Hi guys!
Here’s my idea for a government to ensure a secure and free country:
How to create a truly free and ordered nation at peace from an oppressed and chaotic one at war
-
Peace: The military aggressor must be either defeated by any means necessary, or unconditionally surrendered to. If the nation wins, proceed to step 2. If not…good luck with your captors.
-
Security: Martial order should be declared to secure the nation. The military commander or junta should take care to only create general orders that are practically enforceable, and quickly crush any systemic resistance or widespread private coercion, i.e. civil disobedience and organized crime, respectively, via any means necessary.
-
Law: Once the military-state has suppressed all civil disobedience and organized crime, it should at once codify its operating principles and values into a constitution and its general orders into laws, to render it’s actions predictable and consistent. If official actions are lawful, they are predictable. If they are predictable, a rational person can avoid infringing them. The individual will now have the invaluable boon of being safe from the arbitrary whims of the military-state, and from independent criminals.
-
Freedom: Now that the military-state has achieved its objectives of creating a peaceful, secure, and orderly nation where its citizens can walk at night without fear, it can now ensure true social and economic freedom with a low risk of it degenerating into anarchy. It can now minimize its intrusions and interventions, and just let the people do what they want as long as they don’t try to overthrow the government or violate the natural rights of others.
Some suggestions:
-
The seven-member Supreme Military Council for Peace and Development is elected by single-transferable vote by all land-holding citizens and active military members from a list of serving general and flag officers who choose to run for the positions. The deliberations of the Council will be broadcast on national TV. The Supreme Military Council for Peace and Development will appoint a Chief Martial Law Administrator, who may either be a general/flag officer not currently on the Council, or a civilian. The Chief Martial Law Administrator is all-powerful, and s/he serves during the confidence of the Council.
-
The Chief Martial Law Administrator will take care to issue decrees that are practically enforceable, and questions of their application will be referred to the Council.
-
No jury trials. Juries are easily confused, manipulated, and tampered with. Infractions are always dealt with by the arresting officer unless the defendant wishes for a summary court-martial, misdemeanors are dealt with by summary court-martial, but the defendant can refuse, in which case a special court-martial, consisting of three military justices, will be convened. Felonies always dealt with by special court martial, unless the defendant refuses, in which case a general court-martial, consisting of five military justices, will be convened. Treason is always dealt with by general court-martial. Defendants have the right to appeal to the next higher court-martial except in cases of infractions. A general court-martial can be appealed to the Supreme Military Council of Peace and Development, and its decisions may be appealed to the Chief Martial Law Administrator, and his/her decisions are final. The defendant has a right to an attorney in special courts-martial and higher, and in all cases has the right to not self-incriminate, and the right to call and cross-examine witnesses. Civil cases are dealt with by private arbitration, and the awards of the tribunal have the force of a final judgment, unless manifest injustice can be proved, in which case the award can be appealed to a general court-martial. All trials and arbitrations will be broadcast in real-time on national TV. Any citizen who is defending a felony case or major civil case may appeal directly to the Chief Martial Law Administrator from the court-martial of first instance or arbitration tribunal.
-
Imprisonment is not an option for punishment. Prisons do not reform, they harden, and they are very expensive. Infractions are dealt with by fines alone. Misdemeanors are dealt with by house arrest (only movement between home and school/work allowed) and/or fines. Felonies (including violating house arrest) are dealt with by flogging, combined with fines and/or forfeiture. Crimes such as major fraud, murder, rape, and inciting riots are dealt with by exile (those who are exiled will be microchipped and branded), combined with forfeiture of all property (which will be split between the state and any victims as judged by the court-martial). Returning from exile, or treason, is punished by death and forfeiture of estate to the state.
-
The only tax will be a land value tax. It is impossible to evade an LVT, it discourages wasting and speculatively holding land, it encourages development, and it will be paid mostly by those wealthy enough to own land.
-
Any tax surplus will be used to fund healthcare, education, and welfare, unless the Chief Martial Law Administrator decides otherwise.
-
The currency should be backed by energy, which will allow the money supply to expand and contract as needed based on economic progress, and ensure economic stability. energybackedmoney.com/
-
All those who turn 18 must complete two years of paid military service. Those who do not fit military requirements or refuse to serve in the military instead are required to serve in healthcare, education, farming, energy production, caring for the young or old, or ministry, depending on their aptitude and desires.
-
Immigrants can only receive citizenship through 20 years of military service, and when they complete it they get a grant of land as well (along with all others who successfully complete 20 years of military service). Otherwise, they have the same rights and responsibilities, except that they cannot vote to elect members of the Supreme Military Council for Peace and Development, or run for the membership.
-
Those who are not either gainfully-employed, independently-wealthy, or a well-supervised dependent of another, including all temporary visitors, are tagged with an anklet that continuously reports their position to the authorities.
-
Those who are unable to work are moved to secure centers (with any dependent family as well), with full Internet access, TV, basic entertainment, food, healthcare etc.
-
All residents who have not been convicted of a felony are able to own arms, but must report any use in self-defense immediately to the local authorities.