Democratic Government of the Metaverse...again - SLUniverse Forums


Go Back   SLUniverse Forums > Discussion > General SL Discussion

General SL Discussion Discuss topics related to Second Life

Reply
Old 07-18-2008, 11:22 AM   #1 (permalink)
Junior Member
 
Caliandris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
Posts: 17

My Mood:

Question Democratic Government of the Metaverse...again

I've been searching through the forums for a mention of the Metaverse Republic and I can't find any, which is strange because I think it is so your sort of subject.

At the SLBA seminar the other night I met Ashcroft Burnham, who is planning to set up a judicial system for SL. Initially I assumed this was like a mock court, and meant for training up lawyers.

But no... Ashcroft dropped a FAQ and an explanatory document on me, and it seems that theyhave decided to institute Judge Judy for SL - or even the Metaverse.

Here's an excerpt:
Metaverse Republic FAQ
2.2

1. What is the Metaverse Republic?

The Metaverse Republic is an independent, non-profitmaking organisation that will provide enforceable dispute resolution to SecondLife by means of a judicial system (in other words, courts) and a democratically elected Parliament.

2. Is the Metaverse Republic up and running yet?

No. We are still in the process of designing the constitution and technical systems. It will take quite some time before we are ready to go, since we must be very careful to get things right.

3. How will the Metaverse Republic work?

There will be courts, where anybody will be able to bring a case, and the outcomes will be decided by skilled, professional judges, and possibly also juries. The decisions of the court will ultimately be able to be enforced by the use of a banishment database. Anybody who, for example, fails to observe a court order, can have her or his avatar name(s) placed on the banishment database. Using sophisticated systems currently under design by our Techincal Team, landowners (both of individual parcels and whole estates) will be able to “subscribe” to the banishment database (for free), which will automatically eject/ban from that land all the avatars whose names are on the database.

All subscribers will be entitled to vote in regular elections to the Parliament (as well as the executive and a body called the Public Oversight Panel). The Parliament will, in turn, be able to pass laws binding on the courts. It will also be possible for entire local communities to subscribe en bloc by subscribing all of their land (such as a whole estate), and every citizen of that local community (whether directly a landowner or not) will be entitled to vote.

4. Will the courts only be able to deal with disputes between subscribers, or on subscribing land?

No: the courts will deal with all people who use the virtual worlds in which the Metaverse Republic operates. Creating artificial boundaries would serve only to undermine the effectiveness of the system and create unnecessary confusion.

5. Who are you to be making laws for other people?

Ultimately, we are not: because the democratic Parliament will, subject to some necessary constitutional limits, have the power to pass laws binding on all the courts, we are just setting up a structure within which people can make laws for themselves.

So... waddya think?
Cali
Caliandris is offline   Reply With Quote
1 User Groaned:
Old 07-18-2008, 11:27 AM   #2 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
Eata's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 407

My Mood:

Great, bureaucracy from trumped up users with imaginary importance. Just what we need.
Eata is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 11:30 AM   #3 (permalink)
Androgynous Android
 
armozel's Avatar
Gonads and Strife! Wee!
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Earth
Posts: 347
SL Join Date: 2005/6 (Had another older account, lost due to forgetting name...)
Blog Entries: 2

My Mood:

The truest democracy is the free market. Why don't they use to put together some OpenSim servers and put them on the OSgrid?
armozel is offline   Reply With Quote
1 User Agreed:
Old 07-18-2008, 11:30 AM   #4 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,405

It's easy to play "economy" in a virtual world. Much harder to play "government".

Love is offline   Reply With Quote
2 Users Agreed:
Old 07-18-2008, 11:35 AM   #5 (permalink)
Pampers Io
 
Lucifer Baphomet's Avatar
Zenophile
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Darkmere
Posts: 5,640
Business: Radio Free Darkmere

My Mood:

Ashcroft has been flogging this dead horse for years.

He's a nice guy.. but this shit will never work.
__________________
Lucifer Baphomet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 11:40 AM   #6 (permalink)
Former Linden Fanzr
 
Khamon's Avatar
Nobody Cares
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Alabama
Posts: 2,591
SL Join Date: November, 2003
Business: Fate Gardens

My Mood:

Yeah, on first glance I thought somebody had necroed this from three years ago.
__________________
"The Republicans expect you to pick yourself up by the bootstraps even when you have no bootstraps. You are on your own." - Barack Obama's concise definition of freedom, liberty, and personal responsibility
Khamon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 11:54 AM   #7 (permalink)
Ten
Baby FIC
 
Ten's Avatar
WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,137
SL Join Date: 10/7/2006

My Mood:

Awards: 1
Thwarting a Potential Drama Attack 

If you can't find it, that means nobody cares.
__________________

Shopping Cart Disco
http://www.shoppingcartdisco.com

THE BEATINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Io
I'm not even defending Tenshi, really. I'm defending TRUTH JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY. Why do you people empathize with virtual terrorists? Why do you hate America?
Ten is offline   Reply With Quote
1 User Laughed:
1 User Agreed:
Old 07-18-2008, 11:59 AM   #8 (permalink)
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 22,224
SL Join Date: 10-11-2004
Business: abstract avatars!
SLShopper Ads: 16

My Mood:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucifer Baphomet View Post
Ashcroft has been flogging this dead horse for years.

He's a nice guy.. but this shit will never work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khamon View Post
Yeah, on first glance I thought somebody had necroed this from three years ago.


This is at least that old.
Joshua Nightshade is offline   Reply With Quote
1 User Agreed:
Old 07-18-2008, 12:04 PM   #9 (permalink)
Electric Sheep Herder
 
Wulf's Avatar
I believe in Mercer
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Industry
Posts: 191
SL Join Date: Sept 5 2006
Business: Wulf Steuart Studio

My Mood:

Government, No thanks, we already have a messed up one here in RL!

nothxmkaybai.
Wulf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 12:09 PM   #10 (permalink)
Psyke's Defense Systems
 
Psyke Phaeton's Avatar
None
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,448
SL Join Date: 12-Oct-2003
Blog Entries: 3
SLShopper Ads: 1

Law only works when you have an army or police to enforce it. Since everyone in SL is equally equipped it cannot work. The only police force in SL is the Lindens and its unlikely the judge could influence their decisions.
__________________
Χάος

Psyke's Defense Systems SLURL - maker of the original security orbs.
Psyke's AjaxLife - Free web based Second Life access hosted by Psyke.
Psyke Phaeton is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 12:24 PM   #11 (permalink)
i haz a mousie
 
Hypatia Callisto's Avatar
but i eated it.
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 673

My Mood:

He who owns the servers, makes the rulez.
__________________
"To begin with," said the Cat, "a dog's not mad. You grant that?"

"I suppose so," said Alice.

"Well, then," the Cat went on, "you see, a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad."

"I call it purring, not growling," said Alice.

"Call it what you like," said the Cat.
Hypatia Callisto is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 12:28 PM   #12 (permalink)
Big Damn Heroes
 
Charlemagne Allen's Avatar
doesn't care for your pathetic excuses, you filthy commoner!
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 2,286
SL Join Date: February 2007

My Mood:

This is a government in the same way as the Alliance Navy is an army.
__________________
Charlemagne Allen: YOU'RE A RACIST!
Charlemagne Allen: I HAVE CHATLOGS!
smokergirl Lowenhar: HOMOPHOBE
smokergirl Lowenhar: CONTENT THIEF
Charlemagne Allen: RELIGION SUCKS DONKEY BALLS!
smokergirl Lowenhar: KISS MY ASS YOU CLOSE MINDED HYPOCRIT
Charlemagne Allen: YOU WERE AN ESCORT FOR BARN ANIMALS!
smokergirl Lowenhar: I HAVE CHAT LOGS FROM A BLOG I SAW ON A FAN SITE, OWNED? YES I THINK SO
Charlemagne Allen: ZOMG BIG SIG!
Charlemagne Allen: ZOMG BIG SIG!
[
Charlemagne Allen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 12:45 PM   #13 (permalink)
Plague on Both Houses
 
Sooz Pascale's Avatar
Transgendered
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,158

My Mood:

I'm a lawyer in RL. I can flat out tell you without any equivocation whatsoever that this...will...not...work...period.

Sooz
__________________
Let's all be kind to one another.
5.5 onthe highly scientific Troutonometer scale.
Sooz Pascale is offline   Reply With Quote
2 Users Said Thanks :
1 User Agreed:
Old 07-18-2008, 12:50 PM   #14 (permalink)
Former Linden Fanzr
 
Khamon's Avatar
Nobody Cares
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Alabama
Posts: 2,591
SL Join Date: November, 2003
Business: Fate Gardens

My Mood:

Ashcroft said as much when he answered "no, no, ultimately we are not."
Khamon is offline   Reply With Quote
1 User Agreed:
Old 07-18-2008, 01:07 PM   #15 (permalink)
Banned
adores her psycho
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: melbourne
Posts: 4,360
SLShopper Ads: 1

My Mood:

i find the fact he uses the name 'ashcroft' to set up a government creepy and foreboding in its own right.
prinţesă nină is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 01:11 PM   #16 (permalink)
i haz a mousie
 
Hypatia Callisto's Avatar
but i eated it.
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 673

My Mood:

Quote:
Originally Posted by prinţesă nină View Post
i find the fact he uses the name 'ashcroft' to set up a government creepy and foreboding in its own right.
he's going to make us cover Lady Liberty's breasts
Hypatia Callisto is offline   Reply With Quote
3 Users Laughed:
Old 07-18-2008, 01:25 PM   #17 (permalink)
Favorite color: clear
 
Cindy Claveau's Avatar
Allergic to Pie
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,151
SL Join Date: May, 2005

My Mood:

Awards: 1
Thread Title of the Week 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hypatia Callisto View Post
he's going to make us cover Lady Liberty's breasts
I thought it was the Spirit of Justice?

No matter. It just demonstrated that boobs don't like being shown up by other boobs

__________________
"I don't just want 'Change'. I want a fucking refund."
Cindy Claveau is offline   Reply With Quote
2 Users Agreed:
Old 07-18-2008, 01:37 PM   #18 (permalink)
i haz a mousie
 
Hypatia Callisto's Avatar
but i eated it.
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 673

My Mood:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cindy Claveau View Post
I thought it was the Spirit of Justice?

No matter. It just demonstrated that boobs don't like being shown up by other boobs

I stand corrected. Yes.

YAY BOOBS.
Hypatia Callisto is offline   Reply With Quote
2 Users Laughed:
1 User Agreed:
Old 07-18-2008, 02:16 PM   #19 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 509

Quote:
Originally Posted by armozel View Post
The truest democracy is the free market.
Ehh, it's not. Free market is perhaps rough equivalent of anarchy (no regulations beyond 'what the market can bear') and that's totally different beast from democracy.

You can easily have free market lead to monopoly/oligopoly whose political equivalents (oligarchy etc) are nothing like democracy.
Joannah Cramer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 02:21 PM   #20 (permalink)
the ne'er do-well.
 
Decadent's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Dallas.
Posts: 3,369
SL Join Date: '04 '06.

I remember the other thread discussing this like it was yesterday. So funny.
__________________
Some day we will look back on all this, laugh nervously and quickly change the subject.

--

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face
And I..

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.
Decadent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2008, 07:11 PM   #21 (permalink)
Irrelevantly Pragmatic
 
Brenda Connolly's Avatar
High Function Luddite
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Nu Jerzee
Posts: 3,650
SL Join Date: January 2007

My Mood:

And how does he plan to enforce these laws outside of those "Artificial Boundaries" of non subscribers?

What a douche.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trout Recreant View Post
You're a genius, Brenda!
I embraced change, and it touched me inappropriately
Brenda Connolly is offline   Reply With Quote
1 User Laughed:
Old 07-18-2008, 07:40 PM   #22 (permalink)
Booyakasha!
 
Jellin Pico's Avatar
I'm better than you
 
Join Date: Jun 2007