The Mercurian Empire
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Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Population
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Author:  Gimpy V [ August 8th, 2016, 12:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

Not necessarily mark, many people would see metropolis as meaning the same as chairman meaning that he can and should use the word in that way.

Author:  Cerdic Accynnafon [ August 8th, 2016, 4:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

Gimpy IV wrote:
Not necessarily mark, many people would see metropolis as meaning the same as chairman meaning that he can and should use the word in that way.


Those people would be wrong according to every modern definition of the word.

Should we start using other words incorrectly as well?

What's the use of using a word for a definition if you have to explain that it doesn't mean what English dictionaries define it as?

Author:  The Chairman [ August 8th, 2016, 7:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

Mark Stefan wrote:
Those people would be wrong according to every modern definition of the word.


Every

modern

definition

you

say?

Honestly, I don't think it's important if the term is technically right or not, what's important is that people understand what is meant (a "huge city") so we can have the discussion.

Author:  Cerdic Accynnafon [ August 8th, 2016, 7:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

Look at all the contexts. None of those are some city that stands by itself without villages and towns surrounding it. None of those definitions only include the one that says "A large city."

Jesus.

For example, Wichita, Kansas is one of the top 50 largest "cities" in the US. No one would call it a metropolis ( with the exception of talking about a metro statistical area) by any stretch. A metropolis is NYC, Chicago, London, Rome, Paris. Not a place like Wichita where the city is 90% or so of the population of the area.

Just call them large cities. It's not like many, if any will truly exist.

Author:  Septimus [ August 9th, 2016, 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

If a population census is going to be done then it must be done thoroughly.

In my opinion there is no easy way to just take a number of buildings, add a multiplier and get a magic number out. Someone needs to go around every settlement, inspect each building and make a judgement call on what number of people it could support. I don't care how big or pretty your building might be, but if it is a simple shell without floors or even basic furnishing, it should not count towards your population. Each building needs to be assessed on a case by case basis.

I'm aware this would involve a tonne of work for most people, but if something is worth doing it is worth doing right, which is why I think it might be useful to have a dedicated body setup to perform the above assessments and confirm the population. Squire and I have discussed this at length and think setting up a guild to do just that would allow all areas to properly audited and then kept upto date, even if the land holder does not have the time to perform the assessment themselves.

Author:  Petra Ravnikaar [ August 9th, 2016, 1:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

Surely it would be a Ministry position of some kind rather than an external guild? Like an Imperial Records branch of one of the existing ministries, so that it's free from external forces?

Author:  Septimus [ August 9th, 2016, 1:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

A ministry position might be more appropriate now that you mention it, but given the sheer amount of work required to perform the assessments, a Guild and its potential for payment would better ensure the work is carried out swiftly and thoroughly. I'm open to ideas though

Author:  Jakon [ August 9th, 2016, 4:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

I think I'd agree with Sam on this one. Guilds should be for certain trades/hobbies/jobs, and collecting what is essentially a form of census data doesn't fit into the guild mold. Also I don't think anyone would pay for an unofficial counting of population if they could just do it themselves. A ministry position would serve best for this role.

Author:  Cerdic Accynnafon [ August 9th, 2016, 4:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

However, that's yet another ministry position that won't be really done, and yet another thing we'd have to make a bill about via a vote.

Author:  Septimus [ August 9th, 2016, 5:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Adjusting Population Scale and How We Calculate Populati

Ideally, yes it would be a ministry position, but as Mark says, the setup would be cumbersome, and there is no incentive to ensure the job gets done well, if at all.

Rather than creating a new cabinet role, perhaps it is something that could be added to an existing ministry, such as Culture or Surveyors? Though its possible the extensive time needed to undertake such a task wouldn't be fully allocated due to the other duties each cabinet already has.

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