Currently in the capitalist west, people who have a large sway over how society is run display a disturbing lack of competence.

I mean, Trump and Bidens teams have both been in control of the most expensive military in the world. So they understand the long term impact of launching a nuke? I doubt it.

Elon Musk is in control of a huge electric car company. Doe he understand (or care) how to safely manage lithium? Mining? Is he even an engineer? He also controls the largest social media platform in the world, yet it's pretty clear he doesn't know (or maybe care) how to responsibly manage it.

What do you think? Should people have to be well educated in what they're in charge in? Should they have to display competence or be fired?

In a capitalist society, it might be elitist to say it, but in a society where education is free and everyone's needs are met? I think peoples competentcy in a wide range of disciplines should be highly scrutinized if they're going to be in control of something that affects everyone.

You wouldn't want someone operating on you if they weren't a certified surgeon, right?

What do you think? What should the prerequisites for power be?

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]
      ·
      7 months ago

      My time has come. Do not worry, shortstacks. I will lead us to a glorious new future of prosperity, freedom, and ceiling fans that by regulation must be at least 9 feet from the ground for safety reasons.

    • AernaLingus [any]
      ·
      7 months ago

      Boban seems like a nice fellow, so I could get behind this

  • Frank [he/him, he/him]
    ·
    7 months ago

    I've come around to vanguadism. Have a party of professional brainworms people who understand politics, and trust them to gatekeep access to government positions only to people who demonstrate an understanding of politics and maybe competency in their field. Idk how else you could do it and actually maintain ideological continuity in a government, and i don't know how you avoid regulatory captue and nepotism without an ideologically coherent group that has the power to keep compromised people from power.

    Altnerately, sortition gang.

    • Mardoniush [she/her]
      ·
      7 months ago

      Every day i think Zhdanov had more of a point. Enforcing ideological purity has a heavy cost, but if you don't the lanyards get in and ruin everything.

  • WashedAnus [he/him]
    ·
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    The first prerequisite must be that they're a committed communist.

  • blashork [she/her]M
    ·
    7 months ago

    In an AES country, that everyone running for a position in the government has to have served a minimum amount of time in every previous position. I'm pretty sure that's just how the soviets worked.

  • RyanGosling [none/use name]
    ·
    7 months ago

    All Ivy League alumni are sent to the Alaskan wilderness or Florida farms to pick orange for 5 years before being eligible to join politics

      • GrouchyGrouse [he/him]
        ·
        7 months ago

        You shouldn't be able to do a wild thing and then die before you see the consequences. It's like an abstract form of age based terrorism. Strapping on the suicide vest of an about-to-be-clotted brain and driving into somebody else's future welfare cackling like the cryptkeeper. Shit sucks.

      • Mardoniush [she/her]
        ·
        edit-2
        7 months ago

        I think there's definitely an important place for both elder statespeople and representatives of older generations. That place is well away from the day to day running of government.

  • dannoffs [he/him]
    ·
    7 months ago

    They should be able to ring the bell on one of those carnival hammer games, answer a series of cryptic riddles, and be up to date on One Piece. Thus proving strength, wisdom, and determination respectively.

  • DyingOfDeBordom [none/use name]
    ·
    7 months ago

    Let's bring the imperial examinations for the Chinese bureaucracy to the west. You wanna be some high powered bureaucrat? Ok go study for 20 years and don't fuck up

  • Kolibri [she/her]
    ·
    7 months ago

    They should have shown to have done stuff, like actually helping people or like doing things in the past that helped communities. Instead of just useless talk.