02-26-2018, 03:21 AM | #121 | |
Join Date: Jul 2006
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Quote:
Thanatocracy would certainly be interesting for a fantasy setting - China Melliville's Bas Lag novels refer to a city called (I think) High Cromlech that is ruled by a caste of undead promoted from amongst the city's living population (although I don't recall being told on what basis). |
|
02-26-2018, 03:48 AM | #122 |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Meifumado
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Aesthetocracy, is, by my reckoning, either...
Government by Aesthetes The city is protected by some powerful spirit, such as a dragon or minor god, who can only be appeased by the works or performances of a great artist. Thus, each generation, the land's greatest singer, dancer, painter, musician, sculptor or what-have-you, is sought out and presented as the spirit's consort. Once appeased, the spirit continues to protect the land and the consort governs as the land's supreme ruler. Whether their artistic training teaches them to be a good governor is another matter. Government by Aesthetic Principles Just as a mathematical theorem can be judged to be beautiful based on its inherent properties, as judged by trained mathematicians, so can legislation and legal rulings, as judged by lawmakers versed in legal aesthetics. Legislation will only be passed by the chamber if it's judged to be beautiful enough, not only in the language its encapsulated in, but also in the legal ruling it's pronouncing. And yep, I have no idea how that would actually look in practice, or if it's at all practical.
__________________
Collaborative Settings: Cyberpunk: Duopoly Nation Space Opera: Behind the King's Eclipse And heaps of forum collabs, 30+ and counting! |
02-26-2018, 09:47 PM | #123 | |
Join Date: Feb 2007
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Quote:
__________________
HMS Overflow-For conversations off topic here. |
|
02-27-2018, 04:10 AM | #124 | |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Meifumado
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Quote:
Meanwhile the civil service were concerned with aesthetics, as per here: In contrast with the Chinese ideal of rule by scholar-officials, we will see that in Heian Japan, the ideal that emerged was that of rule by officials with a highly refined sense of aesthetics, a model we might call the "aesthete-official." ...and: “The world of formal offices and government administration was a forest of red tape and paper-shuffling. Government activity was largely a matter of external ceremony and form, with little regard for administrative efficiency...When viewed out of context, this sort of activity may seem a waste of time by today's standards. In the contexts of the values of Heian aristocratic society, however, proper dress was a major issue... Form was as important, or more so, than content..." Doesn't really fit the mould of what I suggested though.
__________________
Collaborative Settings: Cyberpunk: Duopoly Nation Space Opera: Behind the King's Eclipse And heaps of forum collabs, 30+ and counting! |
|
02-28-2018, 09:03 AM | #125 | |
Join Date: Jul 2006
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Quote:
|
|
02-28-2018, 11:55 AM | #126 |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Meifumado
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Indeed. It seems that a more likely, third definition is for governments that value form and appearance over practicality or efficiency.
__________________
Collaborative Settings: Cyberpunk: Duopoly Nation Space Opera: Behind the King's Eclipse And heaps of forum collabs, 30+ and counting! |
02-28-2018, 12:32 PM | #127 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Variable length terms. When someone is elected, they don't know how long it will be until the next election. Some random process determines if an election to replace them will happen that quarter (or month, or year, or whatever). They have a decent idea of how long until the next election, but they don't know.
The idea is to prevent the actual timing of the election from interfering with government policy. The exact mechanism for doing this is probably prone to tampering.
__________________
Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! |
02-28-2018, 12:52 PM | #128 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Well, that's true in several Parliamentary systems already; you get a new election when sufficient time has passed, or someone dissolves Parliament. However, that's probably not the sort of thing you're thinking about.
|
02-28-2018, 01:00 PM | #129 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Yes, when I refer to a "Random" process, I mean truly random, not something that can be effected by a different part of the government. Though playing around with who can call for elections might result in several interesting variants.
__________________
Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! |
02-28-2018, 06:20 PM | #130 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
|
Re: Exotic Governmental/Legal Systems
Ostracism. This was done by Ancient Athens of course. But a revival could be used as a balance-of-power trick. A legislator's vote could be suspended on a minimum number of votes from the other chamber or the general populace or both or either. This does not need to mean exile(unlike the other version)nor need it imply dishonor, but only that a given politician is felt to have more power then is good for him.
Effectively it would be a political version of an antitrust suit.
__________________
"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison |
|
|