The State, the Glorious State!

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

Salvete philosophi,

In my last weeks as rector of this collegium, I would like to discuss "the state" with you.

What is your ideal state or concept of government? And how would you defend it? Do we *need* a state? Or can people be trusted to govern themselves? If you don't think so, isn't that a little patronising? Aren't all states dictatorships and oligarchies in disguise?

I await your thoughts on this.

Valete,
Draco

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

That was my 300th posting...

Draco

[Curio Agelastus]

Salve Draco,

Congratulations, Signifer.

Hmmm... Okay then, I'll betray by extremely very odd political views. When pressed, I call myself a pacifistic anarchist, because it best describes my views; but it's also misleading.

I believe that the best possible government is not on a country scale, nor even on a country scale. I see the best government being in village-size communities. Perhaps, then, a communist state of government might work. In the larger city states, I'd recommend a Republic (Of course!) but I still wouldn't want them larger than the Roma of the Republic.

Of course, this is an idealistic government. Although the government itself would work, I'm far too cynical to believe that each village wouldn't swallow up its neighbour, and form countries in time. Then the whole ugly process would continue. But what the hell, if Marx can be an idealist, then I can have idealistic tendencies buried beneath my pessimistic cynicism.


Bene vale,
Marcus Scribonius Curio Britannicus.

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

Salve Curio,

Well yes, how would you prevent villages from expanding?

My personal ideal government is a multi-party system with about 5 to 7 political parties, one parliament and a president or powerful prime minister, although I also like the Roman system, with consules, praetores and aediles. It would be interesting to actualise this system. Too bad some blockheads have tried doing it and have used their rear-view mirror instead of trying to reshape and update it. *shakes head* Hybris!

But of course every good society begins and ends with education. Education would be a priority in my ideal state, followed by economy, (social) security, environment and defence.

I also feel anarchy would never work. Neither will totalitarian governments, which will invariably collapse or gradually devolve and are ultimately dismantled.

As a general remark, I think we often don't realise often enough how vulnerable democracy is. In many European countries extremist parties are gaining ground, and we've seen in the US that the hardliners and fundies are becoming increasingly more dominant and important, too. Personally I feel the media plays a decisive role in this, but OTOH some people do really bring it down on themselves. Like I once read: "Think! It ain't illegal yet."

I believe we should look at the past, not only the twenties and the thirties but also Antiquity, to see how and why democracies (crude and primitive as they were) destroyed themselves.

Optime vale,
Draco

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

By the way, if you want to know where your political sympathies lie, here is a *very* good test with many probing questions.

http://www.digitalronin.f2s.com/politic ... onnaire.pl

Draco

PS: I was a lib leftie

[Curio Agelastus]

Salve,

I was also a lib leftie, at roughly the same place as Gandhi.

Let me clarify then, Draco. Rather than an anarchist, I'll call myself an extreme decentralist.

Bene vale,
Marcus Scribonius Curio Britannicus.

[Anonymous]

Salve

I did the test and surprised myself. I thought I was some kind of social fascist and ended up more like an anarcho-socialist.

I like, though would modify, the system we have in the UK.

Constitutional Monarchy-Most people seem to like the Queen but resent the "Hangers-on" I would streamline the monarchy cut off the excess baggage but sex-up the profile of the monarch to a more spiritual role as Defender of faith (Pontiff)

Meritocratic Aristocracy-Get rid of hereditary peers and have an upper house comprised of successful people from various fields.

Direct Democracy-Decentralise the representational system we have now so the power is devolved to the local level.

Vale

[Horatius Piscinus]

Salve Belene

Hm, sounds like Cuba. Cuban society is very democratic on the local level and Castro now wields influence as "defender of the faith" more than that he holds any official position (He is still a senator I believe) And meritorious selection of peers, well the Cubans might have some different ideas than you may use. But perhaps you are not a constitutional monarchist any more than you are a asocial fascist or anarcho-socialist Maybe you are just on the wrong island?

Vale optime
Piscinus

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

Salvete!

I do think Fidel nostro still is in charge, though, regardless of titles he may have.

Sex-up the monarchy eh? Belgium faces the same problem... probably the most boring successor ever is waiting to become king...

Valete,
Draco

[Curio Agelastus]

Salve Belene,

So how would you define Meritocracy? Or rather, how would you define merit? To have the top people in each field would require vast amounts of bureaucracy to define who the top people in each field were, and would, I suspect, swiftly degenerate into corruption and clientship.

But then, I remain a pessimist, so it is possible that with the right people, your ideas would work.

Bene vale,
Marcus Scribonius Curio Britannicus.

[Curio Agelastus]

I have a new signature!!!! Where did that come from?

**Curio screams in terror and runs away.**

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

*Draco comes slacking in*

Oh, that? For every new rector...

You may change it as you wish, but I thought it was nice and recognisible.

Draco

[Anonymous]

I took the Political Compass test countless times. The results are always in the same range, and that is Authoritarian Leftist. Leftist purely from an Economic point-of-view though. In fact I support non-Imperialist Nationalist and Radical Right groups all around Europe though economically I believe in a system that is a blend of State Socialism, Syndicalism, and Capitalism, hence the Leftist result.

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

Salve,

Perhaps you identify yourself more with the charismatic people that lead many right-wing movements across Europe rather than their tenets? Atticus (the junior consul here, but he didn't post here anymore for a long time) is also like that. He is quite conservative but when he took the test he was also Authoritarian Left because he is also supportive of state socialism.

Vale bene!
Draco

[Anonymous]

I support National Self-Determination and Regional Self-Determination and also Ethnical Self-Determination. This means I am opposed to current (massive) non-European Immigration and believe that intra-European immigration should be monitored and quotas set upon which certain procedures should take place, and I support Nationalists from everywhere as long as they are not Imperialists and they do not go against my Nation's and Europe's interests without seeking a compromise.

Moreover I believe the Radical Right is somewhat Revolutionary since the System is run by Centrists and Leftists especially in the EU, while at the same time being Morally Conservative.

The "System" (for lack of a better word) seeks to create Politically Correct laws to force the people into mental and moral (or amoral) submission, and this is so especially in the EU.

I cannot know all the tenets of the various Radical Right groups in Europe, although I try to keep informed (unfortunately most of these groups barely have information on their websites in English), so I cannot really answer your question. Though I do not believe I would have very much divergence when confronted with their tenets. In Malta we do not have a Radical Right Political Organisation and the Centre-Right "Nationalist" Party in power is leading Malta into the EU, so it definitely is not Nationalist and should ditch the name.

[Q. C. Locatus Barbatus]

Salvete!

Ah! Politics! Great! Most of you already know that this is my 'dada'.

I'm a socialist. So I would like to surpress any right-wing parties . But I'm a democrat, so I allow them to cry out their stupidities...

All right, before I offend someone, this is not meant litteraly, but I frustrate me everyday in populistic extremely right oneliners. The flemish (ooops... I almost wrote 'belgian') nationalistic extremely right party has slogans such as "own people first!" and "time for cleaning-up". I cannot uncerstand that anyone, and I litteraly mean anyone, supports these people. They say that fundamentally people are not equal, and thus some are 'less' than others.

In this time, as the US showed us, it is important to evolve to a unified and strong Europe. While our right-wing 'friends' are trying to recreate borders and landmarks, backing up into their own country/region/city/village (almost as the anarchists, one of their arch-enemies, want).

I must say that left is not morally conservative, the Belgian government legalized homo-marriage, secularisates, talks about soft-drugs (what has been forbidden in the past 40 years, when the right-wing ruled) and doesn't cut in social security.

Etnic self-determination does not exist. Before something like that would come to pass you first would have to determinate what etnics rule. My neighbour has brown hair, is he of the same 'race' or not. My friends grandfather was an italian, does he belong to us? Or is he 'less'?

As our population is getting older and birth-rates are lowering, we will need (non-european) immigrants to keep our seniors alive... Or we just will have to scrap all pensions. The easy way out.

Vale,

Locatus

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

Salve Locate,

WHY is your avatar Mus?

I must say that left is not morally conservative, the Belgian government legalized homo-marriage, secularisates, talks about soft-drugs (what has been forbidden in the past 40 years, when the right-wing ruled) and doesn't cut in social security.

Um, Locate, your socialist party was a part of the government during that time as well .

Vale bene,
Draco

[Q. C. Locatus Barbatus]

Indeed, but the right-wing christians were also in the government, and it was forbidden to mentiobn such moral questions. Homosexuality still is looked upon as a disease by (othodox) christians. And being in the government means: compromises.