[Grosseschnauzer]

Quote: UN Economics Prize

A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.

Category: Education and Creativity

Area of Effect: Educational

Proposed by: Leg-ends

Description: The United Nations,

RECOGNISING the importance of understanding and studying economics,

NOTING, in particular, the skills and knowledge acquired from such studies,

CONVINCED that by drawing attention to the field of economics the UN can promote the worldwide study of economics,

SEEKING to accomplish the noble goals of promoting the study of Economics and raising the profile of contributions to the field of Economics,

HEREBY:

1) Establishes the United Nations Economics Prize which will be awarded to the person, or persons, responsible for the greatest contribution to the field of Economics over the past year,

2) Creates the United Nations Awards Committee (UNAC) to determine the annual winner of this Prize,

3) Mandates the UNAC to award the prize based on the following criteria:

i) The work must be international in scope,
ii) It must have effects beyond the contributors' own nation(s),
iii) The work must have the potential to improve the lives of people in all UN Member nations if implemented.

4) Encourages private donors to fund a monetary reward for the prize.

Voting Ends: Tue Mar 20 2007[/quote]

[Antrium]

I'm not entirely sure on this one, but I'm initially against. (I really don't see how it fits into the Education and Art category at all...) I don't think it really has any real effect at all. I'm leaning towards against just because I think maybe this would be better as just a separate entity rather than being a UN resolution?

[Federalist]

I say FOR. This is a great idea. It might be improved if there were other categories also, but I believe that this is a wonderful idea.

[Enn]

I don't like it, if only because it's going to unleash a horde of 'UN ... Prize' proposals. Apart from that, not too worried or interested in it. Abstain.

[Gnejs]

We agree in most aspects of what the representative of Emen Un said. We too will ABSTAIN.

Linda Anaris
UN-Office
GPRG

[Stolidia]

If Stolidia was a member of the NSUN, we'd be voting against this one. Awarding achievement in the advancement of knowledge is great, but there's a problem with this resolution....

If the NSUN established a prize for economics, it would be required by logic and simple fairness to establish prizes for all other fields of endeavor that contribute to betterment of the human condition. So the Assembly could spend its time debating and voting on prizes in everything from medicine to basketweaving. Is that really all the NSUN Assembly has to do?

There is no need for the NSUN to award a prize for economics; that can be done by other organizations. There is no justification for opening the door to a multitude of proposals establishing prizes; that could delay action on necessary matters. There is no justification for singling out economics as worthy of special recognition; that does a disservice to those who spend their lives furthering other disciplines.

[Saidercray]

AGAINST

[Embolalia]

I agree with the other againsts. AGAINST.

[Mikitivity]

We are actually in support of this resolution. There really won't be that many "prize" proposals that will achieve quorum, and even if they do we believe this will focus nations on passing more resolutions than repeals. As more and more prize-type of proposals hit the floor, there will be voter fatigue -- so we seriously do not see the UN getting hit with too many of these types of resolutions.

That leads into a second point, why economics and not other areas? Well, in the UN we are limited to have resolutions that deal with specific categories. Some categories of prizes will never lend themselves to a legal proposal ... this is not the fault of the work in that field, but in the structure of our UN. The UN Secretariat have changed the UN rules from time to time, so just because something is difficult in 2007 does not imply that by 2010 that the same restrictions will apply.

Howie T. Katzman

[Stolidia]

Sorry, but I must disagree on both counts.

MikitivityMar 17 2007, 01:06 PMWe are actually in support of this resolution.  There really won't be that many "prize" proposals that will achieve quorum, and even if they do we believe this will focus nations on passing more resolutions than repeals.  As more and more prize-type of proposals hit the floor, there will be voter fatigue -- so we seriously do not see the UN getting hit with too many of these types of resolutions.[/quote]

First, it's been my experience that whether a proposal reaches quorum or not depends much more heavily on the quality of the TG campaign than the quality of the proposal. I have no idea how many people will write prize proposals in their pet fields of study. But why should we be bothered with any? And I note that you comment that "more and more" of this type of proposal will hit the floor and cause voter fatigue. We agree there. And we think voter fatigue and diminished interest in the UN is the last thing we need to have happen.

MikitivityMar 17 2007, 01:06 PMThat leads into a second point, why economics and not other areas?  Well, in the UN we are limited to have resolutions that deal with specific categories.  Some categories of prizes will never lend themselves to a legal proposal ... this is not the fault of the work in that field, but in the structure of our UN.  The UN Secretariat have changed the UN rules from time to time, so just because something is difficult in 2007 does not imply that by 2010 that the same restrictions will apply.[/quote]

As far as I'm concerned, just about any award proposal could be easily fit into the "Education and Creativity" category, as this one was. We can't see how the category system has any bearing on the subject.

[Grosseschnauzer]

Quote: How should the Delegate cast the Region's vote?
FOR  [ 2 ]  [28.57%]
AGAINST  [ 3 ]  [42.86%]
ABSTAIN  [ 2 ]  [28.57%]
Total Votes: 7[/quote]

There is no majority position this time around, so I think the smartest course is to ABSTAIN. If other votes come in before the vote closes, and I'm able to act accordingly, then I will.

[Grosseschnauzer]

Quote: The resolution UN Economics Prize was passed 7,630 votes to 3,344, and implemented in all UN member nations.[/quote]