Peninsula Federation

[FirstAmongstDaves]

a Minister for Land (ensuring huts are properly labeled).

Perhaps "Minister of the Interior"?

Yes, much better - whose job it would also be to allocate huts fairly, and collect license fees from non-Derbians who want to permanently establish embassies, trading houses, headquarters, and sea-side holiday homes.

[Josiah Winthrop]

Okay, here is the first draft of the proposed constitution of the Peninsular Federation. The idea is that anybody from Derby can become a member of Parliament after paying a fee upon which they may take part in all votes and potentially become the Baron of the Peninsula of Derby and hence gain executive power and form a government composed of eight ministers. I have put some general rules for rights, voting and an army.

My main goals were:
1) to provide RP opportunities that would not become burdensome to people
2) to create a government that would function and make Derby they smoothest running camp on the island

Sorry if it is not convenient to read, I had it written up as a lovely Word document with clearly differentiated sections but unfortunately I could not simply copy and paste into the wiki. I put it into the wiki since it is kind of long and I didn't want to clutter up the forum. Please refrain from making changes to the wiki for now, lets give it a day or two and discuss here, and then we can move discussion to the wiki maybe once we get a general sense of what needs to be added, deleted, altered, etc., and then we can make substantial changes.

I guess the basic question at this point is, is this feasible? Is it worth the time? Will it be fun?

EDIT: Oh, adding the link would be helpful I guess: http://wiki.shartak.com/index.php/Peninsular_Federation
DOUBLE EDIT: Oh, and I should add that at this point I see myself as the writer of this, i.e., this is just a constitution and I am not necessarily proposing myself as leader. Right now I don't even think it is necessary to turn this into a clan, although I will if people want it, rather, it could actually just be a constitution for running a government and future governments in Derby by the various groups and individuals that already are active in Derby or will be in the future.

[FirstAmongstDaves]

Lots of positions. The Minister for Culture especially is a great idea.

I kind of figured there would be a Prime Minister advising the Baron, who acts as Crown titular representative of the overseas monarch. So, a constitutional monarchy like Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

The Baron's representative status is essential to recognise the position of the French ethnic minority in the capital of Derby, and the Baron's direct rule of Port Breton, the junior partner in the PF. I personally would also like a fleur de lis in the flag, but that's for later.

Cold Seether, Roadwork Bob and Hercule Le Tof would like to invite interested participants to discuss the new regime in The Hanged Misfit.

[Rob Zombie]

First impression would be a quote I'd like to use more often:

Any proposal that isn't summed up in a paragraph is a waste of time.
See, instead of what you typed on that wiki article, what you really meant was something more like this;

There'll be a different bloke in charge of different stuff, like culture and millitary and all that, and that people will be able to vote on these positions and other things if they are taxpayers, but even if not, they still have rights in the town.

(Edit: Uh, this sounds a bit rude, but I mean it in a joking way. I just didn't think to put a lot of  , and  in it at the time.

[Neil Tathers]

Lots of positions. The Minister for Culture especially is a great idea.

I kind of figured there would be a Prime Minister advising the Baron, who acts as Crown titular representative of the overseas monarch. So, a constitutional monarchy like Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

The Baron's representative status is essential to recognise the position of the French ethnic minority in the capital of Derby, and the Baron's direct rule of Port Breton, the junior partner in the PF. I personally would also like a fleur de lis in the flag, but that's for later.

Cold Seether, Roadwork Bob and Hercule Le Tof would like to invite interested participants to discuss the new regime in The Hanged Misfit.

Neil Tathers is on his way

[Mill Wilkinson]

I might hook up too. Heavy Sword mining has become my favourite pastime lately.

[AlexanderRM]

EDIT: Oh, adding the link would be helpful I guess: http://wiki.shartak.com/index.php/Peninsular_Federation

I think the "rent" sounds like deliberate RP corruption-type stuff, and while I'm fine with it as long as you make it reasonably obvious, I'm not certain if it's the right kind of thing to put in a reasonably serious constitution. Perhaps it would be better to have it instead be taxes, and you aren't allowed to sit in parliament unless you pay taxes (though with no retroactive ones) and foreigners have higher taxes if they want to join parliament? Or something...

[Josiah Winthrop]

EDIT: Oh, adding the link would be helpful I guess: http://wiki.shartak.com/index.php/Peninsular_Federation

I think the "rent" sounds like deliberate RP corruption-type stuff, and while I'm fine with it as long as you make it reasonably obvious, I'm not certain if it's the right kind of thing to put in a reasonably serious constitution. Perhaps it would be better to have it instead be taxes, and you aren't allowed to sit in parliament unless you pay taxes (though with no retroactive ones) and foreigners have higher taxes if they want to join parliament? Or something...

From a particular historical/ideological perspective, yes, requiring that a person have a certain income to enter the franchise is corrupt since it limits the franchise to only wealthy people, from certain other ideological perspectives it is not. Anyway, I didn't really take any of that history stuff into consideration when I decided on "rent" over taxes as a way to accumulate some capital for the proposed government.

My real thinking was that many of the people playing in Derby will not want to participate in this, and with "rent" to sit in Parliament they can easily just avoid the whole thing and merrily go about their lives in Derby. A system of taxation is universal, with the exception of exceptions everyone must pay taxes. How do I make taxes optional? Who is going to say "OOOHHHH.... AAAHHHH, can I pay those taxes please?" A one time fee to sit in Parliament, however, I think there will be a fair amount of people who will pay that assuming that they are interested in the Peninsular Federation at all.

So far there seems to be only lukewarm interest in this proposal. I've had a couple of PM's which we will see about, or maybe those people could come here and join the discussion, which would be great. Right now if I decide to try and form a government I only have one cabinet position filled, Isaak Carlier will be the Minister of Information. He will fix up the wiki (I already made some huge errors such as mixing up the descriptions for the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Information and the Minister for Foreign Affairs), chronicle events, etc.

@Mill Wilkinson: Would you be willing to be the Minister of Finance? It means ensuring heavy sword production, distribution to the army, sale to citizens and foreigners and also the collection of the rent to sit in Parliament. As far as rent goes, my assumption is that interested persons will track you down if they want to pay rent in order to vote on decisions. Just PM me or list wherever you want that people have paid rent, I'll let Isaak know and they'll be immortalized in the Parliament list on the wiki. My point is that the job would basically just be making sure that heavy swords get produced and dealing with people when they come to you.

[Mill Wilkinson]

@Mill Wilkinson: Would you be willing to be the Minister of Finance? It means ensuring heavy sword production, distribution to the army, sale to citizens and foreigners and also the collection of the rent to sit in Parliament. As far as rent goes, my assumption is that interested persons will track you down if they want to pay rent in order to vote on decisions. Just PM me or list wherever you want that people have paid rent, I'll let Isaak know and they'll be immortalized in the Parliament list on the wiki. My point is that the job would basically just be making sure that heavy swords get produced and dealing with people when they come to you.

Why not? I'm more than happy to help Derby have a good government again, but I vouch for Hercule Le Tof for that position. He has better chances at the job than I do, because I'll soon be whirled in turmoil of exams.

[FirstAmongstDaves]

Actually, I'd rather be Minister for the Interior since that is a lot of fun. Happy to fund an event for the Minister for Culture though with prize money.

As for "rent" on heavy sword mining, the idea is based upon mining royalty schemes ordinarily imposed by governments upon mining companies. The system could work like this: you find a sword and sell it then you pay a royalty to the government, who gives you in turn:

a. a right to mine,

b. prevention from interference in your mining activity (principally alligators, but random murderers too), and

c. helps promote your business through things like clan updates to members.

If you refuse to pay the royalty then you have no right to mine ie. no protection, no promotion, and no recognition (you might be otherwise entitled to put in your profile "Authorised license bearer for Derby Swamps mining" which should in theory deter your death).

[Neil Tathers]

Question, would Neil have to pay rent to be part of the Federation, cause Neil doesn't have cash.

Also, I would like to apply to the job of Minister of Foreign Relations, Native Division.

[Josiah Winthrop]

You would have to pay rent to be a member of Parliament, and as a non-citizen of Derby that rent would be higher (that said, there has been no discussion of a proper rate for the rent for either citizens or non-citizens at this point).

Ministers, however, are appointed by the Government, i.e., whoever is Baron, to serve at the pleasure of the Government, so Ministers do not need to pay rent as they will not necessarily be members of Parliament. I want to allow "foreigners" to be Ministers for extra RP purposes, for instance, a Government could come under fire for giving "sweet plum positions to foreigners." It adds flavor.

The whole thing is still up in the air, but is starting to take shape and if the formation of a Peninsular Government goes through under my direction then the Government would love to add Neil Tathers to the cabinet for the Foreign Affairs portfolio.

So right now the cabinet is looking like this:
1)Minister of Finance: Hercule Le Tof
2)Minister of Information: Isaac Carlier
3)Minister of Foreign Affairs: Neil Tathers
4)Minister of the Interior: ?
5)Minister of Public Works: ?
6)Minister of Defense:?
7)Minister of Culture:?
8)Minister of Justice:?

Of the 5 left, the only positions that we really need filled are those of the Minister of Public Works and Minister of Justice. We can live without Defense, Culture, and the Interior. Actually, Defense and the Interior could easily be combined anyway since they both include fighting, I mostly just like the flavor of having both, but they are not essential. Of course, we can live without galas and events, but I think Culture should really be added at some point, but we can wait on that if need be.

[FirstAmongstDaves]

Hercule would really like to have Interior as part of the portfolio for finance. I'm keen to post a lot of signs in a lot of places, as well as map out Derby, plot out streets and look after the names of huts.

Deus257 would be a good candidate for Minister for Defence. Cold Seether would too. I see Guildmaster and Rob Zombie are back in the game too, and should be involved in the ministry. RoadWork Bob woud be a good Minister for Culture.

[Mill Wilkinson]

the Hanged Misfit is a fine example on the cultural work!

[Josiah Winthrop]

Hercule would really like to have Interior as part of the portfolio for finance. I'm keen to post a lot of signs in a lot of places, as well as map out Derby, plot out streets and look after the names of huts.

Deus257 would be a good candidate for Minister for Defence. Cold Seether would too. I see Guildmaster and Rob Zombie are back in the game too, and should be involved in the ministry. RoadWork Bob woud be a good Minister for Culture.

One thing I've forgotten to mention here Daves, I screwed up the headings for the Ministerial posts, some of them got switched around, so what you are actually interested in (given what you have said about signs and mapping) is the portfolio of Minister of Public Works (I had intended the Interior to be "Interior" in the sense of spying and patrolling the borders).

So, I'm eager to have you on in any capacity as you are active, I'd like you to handle money since you have proven to be handy at that in the past and we do need someone desperately for Public Works so maybe I will merge Public Works and Finance into one portfolio called Public Works? The key to finance is 1) Keeping track of money that comes in and out 2) Holding the money 3) Making sure we have heavy swords coming in. I don't want you to get burdened, so I could take on the most difficult part of the old Finance position, i.e., keeping track of the money. So, you would do the Public Works stuff (I'll help with creating the Boulevard because I think that will be fun), and simply hold the money and heavy swords, tell me who has paid rent for Parliament so I can keep a record of it.

The Baron could hold the money, but then I worry about conflict and corruption.