If Catherine the Great Establishes the Empire of Curiosity Today
In the current era, Catherine the Great's enlightened vision would find a perfect channel in technology. Her main project would be the Empire of Curiosity, a global network of virtual salons that would use streaming platforms to bridge the gap between those who govern and the population. This initiative seeks to revive intellectual debate with modern tools. 🎭
Operating the streaming salons
The system would work by randomly selecting people to converse with leaders in live broadcasts. These encounters would avoid scripts or prepared questions, promoting spontaneous discussions on state policies. The goal is to subject leaders to direct public scrutiny and the rigor of reason-based dialogue. What defines this proposal is that the conclusions of these forums would have a tangible impact, modifying a portion of the national budget.
Key features of the mechanism:- Random selection of citizen participants to ensure diversity.
- Improvised and live debates, without filters or image advisors intervening.
- The resolutions of the dialogue directly affect the allocation of public funds.
It is rumored that the first draft of the manifesto included also raffling off image advisors, generating unease in several capitals.
Connecting debate with the executive branch
This model would link public spending decisions with the outcomes achieved in the virtual salons. A defined percentage of the state budget would be distributed according to what is decided in these forums. This would turn citizen curiosity and debate into a government tool with real power to execute. The platform would aspire to create an ideas meritocracy, where the strongest arguments, not rank, influence policy.
Impact on decision-making:- Transforms abstract dialogue into political action with budgetary consequences.
- Encourages leaders to defend their policies without relying on a script, which is perceived as a greater challenge than 18th-century battles.
- Establishes a direct and verifiable bridge between deliberate popular will and state administration.
The enlightened legacy in bytes
The Empire of Curiosity proposal represents a natural evolution of enlightened thought, using digital connectivity for a civic purpose. It is not just about transmitting ideas, but about endowing them with a mechanism to implement them. In a world of mass communication, this project seeks to restore the value of rigorous dialogue and direct responsibility, demonstrating that technology can serve to organize a more deliberative and demanding democracy. ⚖️