User blog comment:Maslab/Against All Odds Stuff/@comment-59290-20100331172223

Well, I say what I say predominantly because 091 is a "capitalist pig-dog servant of the evil war machine" in his thought pattern. He'd obey the commies' rules because he's Lawful Neutral, but he wouldn't be too happy about it and might be persuaded to leave.

And since you're wanting some suggestions or critiques, I'll certainly help you out there... It's very odd for the UNSC to transfer forms of government from "emergency military" (read: fascist) to "socialist democracy" (read: communist). Both of these governments are at the exact opposite ends of the spectrum from each other, and transferring between them would take a great deal of time and energy, bringing about a great deal of civil strife between those in power, like ONI and everyone at HIGHCOM, and the people who sat and cowered while the UNSC went to bat for humanity, which is the UEG. The sudden conversion to bare-faced thought police ideology (AIs monitoring your bank accounts?? I'd be outraged... and I abide by the law.) would likely bring about an increase in Insurrectionist sentiments, especially amongst UNSC service personnel who are being paid the exact same wage for a higher amount of danger and personal sacrifice.

This also leads to the problem of low enlistments. There would be no incentive whatsoever to join the military if you could make the same wage digging holes in your backyard or whatever the social-improvements corps has you doing. Managers would have no real point in improving their work beyond mediocre because there would be absolutely no profit in it for their families or friends, or even themselves. "Woo hoo. I just helped the state, and I manage all of Mariposa Munitions. I only make as much as a mentally-challenged teenager who is busy removing stumps on some backwater colony world." The thing about Capitalism, and why it's so successful, is it rewards mankind's greed in a positive way. I invent the cure for cancer, I help the world, but I get paid quite a bit myself. There's a lot in it for me, and there's a lot in it for the world as well.

Okay, that's economic critique. Let's move on to the TERRIBLE idea of forced military service. Seriously, everything else here is good if you took this one out. This is the only thing on this page that I take the most objection towards. Forced military service is awful because it is forced. There's no easier way to explain it. As a government, you want your troops motivated and wanting to be there. They signed up for this, knowing what they were getting into. If you have drafted or forced military service, you will most certainly have a higher rate of civilian protest back home, and an extreme level of insubordination, rebellious kickbacks, and inefficiency in the military. Look at the Vietnam-era US Army and Marines. We had things like the Mei Lai massacre because of disgruntled thugs who were recruited against their will. Conscription is the worst possible thing you could do unless your back is absolutely against the wall.

Anyway, if you need clarification on any of these points, message me and we'll work it out on the Irk. I mean none of this in a mean-spirited or harsh way, I'm just doing what you asked for. I mean, I signed up for AAO, after all.

So anyway. Hope this helps.