Jefferson Starship

An Americanized form of Singapore with a democraticly elected
government would be much to my liking. One that enforces comunity
standards and maintains moral order. That respects actual individual
rights such as Life Liberty and property rather than humanistic ones
and gives the citizen means to preserve their rights.(Gun Control is
certainly a bad idea). And consults the people by holding plebicites
on social change or any major moves the government contemplates.

However I do not see the habitats as small villages. Island Ones will
have populations of ten thousand while Island twos will have
populations of one hundred forty thousand plus.

As for central government power, it depends on the type of
constitution that is put into place as the islands form nations.

--- In spacesettlers@...m, Douglas May wrote:
>
> In older times, and today in some small villages, the poor were
not
> the "problem" they are today in large cities. When everyone knows
one
> another, They are more likely to take care of one another.
> Progressive/regressive tax structures aren't necessary since
everyone
> pitches in what they can or should. Those who don't are either
> tolerated by society ("oh, that's just crazy cousin Cooter....")
or
> they can be banished by acclamation if their offense is great
enough.
> Also, lazy people are more likely to work hard and pull their
weight
> to gain social acceptance in a small close-knit society. In a
large
> city, if your friends don't like you cause you're lazy, you just
go
> find new friends. In a small society, there are no other friends
to
> choose from. Early space settlements have the POTENTIAL to
resemble
> these old fashioned villages. Perhaps meticulously selecting
settlers
> so that they're all like minded will encourage closeness within
the
> group. Having a diverse group could cause "clickeshness" and
> xenophobia, thereby preventing a tribal/village system from forming.
>
> But I wonder if modern society would easily revert to the old
village/
> tribal lifestyle? Now that we've tasted the forbidden fruit of
urban
> isolationism, can we be again comfortable with every detail of our
> life being known to every member of society?
>
> Since other people are stating their ideal societies, here's mine:
>
> 1 large central station with free movement, expression of ideas,
and
> economy, led by a much more democratic system than we see today
> (although I can't make my mind up what that should be, Perhaps
> Ancient Greek style democracy over an internet-like network.
> Everything decided by referendum; if you care, vote, if you don't,
> don't vote)
>
> The central station would be surrounded by smaller stations (which
> may just be gated off sections of the main settlement at first).
> These smaller stations will have absolute sovereignty within their
> borders, except that there must be access to trading markets, and
> people should be allowed to leave, and the central government will
> have the right to arrest or demand extradition of those who have
> committed felonies in other settlements. Otherwise they would be
free
> to practice their own religious, moral, and economic systems
within