The role of the Delegate

[Flemingovia]

Under the gameplay rules of NS the role of the delegate is fairly clear.

But what do you feel should be the role of the delegate in offsite government of the region?

On a scale of absolute autocrat to puppet, where should the delegate sit?

 

[Abstain]

I feel there should be no restrictions on the delegate's powers excepting holding them accountable for changes in the position. Some people believe doing this leads to a dictatorship but those come around to seize control of power.

The forum government would still be able to run around and do as it pleases only instead of telling the government "you will eject this person because we said so" they will simply recommend such action to the delegate.

As for where they fit into the structure of the government it is really an all or nothing approach in terms of power. You have to give the position lots of sway and authority to take action so the delegate gets to do something or keep them outside the government entirely so they are not chained down to the whims of others.

 

[Ermarian]

On one end of the extreme, there is the danger that the delegate position becomes too unattractive to hold. You can't make someone delegate in order to declare them the slave of the people. On the other end, if the delegate has too much power, it will attract people who desire to be delegate only to gain the power, not to benefit the region.

 

[Romanoffia]

The problem is that a delegate can pretty much do anything they want as long as they don't run out of influence and as long as they can maintain their endorsement count. Throw into that a rogue Delegate who has outside help. The only means of compelling a Delegate to do anything is to unendorse the Delegate, and, of course, getting people to cooperate to do so.

What we might want to explore is assigning the role of the Delegate to conform to and exploit game mechanics to protect the region. That, of course, would also require the Delegate to use certain autocratic means within bounds set by the Constitution and Law. And, as Ermarian says, you don't want to attract power mongers in the process. By the same token, you don't want the task of being Delegate so onerous that no one in their right mind would want to be Delegate.

One role in specific that the Delegate should have is a staff that keeps track of things to pick out legitimate security threats and nip them in the bud if needs be. Primarily, the Delegate should pass on the region to the next Delegate in as good or better condition than which he received it. This makes the Delegate responsible for the health of the region and for retention of new nations and possibly attract nations that are not in the region.

 

[Eluvatar]

I am not in favour of an autocratic delegate. I am in favour of a strong executive delegate.

I do think we need to assign the responsibility to advise the delegate on remaining Delegate during his term, up to and including badgering him to gather endorsements, to the Security Council. If NK hadn't stopped paying attention, Shoeless Joe could not have seized the Delegacy. If I hadn't stopped paying attention, it would probably also the case.

I'm close to done with a system that should help automatically dynamically notify the Delegate of new WA nations in a convenient manner. For the sake of efficiency, I recommend that we discuss the Delegate's telegram to those nations as a community, recommending to him a telegram that we thing would be best at attracting people to our community.

 

[Moany Old Gits]

Only this:

1) world factbook entry well maintained - lets region know of big stuff going down
2) posts on RMB from delegate (Ermy is good at this)

 

[unibot]

I'm in favor of a benevolent dictator, a wise and thoughtful autocrat. One with a lot of advisers in a cabinet that are elected by the benevolent dictator because he or she has a lot of trust that they will do well in their positions, almost all decisions would be cast with a non-binding plebiscite using a two WA nation endo referendum method I talked about earlier, with the dictator taking in information from all corners of his or her region to come to a decision on things. The dictator would have the right to assail those who threaten his delegacy, but such a wise figure would be more adapt to just stepping down to any sort of philosophical reasoning that truly did deserve a relinquish of power. When it came time for him or her to decide if he or she needs to step down, one would be recommended to have a private chat with his elected close adviser (aka, a good friend) to come a decision.. because your trusted friends know best, and also to contact several of your opposition leaders, and truly talk with them.. if one concludes that these are honest people that one can trust, maybe stepping down wouldn't be so bad.

One of the defining parts of this leader's character would be that you would be fulfilling a civic duty and attempting to better the community, when it is no longer about fulfilling a duty as a leader, it is time to step down as a leader.

At the same time the dictator would have to have a successor when it comes time for him or her step down (and they'll know when it is time to step down), and such a successor should be someone the dictator trusts has the capacity to do well in such a position.

I think this is genuinely more fair than having a small group of people with power strangling the executive power away from the delegate: open plebiscites (in-game), tons of advisers, knowledge, wisdom, trust and honesty... this is the principles that ensures the people who will be hurt the most by a decision are the people who respect such a decision, which is more important as a value to me than say, utilitarianism.

 

[Ermarian]

Your idea paints a nice picture, but depends on a very wise leader and one who would never abuse the region's trust. The history of TNP suggests that this is not realistic.

I agree that the executive should be less hindered by bureaucracy than it is now, because the government currently moves too slowly. However, the delegate should not be the ultimate authority of the region, and no individual should.

 

[unibot]

Your idea paints a nice picture, but depends on a very wise leader and one who would never abuse the region's trust. The history of TNP suggests that this is not realistic.

I agree that the executive should be less hindered by bureaucracy than it is now, because the government currently moves too slowly. However, the delegate should not be the ultimate authority of the region, and no individual should.

We should refine our future with the knowledge of our past, not restrict and distrust ourselves because of our prior history. That is the only way to grow, bud.

 

[Romanoffia]

I wasn't proposing an autocratic delegate by any means, but rather a strong executive that can act promptly withing clearly defined parameters.

 

[Eluvatar]

We have a strong executive which can act decisively. The problem is practically nobody's supporting it in doing things, so the government very quickly gets exhausted of loneliness.

 

[Westwind]

Nicely put.

A strong leader is an advantage to any region - and while the Delegate does not need to act as a strong leader - some other leader can do the job - the Delegate needs to be able to fill the vacuums of leadership that occurs....because they will occur and lead to inactivity.

The region needs a delegate that will be active - an advocate for the players ingame, and able to support and maintain an active off-site forum community.

The Delegate needs to respect the community in return, or else lose it's support.

One problem in TNP has already been touched on - the history of Delegates turning on the community. The response often was to further restrict future Delegates. Thus the cycle of mistrust and frustration was strengthened.

IMO, an experienced and active delegate is needed. With authority to act as needed, while providing the community the freedom and respect it needs to work together towards the policies and activities that will benefit the region and the community. Neither the community nor the delegate should be looking to restrict the other.....they are both parts of the whole that together can build a better future.