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[Taken from Paula Wilson’s notes]
‘Well, that’s told us!’ said Da Cheung. ‘You’d better chair this, Perfect.’
Jack Spence said, ‘I’ve already made my position clear as regards Perfect. She is not World President. And why is Miss Wilson still in the room?’
‘She is taking notes for me, Jack. I don’t have an ambition to be World President, but the group, of which we are the current version, will need to choose one. That is quite apparent,’ said Perfect Okafor.
Jeanne Meunier said, ‘This needs to be done democratically. We cannot begin this session until we all realise that we will all have to submit to our populations if this is to work for the whole world.’
‘What? You think we should all stand down?’ said Jack Spence.
‘Ha, that’s right!’ scoffed Dimitri Ivanov.
‘Can we please stop this now and deal with the issues, not how it might affect us as individuals,’ said Perfect, forcefully. ‘Jack, Dimitri, let’s deal with it professionally.’
There were resigned nods from all.
‘Right. Let’s start at the top and work down,’ said Perfect. ‘The first item is the inflow of aid. Do any of you disagree with the Federation’s proposals for that? Show of hands, please. For?’
All five hands went up.
‘Okay, we have passed that one. Now, they mention paying each of the people in these needy regions the fixed income. Show of hands, please. For?’
Jack had something to say, ‘I am in favour as long as that funding is coming from the Federation.’
‘We’ll clarify that, Jack. Once clarified that is also passed unanimously. Next, they want to use their FEUs to prevent profiteering in those countries. Any discussion?’
‘Yes,’ said Da Cheung, ‘in effect, we are inviting an alien police force into the countries. I’m not against that, but I’d like to see it amended so that we are kept informed of each and every action.’
‘Good point, Da,’ said Jack.
‘Okay,’ said Perfect. ‘With Da’s amendment. For?’
The hands rose.
‘Passed unanimously with the amendment. Now, the visits of the manufacturing people and bots to each manufacturer and producer?’
‘Difficult,’ said Ken.
‘Yes. There will be resistance,’ said Jack.
Jeanne said, ‘Allowing it can only benefit the manufacturers initially as their workforces will be paid by the Federation, efficiency will improve and their staff can, more or less, go home. What is there to dislike?’
‘Really, this is tied in to full membership,’ said Jack. ‘Once we’ve applied and been accepted, this will be something which just happens, right?’
‘Yes, I think so,’ said Perfect.
‘So, we can’t decide on this until we’ve put the structures in place to join,’ said Jack.
Ken said, ‘And, as democracies, we must ask the opinion of the people, so a worldwide referendum will be required.’
‘Your country is the last one from which we should take advice about referenda!’ said Jeanne. ‘Look at the cock-up you made of Brexit!’
‘I beg your pardon,’ said Ken indignantly.
‘Here we are discussing the joining of the entire planet to 250,000 other planets and England’s population couldn’t tolerate being part of Europe – its closest neighbours!’ she replied.
‘It’s Great Britain!’
‘Did Scotland and Northern Ireland vote to leave? I don’t think so. Anyway, it won’t be Great Britain for much longer when we join the Federation! All boundaries will vanish, as I understand it,’ said Jeanne.
‘Stop it, you two. We’ll need to deal with it democratically. Those for a worldwide referendum?’ said Perfect.
Only Jeanne and Dimitri’s hands rose.
‘Jack, your objections?’
‘I know I’ve been blowing cold over the Federation, but I can see that it would be a huge benefit to humankind. Can you imagine the situation where the referendum is lost, and a large majority are denied the chance of a far improved life? There could be riots or even war,’ said Jack.
‘That’s exactly what happened in Britain. The older generations voted to leave the EU, and it has resulted in the younger generations despising them for it,’ said Jeanne.
President Spence had made a good point and so had President Meunier, although hers was more of a jibe against Prime Minister Hood. I was surprised to hear that President Spence was in favour in general. Was he changing his tune?
Dimitri said, ‘Jack has a good point. Would it be better if we carried through the rest of the Federation plan and elected new leaders along the lines Ya Moroforon suggested and let the leaders do the negotiating and decision making?’
‘It could be split along continental divides,’ said Jeanne.
‘Okay, let’s leave that unresolved for now. What about the Federation taxation system?’ asked Perfect.
‘I don’t see how we can deal with that until we’ve sorted out how we become members,’ said Ken. ‘If we join, we must accept it. It is a Federation rule and they will not change it for the Earth.’
‘I think Ken’s right. Let’s defer this one too,’ said Da.
‘Okay. Deferred,’ said Perfect. ‘The same applies to the police forces etcetera. Let’s move on to what I see as the crunch – the political structure to allow a small committee to manage membership. Thoughts?’
‘It is difficult to see how this can be done democratically,’ said Ken. ‘Forgive me using it as an example, but Da’s domain, China, Japan and the far eastern islands and peninsulas is a case in point. The Chinese representative cannot be beaten. People will vote along nationalistic lines.’
‘Yes,’ said Jack. ‘I guess the same will happen with the US, Canada and Mexico, in my favour.’
‘Really such a system disenfranchises everyone else,’ said Dimitri. ‘Could happen to us with India being the biggest democracy.’
‘It’s a problem, for sure,’ said Da. ‘What’s the solution?’
Dimitri said, ‘I wonder if we can persuade the Federation to accept the current general assembly initially and allow all nations to have a free vote. We forego our vetoes.’
‘The veto has always been important in the UN,’ said Ken.
Jeanne said, ‘It will be meaningless if we are part of the Federation. Dimitri’s idea has legs.’
‘Could everyone live with that?’ asked Perfect.
There was general agreement.
‘I’ll go back to the Ambassador with that proposal. Okay, let’s just return to the deferred items. The taxation system – do we agree that we’ll comply if we join? For?’
All five hands rose.
‘The other one is the manufacturers allowing the Federation engineers in to automate everything. Is this, too, something we agree to if we join? For?’ asked Perfect.
Jack Spence’s hand stayed down.
‘Jack?’ asked Perfect.
‘It is a problem. It’s all tied into the fact that dismantling the capitalist system is not going to go down well with the captains of industry. Are they going to submit quietly? What will happen if we tell a million billionaires that they are going to have to give it up for the good of humanity?’
‘It’s a good point. It won’t go down well in any country,’ said Jeanne. ‘Even yours, now, Da. China has hundreds of billionaires today. How will yours react?’
‘Fair point. Ours might acquiesce easier than most others. We’d just tell them to!’ said the Chinese president.
Dimitri laughed and said, ‘Maybe not so ours. If we did that, I’d have to quadruple my bodyguard, I think!’
They all laughed in a semi-serious and ironic fashion.
‘I’ll raise that with the Ambassador too,’ said Perfect.
Jack said, ‘Perfect. You’re talking as if you are going to represent all of us. I made myself clear on that before.’
‘Jack. I’m sorry, but the five of you are going to have to wake up to the fact that this is the way they do things!’ said Perfect. ‘I’m not trying to usurp the authority of any of you, but I can represent you. I think you need to place that trust in me. Haven’t I shown I’m worthy of it? Show of hands, please. I’m not trying to represent your populations, but I am representing this group of five leaders. For?’
Jeanne, Ken, Dimitri and Da immediately raised their hands.
‘Jack?’ asked Perfect.
‘Okay. You represent us, but you don’t represent the world,’ he said.
‘As always, Jack. Do we call a halt here?’
‘I’m assuming they’ll shuttle us home. I’ve been away far too long,’ said Ken. ‘Domestic matters haven’t disappeared.’
‘Me too,’ said Dimitri.
‘I’ll call and find out. We’ll meet back here when needed then?’ asked Perfect.
‘Yes, if shuttles are available,’ said Ken.
The meeting ended.
As I closed my notebook, I did a double-take and had to reopen it to check. I wondered if any of the others had realised. I only noticed because I’d been making notes in English! Throughout the debate, and despite there being no aliens present, the entire discussion had taken place in Galactic Standard. It was all so natural and the true beauty of it was that everyone perfectly understood everyone else. Fascinating!