Theory Thursday: Thivic Thinking

[sythyry]

Well, that gave me a great deal to think about. [Apologies for not responding much, but Livejournal was being quite balky. -bb]

I don't know that it'll be a whole city-state quickly. (If all the traff-folk from the branch decide they want to live there, it might have enough people for that! But that is unlikely, especially if we are generous with monsters.) I expect to come up with some sort of semi-autonomous citylet sort of thing. We might be able to make our own laws; that happens sometimes.

And, as a lot of the point of the city is to have laws that we like ... how shall we make laws, in general?

A typical city has a legeriat, a dozen or so people representing the major factions and moieties in the city, who construct laws. Which, in some cities, simply become laws; in other cities, they must be promulgated by the duke (or whatever); in other cities, they must be voted on popularly, or approved by a court, or various other things.

Or, some other cities have, say, the duke proclaim all laws. Or a pure democratic approach, in which the citizens as a whole vote on all laws. Or a prophetic mirror that reveals wise laws. Or, I suppose, nearly anything else imaginable.

In any case, I want two things from a legal system.

First: I want to have some laws that please me. The city must be traff-friendly. In essence, it is Castle Wrong (or Strayway) in city form.

Second: I want to have just, fair, wise, and good laws. Not that I could give a good definition of any of those adjectives, or even necessarily recognize them if I were confronted by them.

So, how would you suggest designing a lawmaking apparatus for a young and probably tiny World Tree city?

Comments

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

You need the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz!

There is a story told in our world of a girl who visited another world, in which the country was ruled over by the Wizard of Oz, who was reputed to be able to solve all problems, but also to appear so fearsome that few wanted to bring all their problems before him unless there was no other way.

In reality, the Wizard of Oz was a nice person from the girl's world, who had somehow gotten trapped into running things. He concocted this device that would make him appear fearsome in order to deter frivolous seekers and wasters of time. A similar device might allow Sythyry to put on the facade that zie has nothing to do with running the city, but in fact could pass such laws as seemed wise and necessary, and to hear out the complaints of those who are brave enough to come before the Great and Powerful Wizard.

In addition, by requiring that seekers complete some kind of quest before receiving judgment, you could set these people to solving each others' problems! If they fail - well, it was their fault.

[xolo.livejournal.com]

Devious and subtle!

[ragarth.livejournal.com]

Perhaps Sythyry can speak through the prophetic mirror.

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Prophetic mirrors are a bit too nice and approachable! Sythyry needs something with a bit more menace!