Okay, the basis for this thread is a hypothetical and that hypothetical is that you are able to implement one governmental policy in your respective nation. The policy can be that of a domestic, economic, political or foreign policy basis and for the sake of making the discussion more manageable and interesting, I shall add the condition that time time and monetary restrictions do not apply within reason, something like the Federated States of Micronesia colonising Mars may be a little beyond reason.
For my part I shall not argue with anything a player might suggest, but I myself may ask questions out of interest most likely, but I want this thread to be more of a discussion than an argument.
I'll get the ball started by saying I'm from the United Kingdom and I would like to see something of a "Green revolution", by that I mean a highly funded energy policy designed to make us completely energy renewable and self-sufficient. In order to achieve this there would have to be a radical improvement in the money used to fund our energy system, that would mean not only drastically increasing the production of renewable energy in the forms of solar power, wind power, geothermal energy and hydropower, but also funding the further technological and scientific development and discovery of more efficient and more effective renewable energy sources. In simple terms I chose this particular policy because I believe climate change is a problem that needs to be counteracted now because of the huge danger and problems it is already posing and that because of the increasing effects of climate change, it also has the capability to become a tremendous source of wealth from selling the technology to other nations transitioning to renewable energy. It also has the capability to employ a large amount of people, which would not only improve the lives of those workers, but it may also give a boost to the economy and help reduce the cost of energy bills. I think it would be fitting for the UK, the birthplace of the industrial revolution to become the birthplace for something of a renewable revolution.
I'll toss this further down the line by saying that in 'Murica, this policy would not just erase our projected output, but re-employ/re-train millions of unemployed/underemployed folks and create an environment of true responsibility for ourselves.
Since we are playing at make believe... I would like to see a policy that forced those in power to have to play by the same rules as those they have power over in all facets of life. This should be a global policy.
Yes, exactly with the resources and position in the international community United States possesses they could effectively save us all and in the process a state of near universal employment. The amount of capital and jobs it would create might go some way towards reducing your debt to the Chinese as well, you might achieve financial self-sufficiency, as well as energy independence. If something like this was attempted in continental Europe it may also go some way to curbing the interests of the Russians, as well as the unsavory hold the Saudi regime currently has on the United States if attempted in the United States.
I said within reason ;) Nah, but in seriousness many governments try to "maintain" this policy, I think if you wanted to make this a reality you would have to create a system in which it is impossible for any other system of government to operate. That would probably mean the facilitation of countless checks and balances, measures to maintain strict accountability and a political system that encouraged very different people to enter politics than those who currently do.
Banning international arms sales would surely reduce violence around the world. A country (and individuals) have the right to defend themselves so an internal arms industry should persist but otherwise let's stop selling weapons to all and sundry.
You said one thing but imma take the piss and have another. If leaders declare war (not that's declared anymore like in the good ol days [sarc]) then they should lead the charge. Easy to start wars sitting in a plush office.
Yes, I would be inclined to agree with you somewhat on the removal of international arms sales, but I do have some reservations. Those reservations being that many countries depend upon those sales for financial reasons and it would be difficult to enforce any rules set on the sale of arms between nations, in that there is always going to be questionable grounds upon which you can enforce an international will upon an independent and sovereign nation state. An interesting book you might want to read on this subject is The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade by Andrew Feinstein.
As for your other suggestion, watching family members serve in places like Iraq and Afghanistan would make me certainly agree with you. If you had politicians fighting themselves in these wars you would be damn sure that they would have the arms and equipment necessary for success and survival and you would also see far more regard for the lives of soldiers from those in command of those soldiers than you currently do, hopefully.