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Labour Reforms Approved in Ataraxia

Postby TheCollectivist » Fri Jan 19, 2018 1:07 am

June 4335

Image
Image: A data centre in the Commune of Ataraxia.

Labour reforms have been approved in the Commune of Ataraxia in effort to organize resources more efficiently. These reforms also come in the form of hiring more highly educated professionals such as scientists and engineers, changing the name of "cooperatives" to "syndicates" and "teams" to "cooperatives", and creating some new specialized organizations. Terry Pressley, who is an accountant and the Councillor of the Information Syndicate of the Commune of Ataraxia, is the main architect behind these reforms.

Terry Pressley wrote:The idea is to divide the workforce by sector. We did this before, but many of the new specialized sectors like information technology got placed in the same organization as mineral extraction. This was not ideal and caused some confusion in organization. Now we have split some organizations apart to boost cohesiveness. For example the information technology sector has its own syndicate, as does the raw resource sector. Don't get me wrong, geological engineers and computer programmers get along just fine, it's just less messy to have them in separate syndicates. At the end of the day we're all on the same team.

Some organizations we merged into others, for the example the "Science Cooperative" was deemed far too broad and unnecessarily divided scientists from other workers.


Now the Commune of Ataraxia is divided among 12 syndicates (formerly 8, new ones are marked with an asterisk*):

1. Construction Syndicate*
2. Energy Syndicate
3. Environment Syndicate*
4. Exploration Syndicate*
5. Food Syndicate
6. Information Syndicate*
7. Manufacturing Syndicate*
8. Medicine Syndicate
9. Resource Syndicate
10. Security Syndicate
11. Transportation Syndicate
12. Water Syndicate

These syndicates are made up of cooperatives that are more specialized in purpose. Other Ataraxian communes are not expected to adapt these reforms until their infrastructure is updated to similar specifications to that of the Commune of Ataraxia. The current reforms mandate a very educated workforce, with STEM occupations taking up around 71%. Affairs throughout the confederation have become increasingly technocratic as the workforce has become more involved with technology.
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Hope and Faith

Postby TheCollectivist » Mon Feb 12, 2018 7:59 pm

October 4347

Written by: Structural engineer Lyn Kopp, Ambassador of the Ataraxian Confederation

The Hosian Democrats recently won a majority (55.6%) in Adelia and became the second largest political party in Hutori. Normally this wouldn't concern us if not for the religiosity of the party. The "Religious Change Act" sought Hutori to adopt a state religion, promote religion in schools, and give special tax exemption to religious organizations. Fortunately the bill was supported by nobody except the Hosian Democrats, who felt that religion will "protect us from hardships and corruption". Now, we normally like to keep a distance from Hutorian internal politics, but we have a vested interest in promoting technological development throughout Hutori, something we believe is highly dependent on the nation's focus on science and technology. Thankfully despite the Hosian Democrats religious focus, their track record seems fairly promising. For example, they supported a national space program and the adoption of environmentally-friendly fuels. Our concern with them lies with their attempt to corrupt the education system and national identity with a religious zeal, but also primarily in the following statement:

Elizabeth Love wrote:Our belief is that scientific advancements while good, do not amount to the supreme power of our Elyon. We hope that the Ataraxians will see the error in their sinful ways, by trying to advance beyond the natural world they are destroying any relationship they once had with Elyon. We can only pray that they will awaken and destroy these ridiculous communes and live a life of faith and religion.


This statement ironically comes from a party that claims to promote "peace" and "love". Not so loving of them to encourage the self-destruction of entire communities in the name of "faith". Their love of the "natural world" is also troubling.

Of course we cannot escape the actual natural laws of the universe, that is the laws of physics. We will however try to free humanity of disease, improve technology, and continuously strive to build a smarter, more connected, and ultimately more knowledgeable world. We could care less if this brings us less closer to an apparent omnipotent being who has seen fit to send us zero technical documentation and ultimately leave us to our own devices. An omnipotent being who seemingly only exists in human imagination.

Here's the main problem with religions today. They claim that their purpose is to fill the human need for hope and faith. They are however a rather miserable thing to have hope and faith for. Religion has never cured a disease, it has never solved a problem of engineering, nor has it objectively made any contribution to human progress. As a conduit for hope, it is useless. Science has brought humanity a higher standard of living, has brought the world together through mass communication, and has enabled people to be free of many terrible diseases that plagued former generations.

Hope and faith is important and it is especially important that we have hope and faith for the right things. Science has proven to have the capability to solve our modern problems. Why not have hope for that? Why not have optimism (faith if you will) that through investing in scientific research, we can develop better technologies that in turn we make our world a better place. Why not instead of promoting blind devotion to religion, we promote critical thinking, evidence-based conclusions, and the ability of science to enlighten us about the functions and true laws of the universe.

Science is not a religion, as unlike a religion, it is constantly adapting itself to new evidence. This is how we have been able to create vaccines and give people arguably a better life. So, what if that brings us away from the "natural world". The natural world is a place of disease, of brutally slow evolution and frankly, a place of barbarity. If we are as a species to succeed, we must use every tool we can muster to improve our lives and the world. There is absolutely no point in keeping us in the dark, of promoting ignorance, or being shy of technological progress.

Science doesn't do itself and praying isn't going to help us either. What will help us is rigorous scientific research and development. For that we need intelligent engineers and scientists who rely on rational, critical thinking to solve problems. Let's put our ignorance behind us. Let's embrace the only proven method of understanding and improving the world: S-C-I-E-N-C-E.
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Aeroponics to Replace Hydroponics

Postby TheCollectivist » Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:54 am

December 4354

Image
Image: An agricultural engineer inspects aeroponic crops in the Commune of
Ataraxia.

Aeroponics is set to replace hydroponics in the Commune of Ataraxia. According to agricultural engineer Eden Stanford (Organizer of the Aeroponics Cooperative of the Commune of Ataraxia and leader of Project Aeroponics), aeroponics uses less water, is less susceptible to disease, and is overall a more efficient process than hydroponics.

Eden Stanford wrote:We've already begun replacing our hydroponic systems with aeroponics.


Instead of growing plants in water like hydroponics, aeroponics just uses mist. This process is expected to require less maintenance. Hydroponics started being used in Ataraxia under Project Hydroponics back in November 4328.

Giving blood is now compulsory in the Commune of Ataraxia

The Council of the Commune of Ataraxia has approved of compulsory blood extraction in times of blood shortages. Under normal circumstances, blood donations will still be relied upon. The policy received wide approval in the Council of the Ataraxian Confederation and is expected to be adopted in other communes.

Marvyn Warrick, Conciliator of the Commune of Ataraxia wrote:This policy isn't intended to end voluntary blood donations, but rather prevent blood shortages. Not that we have had blood shortages, but outside societies have and we do not want to suffer from the same situation. Some people, particularly on the outside, might see this policy as authoritarian or oppressive, but we disagree. Having someone die because society was not generous enough to give blood is oppressive - not obligations to give blood.


Warrick assured doubters that only people healthy enough to give blood would be obligated to do so in a shortage.

Warrick wrote:We would never require one to sacrifice their safety for the sake of someone else. This also is not some precursor to compulsory organ donations from the living. There is a huge difference between an obligation to give blood, a mostly risk-free procedure, to a surgical procedure involving organ extraction from a living host.
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200 Years of Workers' Self-Management

Postby TheCollectivist » Sat Mar 10, 2018 8:44 pm

September 4360

Image
Image: Red flags are flown at the Commune of Seira.

Communes across the Ataraxian Confederation are recognizing 200 years of continued workers' self-management. In September 4160, 64 communes were founded by the Hutorian Proletarian Party (the predecessors to the Ataraxian Confederation) under the leadership of rancher Tiege Varnham. 200 years later, workers' self-management continues today in the Ataraxian Confederation.

102-year-old Lyn Kopp, the Ambassador of the Ataraxian Confederation and Conciliator of the Commune of Seira made a speech after singing the Internationale with other communal residents:

Lyn Kopp wrote:Today we recognize 200 years of workers' self-management under the guiding principles of autonomy and council communism. We have accomplished a great achievement for mankind. The continued survival and success of our society proves that our system works. A system where the workers, not property owners or aloof executives, make the decisions. A system that forbids poverty, decay, and alienation... A system where everyone works together and where successes benefit everyone. We have shown that this is more than just an idealistic dream, but a working reality. People do not have to be burdened by the incompetence of greed. Instead, everyone can work together collectively as comrades, not as competitors, to make a society that works for them.

No matter if you're a structural engineer, a doctor, or a janitor, your voice, your well-being has value. We needed all of you to accomplish what we have today. And we will still need each of you to contribute as you have been to maintain this truly unique and remarkable society.

200 years ago our society was founded to liberate the working class, now through science, we liberate mankind. Our technology and occupations may change, but our core values will remain. We will always be a society built and run by workers, whether they be scientists or janitors, we need them all the same.

On behalf of the Ataraxian Confederation, thank you to all of our residents and outside supporters. May we continue to live in peace and solidarity for centuries to come.


Alfred Putnam (August 4064 - April 4150)
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Alfred Putnam was a gardener and founded the Hutorian Proletarian Party (HPP) in February 4087. He led the party from its founding to February 4149. He is credited with laying the foundations for the party both politically and ideologically.

Tiege Varnham (August 4116 - September 4212)
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Tiege Varnham was a rancher who served as the second leader of the HPP and was also elected Hutorian president from June 4205 - June 4209. Varnham led the party from February 4149 - August 4212. He is credited with founding the 64 Adelian communes that still exist today, a $3.2 billion HLR investment at the time, which was raised among party members for several decades.

Warren Platt (April 4191 - April 4287)
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Warren Platt was a former Hutorian soldier and served as the third leader of the HPP. He led the party from August 4212 - January 4277. Platt is credited as being instrumental in gaining official autonomy for the 64 communes under the Workers' Communal Autonomy Act of October 4243, which recognized the communes as Adelian autonomous enclaves in January 4246.

Dr. Vinal Parish (November 4239 - November 4332)
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Dr. Vinal Parish was a general practitioner, fourth and last leader of the HPP, founder of the Ataraxian Confederation, and was elected Hutorian president from December 4286 - December 4290. Parish led the HPP from January 4277 - January 4290 and was the Ataraxian ambassador from January 4290 - May 4303 before being succeeded by Lyn Kopp. Parish is credited with abolishing the HPP and reforming the 64 communes into a scientific organization, the Ataraxian Confederation. He also helped the Ataraxian Confederation gain legal recognition and renewed autonomy under the Project Ataraxia/Communal Tax Bill in March 4298.
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