Government's role in space

Anything that has the power to grant freedom must ipso facto have the power to not grant or withhold freedom.

If freedom is a societal value, then everything in society should work towards creating it and not reducing freedom. Thats a truism.

But please tell us, since you claim government is nessecary, and that democracy works against governments aims, how we should select the most able to govern, if not by universal franchise?

Should only land-owners be able to vote, since they actually 'own' the country? Or perhaps it should be hereditary so that good rulers may be bred?

Or perhaps God will appoint the rulers Himself and reveal the selection by omens, or irretrievable swords?


Beyond this, what if the good government designed by you, in its wisdom, sees fit to build a large national space agency to do untargeted research in order to protect your long term freedom?

Oh but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you!

http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/writi ... ressed.htm

It's funny, coz it's true.

johno

I'd go for the Ankh Morpork governmental method, benevolent tyranny/dictatorship. Get Vetinari in charge.

Excellent Python reference Johno.