[DEFEATED] Planetary Colonization Act

[Libana]

Noting that historical scientific breakthroughs on space and its contents have revolutionized the world and the way generations of people have viewed it,

Encouraging the expansion of groundbreaking space-related technologies and services, along with the efficient use of these innovations,

Realizing that there are multiple entities in space that are noteworthy, with numerous discoveries of other bodies floating around in the same void,

Defining outer space as the endless void and physical universe that is beyond a planet's atmosphere, which holds all of said numerous phenomena, those of which that have been discovered, and those that are yet to be discovered,

The World Assembly hereby,

1. Grants all member-nations the right to establish or expand their landmass through the means of colonization of space and its contents:

A. These contents include, but are not limited to: Planets, Natural Satellites, and Meteroids

B. Multiple nations may share these contents and belong on the same landmasses, along with creating and establishing relations, good or bad

C. Any citizen of any nation has the right to willingly travel to any established entity in outer space

D. Non-governmental organizations may pay a great deal of money to assume ownership of private plots of land in outer space, with all rights granted. However, ownership must be assumed legally under the nation that which the headquarters of the organization is located in

2. States that outer space may be used a trading hub, with each establishment having the right to choose to trade with each other, further establishing relations. This may provide trade of the basic necessities or materials for survival and ongoing of said establishments:

A. For the purposes of this Resolution, defines trade as the completely voluntary act of buying and/or selling of goods and other services across multiple entities and bodies, with free trade possessing no restrictions and the process left in a totally natural flow

B. All member-nation governments also have the right to freedom in customization and personalization of trade for outer-space establishments by allowing complete free trade between one another or enforcement of tariffs, quotas, and other specific restrictions

C. Also grants any member-nation's government the right to enact and put into place a direct tax on its own citizens for the purposes of funding and maintaining of outer-space territories or lands, which includes the necessary programs that involve them

3. Mandates that all policies, laws, and orders passed and recognized by a nation's legislative body shall be followed and executed in all of said nation's counterparts that contain civilization, including outer-space, unless said legislations state that they are meant to take effect in a specific place or group

4. While most certainly not encouraging it, allows nations to settle disputed land or territories in outer space through the means of war. In the event of this taking place, every combatant must have a Treaty be signed and recognized by officials or leaders at the end of a war:

A. Any land, including outer space, acquired by a nation may be sold to any other nation, with all rights to said land granted. In the event of this taking place, an official agreement must be present in the form of a Treaty signed by the leaders or representatives of both or all nations

[The Greater Siriusian Domain]

Teran Saber: "Three major complaints."

3. Allows nations or landmasses established in space to implement laws or practices that are normally not allowed on their Earth counterpart

Teran Saber: "First complaint... not all World Assembly member states are from Earth. Second, this would technically allow offworld colonies complete autonomy. For multiplanetary nations that already have an established government, this basically would dismantle their government beyond their homeworld."

"Finally..."

2. States that legal citizens may freely travel between all entities established in outer space, unless one is convicted of a serious crime such as terrorism and poses as a threat to a particular nation

"This kills it for us. This basically forces open borders and additionally oversteps legal jurisdiction."

"My only suggestion is that you put this proposal to the torch. While your outward intent is commendable, the proposal itself is practically unsalvageable."

[Rvssyav]

Believing that space and its unfathomably numerous wonders should be explored and investigated with content as freely and willingly as possible,

Noting that scientific breakthroughs on space and its contents have revolutionized the world and the way generations of people have viewed it

Encouraging the expansion of space-related technologies/services and efficient use of these innovations

“Agreed so far”

Realizing that restrictions placed may prevent these types of programs from being created or taking an actual effect

“I am not aware of any restrictions hindering my nation’s effort, but continue”

The World Assmbly hereby,

“Assembly*”

1. Grants all member-nations the right to establish or expand their landmass through the means of colonization of space and its contents:
A. These contents include, but are not limited to: Planets, Natural Satellites, Asteroids, and Meteroids
B. Nations may share these contents and establish relations, good or bad

“Our nation stands with you on this clause”

2. States that legal citizens may freely travel between all entities established in outer space, unless one is convicted of a serious crime such as terrorism and poses as a threat to a particular nation

3. Allows nations or landmasses established in space to implement laws or practices that are normally not allowed on their Earth counterpart

“These two clauses do need some work. May we humbly recommend perhaps completely striking out clause 3, and fix the wording on clause 2 so that it only encourages and promotes an open border policy but does not necessarily mandate it”

[Alpha Cassiopeiae]

Realizing that restrictions placed may prevent these types of programs from being created or taking an actual effect

"What restrictions?"

2. States that legal citizens may freely travel between all entities established in outer space, unless one is convicted of a serious crime such as terrorism and poses as a threat to a particular nation

"This clause is absolutely unacceptable to The Alliance. We have five well-incorporated planets that form our nation. If I read this correctly, we would have to allow completely open borders with all of them. This is ridiculous. The clause also prevents further incorporation and serves as a potential blocker to colonisation and growth as nations would have to, again, have completely open borders into their own territory.

3. Allows nations or landmasses established in space to implement laws or practices that are normally not allowed on their Earth counterpart

"First, I'm unsure how to read this clause. What does this mean? Second, The Alliance is, at its closest, 54 light years away from Earth, so I'm doubly unsure of how this affects our nation."

[Allied Sapients]

“For the sake of those extraplanetary members of the World Assembly, we must speak out against this proposal,” says Lirn Jenht Olsh. “Section two hobbles the ability of spacefaring nations to establish and enforce territorial boundaries, and section three is unacceptable. Why should colonies, space stations, and settled planets be given exceptions to rules originally meant for all members of a nation?”

[Imperial Polk County]

"I read this, and all I can imagine is it opens the doors for aliens from other planets to invade our planet and take over Antarctica. Opposed."

[Bears Armed]

OOC
According to precedent currently followed by GenSec, "Earth" is a RL reference and its inclusion therefore makes this draft illegal.

[Libana]

I've crossed out the third clause, and reworded the second one a bit, but is still going to be tweaked more. Thanks for all the help, guys!

[Rvssyav]

I've crossed out the third clause, and reworded the second one a bit, but is still going to be tweaked more. Thanks for all the help, guys!

“Rvssyav has revised the second clause, and we acknowledge our concern has been properly addressed as the scope of this proposal will only embark those citizens of legal status. Well done!”

[Allied Sapients]

“There is another problem now,” says Olsh. “Namely in 2b. Why do you think it necessary, or even a good idea at all, to allow travelers the ability to puncture the walls of the pressurized container keeping them alive on such journeys?”

[Imperial Polk County]

"And now you've made it worse. Clause 2A would force nations to allow criminals to travel aboard spaceships, and clause 2B would force nations to allow them to carry guns. Pardon me for saying so, but what planet are you from?"

[Libana]

I'm going to change 2 into 1C

[Sierra Lyricalia]

"Clause 2 is incredibly problematic on the extraplanetary scale. While a certain amount of 'free trade' may make sense on a single planet, the citizens of another space object will almost never share their interests in the long run. This insane regime would doom the Belt, Maerz, and other settlements to eternal dependence on Urrth or Urrth-based companies for manufactured goods. Without import tariffs to protect fledgling Belter industries, there can be no locally-directed development, wages remain shitty, and people never get to do all those flowery Captain Kirok things you're talkin' about in your preamble, because they're too busy tryna pay the fuckin' rent on a shitty four-meter cubic in the lowest-gravity slum in the middle of a rock on crap wages while all the profits tumble down the gravity well to keep enriching the uppermost scum of the dirtsiders. This is a recipe for a planetary supremacy empire, not a diverse civilization of liberty and light."

"Categorically opposed."

[Araraukar]

OOC: Category and strength?

[Libana]

I still have more to add, which I will put in tomorrow

[Libana]

The new clause 2 is basically saying that you can choose to set restrictions on trade. If you don't want to, you don't have to.

[Araraukar]

The new clause 2 is basically saying that you can choose to set restrictions on trade. If you don't want to, you don't have to.

OOC: So, category and strength? It's hard to give good constructive criticism without knowing what effect you're going for, especially as category issues can be hairy ones and depend totally on the proposal text.

[Libana]

OOC: So, category and strength? It's hard to give good constructive criticism without knowing what effect you're going for, especially as category issues can be hairy ones and depend totally on the proposal text.

I checked through the list of categories for proposals, and I'm not really sure what would best suit this. I was actually planning on asking you guys, since I am new to this!

[Tinfect]

OOC: So, category and strength? It's hard to give good constructive criticism without knowing what effect you're going for, especially as category issues can be hairy ones and depend totally on the proposal text.

I checked through the list of categories for proposals, and I'm not really sure what would best suit this. I was actually planning on asking you guys, since I am new to this!

OOC:
For the record, I, and most people here, will highly recommend against writing a Draft and then trying to find a Category to stick it into. Right now, it looks like Free Trade, as your primary mandate basically converts all of Space into a massive Free Trade zone, regardless of National Law or Territorial Restrictions.

[Kenmoria]

"In the first clause, 'unfathamobly numerous breath-taking wonders' is too much hyperbole and looks odd in a legal document. Perhaps consider, 'numerous impressive phenomena' or something of that nature."

[Libana]

"In the first clause, 'unfathamobly numerous breath-taking wonders' is too much hyperbole and looks odd in a legal document. Perhaps consider, 'numerous impressive phenomena' or something of that nature."

Thank you, I will change that!

[Libana]

OOC:
For the record, I, and most people here, will highly recommend against writing a Draft and then trying to find a Category to stick it into. Right now, it looks like Free Trade, as your primary mandate basically converts all of Space into a massive Free Trade zone, regardless of National Law or Territorial Restrictions.

Thank you!

[Araraukar]

OOC: For the record, I, and most people here, will highly recommend against writing a Draft and then trying to find a Category to stick it into. Right now, it looks like Free Trade, as your primary mandate basically converts all of Space into a massive Free Trade zone, regardless of National Law or Territorial Restrictions.

Thank you!

OOC: Additionally, for the record, it's a massively bad idea to want to do that.

[Bears Armed]

"In the first clause, 'unfathamobly numerous breath-taking wonders' is too much hyperbole and looks odd in a legal document."

OOC
One of the'historical' repeal resolutions included a clause that began "Nevertheless agog at the chutzpah"...

[Dirty Americans]

I guess this has already gone through a number of revisions but even then there are major problems at the core of the resolution ...

The World Assembly hereby,

1. Grants all member-nations the right to establish or expand their landmass through the means of colonization of space and its contents:
A. These contents include, but are not limited to: Planets, Natural Satellites, Asteroids, and Meteroids

B. Nations may share these contents and establish relations, good or bad
C. Any citizen of any nation has the right to freely and willingly travel to any established entity in outer space
2. States that each individual outer-space establishment may choose to trade with each other, which may provide basic necessities or materials for survival and ongoing of said establishments:
A. However, if a specific establishment chooses to do so, tariffs, quotas, or other restrictions may be put into place. This allows nations who are willing to become more independent to do so, while allowing those that are more dependent to relax restrictions

OOC: that's a strange use of the list code. It's supposed to be done like this

Code: Select all

[list=1][*]One Line[list=A][*]Line for A[*]Line for B[/list][/list]

1. One Line
   1. Line for A
   2. Line for B

Let's look at the red marked code because this is what the resolution is all about ... "right to establish or expand their landmass." If a nationstate expands their landmass than that landmass is a proper part of that nationstate, where all the laws rules and whatever of that nationstate is thus applied. Part of a WA recognized right is that of immigration but the part in blue states "Any citizen of any nation has the right to freely and willingly travel to any established entity in outer space" implying that the land really isn't an "expansion" of the landmass of the nation since the nation's immigration policy is overridden in this case. The same applies to the trade clause "individual outer-space establishment may choose to trade with each other" which may or may not be in violation of existing WA resolutions on trade (or may be so in the future) since WA law applies to the entire nationstate, not a part of it.