Choose Your Own Government, Monday, Class #2

[spacepiratevala.livejournal.com]

Vala was sitting on her desk as students entered, swinging her legs. On each desk were a fully moddable doughnut, an apple, and an empty mug.

"Hello, everyone. Today we're going to address the issue of allocation of resources. I have in my possession one thermos, with enough coffee in it for two people, or one greedy person. I have another thermos of tea, and one of hot chocolate. Same rules."

"So, today's project? I want to give these thermoses out to people in time for you to drink them while they're still warm. Your job is to decide who should have them, using some of the types of government we read about last week. Feel free to lie, cheat, steal, campaign, whatever you feel the need to do to get them, but only three people will end up with them. We'll discuss next week how effective you were."

"Have fun." Then she sipped from a very large mocha before taking a bite of her chocolate-glazed doughnut.

Comments

Re: Who Gets the Thermos--Representative Democracy

[takingthedayoff.livejournal.com]

"Ladies and gentlemen, classmates, Professor Mal Doran, friends. I stand before you today as a candidate for the thermos of hot chocolate. As a once great president said, ask not what your classmates can do for you but what you can do for your classmates. Guarantee me the hot chocolate and I'll put my full support behind you. We'll go beyond this tiny classroom, step outside the boundaries that have been put upon us for so very long and venture forth to a place where we can all get what we want. I'll make it my personal duty to ensure that each and every one of you has your very own full thermos of whatever heated beverage you like. Make the decision you know to be right. Vote for me, Ferris Bueller, candidate for the thermos of hot chocolate."

Re: Who Gets the Thermos--Representative Democracy

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara tilted her head. "I will vote for you. If you make good on your promises by sharing your thermos of hot chocolate with me."

Re: Who Gets the Thermos--Representative Democracy

[takingthedayoff.livejournal.com]

"I promise to make good on my promise to ensure that everyone has whatever drink they want," Ferris replied diplomatically.

Re: Who Gets the Thermos--Representative Democracy

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"Nah, I want a promise of half the thermos now," Katara argued. "What good is it to have drinks later?"

Re: Who Gets the Thermos--Representative Democracy

[takingthedayoff.livejournal.com]

"It's pretty clear that the good Professor here gave us limited supplies in order to get us to fight each other for them. It's not likely that the representation in the class is equally two for coffee, two for tea and two for hot chocolate. In the end, someone's going to lose unless you change the rules," Ferris replied with a smile. "If you vote for me for the beverage of my choice, then I've promised to get everyone their drink of choice in good time. It may mean a little patience, but at least in the end everyone wins, whereas if we all try to get drinks now, someone's bound to lose."