Urantia Book Paper 72 Government On A Neighboring Planet
SPIRITWEB ORG, PROMOTING SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE INTERNET.
Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART III: The History of Urantia
: The Origin Of Urantia Life Establishment On Urantia The Marine-life Era On
Urantia Urantia During The Early Land-life Era The Mammalian Era On Urantia The
Dawn Races Of Early Man The First Human Family The Evolutionary Races Of Color
The Overcontrol Of Evolution The Planetary Prince Of Urantia The Planetary
Rebellion The Dawn Of Civilization Primitive Human Institutions The Evolution
Of Human Government Development Of The State Government On A Neighboring Planet
The Garden Of Eden Adam And Eve The Default Of Adam And Eve The Second Garden
The Midway Creatures The Violet Race After The Days Of Adam Andite Expansion In
The Orient Andite Expansion In The Occident Development Of Modern Civilization
The Evolution Of Marriage The Marriage Institution Marriage And Family Life The
Origins Of Worship Early Evolution Of Religion The Ghost Cults Fetishes,
Charms, And Magic Sin, Sacrifice, And Atonement Shamanism--medicine Men And
Priests The Evolution Of Prayer The Later Evolution Of Religion Machiventa
Melchizedek The Melchizedek Teachings In The Orient The Melchizedek Teachings
In The Levant Yahweh--god Of The Hebrews Evolution Of The God Concept Among The
Hebrews The Melchizedek Teachings In The Occident The Social Problems Of
Religion Religion In Human Experience The Real Nature Of Religion The
Foundations Of Religious Faith The Reality Of Religious Experience Growth Of
The Trinity Concept Deity And Reality Universe Levels Of Reality Origin And
Nature Of Thought Adjusters Mission And Ministry Of Thought Adjusters Relation
Of Adjusters To Universe Creatures Relation Of Adjusters To Individual Mortals
...
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Paper 72 Government On A Neighboring Planet
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Introduction
BY PERMISSION of Lanaforge and with the approval of the Most Highs of Edentia,
I am authorized to narrate something of the social, moral, and political life
of the most advanced human race living on a not far-distant planet belonging to
the Satania system.
Of all the Satania worlds which became isolated because of participation in the
Lucifer rebellion, this planet has experienced a history most like that of
Urantia. The similarity of the two spheres undoubtedly explains why permission
to make this extraordinary presentation was granted, for it is most unusual for
the system rulers to consent to the narration on one planet of the affairs of
another.
This planet, like Urantia, was led astray by the disloyalty of its Planetary
Prince in connection with the Lucifer rebellion. It received a Material Son
shortly after Adam came to Urantia, and this Son also defaulted, leaving the
sphere isolated, since a Magisterial Son has never been bestowed upon its
mortal races.
1. THE CONTINENTAL NATION
Notwithstanding all these planetary handicaps a very superior civilization is
evolving on an isolated continent about the size of Australia. This nation
numbers about 140 million. Its people are a mixed race, predominantly blue and
yellow, having a slightly greater proportion of violet than the so-called white
race of Urantia. These different races are not yet fully blended, but they
fraternize and socialize very acceptably. The average length of life on this
continent is now ninety years, fifteen per cent higher than that of any other
people on the planet.
The industrial mechanism of this nation enjoys a certain great advantage
derived from the unique topography of the continent. The high mountains, on
which heavy rains fall eight months in the year, are situated at the very
center of the country. This natural arrangement favors the utilization of water
power and greatly facilitates the irrigation of the more arid western quarter
of the continent.
These people are self-sustaining, that is, they can live indefinitely without
importing anything from the surrounding nations. Their natural resources are
replete, and by scientific techniques they have learned how to compensate for
their deficiencies in the essentials of life. They enjoy a brisk domestic
commerce but have little foreign trade owing to the universal hostility of
their less progressive neighbors.
This continental nation, in general, followed the evolutionary trend of the
planet: The development from the tribal stage to the appearance of strong
top of page - 809
rulers and kings occupied thousands of years. The unconditional monarchs were
succeeded by many different orders of government--abortive republics, communal
states, and dictators came and went in endless profusion. This growth continued
until about five hundred years ago when, during a politically fermenting
period, one of the nation's powerful dictator-triumvirs had a change of heart.
He volunteered to abdicate upon condition that one of the other rulers, the
baser of the remaining two, also vacate his dictatorship. Thus was the
sovereignty of the continent placed in the hands of one ruler. The unified
state progressed under strong monarchial rule for over one hundred years,
during which there evolved a masterful charter of liberty.
The subsequent transition from monarchy to a representative form of government
was gradual, the kings remaining as mere social or sentimental figureheads,
finally disappearing when the male line of descent ran out. The present
republic has now been in existence just two hundred years, during which time
there has been a continuous progression toward the governmental techniques
about to be narrated, the last developments in industrial and political realms
having been made within the past decade.
2. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
This continental nation now has a representative government with a centrally
located national capital. The central government consists of a strong
federation of one hundred comparatively free states. These states elect their
governors and legislators for ten years, and none are eligibLe for re-election.
State judges are appointed for life by the governors and confirmed by their
legislatures, which consist of one representative for each one hundred thousand
citizens.
There are five different types of metropolitan government, depending on the
size of the city, but no city is permitted to have more than one million
inhabitants. On the whole, these municipal governing schemes are very simple,
direct, and economical. The few offices of city administration are keenly
sought by the highest types of citizens.
The federal government embraces three co-ordinate divisions: executive,
legislative, and judicial. The federal chief executive is elected every six
years by universal territorial suffrage. He is not eligible for re-election
except upon the petition of at least seventy-five state legislatures concurred
in by the respective state governors, and then but for one term. He is advised
by a supercabinet composed of all living ex-chief executives.
The legislative division embraces three houses:
1. The upper house is elected by industrial, professional, agricultural, and
other groups of workers, balloting in accordance with economic function.
2. The lower house is elected by certain organizations of society embracing the
social, political, and philosophic groups not included in industry or the
professions. All citizens in good standing participate in the election of both
classes of representatives, but they are differently grouped, depending on
whether the election pertains to the upper or lower house.
3. The third house--the elder statesmen--embraces the veterans of civic service
and includes many distinguished persons nominated by the chief execu-
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tive, by the regional (subfederal) executives, by the chief of the supreme
tribunal, and by the presiding officers of either of the other legislative
houses. This group is limited to one hundred, and its members are elected by
the majority action of the elder statesmen themselves. Membership is for life,
and when vacancies occur, the person receiving the largest ballot among the
list of nominees is thereby duly elected. The scope of this body is purely
advisory, but it is a mighty regulator of public opinion and exerts a powerful
influence upon all branches of the government.
Very much of the federal administrative work is carried on by the ten regional
(subfederal) authorities, each consisting of the association of ten states.
These regional divisions are wholly executive and administrative, having
neither legislative nor judicial functions. The ten regional executives are the
personal appointees of the federal chief executive, and their term of office is
concurrent with his--six years. The federal supreme tribunal approves the
appointment of these ten regional executives, and while they may not be
reappointed, the retiring executive automatically becomes the associate and
adviser of his successor. Otherwise, these regional chiefs choose their own
cabinets of administrative officials.
This nation is adjudicated by two major court systems--the law courts and the
socioeconomic courts. The law courts function on the following three levels:
1. Minor courts of municipal and local jurisdiction, whose decisions may be
appealed to the high state tribunals.
2. State supreme courts, whose decisions are final in all matters not involving
the federal government or jeopardy of citizenship rights and liberties. The
regional executives are empowered to bring any case at once to the bar of the
federal supreme court.
3. Federal supreme court--the high tribunal for the adjudication of national
contentions and the appellate cases coming up from the state courts. This
supreme tribunal consists of twelve men over forty and under seventy-five years
of age who have served two or more years on some state tribunal, and who have
been appointed to this high position by the chief executive with the majority
approval of the supercabinet and the third house of the legislative assembly.
All decisions of this supreme judicial body are by at least a two-thirds vote.
The socioeconomic courts function in the following three divisions:
1. Parental courts, associated with the legislative and executive divisions of
the home and social system.
2. Educational courts--the juridical bodies connected with the state and
regional school systems and associated with the executive and legislative
branches of the educational administrative mechanism.
3. Industrial courts--the jurisdictional tribunals vested with full authority
for the settlement of all economic misunderstandings.
The federal supreme court does not pass upon socioeconomic cases except upon
the three-quarters vote of the third legislative branch of the national
government, the house of elder statesmen. Otherwise, all decisions of the
parental, educational, and industrial high courts are final.
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3. THE HOME LIFE
On this continent it is against the law for two families to live under the same
roof. And since group dwellings have been outlawed, most of the tenement type
of buildings have been demolished. But the unmarried still live in clubs,
hotels, and other group dwellings. The smallest homesite permitted must provide
fifty thousand square feet of land. All land and other property used for home
purposes are free from taxation up to ten times the minimum homesite allotment.
The home life of this people has greatly improved during the last century.
Attendance of parents, both fathers and mothers, at the parental schools of
child culture is compulsory. Even the agriculturists who reside in small
country settlements carry on this work by correspondence, going to the near-by
centers for oral instruction once in ten days--every two weeks, for they
maintain a five-day week.
The average number of children in each family is five, and they are under the
full control of their parents or, in case of the demise of one or both, under
that of the guardians designated by the parental courts. It is considered a
great honor for any family to be awarded the guardianship of a full orphan.
Competitive examinations are held among parents, and the orphan is awarded to
the home of those displaying the best parental qualifications.
These people regard the home as the basic institution of their civilization. It
is expected that the most valuable part of a child's education and character
training will be secured from his parents and at home, and fathers devote
almost as much attention to child culture as do mothers.
All sex instruction is administered in the home by parents or by legal
guardians. Moral instruction is offered by teachers during the rest periods in
the school shops, but not so with religious training, which is deemed to be the
exclusive privilege of parents, religion being looked upon as an integral part
of home life. Purely religious instruction is given publicly only in the
temples of philosophy, no such exclusively religious institutions as the
Urantia churches having developed among this people. In their philosophy,
religion is the striving to know God and to manifest love for one's fellows
through service for them, but this is not typical of the religious status of
the other nations on this planet. Religion is so entirely a family matter among
these people that there are no public places devoted exclusively to religious
assembly. Politically, church and state, as Urantians are wont to say, are
entirely separate, but there is a strange overlapping of religion and
philosophy.
Until twenty years ago the spiritual teachers (comparable to Urantia pastors),
who visit each family periodically to examine the children to ascertain if they
have been properly instructed by their parents, were under governmental
supervision. These spiritual advisers and examiners are now under the direction
of the newly created Foundation of Spiritual Progress, an institution supported
by voluntary contributions. Possibly this institution may not further evolve
until after the arrival of a Paradise Magisterial Son.
Children remain legally subject to their parents until they are fifteen, when
the first initiation into civic responsibility is held. Thereafter, every five
years for five successive periods similar public exercises are held for such
age groups
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at which their obligations to parents are lessened, while new civic and social
responsibilities to the state are assumed. Suffrage is conferred at twenty, the
right to marry without parental consent is not bestowed until twenty-five, and
children must leave home on reaching the age of thirty.
Marriage and divorce laws are uniform throughout the nation. Marriage before
twenty--the age of civil enfranchisement--is not permitted. Permission to marry
is only granted after one year's notice of intention, and after both bride and
groom present certificates showing that they have been duly instructed in the
parental schools regarding the responsibilities of married life.
Divorce regulations are somewhat lax, but decrees of separation, issued by the
parental courts, may not be had until one year after application therefor has
been recorded, and the year on this planet is considerably longer than on
Urantia. Notwithstanding their easy divorce laws, the present rate of divorces
is only one tenth that of the civilized races of Urantia.
4. THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
The educational system of this nation is compulsory and coeducational in the
precollege schools that the student attends from the ages of five to eighteen.
These schools are vastly different from those of Urantia. There are no
classrooms, only one study is pursued at a time, and after the first three
years all pupils become assistant teachers, instructing those below them. Books
are used only to secure information that will assist in solving the problems
arising in the school shops and on the school farms. Much of the furniture used
on the continent and the many mechanical contrivances--this is a great age of
invention and mechanization--are produced in these shops. Adjacent to each shop
is a working library where the student may consult the necessary reference
books. Agriculture and horticulture are also taught throughout the entire
educational period on the extensive farms adjoining every local school.
The feeble-minded are trained only in agriculture and animal husbandry, and are
committed for life to special custodial colonies where they are segregated by
sex to prevent parenthood, which is denied all subnormals. These restrictive
measures have been in operation for seventy-five years; the commitment decrees
are handed down by the parental courts.
Everyone takes one month's vacation each year. The precollege schools are
conducted for nine months out of the year of ten, the vacation being spent with
parents or friends in travel. This travel is a part of the adult-education
program and is continued throughout a lifetime, the funds for meeting such
expenses being accumulated by the same methods as those employed in old-age
insurance.
One quarter of the school time is devoted to play--competitive athletics--the
pupils progressing in these contests from the local, through the state and
regional, and on to the national trials of skill and prowess. Likewise, the
oratorical and musical contests, as well as those in science and philosophy,
occupy the attention of students from the lower social divisions on up to the
contests for national honors.
The school government is a replica of the national government with its three
correlated branches, the teaching staff functioning as the third or advisory
legislative division. The chief object of education on this continent is to
make every pupil a self-supporting citizen.
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Every child graduating from the precollege school system at eighteen is a
skilled artisan. Then begins the study of books and the pursuit of special
knowledge, either in the adult schools or in the colleges. When a brilliant
student completes his work ahead of schedule, he is granted an award of time
and means wherewith he may execute some pet project of his own devising. The
entire educational system is designed to adequately train the individual.
5. INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION
The industrial situation among this people is far from their ideals; capital
and labor still have their troubles, but both are becoming adjusted to the plan
of sincere co-operation. On this unique continent the workers are increasingly
becoming shareholders in all industrial concerns; every intelligent laborer is
slowly becoming a small capitalist.
Social antagonisms are lessening, and good will is growing apace. No grave
economic problems have arisen out of the abolition of slavery (over one hundred
years ago) since this adjustment was effected gradually by the liberation of
two per cent each year. Those slaves who satisfactorily passed mental, moral,
and physical tests were granted citizenship; many of these superior slaves were
war captives or children of such captives. Some fifty years ago they deported
the last of their inferior slaves, and still more recently they are addressing
themselves to the task of reducing the numbers of their degenerate and vicious
classes.
These people have recently developed new techniques for the adjustment of
industrial misunderstandings and for the correction of economic abuses which
are marked improvements over their older methods of settling such problems.
Violence has been outlawed as a procedure in adjusting either personal or
industrial differences. Wages, profits, and other economic problems are not
rigidly regulated, but they are in general controlled by the industrial
legislatures, while all disputes arising out of industry are passed upon by the
industrial courts.
The industrial courts are only thirty years old but are functioning very
satisfactorily. The most recent development provides that hereafter the
industrial courts shall recognize legal compensation as falling in three
divisions:
1. Legal rates of interest on invested capital.
2. Reasonable salary for skill employed in industrial operations.
3. Fair and equitable wages for labor.
These shall first be met in accordance with contract, or in the face of
decreased earnings they shall share proportionally in transient reduction. And
thereafter all earnings in excess of these fixed charges shall be regarded as
dividends and shall be prorated to all three divisions: capital, skill, and
labor.
Every ten years the regional executives adjust and decree the lawful hours of
daily gainful toil. Industry now operates on a five-day week, working four and
playing one. These people labor six hours each working day and, like students,
nine months in the year of ten. Vacation is usually spent in travel, and new
methods of transportation having been so recently developed, the whole nation
is travel bent. The climate favors travel about eight months in the year, and
they are making the most of their opportunities.
Two hundred years ago the profit motive was wholly dominant in industry, but
today it is being rapidly displaced by other and higher driving forces. Com
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petition is keen on this continent, but much of it has been transferred from
industry to play, skill, scientific achievement, and intellectual attainment.
It is most active in social service and governmental loyalty. Among this people
public service is rapidly becoming the chief goal of ambition. The richest man
on the continent works six hours a day in the office of his machine shop and
then hastens over to the local branch of the school of statesmanship, where he
seeks to qualify for public service.
Labor is becoming more honorable on this continent, and all able-bodied
citizens over eighteen work either at home and on farms, at some recognized
industry, on the public works where the temporarily unemployed are absorbed, or
else in the corps of compulsory laborers in the mines.
These people are also beginning to foster a new form of social disgust--disgust
for both idleness and unearned wealth. Slowly but certainly they are conquering
their machines. Once they, too, struggled for political liberty and
subsequently for economic freedom. Now are they entering upon the enjoyment of
both while in addition they are beginning to appreciate their well-earned
leisure, which can be devoted to increased self-realization.
6. OLD-AGE INSURANCE
This nation is making a determined effort to replace the
self-respect-destroying type of charity by dignified government-insurance
guarantees of security in old age. This nation provides every child an
education and every man a job; therefore can it successfully carry out such an
insurance scheme for the protection of the infirm and aged.
Among this people all persons must retire from gainful pursuit at sixty-five
unless they secure a permit from the state labor commissioner which will
entitle them to remain at work until the age of seventy. This age limit does
not apply to government servants or philosophers. The physically disabled or
permanently crippled can be placed on the retired list at any age by court
order countersigned by the pension commissioner of the regional government.
The funds for old-age pensions are derived from four sources:
1. One day's earnings each month are requisitioned by the federal government
for this purpose, and in this country everybody works.
2. Bequests--many wealthy citizens leave funds for this purpose.
3. The earnings of compulsory labor in the state mines. After the conscript
workers support themselves and set aside their own retirement contributions,
all excess profits on their labor are turned over to this pension fund.
4. The income from natural resources. All natural wealth on the continent is
held as a social trust by the federal government, and the income therefrom is
utilized for social purposes, such as disease prevention, education of
geniuses, and expenses of especially promising individuals in the statesmanship
schools. One half of the income from natural resources goes to the old-age
pension fund.
Although state and regional actuarial foundations supply many forms of
protective insurance, old-age pensions are solely administered by the federal
government through the ten regional departments.
These government funds have long been honestly administered. Next to treason
and murder, the heaviest penalties meted out by the courts are attached
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to betrayal of public trust. Social and political disloyalty are now looked
upon as being the most heinous of all crimes.
7. TAXATION
The federal government is paternalistic only in the administration of old-age
pensions and in the fostering of genius and creative originality; the state
governments are slightly more concerned with the individual citizen, while the
local governments are much more paternalistic or socialistic. The city (or some
subdivision thereof) concerns itself with such matters as health, sanitation,
building regulations, beautification, water supply, lighting, heating,
recreation, music, and communication.
In all industry first attention is paid to health; certain phases of physical
well-being are regarded as industrial and community prerogatives, but
individual and family health problems are matters of personal concern only. In
medicine, as in all other purely personal matters, it is increasingly the plan
of government to refrain from interfering.
Cities have no taxing power, neither can they go in debt. They receive per
capita allowances from the state treasury and must supplement such revenue from
the earnings of their socialistic enterprises and by licensing various
commercial activities.
The rapid-transit facilities, which make it practical greatly to extend the
city boundaries, are under municipal control. The city fire departments are
supported by the fire-prevention and insurance foundations, and all buildings,
in city or country, are fireproof--have been for over seventy-five years.
There are no municipally appointed peace officers; the police forces are
maintained by the state governments. This department is recruited almost
entirely from the unmarried men between twenty-five and fifty. Most of the
states assess a rather heavy bachelor tax, which is remitted to all men joining
the state police. In the average state the police force is now only one tenth
as large as it was fifty years ago.
There is little or no uniformity among the taxation schemes of the one hundred
comparatively free and sovereign states as economic and other conditions vary
greatly in different sections of the continent. Every state has ten basic
constitutional provisions which cannot be modified except by consent of the
federal supreme court, and one of these articles prevents levying a tax of more
than one per cent on the value of any property in any one year, homesites,
whether in city or country, being exempted.
The federal government cannot go in debt, and a three-fourths referendum is
required before any state can borrow except for purposes of war. Since the
federal government cannot incur debt, in the event of war the National Council
of Defense is empowered to assess the states for money, as well as for men and
materials, as it may be required. But no debt may run for more than twenty-five
years.
Income to support the federal government is derived from the following five
sources:
1. Import duties. All imports are subject to a tariff designed to protect the
standard of living on this continent, which is far above that of any other
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nation on the planet. These tariffs are set by the highest industrial court
after both houses of the industrial congress have ratified the recommendations
of the chief executive of economic affairs, who is the joint appointee of these
two legislative bodies. The upper industrial house is elected by labor, the
lower by capital.
2. Royalties. The federal government encourages invention and original
creations in the ten regional laboratories, assisting all types of
geniuses--artists, authors, and scientists--and protecting their patents. In
return the government takes one half the profits realized from all such
inventions and creations, whether pertaining to machines, books, artistry,
plants, or animals.
3. Inheritance tax. The federal government levies a graduated inheritance tax
ranging from one to fifty per cent, depending on the size of an estate as well
as on other conditions.
4. Military equipment. The government earns a considerable sum from the leasing
of military and naval equipment for commercial and recreational usages.
5. Natural resources. The income from natural resources, when not fully
required for the specific purposes designated in the charter of federal
statehood, is turned into the national treasury.
Federal appropriations, except war funds assessed by the National Council of
Defense, are originated in the upper legislative house, concurred in by the
lower house, approved by the chief executive, and finally validated by the
federal budget commission of one hundred. The members of this commission are
nominated by the state governors and elected by the state legislatures to serve
for twenty-four years, one quarter being elected every six years. Every six
years this body, by a three-fourths ballot, chooses one of its number as chief,
and he thereby becomes director-controller of the federal treasury.
8. THE SPECIAL COLLEGES
In addition to the basic compulsory education program extending from the ages
of five to eighteen, special schools are maintained as follows:
1. Statesmanship schools. These schools are of three classes: national,
regional, and state. The public offices of the nation are grouped in four
divisions. The first division of public trust pertains principally to the
national administration, and all officeholders of this group must be graduates
of both regional and national schools of statesmanship. Individuals may accept
political, elective, or appointive office in the second division upon
graduating from any one of the ten regional schools of statesmanship; their
trusts concern responsibilities in the regional administration and the state
governments. Division three includes state responsibilities, and such officials
are only required to have state degrees of statesmanship. The fourth and last
division of officeholders are not required to hold statesmanship degrees, such
offices being wholly appointive. They represent minor positions of
assistantship, secretaryships, and technical trusts which are discharged by the
various learned professions functioning in governmental administrative
capacities.
Judges of the minor and state courts hold degrees from the state schools of
statesmanship. Judges of the jurisdictional tribunals of social, educational,
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and industrial matters hold degrees from the regional schools. Judges of the
federal supreme court must hold degrees from all these schools of
statesmanship.
2. Schools of philosophy. These schools are affiliated with the temples of
philosophy and are more or less associated with religion as a public function.
3. Institutions of science. These technical schools are co-ordinated with
industry rather than with the educational system and are administered under
fifteen divisions.
4. Professional training schools. These special institutions provide the
technical training for the various learned professions, twelve in number.
5. Military and naval schools. Near the national headquarters and at the
twenty-five coastal military centers are maintained those institutions devoted
to the military training of volunteer citizens from eighteen to thirty years of
age. Parental consent is required before twenty-five in order to gain entrance
to these schools.
9. THE PLAN OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE
Although candidates for all public offices are restricted to graduates of the
state, regional, or federal schools of statesmanship, the progressive leaders
of this nation discovered a serious weakness in their plan of universal
suffrage and about fifty years ago made constitutional provision for a modified
scheme of voting which embraces the following features:
1. Every man and woman of twenty years and over has one vote. Upon attaining
this age, all citizens must accept membership in two voting groups: They will
join the first in accordance with their economic function--industrial,
professional, agricultural, or trade; they will enter the second group
according to their political, philosophic, and social inclinations. All workers
thus belong to some economic franchise group, and these guilds, like the
noneconomic associations, are regulated much as is the national government with
its threefold division of powers. Registration in these groups cannot be
changed for twelve years.
2. Upon nomination by the state governors or by the regional executives and by
the mandate of the regional supreme councils, individuals who have rendered
great service to society, or who have demonstrated extraordinary wisdom in
government service, may have additional votes conferred upon them not oftener
than every five years and not to exceed nine such superfranchises. The maximum
suffrage of any multiple voter is ten. Scientists, inventors, teachers,
philosophers, and spiritual leaders are also thus recognized and honored with
augmented political power. These advanced civic privileges are conferred by the
state and regional supreme councils much as degrees are bestowed by the special
colleges, and the recipients are proud to attach the symbols of such civic
recognition, along with their other degrees, to their lists of personal
achievements.
3. All individuals sentenced to compulsory labor in the mines and all
governmental servants supported by tax funds are, for the periods of such
services, disenfranchised. This does not apply to aged persons who may be
retired on pensions at sixty-five.
4. There are five brackets of suffrage reflecting the average yearly taxes paid
for each half-decade period. Heavy taxpayers are permitted extra votes
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up to five. This grant is independent of all other recognition, but in no case
can any person cast over ten ballots.
5. At the time this franchise plan was adopted, the territorial method of
voting was abandoned in favor of the economic or functional system. All
citizens now vote as members of industrial, social, or professional groups,
regardless of their residence. Thus the electorate consists of solidified,
unified, and intelligent groups who elect only their best members to positions
of governmental trust and responsibility. There is one exception to this scheme
of functional or group suffrage: The election of a federal chief executive
every six years is by nation-wide ballot, and no citizen casts over one vote.
Thus, except in the election of the chief executive, suffrage is exercised by
economic, professional, intellectual, and social groupings of the citizenry.
The ideal state is organic, and every free and intelligent group of citizens
represents a vital and functioning organ within the larger governmental
organism.
The schools of statesmanship have power to start proceedings in the state
courts looking toward the disenfranchisement of any defective, idle,
indifferent, or criminal individual. These people recognize that, when fifty
per cent of a nation is inferior or defective and possesses the ballot, such a
nation is doomed. They believe the dominance of mediocrity spells the downfall
of any nation. Voting is compulsory, heavy fines being assessed against all who
fail to cast their ballots.
10. DEALING WITH CRIME
The methods of this people in dealing with crime, insanity, and degeneracy,
while in some ways pleasing, will, no doubt, in others prove shocking to most
Urantians. Ordinary criminals and the defectives are placed, by sexes, in
different agricultural colonies and are more than self-supporting. The more
serious habitual criminals and the incurably insane are sentenced to death in
the lethal gas chambers by the courts. Numerous crimes aside from murder,
including betrayal of governmental trust, also carry the death penalty, and the
visitation of justice is sure and swift.
These people are passing out of the negative into the positive era of law.
Recently they have gone so far as to attempt the prevention of crime by
sentencing those who are believed to be potential murderers and major criminals
to life service in the detention colonies. If such convicts subsequently
demonstrate that they have become more normal, they may be either paroled or
pardoned. The homicide rate on this continent is only one per cent of that
among the other nations.
Efforts to prevent the breeding of criminals and defectives were begun over one
hundred years ago and have already yielded gratifying results. There are no
prisons or hospitals for the insane. For one reason, there are only about ten
per cent as many of these groups as are found on Urantia.
11. MILITARY PREPAREDNESS
Graduates of the federal military schools may be commissioned as "guardians of
civilization" in seven ranks, in accordance with ability and experience, by the
president of the National Council of Defense. This council consists of twenty-
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five members, nominated by the highest parental, educational, and industrial
tribunals, confirmed by the federal supreme court, and presided over ex officio
by the chief of staff of co-ordinated military affairs. Such members serve
until they are seventy years of age.
The courses pursued by such commissioned officers are four years in length and
are invariably correlated with the mastery of some trade or profession.
Military training is never given without this associated industrial,
scientific, or professional schooling. When military training is finished, the
individual has, during his four years' course, received one half of the
education imparted in any of the special schools where the courses are likewise
four years in length. In this way the creation of a professional military class
is avoided by providing this opportunity for a large number of men to support
themselves while securing the first half of a technical or professional
training.
Military service during peacetime is purely voluntary, and the enlistments in
all branches of the service are for four years, during which every man pursues
some special line of study in addition to the mastery of military tactics.
Training in music is one of the chief pursuits of the central military schools
and of the twenty-five training camps distributed about the periphery of the
continent. During periods of industrial slackness many thousands of unemployed
are automatically utilized in upbuilding the military defenses of the continent
on land and sea and in the air.
Although these people maintain a powerful war establishment as a defense
against invasion by the surrounding hostile peoples, it may be recorded to
their credit that they have not in over one hundred years employed these
military resources in an offensive war. They have become civilized to that
point where they can vigorously defend civilization without yielding to the
temptation to utilize their war powers in aggression. There have been no civil
wars since the establishment of the united continental state, but during the
last two centuries these people have been called upon to wage nine fierce
defensive conflicts, three of which were against mighty confederations of world
powers. Although this nation maintains adequate defense against attack by
hostile neighbors, it pays far more attention to the training of statesmen,
scientists, and philosophers.
When at peace with the world, all mobile defense mechanisms are quite fully
employed in trade, commerce, and recreation. When war is declared, the entire
nation is mobilized. Throughout the period of hostilities military pay obtains
in all industries, and the chiefs of all military departments become members of
the chief executive's cabinet.
12. THE OTHER NATIONS
Although the society and government of this unique people are in many respects
superior to those of the Urantia nations, it should be stated that on the other
continents (there are eleven on this planet) the governments are decidedly
inferior to the more advanced nations of Urantia.
Just now this superior government is planning to establish ambassadorial
relations with the inferior peoples, and for the first time a great religious
leader has arisen who advocates the sending of missionaries to these
surrounding nations. We fear they are about to make the mistake that so many
others have made when they have endeavored to force a superior culture and
religion upon
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other races. What a wonderful thing could be done on this world if this
continental nation of advanced culture would only go out and bring to itself
the best of the neighboring peoples and then, after educating them, send them
back as emissaries of culture to their benighted brethren! Of course, if a
Magisterial Son should soon come to this advanced nation, great things could
quickly happen on this world.
This recital of the affairs of a neighboring planet is made by special
permission with the intent of advancing civilization and augmenting
governmental evolution on Urantia. Much more could be narrated that would no
doubt interest and intrigue Urantians, but this disclosure covers the limits of
our permissive mandate.
Urantians should, however, take note that their sister sphere in the Satania
family has benefited by neither magisterial nor bestowal missions of the
Paradise Sons. Neither are the various peoples of Urantia set off from each
other by such disparity of culture as separates the continental nation from its
planetary fellows.
The pouring out of the Spirit of Truth provides the spiritual foundation for
the realization of great achievements in the interests of the human race of the
bestowal world. Urantia is therefore far better prepared for the more immediate
realization of a planetary government with its laws, mechanisms, symbols,
conventions, and language--all of which could contribute so mightily to the
establishment of world-wide peace under law and could lead to the sometime
dawning of a real age of spiritual striving; and such an age is the planetary
threshold to the utopian ages of light and life.
[Presented by a Melchizedek of Nebadon.]
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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART III: The History of Urantia
: The Origin Of Urantia Life Establishment On Urantia The Marine-life Era On
Urantia Urantia During The Early Land-life Era The Mammalian Era On Urantia The
Dawn Races Of Early Man The First Human Family The Evolutionary Races Of Color
The Overcontrol Of Evolution The Planetary Prince Of Urantia The Planetary
Rebellion The Dawn Of Civilization Primitive Human Institutions The Evolution
Of Human Government Development Of The State Government On A Neighboring Planet
The Garden Of Eden Adam And Eve The Default Of Adam And Eve The Second Garden
The Midway Creatures The Violet Race After The Days Of Adam Andite Expansion In
The Orient Andite Expansion In The Occident Development Of Modern Civilization
The Evolution Of Marriage The Marriage Institution Marriage And Family Life The
Origins Of Worship Early Evolution Of Religion The Ghost Cults Fetishes,
Charms, And Magic Sin, Sacrifice, And Atonement Shamanism--medicine Men And
Priests The Evolution Of Prayer The Later Evolution Of Religion Machiventa
Melchizedek The Melchizedek Teachings In The Orient The Melchizedek Teachings
In The Levant Yahweh--god Of The Hebrews Evolution Of The God Concept Among The
Hebrews The Melchizedek Teachings In The Occident The Social Problems Of
Religion Religion In Human Experience The Real Nature Of Religion The
Foundations Of Religious Faith The Reality Of Religious Experience Growth Of
The Trinity Concept Deity And Reality Universe Levels Of Reality Origin And
Nature Of Thought Adjusters Mission And Ministry Of Thought Adjusters Relation
Of Adjusters To Universe Creatures Relation Of Adjusters To Individual Mortals
The Adjuster And The Soul Personality Survival Seraphic Guardians Of Destiny
Seraphic Planetary Government The Supreme Being The Almighty Supreme God The
Supreme Supreme And Ultimate--time And Space The Bestowals Of Christ Michael
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