[SUBMITTED] Having Faith In Communism

[Sensorland]

You know what I haven't seen? An issue targeted at countries that are both communist and theocratic. So here's a draft I whipped up.

Current draft:

Title: Having Faith in Communism
Validity: Must have policies: Socialism, Theocracy

The issue: Comments by Jao Stalzing, the Chairman of the East Lebatuck Communist Party, have sent ripples through the socialist world as he accused you of "betraying the ideals of communism" by imposing @@FAITH@@ on the populace of @@NAME@@.

Option 1
Your Minister of Faith is livid. "How dare this heathen accuse us of such a thing! The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there too, probably. In fact, it's @@FAITH@@ that sustains socialism! Stalzing's the one condemning his comrades to an eternity of torment with this state atheism nonsense. I say we send missionaries to spread the word of @@FAITH@@ all around the socialist world, so our comrades can be just as enlightened as we are."
Effect: no true communist is an unbeliever

Option 2
"@@FAITH@@ is an integral part of our national culture, but perhaps Comrade Stalzing has a point," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, your ambassador to East Lebatuck. "We should stop officially mandating the worship of @@FAITH@@, in order to give our comrades more freedom. Letting them choose their own religious path will make them happier and more productive, and it'll promote unity with our fellow socialist nations."
Effect: @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ are looking a lot more rested on Sundays
Removes policy: Theocracy

Option 3
"That doesn't go nearly far enough!" shouts Maxist-Lenyoist scholar, @@RANDOMNAME@@. "Religion is a tool used by the powerful to oppress and control the proletariat! To achieve true equality under communism, we must do as Comrade Stalzing has, and ban not just @@FAITH@@, but all religion from @@NAME@@! Just think how productive all those old cathedrals and monasteries will be as factories!"
Effect: @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ can never be sure if there will be a god when they wake up in the morning
Removes policy: Theocracy
Enacts policy: Atheism

Option 4
"Heathens, the lot of you!" ejaculates televangelist @@RANDOMNAME@@. "It’s true that religion is incompatible with communism, but you're talking about abolishing the wrong one! The pride of @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ will be our downfall! Are we, as mere mortals, in any place to decide how wealth should be spread? Only Providence is wise and powerful enough to decide who should be extravagantly wealthy and who should be a beggar on the streets! Any attempts to promote 'equality' will only serve to incur divine wrath! Let the divine decide who to reward and punish; abolish this heretical economic system at once!"
Effect: holy men preach that the poor are being punished for their sins
Removes policy: Socialism
Enacts policy: Capitalism

Title: Having Faith in Communism
Validity: Must have policies: Socialism, Theocracy

The issue: Comments by Jao Stalzing, the Chairman of the East Lebatuck Communist Party, have sent ripples through the socialist world as he accused you of "betraying the ideals of communism" by imposing @@FAITH@@ on the populace of @@NAME@@.

Option 1
Your Minister of Faith is livid. "How dare this heathen accuse us of such a thing! The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there too, probably. In fact, it's @@FAITH@@ that sustains socialism! Stalzing's the one condemning his comrades to an eternity of torment with this state atheism nonsense. I say we send missionaries to spread the word of @@FAITH@@ all around the socialist world, so our comrades can be just as enlightened as we are."
Effect: no true communist is an unbeliever

Option 2
"@@FAITH@@ is an integral part of our national culture, but perhaps Comrade Stalzing has a point," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, your ambassador to East Lebatuck. "We should stop officially mandating the worship of @@FAITH@@, in order to give our comrades more freedom. Letting them choose their own religious path will make them happier and more productive, and it'll promote unity with our fellow socialist nations."
Effect: @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ are looking a lot more rested on Sundays
Removes policy: Theocracy

Option 3
"That doesn't go nearly far enough!" shouts Maxist-Lenyoist scholar, @@RANDOMNAME@@. "Religion is a tool used by the powerful to oppress and control the proletariat! To achieve true equality under communism, we must do as Comrade Stalzing has, and ban not just @@FAITH@@, but all religion from @@NAME@@! Just think how productive all those old cathedrals and monasteries will be as factories!"
Effect: @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ can never be sure if there will be a god when they wake up in the morning
Removes policy: Theocracy
Enacts policy: Atheism

Option 4
"Heathens, the lot of you!" ejaculates televangelist @@RANDOMNAME@@. "It’s true that religion is incompatible with communism, but you're talking about abolishing the wrong one! Thanks to @@NAME@@'s ban on private enterprise, I haven't been able to preach to a massive audience and receive donations—tax-exempt, of course—to spread the holy word! It's keeping me from saving the souls of the damned! End this socialist nonsense once and for all, so I can finally get my private jet ba- er, I mean, so I can spread the word of the holy truth of @@FAITH@@ throughout the land! After all, what's more important, our economic system in this world, or the fate of our nation’s souls in the next?"
Effect: holy men are the new bourgeoisie
Removes policy: Socialism
Enacts policy: Capitalism

Title: Having Faith in Communism
Validity: Must have policies: Socialism, Theocracy

The issue: Comments by Jao Stalzing, the Chairman of the East Lebatuck Communist Party, have sent ripples throughout the socialist world as he accused you of “betraying the ideals of communism” by imposing @@FAITH@@ on the populace of @@NAME@@.

Option 1
Your Minister of Faith is livid. “How dare this heathen accuse us of such a thing! The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably. In fact, it's @@FAITH@@ that sustains socialism! Stalzing’s the one condemning his comrades to an eternity of torment with this state atheism nonsense. I say we send missionaries to spread the word of @@FAITH@@ all around the socialist world, so our comrades can be just as enlightened as we are.”
Effect: no true communist is an unbeliever

Option 2
“@@FAITH@@ is an integral part of our national culture, but perhaps Comrade Stalzing has a point,” says @@RANDOMNAME@@, your ambassador to East Lebatuck. “We should stop officially mandating the worship of @@FAITH@@, in order to give our comrades more freedom. Choosing their own religious path will make them happier and more productive, and promote unity with our fellow socialist nations.”
Effect: the population is looking a lot more rested on Sundays
Removes policy: Theocracy

Option 3
“That doesn’t go nearly far enough!” shouts Maxist-Lenyoist scholar, @@RANDOMNAME@@. “Religion is a tool used by the powerful to oppress and control the proletariat! To achieve true equality under communism, we must do as Comrade Stalzing has, and ban not just @@FAITH@@, but all religion from @@NAME@@! Just think how productive all those old cathedrals and monasteries will be as factories!”
Effect: citizens are never sure whether or not there will be a god when they wake up in the morning
Removes policy: Theocracy
Enacts policy: Atheism

Option 4
“Heathens, the lot of you!” ejaculates former televangelist @@RANDOMNAME@@. “It’s true that religion is incompatible with communism, but you’re talking about abolishing the wrong one! Ever since @@NAME@@ has been socialist, I haven't been able to preach to a massive audience and receive donations—tax-exempt, of course—to spread the holy word! It's keeping me from saving the souls of the damned! End this socialist nonsense once and for all, so I can finally get my private jet ba- er, I mean, so we’ll finally have free enterprise and I can once again tell the world of the holy truth of @@FAITH@@. After all, what’s more important, our economic system in this world, or the fate of our nation’s souls in the next?”
Effect: holy men are the new bourgeoisie
Removes policy: Socialism
Enacts policy: Capitalism

Title: Having Faith in Communism
Validity: Must have policies: Socialism, Theocracy

The issue: Comments by Jao Stalzing, the Chairman of the East Lebatuck Communist Party, have sent ripples throughout the socialist world as he accused you of “betraying the ideals of communism” by imposing @@FAITH@@ on the populace of @@NAME@@.

Option 1
Your Minister of Faith is livid. “How dare this heathen accuse us of such a thing! The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably. In fact, it's @@FAITH@@ that sustains socialism! Stalzing’s the one condemning his comrades to an eternity of torment with this state atheism nonsense. I say we send missionaries to spread the word of @@FAITH@@ all around the socialist world, so our comrades can be just as enlightened as we are.”
Effect: people who don’t follow @@FAITH@@ are labeled as “fake communists”

Option 2
“@@FAITH@@ is an integral part of our national culture, but perhaps Comrade Stalzing has a point,” says @@RANDOMNAME@@, your ambassador to East Lebatuck. “We should stop officially mandating the worship of @@FAITH@@, in order to give our comrades more freedom. Choosing their own religious path will make them happier and more productive, and promote unity with our fellow socialist nations.”
Effect: church attendance is plummeting
Removes policy: Theocracy

Option 3
“That doesn’t go nearly far enough!” shouts Maxist-Lenyoist scholar, @@RANDOMNAME@@. “Religion is a tool used by the powerful to oppress and control the proletariat! To achieve true equality under communism, we must do as Comrade Stalzing has, and ban not just @@FAITH@@, but all religion from @@NAME@@! Just think how productive all those old cathedrals and monasteries will be as factories!”
Effect: religious activity is now considered treasonous
Removes policy: Theocracy
Enacts policy: Atheism

Option 4
“Heathens, the lot of you!” ejaculates former televangelist @@RANDOMNAME@@. “It’s true that religion is incompatible with communism, but you’re talking about abolishing the wrong one! Ever since @@NAME@@ has been socialist, I haven't been able to preach to a massive audience and receive donations to spread the holy word! Tax-exempt, of course. It's keeping me from saving the souls of the damned! End this socialist nonsense once and for all, so I can finally get my private jet ba- er, I mean, so we’ll finally have free enterprise and I can once again tell the world of the holy truth of @@FAITH@@. After all, what’s more important, our economic system in this world, or the fate of our nation’s souls in the next?”
Effect: holy men are the new bourgeoisie
Removes policy: Socialism
Enacts policy: Capitalism

Title: Having Faith in Communism
Validity: Must have policies: Socialism, Theocracy

The issue: Comments by Jao Stalzing, the Chairman of the East Lebatuck Communist Party, have sent ripples throughout the socialist world as he accused you of “betraying the ideals of communism” by imposing @@FAITH@@ on the populace of @@NAME@@.

Option 1
Your Minister of Faith is livid. “How dare this heathen accuse us of such a thing! The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably. In fact, it's @@FAITH@@ that sustains socialism! Stalzing’s the one condemning his comrades to an eternity of torment with this state atheism nonsense. I say we send missionaries to spread the word of @@FAITH@@ all around the socialist world, so our comrades can be just as enlightened as we are.”
Effect: people who don’t follow @@FAITH@@ are labeled as “fake communists”

Option 2
“@@FAITH@@ is an integral part of our national culture, but perhaps Comrade Stalzing has a point,” says @@RANDOMNAME@@, your ambassador to East Lebatuck. “We should stop officially mandating the worship of @@FAITH@@, in order to give our comrades more freedom. Choosing their own religious path will make them happier and more productive, and promote unity with our fellow socialist nations.”
Effect: church attendance is plummeting
Removes policy: Theocracy

Option 3
“That doesn’t go nearly far enough!” shouts Maxist-Lenyoist scholar, @@RANDOMNAME@@. “Religion is incompatible with communism! As Max himself said, religion is the syrup of the masses. To achieve true communism, we must do as Comrade Stalzing has, and ban not just @@FAITH@@, but all religion from @@NAME@@! Just think how productive all those old cathedrals and monasteries will be as factories!”
Effect: religious activity is now considered treasonous
Removes policy: Theocracy
Enacts policy: Atheism

Option 4
“Heathens, the lot of you!” ejaculates former televangelist @@RANDOMNAME@@. “It’s true that religion is incompatible with communism, but you’re talking about abolishing the wrong one! Ever since @@NAME@@ has been socialist, I haven't been able to preach to a massive audience and receive tax-exempt donations… for holy purposes, of course. It's keeping me from saving the souls of the damned! End this socialist nonsense once and for all, so I can finally get my private jet ba- er, I mean, so we’ll finally have free enterprise again. After all, what’s more important, our economic system in this world, or the fate of our nation’s souls in the next?”
Effect: holy men are the new bourgeoisie
Removes policy: Socialism
Enacts policy: Capitalism

Title: Having Faith in Communism
Validity: Must have policies: Socialism, Theocracy

The issue: Comments by Jao Stalzing, the Chairman of the East Lebatuck Communist Party, have sent ripples throughout the socialist world as he accused you of “betraying the ideals of communism” by imposing @@FAITH@@ on the populace of @@NAME@@.

Option 1
Your Minister of Faith is livid. “How dare this heathen accuse us of such a thing! It’s the spirit of @@FAITH@@ that sustains true socialism! Stalzing’s the one condemning his comrades to an eternity of torment with this state atheism nonsense. I say we send missionaries to spread the word of @@FAITH@@ all around the socialist world, so our comrades can be just as enlightened as we are.”
Effect: people who don’t follow @@FAITH@@ are labeled as “fake communists”

Option 2
“@@FAITH@@ is an integral part of our national culture, but perhaps Comrade Stalzing has a point,” says @@RANDOMNAME@@, your ambassador to East Lebatuck. “We should stop officially mandating the worship of @@FAITH@@, for the sake of unity with our fellow socialist nations.”
Effect: church attendance is plummeting
Removes policy: Theocracy

Option 3
“That doesn’t go nearly far enough!” shouts Maxist-Lenyoist scholar, @@RANDOMNAME@@. “Religion is incompatible with communism! To achieve true communism, we must do as Comrade Stalzing has, and ban all religion from @@NAME@@! Just think how productive all those old cathedrals and monasteries will be as factories!”
Effect: religious activity is now considered treasonous
Removes policy: Theocracy
Enacts policy: Atheism

Option 4
“Heathens, the lot of you!” ejaculates former televangelist @@RANDOMNAME@@. “It’s true that religion is incompatible with communism, but you’re talking about abolishing the wrong one! End this socialist nonsense once and for all! Then I can finally get my private jet ba- er, I mean, we’ll finally have free enterprise again. After all, what’s more important, our economic system in this world, or the fate of our nation’s souls in the next?”
Effect: holy men are the new bourgeoisie
Removes policy: Socialism

[The united American-Isreali empire]

add a opation to wage war on them....

[Drunkerland]

I really hope this becomes an issue as Communism is my national religion.

[Sensorland]

I really hope this becomes an issue as Communism is my national religion.

I hadn't anticipated that, but I suppose that would be rather hilarious.

[Trotterdam]

I think the options could use better justifications:

1: Religions have long preached against the excesses of the rich, for the importance of charity, etc. So it's easy to see how religion can lead to communist ideals, even if in real life they've become estranged due to several leading figures in the communism movement being hardline anti-religious. While it may be difficult to assume that @@FAITH@@ has any particular tenets, that's no more of an issue here than in option 4, so I think you should actually have the speaker suggest some of the ways that religion supports communism, rather than just go "hey yeah they're compatible".

2: "Unity with our fellow socialist nations" seems like a bad reason to intruduce religious freedom, especially when many of those nations don't even have religious freedom to begin with, including the nation that triggered this issue as you establish in option 3 (having compulsory atheism instead). Instead, make an argument about how communism is about equal rights for all, and sometimes that means giving people the freedom to be different (in their beliefs) rather than forcing everyone to be equal.

3: Explain why communism hates religion.

4: Explain why religion hates communism.

[USS Monitor]

add a opation to wage war on them....

This would be possible, but I don't think it's necessary. We already have several militaristic options in the game.

The 4 existing options are sufficient, but Trott makes a fair point that they could be explained better.

[Lelscrep]

I think the options could use better justifications:

1: Religions have long preached against the excesses of the rich, for the importance of charity, etc. So it's easy to see how religion can lead to communist ideals, even if in real life they've become estranged due to several leading figures in the communism movement being hardline anti-religious. While it may be difficult to assume that @@FAITH@@ has any particular tenets, that's no more of an issue here than in option 4, so I think you should actually have the speaker suggest some of the ways that religion supports communism, rather than just go "hey yeah they're compatible".

2: "Unity with our fellow socialist nations" seems like a bad reason to intruduce religious freedom, especially when many of those nations don't even have religious freedom to begin with, including the nation that triggered this issue as you establish in option 3 (having compulsory atheism instead). Instead, make an argument about how communism is about equal rights for all, and sometimes that means giving people the freedom to be different (in their beliefs) rather than forcing everyone to be equal.

3: Explain why communism hates religion.

4: Explain why religion hates communism.

Coming from Marx himself, "Religion is the opium of the people." Marxists, at least, often see religion as a tool used by the powerful to control the working class. I agree it could be made more clear within the issue, but there's your answer. Religion mostly dislikes communism for this very reason, also.

[Australian rePublic]

You can't two contradictory forms of government. How have you even lasted this long?

[Trotterdam]

Coming from Marx himself, "Religion is the opium of the people." Marxists, at least, often see religion as a tool used by the powerful to control the working class. I agree it could be made more clear within the issue, but there's your answer.

It's certainly possible for people to see it that way, and Marx did. However, it's not necessarily how all communists (in the sense of people who believe that wealth should be shared equally, not people who worship Marx's communist manifesto as the infallible Word of God) see it. Both points of view need to be justified better.

There are real-life religious communism movements:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_communism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_socialism

Religion mostly dislikes communism for this very reason, also.

This is certainly a good reason for religion to dislike Marxists, but does religion have any reason to specifically dislike even those communists that do accept religion, other than "blindly lashing out at anything that vaguely resembles my enemy" syndrome?

[Sensorland]

You can't two contradictory forms of government. How have you even lasted this long?

NS nations can, and some do, have both policies. So, at least in the game, there is no contradiction.

[Sensorland]

I think the options could use better justifications:

1: Religions have long preached against the excesses of the rich, for the importance of charity, etc. So it's easy to see how religion can lead to communist ideals, even if in real life they've become estranged due to several leading figures in the communism movement being hardline anti-religious. While it may be difficult to assume that @@FAITH@@ has any particular tenets, that's no more of an issue here than in option 4, so I think you should actually have the speaker suggest some of the ways that religion supports communism, rather than just go "hey yeah they're compatible".

2: "Unity with our fellow socialist nations" seems like a bad reason to intruduce religious freedom, especially when many of those nations don't even have religious freedom to begin with, including the nation that triggered this issue as you establish in option 3 (having compulsory atheism instead). Instead, make an argument about how communism is about equal rights for all, and sometimes that means giving people the freedom to be different (in their beliefs) rather than forcing everyone to be equal.

3: Explain why communism hates religion.

4: Explain why religion hates communism.

Thanks for all the feedback! This was really helpful. I took this all into account in my new draft.

[Trotterdam]

"The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably."

Haha, I love it

I do think option 3 can still use better justification, though, actually explaining the position rather than just quoting a tagline that is meaningless without context.

Option 4 is pretty unappealing, as the speaker is pretty obviously a corrupt individual who doesn't even believe what he preaches and just wants to use it to make money. While implying such corruption is certainly traditional in NationStates, I think the option'd be more likely to be chosen if the speaker at least pretends to have a more sympathetic motivation, though if you find it too hard to come up with one then I understand, there is a room for crazy options after all.

[Sensorland]

"The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably."

Haha, I love it

I do think option 3 can still use better justification, though, actually explaining the position rather than just quoting a tagline that is meaningless without context.

Option 4 is pretty unappealing, as the speaker is pretty obviously a corrupt individual who doesn't even believe what he preaches and just wants to use it to make money. While implying such corruption is certainly traditional in NationStates, I think the option'd be more likely to be chosen if the speaker at least pretends to have a more sympathetic motivation, though if you find it too hard to come up with one then I understand, there is a room for crazy options after all.

Thanks for all the help! I've taken this into consideration with my newest draft. I'm also now feeling a bit iffy about the effect lines. In truth, I don't think I'm the best at coming up with those punchlines. I think the one for option 4 is solid, but the others could be better.

[Sacara]

The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably.

I believe the quoted lines are in violation of player autonomy. @@FAITH@@ is a religion chosen by the player, so it can be whatever they want to be with whatever beliefs they chose to make it adhere to. In my case it makes more sense, as my nation is Roman Catholic, but would those lines in other religions? You can leave the lines about seizing the means of production because that’s the unreliable narrator coming in, but the first part seems like a jump to conclusions that @@FAITH@@ may not support.

[Trotterdam]

The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably.

I believe the quoted lines are in violation of player autonomy. @@FAITH@@ is a religion chosen by the player, so it can be whatever they want to be with whatever beliefs they chose to make it adhere to. In my case it makes more sense, as my nation is Roman Catholic, but would those lines in other religions? You can leave the lines about seizing the means of production because that’s the unreliable narrator coming in, but the first part seems like a jump to conclusions that @@FAITH@@ may not support.

I understand your point, but I do think that, in this case, corners have to be cut - sometimes we have to assume something, and just accept that players whose nations won't cater to these assumptions will simply regard the speaker as an idiot and not choose that option. Besides, any nation that is both communist and theocratic probably has a religion that does have something along these lines, so it's not such an out-there assumption. It's also definitely true of many different real-life religions, even if not all of them.

Do you have any suggestion about how to "fix" the autonomy issue while leaving both the essence of the message and the humor intact?

[The Yeetusa]

Maybe you should add an option in what people who don't worship the religion disappears in church, or something like that.

[Sensorland]

The teachings of @@FAITH@@ say riches are evil and that all men should help one another, and I think there's something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably.

I believe the quoted lines are in violation of player autonomy. @@FAITH@@ is a religion chosen by the player, so it can be whatever they want to be with whatever beliefs they chose to make it adhere to. In my case it makes more sense, as my nation is Roman Catholic, but would those lines in other religions? You can leave the lines about seizing the means of production because that’s the unreliable narrator coming in, but the first part seems like a jump to conclusions that @@FAITH@@ may not support.

I definitely get this, but at the same time, it's impossible to not make some assumptions sometimes. I've often gotten issues that mention something about my nation that goes against my personal lore - for instance, some issues bring up political parties. My national religion is "free thought", which in theory should be the same as no national religion, but of course the issues don't care about that, often portraying clergy, fundamentalists, etc. I don't think most players will mind.

Maybe you should add an option in what people who don't worship the religion disappears in church, or something like that.

I'm not really interested in adding any more options in at this point.

[USS Monitor]

I believe the quoted lines are in violation of player autonomy. @@FAITH@@ is a religion chosen by the player, so it can be whatever they want to be with whatever beliefs they chose to make it adhere to. In my case it makes more sense, as my nation is Roman Catholic, but would those lines in other religions? You can leave the lines about seizing the means of production because that’s the unreliable narrator coming in, but the first part seems like a jump to conclusions that @@FAITH@@ may not support.

I definitely get this, but at the same time, it's impossible to not make some assumptions sometimes. I've often gotten issues that mention something about my nation that goes against my personal lore - for instance, some issues bring up political parties. My national religion is "free thought", which in theory should be the same as no national religion, but of course the issues don't care about that, often portraying clergy, fundamentalists, etc. I don't think most players will mind.

It's stretching the limits of player autonomy, but it's a well-written line. If I was editing this draft, I don't think I'd change it on the first pass.

[Sensorland]

For this latest draft, I've cleaned up some things, including changing the effect lines of options 1-3. I'd like to get another round of feedback before I officially move this into last call phase and submit.

[Sensorland]

Okay, it's been a day and nobody has chimed in with anything else, so I'm putting this into last call. I'll be submitting in ~24 hours unless I have reason to believe I need to make more changes.

[Merconitonitopia]

Okay, it's been a day and nobody has chimed in with anything else, so I'm putting this into last call. I'll be submitting in ~24 hours unless I have reason to believe I need to make more changes.

I have a more clever (in my opinion) effect line for the first option:
'Priests teach that prophesy foretold of a communist utopia.'

[Merconitonitopia]

You can't two contradictory forms of government. How have you even lasted this long?

My nation is a socialist theocratic monarchy. So, go figure.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

I'd recommend longer drafting periods generally.

I tend to go for 2-3 months myself, but I think anything from a 2-3 weeks upwards is a sensible minimum. It may be you'll not garner any further comment during that time, but its important to give people time to notice and respond to the thread.

I've not had a close look yet, but the first thing I'd note is that you need to replace all the curved quotes and apostrophes with straight ones. That is, ' and " instead of ’ and “. This is a just a nationstates thing - we always use straight quotes in issue code, and the game then curves them as needed. Always seems a bit pointless to me, but there it is.

[Makdon]

Just a few small edits to wording and grammar. Corrections/recommendations in red

sent ripples throughout the socialist world

not technically wrong, but it feels more natural to me

something about seizing the means of production in there, too, probably

unnecessary comma

Choosing their own religious path will make them happier and more productive, and promote unity with our fellow socialist nations.

the 2 ands here are clunky, perhaps rephrase it as happier, more productive, and it'll promote unity. Also, throwing in something fun like "comrades in max" instead of socialist nations could be nice. Not important at all, but a nice touch perhaps.

citizens are never sure whether or not there will be a god when they wake up in the morning

this sentence isn't as smooth as it could be. Maybe try "citizens can't be sure if they'll be a god when the wake up in the morning"
option 4 seems to imply that there was once a capitalist state. Perhaps a violation of autonomy? Also:

so we’ll finally have free enterprise

this line doesn't make sense with the rest of the guys argument. Sure it's what he wants, but the he's not arguing for the good of capitalism, he's arguing for the good of faith.

[Sensorland]

I'd recommend longer drafting periods generally.

I tend to go for 2-3 months myself, but I think anything from a 2-3 weeks upwards is a sensible minimum. It may be you'll not garner any further comment during that time, but its important to give people time to notice and respond to the thread.

I've not had a close look yet, but the first thing I'd note is that you need to replace all the curved quotes and apostrophes with straight ones. That is, ' and " instead of ’ and “. This is a just a nationstates thing - we always use straight quotes in issue code, and the game then curves them as needed. Always seems a bit pointless to me, but there it is.

Very good point. As for the curved quotes - that would be Google Docs' fault. I'll fix it.

Just a few small edits to wording and grammar. Corrections/recommendations in red
-snip-

Thank you! I'll keep this in mind for the next draft.