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= The_Curious_Republic_of_Gondour =
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Introduction
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"The Curious Republic of Gondour" is a short story by Mark Twain,
first published in the October 1875 issue of the 'Atlantic Monthly.'
Written in the first person, it relates a visit by the unnamed
narrator to a state in which all citizens are guaranteed at least one
vote, but where additional votes may be acquired on the basis of
personal merit. Up to eight further votes can be acquired through
education, which is provided for free by the state; votes are also
automatically gained by the acquisition of wealth (these being
unlimited in number.) A second condition of Gondourian democracy is
that no one may be seated in a public office without first passing a
strenuous competitive examination. Twain intended for these measures
to limit the political power of the lower classes, whom he considered
unfit to direct public affairs because of their susceptibility to
demagogues.
Heinlein's 'Expanded Universe' discusses the story, though he
misspells the toponym as "Gondor."
Nevil Shute proposed a similar multiple-vote scheme in his novel 'In
the Wet' (1953 ), but he envisioned a maximum of seven votes per
citizen, with each tied to a specific personal attainment (military
service, life abroad, starting a business). The exceptions were the
first and seventh votes, the former being universal and the latter
being granted only as a mark of special distinction by the monarch.
License
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License URL:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Original Article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Republic_of_Gondour
