My World Part 2
Location: Antartica, or water based. unless some countries decide to suddenly just give land.
Name: To be Determined
Government: Democracy variant (te be discussed in future issue)
Economy: Social Capitalism (See My world 1)
Population: As many as can be sustained
Foreign Policy: Self Sustaining Export only surplus. Preferably no import need.
So first of all, I think it would be important that this place be self sustaining, and I have determined it would be best if we didn't get involved with the rest of the world more than necessary. Clearly anywhere it would be set up would not have many if any natural resources to use, and since I would rather not bind myself to other countries through trade, We would need to rely on what little we have plus whatever we take to start off. Recycling would be a must, and waste would clearly have no place. We would have to severly rethink many of the ways things are done. From construction to "cities" to other concepts which just would no longer apply. If we use a Bio dome type system and teraform the place, we can create with time natural resources, so trees and other products that come from living plants. Short of deep water drilling or drilling through Antartica to the land mass below, Minerals are probably out, so synthetics would be more important. Water shouldn't be a problem, simply just the need to create desalination facilities and water treatment to reuse dirty water. Fossil fuels are out, so energy would have to be natural, but with solar/wind/geothermal/hydro and other natural energy sources we should eventually not need fuels.
Next, there are many problems that need to be taken care of in society. This country cannot include any hunger or unemployment, so it will be designed with all the required social support and services required to make sure everyone is taken care of. In order to live in this country tho, and to ensure the country works, In order to get in you will have to agree to certain conditions and such. Not truly lack of liberties, but just truths and rules for remaining in the society. Social programs will for example, require you to do things you are "capable" of to receive the help. So for example, if you are mentally handicaped, then you might be put to use doing what you can, nothing beyond their abilities, and nothing harsh, For example, perhaps put to use assiting people. Not slave labour, but willing help. Those who are handicapped, for example, maybe paralized from the legs down, will be provided with work they are capable of that does not require use of their legs. Maybe an editor or sorts. Those needing help will not just be left for themselves but rather the government will find places for them and offer possible tasks to choose from, and the government will take care of any set up required to start, the person will just be expected to keep up their end of the bargain and work. People who are just lazy and refuse to do adequate work will simply be asked to leave the country. People who have no valuable skills etc will be offered the oportunity to train skills, always will a goal in mind. Robotics and automation will not be used to REPLACE humans, but rather simply to pick up slack, so for example, if there aren't enough people interested in manufacturing cars, then the robatics will pick up the required work, until someone who does want to do it comes along. There of course will also be a problem with too many people wanting to be things. For example, the world would need only so many doctors, artists or teachers.
Education would be based on these needs. Education would be general until the children become old enough to make a more or less contant idea of what they want to do, there will not be a set cut off, For example, You wont go to grade 12 and then you are cut off. General education would continue to a point, and the people choose when they have decided to branch off. SO for example, perhaps general goes to say lvl 20. A student can decide that at lvl 14, they aren't sure what they want to do, and continue into 15. and then decide they want to become something, they would then apply for such jobs and such through the government, You can apply for as much or as little as you want. If there is room for such careers, the student is then moved from general education into a program designed to prepare them for their job. The government would then creat plans to ensure a job is available for them by the time they finish. Changing programs would be allowed, but i'm not gonna elaborate on that system. Supplepentary education is fine, and will be allowed (all education is free) to anyone. Should you decide you are a writer and want to learn about something to write about it, Or maybe simply a mechanic, who has always wanted to know more about the roman empire for example, You will be allowed to plan this into your work plan. People will for example, earn money based on their effort and skill. So for example, if you are a carpenter, You have opportunity to rise based on your performance etc, or maybe if you are a teacher, you can increase wage or position based on feedback students give to you combined with other factors. All position would have different compensation based on difficulty etc, and other factors, but there will be no significant difference between the base wages of all the jobs. Upper lever wages would differ, but for example, a basic janitor would earn enough credit for a comfortable living, as would a basic scientist, however there would be higher levels and hense wages for different kind of scientists and such rather than janitors which would only go so high.
Retirement would never be forced, however should there be a need to find room for younger generations, you would be reduced in work capacity, for example, perhaps you work in a greenhouse taking care of plants, you've done this for your life and you enjoy it, You do not want to leave, but new students would like to work in this capacity, Instead of working say 30 hours a week, You might be asked to work only 10. You would never be "paid" less for this. The job wouldn't pay By the hour anyways, Likely the system would be set up with an expected work requirement which you would fufill when possible, of course filing reports etc. when you cannot. Retirement would be allowed to take place based on demand for the work you are doing, amount of time you have worked and your capability to handle the job etc. So for example, if you were in a really in demand job, you might say be required to fulfill 20 years work or something. (this is purely a demonstrational amount, it is not thought out in any way) If you were in a job where it wasn't too in demand, You might only be asked to work 15 years or something, and there of course would be a significant limit, so say for example you cannot retire with pension unless you complete a minimum of 10 years etc. Pensions would be based on highest lvl of Job you attained and did not fail to maintain requirements for. For example, say for example you made it to lvl say 8, worked for a few months, then decided you didn't like lvl 8 and went back to 7. If you retired, You would get paid based on lvl 8. You would not get paid the same wages as lvl 8. But each wage bracket would have with it a pension wage, for if you retire at that lvl. Lvl 1's for example, would make perhaps insignificantly less than when working, But would still have to maintain minimum service amount before retiring. So if someone made absoluitly no real effort into their job and never made it beyond lvl 1, but did lvl 1 well, then after 10 years or whatever, when they retire, they would be paid basical,ly the same amount. Say you made it to lvl 5. Say lvl 5 was paid 50 000 credits a year (don't associate credits with any monitary value, purely demonstational) And it's pension wage was 42 000 a year. Lvl 4 might be 45 000 with 37 000 Pension. Or maybe lvl 9 would be 120 000 with 90 000 pention. Also, say in one year, your partner died or something. And you took time off to grieve. You would not be docked time, you would still eb paid, up to a determined amount of grieving time, after which, if you still aren't ready, you would be able to attend maybe councelling. While still being paid (Possibly a reduced amount, For example, sick time might be 25%, Extended Injury might be 70%, Grieving counselling might be 80%). Once the councillor/doctor thought you ready to return to work, your job would be waiting for you.
Tune in next time when I once again delve into the realm of my world. Remember, Comment and comment often (any constuctive critism MUST be accompanied with possible suggestion of another way to do it) Disagrement is not sought. If you don't like idea, perhaps say so, but don't necessarily elaborate or try to explain why you don't like. Not looking for negative arguments or counter idealogy, do that in your own journal, this is purely Brad Fantasy Fiction, Comment if you read it tho and possibly what you think. :) Discuss what you like etc.