A New World Alliance
mjdiv
In my 15 months of being an eRepublikan and experiencing this social experiment at many different levels, I am 100% certain that no nation in the eWorld will be safe from being overcome, either militarily or politically, without the strong support of allies. This includes Hungary, Indonesia, Spain, Poland, Canada and, yes, eUSA too! Although we need not rush in to bite the hook of the first alliance's fishing line that is dangled in front of us, we do need to consider what kind of alliance we will have in the near future to bring about not only security but also prosperity.
Many of the alliance ideas I have heard recently revolve solely around the idea of a military alliance to guard against attack from enemies. While that is a valid reason for having an alliance, I propose that more be done to strengthen such an alliance and hold its members together. If the only thing that keeps a nation in an alliance is the prospect of security from attack, then nations are just as likely to jump to whatever alliance of the day appears to offer the most military protection.
For everyone out there who thinks their country will "win" by conquering the world, I assure you that you will never see that day come about. Alliances can beat alliances, but no one country will ever beat the world (no, not even Hungary). If we are anti-Phoenix, we would not simply be against Hungarian imperialism; we would be against all of the nations under Phoenix's protection. We will not win a war against Phoenix by pure military force. The way to change the dynamics of the situation is by a change in ideology. Whatever imperialistic alliance that is formed automatically becomes an enemy to Phoenix and strengthens their cause.
I hear some people saying "But we need to expand! We need those high-iron territories! We need diamonds! And what about making sure we have titanium?" You know what? You're right! But why does that have to involve conquering other countries? Unlike other nations, we have all the resources we need for our citizens and to function well as a society. The iron, diamonds and eventually titanium will give strength to our military capabilities (as cheaper resources for weapons and gifts). A way to do this would be through trade.
I hear more of you saying "Trade...pff...that's boring! We need RAWR!" There will still be plenty of wars in the world to participate in, especially the liberation kinds.
In order to have a strong alliance, the alliance must respect the sovereignty of all of the nations involved. It must also benefit every member of the alliance (big and small) and not be simply for the support of it's strongest nations. The alliance members must be able to think in terms of "we" and "our" and not just "me". To give strength to such a group it would also work toward the prosperity of each member involved.
Some may see what I propose to be idealistic, but everything starts out as an idea. Ideas that are fueled with passion and moved by action can make them reality. So, I will start with an idea. Those who add to these thoughts will help turn a good idea into a great one.
I propose the creation of an alliance that has all of these aspects:
1. Centered around raw materials. Of high importance (and these areas should have higher populations to build higher walls) would be territories with high resources in all of the raw materials. These resources should be made available in free trade to all members of the alliance. The alliance is not only a military alliance, but also a trade alliance, to promote prosperity of all of the nations involved. Nations within the alliance will have 1% import taxes (the lowest that can be proposed) on all high resources that the alliance has secured. Non-alliance nations may be embargoed, but not nations within the alliance. The nations within the alliance are free to adjust their income taxes and VATs (sales taxes) how each nation sees fit according to their respective congresses, but will not raise import taxes.
2. Each nation must have an organized military that will be required to come to the defense of members of the alliance that are being attacked on their home soil. Members will not be required to assist in offensive operations, only defensive ones. However, the nations are allowed to coordinate in offensive operations if they wish to. Each nation is also free to have MPPs with nations that are outside of the alliance.
3. Members must respect the soverignty of member nations unless agreement has been made between attacking and defending nations to do otherwise.
With the above type of alliance, each nation will benefit from military support of all nations involved in the event of attack and would also all share in growth of prosperity, all having adequate, inexpensive access to high-resource-producing regions and being able to trade among member nations without barriers of high tariffs. What would keep the countries from raising their tariffs? Well, the loss of trade and military partners in what could be the most economically beneficial alliance in the world!
A change of thinking is necessary in a changing world. It was said that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. We cannot create a second EDEN and expect it to work better than the first one. We need a completely different ideology. The pen is mightier than the sword because the written words and thoughts that are in the minds of soldiers and citizens are what hold them together in times of crisis. Brute force alone only works when you're ahead, but falls apart when you're not. But the proper mindset together with action are what create phenomenal explosions into possibilities that beforehand may never have existed.
We are at an important fork in the road, Canada. We can continue with doing things as they've always been done and getting the results we've always gotten. Or we can step out of the box and dare to create something fantastic. Nothing was ever accomplished by those who have said "we can't do that". All of the great things have been created by those who say "we can".
I'll leave you with a final thought: "Whatever the mind...can conceive and believe, it can achieve." - Napolean Hill.
For the past year, I have been long at work trying to bring this mindset to eUSA and I am continuing to try to bring this mindset to like-minded people around the world. If the people continue have an open mind and speak up instead of accept the status quo, then our leaders will eventually listen!
Have fun and enjoy another day in eRepublik!
Comments
\O/
great policy piece
Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Well said.
Very interesting proposal. We need to shake things up a bit, it's getting dull!
I'm not willing to cut back on War, however. We need much, much more of that! I hope this plan can kick up some international strife.
Dycey -
There will always be nations that will try to "win" by conquering all of the other nations. And they will want what this new alliance has so yes - we will still have war 😉.
absouluteley agreed to 110%!
You just made my pants get tighter.
Very good! Agreed and voted!
~hyuu~
That's kinda like EDEN was like back when sewers on the defensive; back when we kicked butt...
I was liking the piece until I read we need 1% import tax rates. lol
Great article.
good job...i look forward to more
What would it be called?
I like it! This is a great idea because like it or not, EDEN is about to collapse and we're going to need a new alliance.
I totally agree.
We have been trying to harmonize taxes within the SHIELD group.
Canada's economy is basically a middle finger to the rest of the world.
I blame the protectionists, who in the name of creating an insulated economy have only bred a cesspool of incompetent GMs who do not know how to compete in REAL markets. This results in dramatic wages spikes and long price wars. Not to mention that our market prices are always amongst the highest in the world because of this.
Canadians are forced to spend more and when they do, they only prop up a teetering economy.
But don't take my word for it - I'd like to see our import taxes drop too.
Are you offering to pay for it?
Great idea, I would like to be a part of this if it ever comes to fruition.
@TFD - If you think low import tax is the way to go, you don't know much about the eRep economy.
1% import tax
1. We open our markets to the eWorld to flood our markets with cheap imports. (Land Companies will stagnate unless wages drop dramatically which will hurt our land workers)
2. This now means everyone and their brother will start manufacturing companies due to the cheap abundance of resources
3. These companies will then flood our market with products that are over produced and therefore the prices will follow the import of resources.
4. Wages will be forced even lower, until citizens look elsewhere in the world to live and work. Canadian companies slowly disappear until we are completely taken over by foreign companies manufacturing our goods and buying foreign resources (except diamonds/titanium which you would further rent to the USA)
Alastar & Tim,
A year ago, when eUSA was more protectionist, people had the same arguments against low import taxes when I advocated this idea back then. At that time, whenever war broke out, because we didn't have access to as much "stuff" in the world, weapons prices spiked to levels that most people couldn't afford to buy them and we therefore were less able to pack a punch in battles. When we lost our resources and were forced to lower import taxes, people were finally able to afford "stuff" to fight the war with. Now eUSA's import taxes are all between 1% and 3% and the American companies aren't going out of business; there are many many American companies which are doing well. The key to the trade alliance, however, is that ALL nations in the alliance must have reduced trade barriers or the alliance wont work - nations that sell to Canada must also allow Canada to sell there and that's where the embargo comes in when trade policies dont allow foreign competition.
A trade alliance has to be seen as one that shares each others' resources rather than saying this is Canadian/American/Spanish/Greek...it is all for the mutual benefit of the alliance members.
I can see the need to lower import tax when your country was being conquered since a lot of your industry would be outside your country and it would be hard to get the proper investment into your country when it is in the process of being conquered.
However, when your country is whole again, the only way is to have a closed economy.
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/import-tax-why-free-trade-does-not-work-in-erep-1085250/1/20" target="_blank">http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/impo[..]1/20
The idea of free trade amongst alliance can only work if a lot of conditions being met. One of them is as you said if all the alliances have low import taxes. This would be politically hard to achieve. I would even say near to impossible. But another is if there were some way to set import taxes to individual countries. Otherwise, neutral countries or countries that are your enemies but not in a direct war with you would benefit.
There are too many stumbling blocks to try to get free trade to work and the game mechanics doesn't really allow it either. Until countries can set import tax to individual countries it is a no goer.
As long as we can still have sky-high tariffs, I have to problem with it.
I like this form of thinking.
Voted!
w00t
Low import taxes along with embargoes of enemy contries.
I like it.
Voted and Subscribed
Tim Young is like that guy who stands on the steps of the art gallery screaming about 9/11 being an inside job.
Nobody really listens, but he keeps talking anyways.