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Around the world shadow parliaments are facilitated with local taxpayers money. In for example a high rise building a group of foreigners petitioning to represent some part of the world can get a floor. With a maximum of 100 people they convene frequently to formulate policies for their homeland, as-if
they were a parliament. The debates are broadcasted through the internet and satellite-tv and the agreed upon policies are published. That is where it ends formally.
Many countries around the world then host such a tower resulting in a network of parliaments which exchange ideas and knowledge. The actual government in the region they target can either choose to ignore or listen to these parliaments abroad.
Dictatorships are likely to already oppose even the idea of such parliaments. But once a dictatorship falls, at least there will be people trained with some democratic experience who can take over. With many of these parliaments around the world there is a safeguard for heterogeneity. Not only of the people, but also of the democratic structures. The parliaments in the Anglo-Saxon part of the world are likely to copy a two-party system, while those in north-western Europe are more likely to set up multi-party coalition governments.
They won't fight about territory because they are removed from the actual territory they talk about. They can instantly decide to split up as a region from some nation, it is just moving to another floor as long as they have enough people and no competing parliament for the same region. Catalans, Frisians, Kurds, Californians, Welsh, they are all invited to set up a parliament just next door to those who prefer some other configuration. Perhaps the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia might even revive...
United Nations
http://www.un.int/
the centralised, nation-state centric established approach, useful to deal with global issues [rrr, Feb 14 2007]
Heineken's Europatopia (map)
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurotopia
Freddy Heineken's idea for a Europe with regions of about 5 to 10 million, to avoid ethnic tensions and increase efficiency. Yes, that is the Heineken beerbrewer, a creative mind. [rrr, Feb 14 2007]
Overbaked: The very playground where conversations can be 'parked'...
http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/overbaked
I'd watch out for offending folks by deleting annos, [rrr]. I know the logic of "why is it there if folk are gonna get offended", but you're probably better off pointing them here. [Jinbish, Feb 16 2007]
[link]
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Yes, let's build another useless bureaucracy to suck up the income of the people who actually do constructive and productive work. |
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Governments-in-exile already exist and already spend all their time planning their return, plotting and counter-plotting with and against the current governments and other factions their and other governments-in-exile. It is more than likely that I am missing something, but at present, the idea reads as little if any more than "put all the governments-in-exile in a tower block." |
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Aside 1: that Dutch Wikipedia link is interesting, if incomprehensible, given my monoglottery. On the basis of your synopsis, [rrr], and the map shown, I doubt whether the "division plan" would work. There are some of those divisions in the UK already and we all hate each other. Well, the Scots hate everyone. Especially the Manx. |
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Aside 2: it may be best to ignore MercuryNorMars's off-topic and inflammatory bons mot, so that he loses interest in this activity and, one hopes, starts to post in a more constructive manner. |
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@SaltedNuts, it doesn't take up that much income. In the case of my country I propose to fund the "governments-in-exile in a tower block"-project out of the budget that now goes to development aid to corrupt governments around the world. This would be better spend and sooner or later the educative project will trickle down to the country itself. |
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@calum, The difference with the current situation would be that governments in exile are currently not motivated to set up a real parliament to democratically solve fundamental differences of opinion. Once confined to that tower block they have to sort things out with each other. That is the goal of the exercise. Except when the conflict is about territory, then they just seperate themselves from the bigger region. Hence the Eurotopia "small is beautiful" link. |
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If they refuse to deal with each other and prefer to resort to some "strong leader" and other such bad habits they are excluded from the facilities: office, security, broadcast and publication means and some authority internationally. |
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@calum, aside1: indeed Freddy Heineken's idea is interesting, although 'very Dutch' in more senses than the language it is in. Perhaps one of the most famous half-baked ideas in this country. It was even published in newspapers at the time. |
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@calum, aside2: I deleted the entire MercuryNorMars chat. Anyone interested can e-mail me for a copy of the deleted conversation. There should be some playground somewhere on the Halfbakery where such conversations can be 'parked'. |
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oh well. It was a pleasure doing business with you. |
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I suppose if you left the first part the whole thing would happen again. |
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I have to second [Murdoch], deleting annos is poor form, usually interpreted as a sign of weakness. I haven't even read the idea yet, just scanned annos to start. If you've got a copy, you can always label it as such and reinsert it as an anno. |
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The b*stard's done it again. Stop deleting annos you don't agree with/don't like/can't respond to! |
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It's not fair and I'll have a tantrum, so there. |
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