Building a Better Country

Aristocracy and Society, part 1

2012-01-23T11:06:00.001-05:00

[from HRH Jonathan] The Modern Western World demands a form of total equality of everyone exposed to it's touch, an idea that has become ubiquitous. Popular entertainment, education, and such all decry sexism and racism as evil while otherwise denying the possibility of objective morality. Discrimination is painted as one of the greatest of crimes. However, there are problems with this attitude

The Difference Between culture and a Culture, and Why the Latter is Necessary.

2011-12-30T11:21:00.000-05:00

[From HRM Richard and HRH Jonathan] How do countries form, and more importantly, how do they last? What is it that separated the early Romans who conquered the known world from the late Romans who collapsed into decadence? What separates the nations in America and Europe, who once had the drive to forge empires in less than a century, from their current forms which are spiraling into self

Territorial Claims

2011-12-30T09:56:00.000-05:00

Greetings; Affirming that we are part and party to no treaty or agreement that limits our ability to make all such claims, we do claim that the sovereign territory of Edan includes, but is not limited to, the following: All current and future Terra Nullius; All land held by the Royal Family, noble families, and citizens in allodial, fee simple, fee tail, or concurrent estate title now or in

The Enemy of my Enemy is Just a Stranger

2011-11-15T11:49:00.000-05:00

Edan is dedicated to certain principles and opposed to certain concepts and activities, like any nation or movement. We stand for legitimate justice, responsible freedom, family, faith, and the tenets of Catholic Social Justice as described by the Church itself. We oppose moral relativity, secularism, the disruption of the family, corporatism, Socialism, Libertarianism, usury, and Anarchy. We

Monarchy and Democracy

2011-11-09T14:34:00.000-05:00

[From the King and the Crown Prince] There may be some wondering amongst the readers, critics, and potential citizens of Edan, why are we a monarchy? From what I have seen elsewhere there seem to be two primary chains of thought. 1: "Don't you know that democracies are better and more modern?", and 2: "Don't the people have more freedom and liberty in a democracy?". I shall approach each argument

A Paradigm of Unsustainable Action

2011-10-29T20:34:00.000-04:00

[From the Crown Prince] As I look at the world around me, and contemplate the nature of government and humanity, I have noticed a disturbing fact: every political, economic, or cultural paradigm of the modern world is deeply flawed in that it is unsustainable long term (20+ years). Yet these short-term goals are said to be the name of progress. Take, for example, the European Union Its core

Egalitarian or Leaderless?

2011-10-06T12:24:00.001-04:00

A recent study from the Stanford University purports to show something that it may not, in fact, show. This study, which was actually a computer simulation, was an attempt to discover why the modern world is composed overwhelmingly by 'stratified' societies rather than by 'egalitarian' societies. The inherent biases of the researchers are prominently on display ranging from the blunt statement

An Integrated Life

2011-08-13T23:34:00.000-04:00

HRM Jennifer has a particular fondness for the painting posted above not just because of the composition, nor the skill, but for the attitudes expressed. People in the fields pausing in their labor as the procession passes by. No church is seen, but faith is everywhere. Prayers are not 'over there' or 'in that place', but everywhere and at all times. When HRM Jennifer first saw it she said,

The Madness of the Modern World (by HRH Jonathan)

2011-08-11T22:58:00.000-04:00

I have been looking about me and begun to realize how truly insane the world around us has become without us realizing it. From basic, obvious things like the death of chivalry or the imposition of the nation-state paradigm, to subtle, horrible things such as the denial of truth itself or the total detachment of those in government from both the common man and reality. And I have thought of how

The First of Many

2011-06-13T12:36:00.007-04:00

[A Post by HRH Jonathan] I have been contemplating the situation of Israel and it's people, searching for a reason beyond Judaism that the "International Community" hates them so. And I have reached a conclusion; Israel is hated because it is the first of many, the first successful micro-nation. The Jewish people, spurred by the events of the 20th century, realized what all must eventually

Blogger Issues

2011-05-13T13:22:00.002-04:00

Note: Blogger is currently having issues that may make posts vanish or be duplicated.

Nation-States, the UN, and the Illicit War in Libya

2011-05-13T13:22:00.000-04:00

We have watched the various rebellions in the Middle East with the sadness that comes from having predicted the events years ago and realizing that these revolts are in response to the natural desire for a proper, personal government based upon joint moral obligations and that successful rebellions may, in the long term, be worse than the status quo because the rebels only know what they don't

Welcome the new First Lord of Engineers

2011-04-04T12:27:00.001-04:00

This weekend HRM Richard elevated long-time Edanian commenter David H. to the rank of Technocratic Earl and the position of First Lord of Engineers. In this position, Lord David will have oversight of all engineering within the Kingdom, to include education. Join us in celebrating Lord David's elevation!

Update your Census Data

2011-03-22T16:50:00.000-04:00

The deadline for census updates in March 31st; if you have moved, changed phone numbers, etc. please make sure to contact the Ministries before then!

Nation-States and War

2011-03-01T09:52:00.000-05:00

Across the world, in dictatorships and police states, people are gathering to protest tyrannical government. They mostly started peacefully, but it has become violent. At the same time, across the world, terrorist attacks against Europe and America are being planned and put in motion. The dictators and tyrants respond to protest with military force, the West responds to terrorism with law

Are Corporations People, or Not?

2011-02-17T11:22:00.003-05:00

Stephen Bainbridge is a Professor of Corporate Law and a relatively popular law blogger. In a recent blog post he made the statement that “The social obligation of business is to sustainably maximize long-term profits for shareholders. Nothing more. Nothing less.” This is a fascinating statement, especially in light of what Mr. Bainbridge writes elsewhere in his blog. In articles like this

The Distributist Review On Economics

2011-02-01T15:13:00.001-05:00

The Distributist Review has the start of an excellent series on economics and Catholic social teaching which can be found here.

Crown Prince Jonathan and the Order of St. Louis

2011-01-31T14:41:00.002-05:00

This Friday, February 4th, at the Church of St. Francis HRH Jonathan will be accepted into the Order of St. Louis as a squire. The Pastor of St. Francis shall lead a ritual beginning with a blessing of HRH Jonathan's sword and ending with a vigil before the Blessed Sacrament.Please join us in congratulating HRH Jonathan on his upcoming honors!

Another Link

2010-03-11T23:23:00.000-05:00

To a Catholic Monarchist.

Quote on Monarchy

2010-03-09T00:17:00.000-05:00

"Monarchy can easily be debunked, but watch the faces, mark well the debunkers. These are the men whose taproot in Eden has been cut: whom no rumour of the polyphony, the dance, can reach---men to whom pebbles laid in a row are more beautiful than an arch. Yet even if they desire mere equality they cannot reach it. Where men are forbidden to honour a king they honour millionaires, athletes or

A Good Resource on Monarchy and Catholicism

2010-03-09T00:06:00.003-05:00

Can be found here. There are many other links to follow from there, too!

Democracy vs. Monarchy from a Different Viewpoint

2010-03-03T14:39:00.005-05:00

Lew Rockwell is an Anarcho-Capitalist. Dr. Hans-Herman Hoppe is an Austrian School economist. Both are hard line advocates of the most extreme forms of laissez-faire Capitalism and Libertarianism.However, in an interview from 2008 Hoppe advocates Monarchy over Democracy and makes a number of points concerning the negative effects of Democracies over the past few centuries. A podcast of the

Another Good Article from the Distributist Review

2010-03-03T01:24:00.001-05:00

This article discusses a point central to Edanian thought - economics is about people, not money.

Happy Birthday to His Royal Highness Jonathan!

2010-01-25T12:10:00.001-05:00

This past weekend Crown Prince Jonathan celebrated his 13th birthday. Please join the royal family in wishing him well.

A Knight's Birthday

2009-11-25T12:48:00.002-05:00

Earlier this year the actor Ricardo Montalban passed away. While he is often best known as an actor, he was also a Knight in the Papal Order of St. Gregory the Great. A true humanitarian, devout Catholic, and terrific actor, let us remember Ricardo Montalban on what would have been his 89th birthday.

An article from the Distributist Review...

2009-11-23T12:39:00.003-05:00

On the loss of access to leaders and power in democracy can be found here. It is related to this and this.

Democracy, Monarchy, Management, and Leadership

2009-11-06T10:59:00.002-05:00

One common question that we face is ‘why do you support monarchy?’ in one of its various forms. After all, in the current world some variation of representative democracy seems to be the only way to govern. The fall of the Soviet Union led to an assumption that corporate capitalist democracy, socialist democracy, or some other flavor of representative democracy is the path the world is on. Of

Happy Constitution Day!

2009-10-31T17:42:00.002-04:00

Today is the 10th anniversary of the writing of the first draft of the Edanian constitution. The Royal Family is hosting a party to commemorate the event and the King sends his best wishes to all Edanian across the globe!

Happy Birthday Prince Nicholas!

2009-10-23T13:48:00.001-04:00

Please join the citizens of Edan in wishing HH Nicholas a happy birthday!

Recommened Reading on Economics and Catholicism.

2009-08-02T15:30:00.002-04:00

The Ministry of Information highly recommends the discussion of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI's most recent encyclical found here.

Happy Birthday Prince Alexander!

2009-07-28T14:04:00.001-04:00

Please join the Royal Family in wishing His Highness Alexander a very special birthday!

Royal Address on the Global Economic Crisis

2009-07-22T11:38:00.001-04:00

To the Citizens and Nobles of Edan and the Peoples of all the World, Greetings. We are aware that the current economic shock is affecting many people, even most people, all over the world in a negative way; many people have lost employment, have lost homes, face a future of decreased actual income and increased prices, and face a lack of credit. This last element of the crisis, a ‘lack

A Non-corrupt Government

2009-06-04T13:22:00.003-04:00

Despite his reputation, Machiavelli was, first and foremost, a theorist of government with a focus on the idea 'what government is most just, most stable, and lest onerous?'. While his book The Prince gets the most attention, his book The Discourses is his best work by far.Here is an excerpt."Princes or republics that wish to maintain themselves without corruption must, above all else, maintain

How to Become a Citizen

2009-04-01T13:15:00.002-04:00

Hello! While the Kingdom of Edan has existed since 1999 the government stopped accepting applications for citizenship in 2002 in order to make sure the nature of the Kingdom was stable, the Constitution was complete, and that the core ideas would work.As of April 1st, 2009 the Kingdom is once again accepting citizenship applications. There are no restrictions on applications except the following;

The Final Constitution

2009-04-01T13:06:00.001-04:00

The Constitution of the Kingdom of EdanPreambleIn furtherance of the desire of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, His Royal Majesty Richard has created this constitution for the Kingdom of Edan to protect its citizens and their rights in humble acknowledgement of God who is the source of all justice, all freedom, and all good.Chapter I The Kingdom of

Welcome to the World

2009-03-26T09:24:00.003-04:00

Note: Some terms and basic definitions in this article were coined by the micronational theorist Cesidio Tallini. Cesidio has spent a decade in theory and his boundless energy has resulted in a huge output of ideas and concepts. However, some of his conclusions are radically different than the concept of Edan; Please assume that the concepts and conclusions here are solely those of HRM Richard

What an Edanian Looks Like

2009-03-23T16:15:00.003-04:00

While there are a lot fewer Edanins today then there were a decade ago, we soldier on. The biggest reason that Edan was made smaller, quieter, and more private was that the King realized that most micronations do thinks in the wrong order. In the military this is called 'Ready, Fire, Aim!' thinking. HRM Richard stopped and decided to make the road, then travel down it. As the last article stated,

Why the Kingdom of Edan Exists

2009-03-20T10:54:00.005-04:00

A question that is asked more by people who are not already active in micronations is, really, pretty straightforward - what is a micronation for? And there are a number of standard answers. Many micronations are for fun. "Fun" micronations have goals ranging from exercises in model government and debating to playing dictator. Fun micronations can be a lot of fun and a few have lasted for many

An Article worth Reading

2009-03-19T13:48:00.002-04:00

Please visit the excellent Distributist Review and their discussion of an article about usury that is not yet online.

Proposed Final Draft

2009-03-11T16:21:00.000-04:00

PreambleIn furtherance of the desire of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, His Royal Majesty Richard has created this constitution for the Kingdom of Edan to protect its citizens and their rights in humble acknowledgement of God who is the source of all justice, all freedom, and all good.Chapter I The Kingdom of EdanArticle 1 Citizenry and Language(1)

Constitutional Revision

2009-03-11T15:26:00.001-04:00

The text of the most recent (and possibly final) addition follows;Article 43(1) No Catholic priest, nun, monk, or other religious person shall be liable for tax on their income from ecclesial sources.(2) No Catholic church, shrine, basilica, cathedral, rectory, convent, monastery, or other building used for religious services or to house religious members shall be subject to a property tax. This

Proposed Final Draft of the Constitution

2008-12-01T17:02:00.003-05:00

This is the proposed final draft of the constitution. Please feel free to leave comments or send feedback via email. The changes from the ninth draft are largely cosmetic, but there are changes in the language of the responsibilities of Nobles.Text followsPreambleIn furtherance of the desire of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, His Royal Majesty

More Web Presence

2008-11-30T14:27:00.003-05:00

As the King prepares to publish the final draft of the Constitution the Ministry of Information has added the Kingdom of Edan to the Micronational Wiki. Our particular entry is here.

The Ninth Draft of the Constitution

2008-08-26T01:53:00.002-04:00

With a rather serious change to the section on Nobles and many name changes. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was instrumental in this draft, so please leave your feedback.Text Follows:Preamble In furtherance of the desire of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, His Royal Majesty Richard has created this constitution for the Kingdom of Edan to

A Quote about Types of government

2008-06-04T14:17:00.003-04:00

Here is an interesting essay by Otto von Habsburg. An excerpt; " Republicans frequently claim, in addition, that monarchy is a form of government belonging to the past, while republicanism is that of the future. Even a slight knowledge of history is enough to disprove this. Both forms have been in existence since the earliest times (though the monarchical periods have usually lasted

The Most Controversial Change

2008-04-21T14:39:00.005-04:00

There have been a few changes to the laws of citizenship since the first draft of the Constitution in October, 1999. For example, originally there was a push to allow voting by citizens as young as 16, although this never made it to a draft. There has been a rather persistent attempt to change the right to vote since the very beginning. Her Majesty, the Queen, has been the leading proponent of

New Preamble

2008-04-21T14:10:00.001-04:00

"In furtherance of the desire of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, His Royal Majesty Richard has created this constitution for the Kingdom of Edan to protect its citizens and their rights in humble acknowledgement of of God who is the source of all justice, all freedom, and all good." This makes explicit that the source of the King's sovereignty is

Structural Changes to the Consitution

2008-04-21T13:59:00.003-04:00

After some serious debate within the Royal Family and amongst the citizens on the discussion lists, there are some major changes in the structure of the seventh draft of the Constitution. The section on Nobles has been moved to make them explicitly part of the executive power of the Kingdom and to clarify their rights, privileges, and responsibilities. There are also changes to the preamble,

Sixth Draft of the Constitution (complete)

2008-03-12T23:32:00.000-04:00

Preamble In furtherance of the desire of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, His Royal Majesty Richard has created this constitution for the Kingdom of Edan to protect its citizens and their rights. Chapter I The Kingdom of Edan Article 1 Citizenry and Language (1) Citizens of the Kingdom of Edan are all people granted citizenship as

Happy Birthday to the Crown Prince!

2008-03-03T14:01:00.001-05:00

HRH Jonathan, Crown Prince of Edan, recently celebrated a birthday. The Kingdom and its peoples extend their very best to the young Prince.

More on Theory and How Things Work

2007-07-25T13:43:00.000-04:00

A problem that faces any nation (indeed, any group) is the issue of free riders – people who enjoy the benefits of a group but do not pay a full share of the costs of providing the same benefits. This really only refers to people who choose to be free riders, not people that are, for example, too poor to pay taxes because of a disability. Instead, a free rider would be someone who exploited

Feudal Technocratic Distributism

2007-07-17T09:04:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned earlier, the (rather unwieldy) name I have for the general theory of how Edan would work (and remember, Edan is an attempt to build a new way for all countries to work) is Feudal Technocratic Distributism. The name leads directly to a question – what the heck does that mean? Let’s take the name one element at a time to illustrate the idea. ‘Feudal’ is, of course, from

The Current State of Theory

2007-07-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in an earlier piece, the initial focus of Edan was on creating a model of how government can remain as direct, local, and (really) comprehensible as possible. Modern nation-states are too distant, too centralized, and too dependent upon a faceless, unaccountable bureaucracy; the average citizen has literally no contact with leaders and little chance (or incentive!) to understand

Complete Thrid Draft of the Constitution

2007-07-09T09:05:00.000-04:00

[in original formatting -ed]Preamble In furtherance of with the desire of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, His Royal Majesty Richard has created this constitution for the Kingdom of Edan to protect its citizens and their rights. Chapter I The Kingdom of Edan Article 1 Citizenry and Language (1) Citizens of the Kingdom of Edan

Changes in the Third Draft, with Comments

2007-07-09T09:01:00.000-04:00

Here are the key changes in the third draft of the constitution, with comments on the reasons. Only changes will be listed here, with the full text posted soon. Article 1 Citizenry and Language (1) Citizens of the Kingdom of Edan are all people granted citizenship as detailed by law or children who are either; (c) The natural child of at lat least one native Edanian parent.

Edan as a Catholic Nation

2007-07-05T11:39:00.000-04:00

The decision to make Edan an explicitly Catholic nation was, in the end, rather an easy one. The old adage that “important things are simple, and simple things are hard” is, in my experience, very true. The goal of Edan is simple – create a governmental structure that allows its citizens the greatest possible benefit. This, of course, leads to a very great deal of follow-on issues. Who are the

Creating an Edanian Culture

2007-07-02T09:29:00.001-04:00

If Edan is to be a nation (“people who share common customs, origins, history, and frequently language; a nationality”), then we must examine the elements that make a nation. Definitions of ‘nation’ other than that quoted above include such criterion as psychological outlook and shared economic activity. While territory is sometimes included in the definition of ‘nation’, increasingly it is not

The Complete Second Draft of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Edan

2007-06-26T13:17:00.000-04:00

Preamble In furtherance of with the desire of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, His Royal Majesty Richard has created this constitution for the Kingdom of Edan to protect its citizens and their rights. Chapter I The Kingdom of Edan Article 1 Citizenry and Language (1) Citizens of the Kingdom of Edan are all people granted

Comparison of the Second and First Drafts, part 1

2007-06-26T12:41:00.000-04:00

[Only changes are listed] Chapter I The Kingdom of EdanArticle 1 Citizenry and Language (2) The official languages of the Kingdom of Edan are American English, Latin and French. At the suggestion of the first Seneschal, French was included as the official 'language of diplomacy' at the UN. Article 2 Nature of the Kingdom of Edan (1) The Kingdom of Edan is a sovereign, Catholic,

The Second Draft of the Constitution

2007-06-26T12:37:00.000-04:00

After I ended the Kingdom's web presence in early 2001 I continued to work on theory and speak with other citizens and interested people, especially S.T.L. of the now-defunct States of Lassaira. This led to a major edit of the Constitution, also in early 2001. Unfortunately, serious illness reared its head and I had to put aside the Constitution for a while. I will begin to show the new

Frequently Asked Questions

2007-06-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

[Always Being Updated] 1) What is Edan? Edan is a micronation. 2) When did you start Edan? I became interested in micronations in 1997 and joined the now-defunct Republic of Lomar in 1998 (long before their issues with fraud, thank goodness). In October, 1999 I wrote up the first draft of the Constitution (which has been made available on this blog) and my first new citizen joined

The Basic Theory behind Edan, plus a little history

2007-06-26T11:45:00.001-04:00

The Kingdom of Edan started with a very simple idea: government is no more or less than what people believe it to be. The modern idea of a “nation-state” is a rather new one and was only really nailed down in the Montevideo Convention of 1933. Even the Convention, which is the international law of what a country is, is rather vague. Further, the real world shows that there are exceptions to

The Complete First Draft of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Edan

2007-06-26T11:43:00.000-04:00

Preamble In accordance with the inherent right of all people to be free, to gather together, and to determine their own destiny, the Kingdom of Edan is formed to protect the freedoms of its own citizens and to stand as an example to the people of the world. Chapter I The Kingdom of Edan Article 1 Citizenry and Language (1) Citizens of the Kingdom of Edan are all people granted

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 14

2007-06-26T11:37:00.000-04:00

Chapter VII The Provinces This entire chapter divides the world into seven Provinces. Article 40 Population of the Province This section describes where the provinces are and who lives in them.Article 41 Provincial Governors How governors are appointed or elected, their duties, etc.Article 42 Provincial Elections The nuts and bolts of the election of governorsArticle 43 Migration How a

First Draft of the Constitution, part 14

2007-06-26T11:36:00.000-04:00

Chapter VII The Provinces Article 40 Population of the Provinces (1) The population of the Kingdom shall be divided into seven Provinces (2) The Provinces shall be named by Provincial referenda after the election of Provincial Governors. The Sovereign must approve all such Provincial names. Until such time, they shall be called by their ordinal numbers; First Province, Second Province, etc.

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 13

2007-06-26T11:32:00.000-04:00

Article 38 The Right to Dignity Outlaws cruel and unusual punishments, torture, seizing of private property without recompense, double jeopardy, forced labor, secret trials, and discrimination. The language needs to be tightened up.Article 39 Exclusion of Rights These rights are not exclusive!

First Draft of the Constitution, part 13

2007-06-26T11:30:00.000-04:00

Article 38 The Right to Dignity (1) Each and every person has the right to dignity and just treatment from, with and among others. (2) Torture, to include corporal punishment, is forbidden. (3) Cruel and unusual punishments shall not be inflicted, nor excessive fines imposed. (4) The Kingdom, the government, and the Law shall respect the privacy of each individual to as great an extent as is

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 12

2007-06-26T11:27:00.000-04:00

Article 37 The Right to Freedom Freedom of thought, belief, and speech. Also freedom of assembly freedom of the press, and freedom of association. Outlaws slavery and requires a warrant. Unfortunately, I did not place a requirement for habeas corpus here or in the Judiciary section!

First Draft of the Constitution, part 12

2007-06-26T11:26:00.000-04:00

Article 37 The Right to Freedom (1) The Right to Freedom is considered to be of particular importance to the Kingdom, government, and citizens of the Kingdom of Edan. (2) The Kingdom shall make no laws that limit the freedom of a person's thought, belief, or religion except where the practice of such beliefs or religion can be demonstrated to endanger others or deprive others of their basic

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 11

2007-06-26T08:22:00.000-04:00

Chapter VI The Statement of RightsPart I General ProvisionsArticle 35 Basic Rights This is the beginning of the section describing the rights of people. It starts by making all people equal in rights and making provision for the defense of the Kingdom.Article 36 The Right to Life This article forbids the death penalty, euthanasia except in the case of brain death, and limits abortion based on

First Draft of the Constitution, part 11

2007-06-26T08:21:00.000-04:00

Chapter VI The Statement of Rights Part I General Provisions Article 35 Basic Rights (1) The Kingdom acknowledges that all people are equal in their rights and that such rights are inalienable. (2) The Kingdom and its government shall guarantee the rights set forth in this Constitution subject only to the limits defined by legislation which can be demonstrated as necessary in a free and

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 10

2007-06-26T07:40:00.000-04:00

Chapter V Judicial PowerArticle 32 The Courts Brief and bluntArticle 33 The High Tribunal This section discusses the highest court in the Kingdom, the High Tribunal. It explains how Tribunes are appointed and removed, tenure, scope, authority, and jurisdiction.Article 34 Royal Courts This shorter section explains how the courts below the High Tribunal are made and staffed.

First Draft of the Constitution, part 10

2007-06-26T07:39:00.000-04:00

Chapter V Judicial Power Article 32 The Courts (1) The judicial power is vested into the courts. (2) Judges are appointed by the Sovereign pending the approval of the Assembly. They are independent. Their time in office is determined by legislation or by the terms of this Constitution. Article 33 The High Tribunal (1) The High Tribunal is the highest court of the Kingdom and decides

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 9

2007-06-26T06:46:00.000-04:00

Article 30 Treaties This is one of the clearest early expressions of a key idea - when the King performs certain actions (in this case, create a treaty) the Assembly isn't then to approve it, but rather is challenged to disapprove it. As mentioned earlier, this is designed to maintain a strong Royal presence within the government.Article 31 Emergency Powers In a similar vein, the King's ability

First Draft of the Constitution, part 9

2007-06-26T06:44:00.000-04:00

Article 30 Treaties (1) The Sovereign retains the right to sign treaties with other States and organizations of States. (2) The Assembly must ratify any treaty signed by the King. If 2/3 of each of the houses of the Assembly votes against such a treaty, it is nullified. (3) If the Assembly fails to ratify or decline a treaty within three months of the Sovereign's signature, it is ratified by

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 8

2007-06-25T13:28:00.000-04:00

Article 28 Sessions and Conclaves This explains when the Assembly works. 'Session' means 'period between elections' and 'Conclave' means 'periods when the Assembly actually works'. While this was meant to clearly delineate when Assemblymen worked and allow time for campaigning and meeting citizens, the result is that the Assembly can work as little as 4 months out of the year in 2 two month

First Draft of the Constitution, part 8

2007-06-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

Article 28 Sessions and Conclaves (1) A session of the Senate shall last from the election of the Senate as a whole until the next such election. (2) A session of the Council shall last from the election of the Council as a whole until the next such election. (3) Two weeks after the election of the Senate the First Senator shall call a Conclave; each such Conclave shall consist of a two-month

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 7

2007-06-25T13:20:00.000-04:00

Article 25 Richts of the Members of the Assembly This discusses the limited legal immunity of Senators and Councilors as well as how and when the Assembly can change its own pay.Article 26 The Legislative Process A general discussion of how to introduce legislation, how it is approved, the Sovereign's line-item veto, and the process of veto override.Article 27 Expenditures This description of

First Draft of the Constitution, part 7

2007-06-25T13:18:00.000-04:00

Article 25 Rights of Members of the Assembly (1) Members of the Assembly may not be subjected to judicial or civil action for a vote cast or a statement made by them in the Assembly or in any of its committees, excepting only acts of Sedition. (2) Members of the Assembly may not be arrested or detained during a formal Conclave without the approval of the High Tribunal. (3) Remuneration for

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 6

2007-06-25T13:08:00.000-04:00

Article 22 The Assembly; the Council This establishes the Council as a counter-point to the Senate in the bicameral houses of the legislature. The Council is, here, based on Provinces. Councilors serve longer terms than Senators, there are fewer of them, and they are strictly regional. So they are in some ways much more like the British House of Lords. Although it is not mentioned, Councilors

First Draft of the Constitution, part 6

2007-06-25T13:07:00.000-04:00

Article 22 The Assembly; the Council (1) The Council is elected by the citizens of the Provinces of the Kingdom of Edan and is a regional representation body. Councilors are elected by general elections held within each of the several Provinces. The number of Councilors is determined as follows; (a) If the population of the Kingdom is less than 10,000 persons, there shall be one Councilor for

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 5

2007-06-25T12:39:00.000-04:00

Chapter IV Legislative Power I originally saw this as the heart of the document, although I no longer hold that opinion.Article 21: The Assembly; the Senate Roughly analogous to the American Congress or the House of Commons. This section is the basics of how many senators, how they vote, terms, etc. Very long! It also discusses the First Senator; originally, the First Senator was conceived as

First Draft of the Constitution, part 5

2007-06-25T12:37:00.000-04:00

Chapter IV Legislative Power Article 21 The Assembly; the Senate (1) The legislative power is vested in the Assembly. The Assembly is divided into two houses, the Senate and the Council. For purposes of precedence alone, the Council shall be considered the senior body. (2) The Senate is elected in general elections by all citizens of the nation and is a proportional representation body. The

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 4

2007-06-25T12:36:00.000-04:00

Article 13- Article 20 All a listing of the various ministers and ministries, as well as Royal Advisors and how to make new Ministers/Ministries.

First Draft of the Constitution, part 4

2007-06-25T12:35:00.001-04:00

Article 13 The Seneschal (1) The Minister of State shall be called the Seneschal. (2) The Seneschal is concerned with the internal affairs of the Kingdom, to include, transportation, infrastructure, social welfare, and the environment. He is the senior member of the Cabinet and head of the Ministry of State. (3) The Seneschal shall oversee all elections as set forth in this Constitution. (4)

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 3

2007-06-25T08:51:00.000-04:00

Part II (now discussing the various posts within the Kingdom)Article 9 This long section is about the King: titles, heirs, removal from the throne. The whole enchilada about what to call him, how to replace him, etc.Part III (should have organized this better)Article 10 This section is about the actual political power of the King. This is a pretty good list, but might need more detail. Also,

First Draft of the Constitution, part 3

2007-06-25T08:50:00.000-04:00

Part II Representation of the Kingdom Article 9 The Sovereign (1) As the embodiment of the Kingdom and its citizens, the Sovereign is the head of state and the chief executive. Within the constitution the term 'king' shall apply to the Sovereign regardless of the actual gender of the Sovereign. (2) The full title of the King shall be "His Royal Majesty, (name), King of Edan, Defender of the

Discussion of the First Draft of the Constitution, part 2

2007-06-22T13:41:00.000-04:00

Chapter III (finally, how this might work!)Part I (just the big stuff, here)Article 6 Elections The goal here is to explain how elections work. Unfortunately, there isn't enough detail! I need to explain that this is meant to be a list proportional system at the level of the Senate and that the D'Hont Method. Also, there may need to be a need to remove the deadline and replace it with language

First Draft of the Constitution, part 2

2007-06-22T13:40:00.000-04:00

Chapter III Organization of the Kingdom Part I General Organization Article 6 Elections (1) Elections are to be overseen by the Minister of State; they are to be free, equal, and secret. The Minister of State must ensure that, as far as possible, the procedures and processes of voting do not hinder any citizen from casting a proper and legal ballot and that no person, group, faction, or party

Discussion of the first draft of the Constitution, part 1

2007-06-22T07:33:00.000-04:00

I would like to discuss each section of the Constitution as I go to explain goals, objectives, and possible changes.Preamble Very self-explanatory.Chapter I (general info)Article 1 Simple stuff - who is a citizen, the language, country name, etc.Article 2 A bit more complicated; the idea is to resemble a constitutional monarchy without actually being a constitutional monarchy (more on that

First Draft of the Constitution, part 1

2007-06-21T13:37:00.000-04:00

This is the first section of the Constitution of Edan, something that has undergone a serious re-write from its first version of 1999. My goal is to show the first draft and comment on it to explain what was wrong with it. then we will go over the current version and also review, and then try to write a final version!Preamble In accordance with the inherent right of all people to be free, to