Civ 4: Call To Power Style Or Different?

[lajzar]

Hey, as I said, virtual democracy is a futuristic government. Any civ that has that government has made a truly radical shift in its social structure, on a par with changing from a slave economy to an industrial one.

I think there is room in the futuristic end of the scale for a government type where the vast majority of adults are politically aware.

[Plotinus]

A world where the vast majority of adults are politically aware? Well, in that case you might as well have a government where the people are happy all the time without needing luxuries or entertainers, where they never question the government's decisions, with no corruption, and where you don't need to do any research because everyone spends all their spare time down at the lab or the library anyway. In other words, it's beyond science fiction and into fantasy!

[lajzar]

A world where the vast majority of adults are politically aware? Well, in that case you might as well have a government where the people are happy all the time...

ok, how about virtual democracy as effectively being an online Ancient Athenian city state type of government? Except of course the franchise isn't limited to land owning males over 25, but is pretty much universal.

You know, within the limits of the political franchise, the political awareness and engagement in politics situation was pretty much maximised. I wouldn't take voter turnouts in the USA (20-40% iirc) or the UK (60-80%) as proof that such widespread interest is impossible. In some countries, voter turnout is regularly over 95%, there is active political interest at all times (not just election time), and the government does NOT rig the elections or impose mandatory voting, let alone mandatory happiness.

[aahz_capone]

huh? which country has a voter turnout of 95% regularly and has constant political interest? Utopia?

[lajzar]

Malta has such a turnout. I'd point you to a news article as proof, but it seems teh online Maltese newspapers don't keep archives.

[Dauphin]

In Australia it is illegal not to vote, but that doesn't make people informed or politically interested.

[Dauphin]

I'd certainly like to see more government specialisition. What I dislike about the original Civ and Civ2 (and still to a degree Civ3) is that Democracy is the best government in almost all circumstances. At least in CtPI/II quite a few governments had a unique selling point that in effect tailored themselves to differing needs or styles.