How do you get a job? Or a promotion? What is job security like? Cap.: Employers typically advertise their jobs, or pay an agency to advertise for them. You can last and/or get promoted as long as you are useful to your employer. Promotions tend to be by switching employer as often as not.What happens if you invent something? Cap.: It's yours to profit from as you please, unless you signed away your rights as part of an employment contract, in which case you get your usual salary and nothing more.What can I buy? Cap.: Anything, if you have the money for it!So while there are differences between Centrum and communism, it does to my mind resemble communism more than it does capitalism, at least from the citizen's-eye perspective. |
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08-08-2016, 01:38 PM | #33 | |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
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Last edited by David Johnston2; 08-08-2016 at 01:43 PM. |
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08-08-2016, 01:44 PM | #34 | |
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
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And in-universe at least, it's not actually proven that one revolt inevitably raises the odds of a later revolt. It is certainly plausible that at least in some timelines, it has no effect, or even has a dampening effect on potential future revolutions. It is after all, firmly established that the laws of physics, magic, and social dynamics can and do vary across timelines. Last edited by Ashtagon; 08-08-2016 at 01:49 PM. |
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08-08-2016, 01:47 PM | #35 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
The rulers deciding "we're going to do something different from now on" is not a revolt.
Last edited by David Johnston2; 08-08-2016 at 01:51 PM. |
08-08-2016, 02:08 PM | #36 | |
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
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"Centrum perceives itself as a radical break with the past"That suggests a rather revolutionary attitude in and of itself. "A typical Centran knows rather less about his own history than a typical 20th century American."It's quite plausible that Centrans don't recognise how similar their society is to communism (any kind) because a) they have no real education of history, b) probably even less of political theory, and c) their own history never had any communist revolution, let alone a communist state, and d) it's questionable if they even had a Karl Marx. Actually, given the dates, it's conceivable that alt-Karl Marx's theories may have ended up being instrumental in some parts of Centran thinking, such as the idea that a stable state is needed for the good of everyone, and that each should work according to their ability. Marx did after all spend a considerable amount of time living in London (1818-1883). |
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08-08-2016, 04:39 PM | #37 | ||
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Kenai, Alaska
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
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08-08-2016, 05:47 PM | #38 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
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08-08-2016, 06:05 PM | #39 | |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
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__________________
"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison |
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08-08-2016, 06:24 PM | #40 |
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Kenai, Alaska
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Re: Question about Infinity, Centrum, the Cabal...
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Tags |
cabal, centrum, help me out here, infinite worlds, infinity, parachronics |
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