NationStates

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:20 am**

Title: On Rigid Social Stratification

Category: Civil Rights, Strength: Significant

The World Assembly,

Believing in the vast potential of the individual,

Understanding that possessing an avenue to pursue ones personal life goals is essential for physical and mental wellbeing,

Dismayed that many governments stifle the individual in the name of the greater good,

Condemning such a cover to keep the powerful in power at the expense of others,

Whereas most systems of rigid social stratification limit an individual as to where they may seek employment, the types of jobs they may work, where they may reside, whom they may interact with,

Defining “Rigid Social Stratification” as the socio-religious subdivision of society into a hierarchy differentiated on the basis of power, prestige, religion or wealth with limited or no movement between the social classes and which is determined upon ones birth based upon the social class or occupation of ones parents, or determined by the government or other agency for its people,

Hereby,

Abolishes all forms of Rigid Social Stratification within WA member states,

Affirms the right of each individual:
1) To exercise control over their own life and to pursue their own happiness through basic life choices,

2) To pursue, without governmental restrictions based solely on socio-religious class, the career of their choice, including both where they may work and the type of work being performed,

Recognizes the right of governments or other entities to place restrictions on employment as necessary for the safe and successful completion of the required tasks,

Forbids any law be made or enforced which limits the right of travel or domicile on any legal resident solely on account of socio-religious class,

Declares that no law may be made or enforced which limits marriage between individuals based solely on the grounds of different socio-religious classes.

Requires that identity cards refrain from containing any reference to the social class or occupation of the card holder,

Exempts cards issued by an employer for job related identification purposes,

Urges all governments to pass laws and fund education initiatives to quickly end socio-religious discrimination,

Encourages members states to engage with nonmembers and work to end rigid social stratification.

Title: On Rigid Social Stratification

Category: Civil Rights, Strength: Significant

The World Assembly,

Believing in the vast potential of the individual,

Understanding that possessing an avenue to pursue ones personal life goals is essential for physical and mental wellbeing,

Dismayed that many governments stifle the individual in the name of the greater good,

Condemning such a cover to keep the powerful in power at the expense of others,

Whereas most systems of rigid social stratification limit an individual as to where they may seek employment, the types of jobs they may work, where they may reside, whom they may interact with,

Defining “Rigid Social Stratification” as the subdivision of society into a hierarchy differentiated on the basis of power, prestige, religion or wealth with limited or no movement between the social classes and which is determined upon ones birth based upon the social class or occupation of ones parents, or determined by the government or other agency for its people,

Hereby,

Affirms the right of each individual:
1) To exercise control over their own life and to pursue their own happiness through basic life choices,

2) To pursue the career of their choice and no government shall pass or enforce any law to the contrary, nor may any government restrict any individual as to where they may work based solely on socio-religious class,

3) To be free to travel, to move, and to reside in any part of the nation/state in which they legally reside, though such right shall not be construed as to abolish private ownership of property nor of property owners to dispose of such property in any legal manner available to them,

Recognizes the right of governments or other entities to place restrictions on employment as necessary for the safe and successful completion of the required tasks,

Declares that no law may be made or enforced which limits marriage between individuals of different socio-religious classes.

Requires that identity cards refrain from containing any reference to the social class or occupation of the card holder,

Exempts cards issued by an employer for job related identification purposes,

Urges all governments to pass laws and fund education initiatives to quickly end socio-religious discrimination,

Encourages members states to engage with nonmembers and work to end rigid social stratification.

Title: On Rigid Social Stratification

Category: Civil Rights, Strength: Significant

The World Assembly,

Believing in the vast potential of the individual,

Understanding that possessing an avenue to pursue ones personal life goals is essential for physical and mental wellbeing,

Dismayed that many governments stifle the individual in the name of the greater good,

Condemning such a cover to keep the powerful in power at the expense of others,

Whereas most systems of rigid social stratification limit an individual as to where they may seek employment, the types of jobs they may work, where they may reside, whom they may interact with,

Defining “Rigid Social Stratification” as the socio-religious subdivision of society into a hierarchy differentiated on the basis of power, prestige, religion or wealth with limited or no movement between the social classes and which is determined upon ones birth based upon the social class or occupation of ones parents, or determined by the government or other agency for its people,

Hereby,

Abolishes all forms of Rigid Social Stratification within WA member states,

Affirms the right of each individual:
1) To exercise control over their own life and to pursue their own happiness through basic life choices,

2) To pursue the career of their choice and no government shall pass or enforce any law to the contrary, nor may any government restrict any individual as to where they may work based solely on socio-religious class,

Recognizes the right of governments or other entities to place restrictions on employment as necessary for the safe and successful completion of the required tasks,

Forbids any law be made or enforced which limits the right of travel or domicile on any legal resident solely on account of socio-religious class,

Declares that no law may be made or enforced which limits marriage between individuals of different socio-religious classes.

Requires that identity cards refrain from containing any reference to the social class or occupation of the card holder,

Exempts cards issued by an employer for job related identification purposes,

Urges all governments to pass laws and fund education initiatives to quickly end socio-religious discrimination,

Encourages members states to engage with nonmembers and work to end rigid social stratification.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:21 am**

This proposal seeks to deal with an issue that is not directly dealt with by CoCR, rigid social classes. While CoCR requires governments to deal with members of each class in an equal manner, it still allows for a person to be locked into a social class.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 9:32 am**

“This seems like an incredibly niche and subjective topic to cover within World Assembly legislation. Social classes do not necessarily imply discrimination, and those that do may easily be confused with a normal meritocratic system. Furthermore, your ‘declares’ clause appears to ban the government from job restrictions at all, which would mean letting child abusers teach in a children’s school.”

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 10:22 am**

OOC: This might ban monarchies, I fear.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 11:35 am**

Kenmoria wrote:“This seems like an incredibly niche and subjective topic to cover within World Assembly legislation. Social classes do not necessarily imply discrimination, and those that do may easily be confused with a normal meritocratic system. Furthermore, your ‘declares’ clause appears to ban the government from job restrictions at all, which would mean letting child abusers teach in a children’s school.”

OCC: This is an issue that both the United Nations and the European Union are trying to tackle.

IC: I am not trying to get rid of social classes, but rather rigid social classes. That is, societal systems which do not allow mobility between the classes. Systems where you are born into a class and will stay in that class until you die. Your father was a farmer so you have to be a farmer, no choice. Or a system where the government decides for you what career you will have and what class you will belong to. Under such systems the wants and dreams of the individual are irrelevant. Such systems do exist. (OCC:India, Southeast Asia, some communist states in the past)

As to the declares clause, it only prevents government from restricting jobs "based solely on social class". The government is free to lay other restrictions, such as age, training, experience, or whatever. But it cannot restrict one from being a teacher simply because your parents weren't.

In short, I'm trying to enshrine the right to pursue happiness.

The New Nordic Union wrote:OOC: This might ban monarchies, I fear.

This was a concern of mine as well. A feudal monarchy would probably fall under this resolution. However, I tried to write it in such a way that would apply to society as a whole but not enforce one particular type of government or prohibit another.

OCC: Few would suggest that the monarchies of Europe have a rigid social structure. Several "commoners" have now married into most royal houses. This doesn't aim to push the issue that far, but rather to make sure a person isn't locked into a career or social class.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:18 pm**

Cardoness wrote:As to the declares clause, it only prevents government from restricting jobs "based solely on social class". The government is free to lay other restrictions, such as age, training, experience, or whatever. But it cannot restrict one from being a teacher simply because your parents weren't.

(OOC: Your ‘declares’ clause should then have a comma after ‘travel’, otherwise the ‘based solely on social class’ section applies only to where they may work.)

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:20 pm**

Kenmoria wrote:
Cardoness wrote:As to the declares clause, it only prevents government from restricting jobs "based solely on social class". The government is free to lay other restrictions, such as age, training, experience, or whatever. But it cannot restrict one from being a teacher simply because your parents weren't.

(OOC: Your ‘declares’ clause should then have a comma after ‘travel’, otherwise the ‘based solely on social class’ section applies only to where they may work.)

(Ah, nice catch. Thanks! I'll save it for a future update.)

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:20 pm**

Could the OP clarify on what the abolishes clause is meant to do?

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:24 pm**

Imperium Anglorum wrote:Could the OP clarify on what the abolishes clause is meant to do?

Sure! It is meant to make caste systems, as defined, illegal within WA member nations. That is probably the clause I am least happy with and have been thinking about better wording.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:58 pm**

Could you say that instead? Basically, rather than a broad statement of purpose, the specific method by which the advocacy is solvent.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:05 pm**

Hereby,

Makes all forms of rigid social stratification, as defined above, illegal within member nations

How's this?

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:29 pm**

I'd prefer prohibiting an action rather than a state.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:47 pm**

OOC: I'll give you a proper IC response later (Araraukar is largely meritocratic society), but the declares bit seems to prohibit requiring someone to, say, actually go to and pass medical school, before working as a doctor. Or any such professional skill aquisition.

I don't entirely see why the career bit is included in the first place in that clause. If you added "profession" or "job" into the definition, then simply banning social discrimination (not that you actually do that, mind you) would include jobs in it.

Also, what does "access to public service" mean?

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 2:14 pm**

Araraukar wrote:OOC: I'll give you a proper IC response later (Araraukar is largely meritocratic society), but the declares bit seems to prohibit requiring someone to, say, actually go to and pass medical school, before working as a doctor. Or any such professional skill aquisition.

I don't entirely see why the career bit is included in the first place in that clause. If you added "profession" or "job" into the definition, then simply banning social discrimination (not that you actually do that, mind you) would include jobs in it.

Also, what does "access to public service" mean?

You are right, I do need to adjust the definition.
However, as mentioned above, the declares clause only prohibits the government from restricting access to jobs on the basis of social class. They can still restrict access on other grounds.
Public service should be plural, public services, meaning police, fire, medical, water, electricity, or any other service provided by the government. You can't be denied protection of the police solely because you belong to a lower class.

The object of this resolution is to allow for individual class mobility and to ensure equality regardless of class.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 2:25 pm**

“In your definition clause, are you intending an ‘and’ list or an ‘or’ list? It is currently ambiguous.”

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 2:35 pm**

Cardoness wrote:However, as mentioned above, the declares clause only prohibits the government from restricting access to jobs on the basis of social class. They can still restrict access on other grounds.

OOC: If you want it to say that, it needs to actually say that. Currently it's just a complete ban on any career choice restriction.

Public service should be plural, public services, meaning police, fire, medical, water, electricity, or any other service provided by the government.

And if any of those are privately run? The state (and it's that and not the government, by the way) only needs to make sure everyone gets the services, not provide them itself. Also, check the Minimum Standards of Living Act (or whatever the exact name was), because I'm fairly sure such is already mandated for all inhabitants/citizens.

The object of this resolution is to allow for individual class mobility and to ensure equality regardless of class.

Isn't that latter already done by CoCR? Also, if ability/intelligence/wealth/similar is the class divider, not entirely certain how or if you can fix that.

Posted: **Tue Sep 03, 2019 4:24 pm**

Araraukar wrote:
Cardoness wrote:However, as mentioned above, the declares clause only prohibits the government from restricting access to jobs on the basis of social class. They can still restrict access on other grounds.

OOC: If you want it to say that, it needs to actually say that. Currently it's just a complete ban on any career choice restriction.

Declares it is the right of the individual to pursue the career of their choice and no government shall pass or enforce any law to the contrary, nor may any government restrict any individual as to where they may live, work, or travel, based solely on social class

Public service should be plural, public services, meaning police, fire, medical, water, electricity, or any other service provided by the government.

And if any of those are privately run? The state (and it's that and not the government, by the way) only needs to make sure everyone gets the services, not provide them itself. Also, check the Minimum Standards of Living Act (or whatever the exact name was), because I'm fairly sure such is already mandated for all inhabitants/citizens.

If it is a service the state provides or is otherwise responsible for, they may not deny service to anyone on account of class under this resolution.

The object of this resolution is to allow for individual class mobility and to ensure equality regardless of class.

Isn't that latter already done by CoCR? Also, if ability/intelligence/wealth/similar is the class divider, not entirely certain how or if you can fix that.

[/quote]
I am not seeking to address any of those concerns with this resolution. When you look at many societies in Southeast Asia, especially in the rural areas, you see this structure that I am talking about. A person is born into a caste and regardless of any other factors they cannot change their position in life. If you are born a Dalit you will die a Dalit. The jobs you have access to is based on the class you were born into. For a Dalit, it's limited to shoveling shit and other similar menial labor. One could be born with the voice of an angle or the mind of Einstein, but it wouldn't matter, your class defines your life. It determines what you can do, where you can live, who you can marry, and how the state treats you.

I will give CoCR another read, it's been awhile. If this is already covered, I'll drop it.
*Edit* Upon review of CoCR, there are a few areas where I overlapped. However, I don't believe it addresses the issue of being locked into a caste/class. It also does't address the right to seek a career of choice. I will try to refocus this resolution in that direction.

Posted: **Thu Sep 05, 2019 1:18 am**

OOC: Can't you just define the social class thing (you might want to look into whether you can do it for religious class as well) and then ban discrimination based on it?

Posted: **Thu Sep 05, 2019 6:39 am**

Araraukar wrote:OOC: Can't you just define the social class thing (you might want to look into whether you can do it for religious class as well) and then ban discrimination based on it?

Good idea, I’ll tinker with it a bit.

Posted: **Thu Sep 05, 2019 10:21 am**

“Your ‘further declares’ clause seems worrying with a prohibition on discrimination on education. Lots of careers require further training to advance. For example, a nurse needs further education in order to become a nurse prescriber. These sessions would not necessarily be available to somebody with a non-medical profession.”

Posted: **Thu Sep 05, 2019 3:09 pm**

Kenmoria wrote:“Your ‘further declares’ clause seems worrying with a prohibition on discrimination on education. Lots of careers require further training to advance. For example, a nurse needs further education in order to become a nurse prescriber. These sessions would not necessarily be available to somebody with a non-medical profession.”

I will clarify in the redraft. The intent is to only prohibit class discrimination. It is not my intention to allow a blanket lifting on all restrictions.

Posted: **Fri Sep 06, 2019 11:51 am**

New draft. I'm not very happy with Affirms 3, and am considering rewording it and moving it to another section of the resolution. However, I do not believe the government should have the ability to restrict travel or domicile based on social class. I eagerly await your thoughts.

Posted: **Fri Sep 06, 2019 12:25 pm**

Cardoness wrote:New draft. I'm not very happy with Affirms 3, and am considering rewording it and moving it to another section of the resolution. However, I do not believe the government should have the ability to restrict travel or domicile based on social class. I eagerly await your thoughts.

(OOC: I agree that there are issues with ‘affirms’ clause 3. It doesn’t make complete grammatical sense, and lacks exceptions for military installations, dangerous areas such as volcanoes, nature reserves that are supposed to undisturbed, and a few other situations.)

Posted: **Sat Sep 07, 2019 5:37 am**

OOC: You currently do not use your defined term anywhere but the very last encourages clause, and instead you use "socio-religious class", which you do not define.

Posted: **Sat Sep 07, 2019 6:06 am**

Declares that no law may be made or enforced which limits marriage between individuals of different socio-religious classes.

OOC: This should, in my opinion, be re-phrased to something like '...limits marriage between individuals on the grounds of socio-religious class', as any law restricting marriage, e.g., one prohibiting underage marriage, also limits marriage between individuals of different socio-religious classes (whatever this is).

NationStates

[Draft] On Rigid Social Stratification

[Draft] On Rigid Social Stratification