The Electoral Debate - Question One

[DONT PANIC]

[Posted prominently in the Sandstone College, by a woman not in their tassels anymore...]

Due to scheduling conflicts, an in-person debate is not feasible. Thus, I will be holding a new format of debate. Welcome, reader, to the first Write-In Debate.

The format of this is simple. A question will be posed, and the three Candidates may respond to the original question with their own stance. After all three Candidates have posted their initial reply, then you may attack your opponent's arguments and standpoints in rebuttal.



Question One:


Citizenship is widely contested as ever. Between expectations of monetary deposit, cultural understanding, or other means to 'prove' that one is a citizen, where do you want the price to sit, in your most ideal situation?


Luck is wished to all participants.


-Jordan Clearcreek,
Captain of the Heron Company,
Scholar, Philosopher, Moderator of this Debate.

[One_With_Nature]

*The White Candidate Ricario Cassella leaves his response for Jordan to publish*

My view is that citizenship should not cost anything, it should be a right granted to all who would call Ephia's their home. That is not to say that it isn't a privilege.

A citizen should obey and uphold the law. Those who commit capital or treasonous crimes should have their citizenship revoked and not receive the protection of the laws, which are in place for all of our protection and to maintain order within our lives.

To deny one citizenship based upon their station, wealth or contributions to society is to degrade their worth, and the truth is no one man is more important then another. We are all mortal, we all bleed and we will all die.

Those who wish to contribute to our political process should be allowed to, to deny someone such behind a price tag, is to silence voices that might have something constructive and enriching to add. A poor physician might have the answers to cure what ails you, but if we do not listen shall we simply suffer in ignorance?

We should encourage contributions to our society, it is how we grow and learn.

In an ideal scenario we would transition towards removing the cost of citizenship, over a trial period of time. Reducing the price over a period of time until we can remove it entirely. Our coffers currently rely on the income from such, but introducing other means, such as trade deals, sale of water, taxing the wealthiest for fair contributions, such as my proposed merchant license renewal. This would create another form of stable income, that is far more sustainable and allow us to work towards this goal.

- Ricario Cassella

[1dboy]

The price of a voice should ebb and flow on the needs of the government and the state. To limit it drastically to the price of nothing, and speak on 'additional services' would only have it be a punishing system to those who have already paid for their voices. Contrarily, increasing the price of the Voice should limit those who truly desire to speak at government, the ability to own property, and purchase water, which would cause unrest and undoubtedly contribute to an unhappy populace.

The Voice tax is in place to assure that our city remains consistent in its growth of the treasury, without causing undue stress to our veritable and cherished citizens. The consideration to change it so wantonly is seen only from a short term perspective, rather than a long term investment.

Let the price of a Voice remain as it needs to be, adapted only to take on burdens of the State.

[WriterX]

The Question of citizenship was always a difficult one, but what always made it more difficult are the systems we have in place, what is realistically possible and what I would envision could be created in the future.

For what is citizenship? It is a question many of us did not have to answer until now. When the Old City still stood and the King lived those who were born or who Awoke in the City were automatically assumed to be "Subjects of the King". One could not argue against it, for any attempt to do so would label them as an opponent to the King's rule, an outlaw, a bandit, or worse. We lived in a world where we were automatically made "citizens", without our saying, without any other options. Where one was a subject, and thus had to abide by the rules and dictates of the King or those who claimed to be his Lords and Knights, or flee into the wilderness, into those Rings that were less populated, becoming an Outcast. That was the reality of the Old City, and after the Ring Fall we found ourselves here.

Many came to Ephia's Well, as people without a home, without a place to call their own, and we were presented with a choice. Remain as Residents, who can linger in the Well, as long as we abide by its Laws, or become full Citizens, Voiced, who can purchase property, Vote, in essence both to have a physical home or property, and a chance to decide what we deemed good and proper for the Well through our elections and Assemblies.

When I arrived to many the possibility of becoming Voiced was at best a distant memory. We did not have the gold or riches we have now, many struggled with earning enough coin. This lead to many of those already prosperous, including the Legates, to offer opportunities for people to ascend, to become Voiced, to become Citizens. That was also a time where an Officer or simply a higher ranking member of the Accord would be granted citizenship as well.

This has now changed unfortunately, as I saw it as a chance to prove one's self. For the Accord, and thus the City to reward somebody for their hard work. For in my eyes, Citizenship should not be treated as a Trade Good, with a specific value, but granted to those who are deemed worthy of becoming citizens. People who through their dedication and hard work have advanced enough to become Citizens, who may then, of course, choose to retire to a more civilian life, or advance their careers.

What I am of course implying is a Citizenship through Achievement system, but many could say it is unfair. It takes months for a man to advance to the rank of Lyrist, Sergeant or even an Apothar. Nobody used to receive those ranks within weeks of arrival, and this posed a hurdle to those who perhaps sought to become more active in our voting system, or to simply become full citizens. You had to become a member of the Accord, something not everybody wanted to do, and then toil away for however long you had to, subject to internal politics of course.

With this avenue locked, and the current system being that of coin, is it a sensible system? It is not, at least not in the way some could envision. Some could say that earning the necessary five thousand dinari is in a way a sign of dedication, hard work, savings, to allow a person to show that he has earned this coin by his own merit. But in reality it could just as easily be a donation, or a sponsorship, to people who were not motivated enough to reach out for this goal themselves.

I raise this point because Citizenship, what it is, what it is meant to represent, is a point of status where people become true Ephians. Where they choose to become Citizens because they wish to be part of this City, this community, this nation, and as Citizens they wish to continue to work both with and for Ephia. It is proof that they truly consider this place their home, and they are not only ready to remain in it, to accept its boons of ownership, representation and voting, but that they would be ready to act for Ephia's benefit, whether to protect it from outside aggression or to defend the foundations upon which Ephia was built. When one becomes a citizen they should equally expect certain obligations that the government must fulfil, while also Ephia, as a nation, as a people, should expect something of its citizens.

So, what would be a suitable path for citizenship then? How should we view this step toward becoming Citizens as sufficient proof of one's dedication to the nation and to its people?
Paying a fee, as we do now, both lifts a lot of expectations, but it also imposes none. Anybody could come in, purchase a Voice and become a Citizen, regardless of what they stand for or believe in.

If we imposed a different system, one of Achievement, one of dedication, where the Pyramid would decide who could be elevated, through the merit of their work, through their service, dedication, contribution or perhaps charity or investment into the Well, we are subject to biases and potential corruption. The Well counts thousands of people, and it is impossible to thoroughly or accurately know who has done what. Some will lie, some will cheat, some will usurp the achievements of others, and of course, some say coin is king and people paying for their own achievements to be seen above those of others could also occur.  Then there are personal biases, where somebody judging the worthiness of a resident might discredit them simply based on their race, their profession, or personal spats with that man or woman.

As such, the current system as it stands is not perfect, but it takes a bit of both worlds, which while I admit are not the best, it is the system we are present with currently:

1)   The Purchase of a Voice, as I said, is too simple, too arbitrary in a way, for it to be considered a meaningful way of obtaining a citizenship, but it is a way for those who are more resourceful. It is how I obtained my own Voice, through my hard work and savings. The price of the Voice should also remain, for now, at its current level of 4,500 dinari. It is still within reach for many, and a bit cheaper, compared to the original 5,000 dinari.

2)   The Assembly Vote, something introduced during my tenure, together with Legate Domhnall, a system where once a month we are meant to uplift one Resident to becoming a Citizen, through a vote of those Assembled. It has its flaws of course, but it also carries with itself the spirit of Ephia's Well, where the people Vote for new residents  to join their fold, just as we, the Legates are elected to our positions. I feel it is both symbolically and through method a correct way.

3)   Sponsorships, while of course simply throwing a bag of money at an individual, in exchange for votes or similar, upsets the system, the way it is meant to work, if used correctly could be a proven way for Residents to become Citizens. Whether it is through service, in the Accords or other organizations, or through contests sponsored by other Voiced. A chance to prove themselves before others that they are worthy of becoming citizens.

While this might not had been a straightforward answer, it is one that lingered in my mind for a very long time. It is also a question that has lingered in many of our minds for a very long time. Here I should underline that the idea of "Every Man having a Voice" is a poor one, because there is then no control, no need of proof of dedication or devotion to the Well. Anybody, whether they come from another city, country, whether a bandit or foreign agent, or just a malicious individual could become part of our City and do only that which would upset the system. I'd rather avoid a situation where the government is forced to act as an overbearing parent, and start nit picking who should and should not have a voice, but it is also clear that simply opening the gates is not the right way either.

Citizenship ought to be earned, one way or another.

[One_With_Nature]

*Ricario Cassella Rebuttal is published*

The voice of the people should not be used to trade as a resource. It is how the system works right now but it doesn't have to be. We have become to reliant on this and it is a poor basis for progress.

Having 4500 dinars does not make you a good person or someone who will contribute productively to society.

Earning citizenship is a good idea, but that is earned by being a civilised member of society, by obeying laws and contributing as you are able to. Citizenship should be a basic right for those living under Ephia's protection, but it is also the responsibility of our citizens up uphold our laws and ideals.
 
Just by restricting property purchases/rentals behind the veil of citizenship we have empty properties all across the well, generating no income but still requiring maintenance. This is another great oversight. This is a great drain on our resources. I for one would much rather see our properties in use for both living and businesses that would not only be more efficient but also attract outside business into the well.

If the people elect me as their  Legate I will use my skills within trade to ensure that we are no longer reliant on the cost of citizenship and we will generate far more then we do now, which is a fraction of our potential.

[WriterX]

*Marcellus' rebuttal is published*

If there is no system in place to grant citizenship, if there is no clear definition of what citizenship is, then it simply does not exist as a concept. If all who enter the Well are a citizen, then the entire world, every visitor, every man, woman, child, is of the Well, whether they want to be or not, bringing back what happened in the Old City and the King.

If we still decide that Citizenship holds certain boons and marks, but these can be taken away if somebody commits a crime, or whenever an official deems it fitting, then how does one regain their citizenship if there isn't even a system to grant it in the first place?

This does not even begin to mention the mess in any records we would keep. If everybody is a citizen then our records would be endless. And people coming to and from the Well would have to be recorded, never to be taken out, clogging up pages and archives, and any claims would have to be tracked down through an unreasonable system.

There is also another facet to all of this. Currently, if a merchant or business owner would come to the Well, with the desire to open their new business or manufactory here, they would need to speak with the Pyramid to do so. They are not citizens of the Well, they have to go through official channels to receive any such permission. If we assume every such man is a citizen then the future is truly bleak, for they would be able to purchase every single home, every single property and then rent it out at any price that they deemed fitting. The only way how this would improve the housing situation is by allowing those sufficiently rich or affluent to purchase and hold all of them. They would not even have to remain in the Well to maintain said properties, for they could move back to their actual home city, leaving behind somebody to tend to said properties, collect rent and be done with it.

Instead of solving the problem we deepen in, we create a situation where the already rich gain even more influence, because the poor shall remain poor, and having a Voice does not change the fact that they will be less likely to afford a home, or even a room.

This also applies to so many other aspects of our lives. Citizenship does not protect one from prosecution, all are judged equally by the Law. And while I agree that the current system may not be the best, it is better than having nothing at all, opening the flood gates and then, in a panic, trying to solve a problem that we ourselves created.