I no longer recognise the Chilean incident.
I was very new to RPing back then, and I overacted at the barbarity of the Chileans. Why it was absolutely hilarious, it was not the proper thing to do. So just be sure Ardoki is no longer like that.
Inyourfaceistan wrote:My point is that Inyursta spends most of its resources in one area (defense), while less in other areas (welfare, public services*); while Ardoki seems to spend its resources in both and somehow have an expansive and top-of-the-line armed forces (from what I have seen) as well as a massive and all-inclusive welfare state.
But this is rapidly turning into a Threadjack so...
I will start by outlining the economy and welfare system of the Unified Ardokian Socialist Republic:
We have a mixed economy. The majority of the economy is a market-orientated economy, though there is still strong state involvement in the economy.
The state has a monopoly on the following sectors of the economy:
Natural Resources (All the resources of the nation are owned by the people through the state. The profits from the resources are used as a source of revenue for the government.)
Infrastructure (Telecommunications, Sewers, Roads, Bridges, Tunnels, Airports, Ports, Libraries, Parks, Pools, Recreational Centres, etcetera)
Utilities (Electricity, Water Supply, Gas Supply, Internet, Post - Profits are used as a source of revenue for the government.)
Finance (Banking, Insurance - Profits are used as a source of revenue for the government.)
Armaments (Weapons and Police/Military-Grade Equipment)
Emergency Services (Fire Service, Police Force, Ambulance Service)
Public Transport (Buses, Trains, Ferries, Trams - Profits are used as a source of revenue for the government.)
Healthcare (Single-Payer Universal Healthcare System)
Education (Single-Payer Universal Education System)
The rest of the economy works on the basis of
Market Socialism with
Worker Cooperatives. Worker Cooperatives are owned and managed by the workers themselves and run for the benefit of the workers (workers receive the profits, after the allocation of a share profits for reinvestment) in a market economy.
Worker Cooperatives have been proven to be capable of great success and competition with private enterprises in real life, so I view this as an economic alternative to capitalism which is superior (both socially and economically).
Our welfare system really isn't nearly as cumbersome as you would think.
Unemployment has been eliminated due to state policy of absorbing unemployed people into a temporary labour force until they can find a more permanent job. This labour force could work on infrastructure projects, natural resource extraction, postal service, cleaners, there are many possibilities. However this temporary labour force has been very small for decades due to the prosperity of the worker cooperatives. However a job in the public sector still fetches a wage which at the very least can afford someone a comfortable lifestyle, even though it is generally not as good as being a member of a worker cooperative.
We also have a mandatory superannuation scheme, where all workers and their employment institution must set aside a portion of their pay for use in their retirement. This has allowed us to all but eliminate old age pensions (except in the very rare cases when an individual needs supplemental support), saving the state billions.
Those with disabilities are given a liveable pension if they cannot participate in the workforce. Those who need help participating in the workforce are subsidised by the state (the state pays some of their wage/salary if they are not as efficient as others). Disability benefits are given to all those who are afflicted by disabilities or illnesses on the national list.
All forms of healthcare (including dental) are completely free and universally available to all in the country throughout the country via the national network of medical centres and hospitals. Taxes and revenue from state-owned enterprises pay for this.
Education is also completely free and universally available, from pre-school all the way up to and including university. Taxes and revenue from state-owned enterprises pay for this.
Temporary sickness benefits, parental leave benefits, flexible working benefits, among other things are available through the mandatory social insurance scheme further cutting welfare costs from the state.
Family benefits (such as the baby bonus, childcare and school bonus), public housing, student allowances and housing, emergency allowances and payments, etcetera, is all paid for by taxes and revenue from state-owned enterprises.
We don't overspend on our military, definitely not like the USA. However we have a military of decent size (under 0.5% of total population - I think this might be a little too small for a country such as mine), with advanced and up-to-date equipment.