Is the council really fair?

[[Ren The Ryoko]]

Oh, so the council has 1 Air Rep, 1 Earth Kingdom Rep, 1 Fire Nation Rep, and 2 Water Tribe Reps.
How the hell if that fair?

First of all, Tenzin, I love you, but the "air nomads" consist of like...5 people at the moment. How is it fair that he gets equal vote and equal say as the Earth Kingdom Rep when the Earth Kingdom is the LARGEST and most POPULOUS of the nations by FAR. Look at it on a map!

They have to have at LEAST 60% of the world's population there. And they get equal say with the dude who represents his wife and three children?

And come on water tribe! Like, I know that the North and South Tribes are vast different and isolated, but so are people on opposite sides of the Earth Kingdom. And what about Foggy Swamp Tribe? Are they just getting tossed in with the Earth Kingdom as well?

This is not equal representation.


More thoughts:

We know there is still a Firelord. Zuko only stepped down three years ago and his daughter replaced him.

So I believe the council is supposed to be like the UN? I guess? But they are supposed to be making choices for the CITY. So...then are these people elected by the separate nations and SENT to Republic City? Or do people WITHIN the city elect them? Why even distinguish between the four nations at all then if Republic city is so multi-cultural?

How are they even elected? I mean, Tenzin man, come on, who voted for you? Do Kya and Bumi count as part of your "nation"? Your air acolytes? Does Pema count if she just married in? WHO VOTED FOR YOU?

How do these politics work?

[Ustareth Merope Riddle]

The council functions more like an oligarchy to me, which I find ironic given that the city is called "Republic City". But I suppose that's the point Amon is trying to make.

[Gumshoe]

[Ren The Ryoko]

Oh, so the council has 1 Air Rep, 1 Earth Kingdom Rep, 1 Fire Nation Rep, and 2 Water Tribe Reps.
How the hell if that fair?

First of all, Tenzin, I love you, but the "air nomads" consist of like...5 people at the moment. How is it fair that he gets equal vote and equal say as the Earth Kingdom Rep when the Earth Kingdom is the LARGEST and most POPULOUS of the nations by FAR. Look at it on a map!

They have to have at LEAST 60% of the world's population there. And they get equal say with the dude who represents his wife and three children?

And come on water tribe! Like, I know that the North and South Tribes are vast different and isolated, but so are people on opposite sides of the Earth Kingdom. And what about Foggy Swamp Tribe? Are they just getting tossed in with the Earth Kingdom as well?

This is not equal representation.

they did thire best. and most gov's are uneven in most things

[[Ren The Ryoko]]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

The council functions more like an oligarchy to me, which I find ironic given that the city is called "Republic City". But I suppose that's the point Amon is trying to make.

I mean, Presumably they are elected.
(So who the hell ran against Tenzin, really? What the hell?)

I really want to know how this process works.

[Rangeri]

I thought it was based on bending. Like a fire bender, earth bender, water bender, air bender and non bender--but then the guy I thought was a non bender was a bender and then I was confused @_@

But yeah, doesn't seem fair if it's nation-wise but I guess everyone gets an equal say like in the UN.

[Ustareth Merope Riddle]

[Ren The Ryoko]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

The council functions more like an oligarchy to me, which I find ironic given that the city is called "Republic City". But I suppose that's the point Amon is trying to make.

I mean, Presumably they are elected.
(So who the hell ran against Tenzin, really? What the hell?)

I really want to know how this process works.

I would assume that a representative from each area is meant to be "fair" and adheres to the concept of "balance" the four elements bring to the Avatar's world. Given the mass genocide of the Air Nomads, Tenzin is logically the only person who could represent airbenders. It wouldn't be unfair as he has no other adult airbenders to compete with.

Also, both representatives from the North and South Pole are benders, correct? I think one should've been a non-bender. The fact that they're all benders favors Amon's plight about social inequality among the people. The quest for balance on this council has, in fact, created an imbalance.

In that small scene where they vote on the task force, they decide to mobilize without so much as a vote from the citizens. The task force is essentially set in stone before the media or the people are informed. That makes me wonder how this system of government actually works and if there's a voting system designed for the people.

[Gumshoe]

Rangeri

I thought it was based on bending. Like a fire bender, earth bender, water bender, air bender and non bender--but then the guy I thought was a non bender was a bender and then I was confused @_@

But yeah, doesn't seem fair if it's nation-wise but I guess everyone gets an equal say like in the UN.

that cant be true. recall that soka was on the consil for the southern water tribe. so its probley popular vote to get on the consil

[[Ren The Ryoko]]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

[Ren The Ryoko]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

The council functions more like an oligarchy to me, which I find ironic given that the city is called "Republic City". But I suppose that's the point Amon is trying to make.

I mean, Presumably they are elected.
(So who the hell ran against Tenzin, really? What the hell?)

I really want to know how this process works.

I would assume that a representative from each area is meant to be "fair" and adheres to the concept of "balance" the four elements bring to the Avatar's world. Given the mass genocide of the Air Nomads, Tenzin is logically the only person who could represent airbenders. It wouldn't be unfair as he has no other adult airbenders to compete with.

Also, both representatives from the North and South Pole are benders, correct? I think one should've been a non-bender. The fact that they're all benders favors Amon's plight about social inequality among the people. The quest for balance on this council has, in fact, created an imbalance.

In that small scene where they vote on the task force, they decide to mobilize without so much as a vote from the citizens. The task force is essentially set in stone before the media or the people are informed. That makes me wonder how this system of government actually works and if there's a voting system designed for the people.

I mean, I assume there are elections at least, right?
Our lawmakers in the US can make choices without a direct vote from the people.

But...yeah. The entire system seems really absurd if the goal is equality.

[Ustareth Merope Riddle]

[Ren The Ryoko]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

[Ren The Ryoko]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

The council functions more like an oligarchy to me, which I find ironic given that the city is called "Republic City". But I suppose that's the point Amon is trying to make.

I mean, Presumably they are elected.
(So who the hell ran against Tenzin, really? What the hell?)

I really want to know how this process works.

I would assume that a representative from each area is meant to be "fair" and adheres to the concept of "balance" the four elements bring to the Avatar's world. Given the mass genocide of the Air Nomads, Tenzin is logically the only person who could represent airbenders. It wouldn't be unfair as he has no other adult airbenders to compete with.

Also, both representatives from the North and South Pole are benders, correct? I think one should've been a non-bender. The fact that they're all benders favors Amon's plight about social inequality among the people. The quest for balance on this council has, in fact, created an imbalance.

In that small scene where they vote on the task force, they decide to mobilize without so much as a vote from the citizens. The task force is essentially set in stone before the media or the people are informed. That makes me wonder how this system of government actually works and if there's a voting system designed for the people.

I mean, I assume there are elections at least, right?
Our lawmakers in the US can make choices without a direct vote from the people.

But...yeah. The entire system seems really absurd if the goal is equality.

True, we went to war without a direct vote from the people, but at least the people knew about it before it actually happened. These matters go through a complicated system that's made up of a lot more people than the Avatar "council". Tarrlok is just, like, "Oh, we have a task force now. We went ahead and assembled it overnight without your knowledge. This is where your tax money is going because we said so!"

[[Ren The Ryoko]]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

[Ren The Ryoko]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

[Ren The Ryoko]

Ustareth Merope Riddle

The council functions more like an oligarchy to me, which I find ironic given that the city is called "Republic City". But I suppose that's the point Amon is trying to make.

I mean, Presumably they are elected.
(So who the hell ran against Tenzin, really? What the hell?)

I really want to know how this process works.

I would assume that a representative from each area is meant to be "fair" and adheres to the concept of "balance" the four elements bring to the Avatar's world. Given the mass genocide of the Air Nomads, Tenzin is logically the only person who could represent airbenders. It wouldn't be unfair as he has no other adult airbenders to compete with.

Also, both representatives from the North and South Pole are benders, correct? I think one should've been a non-bender. The fact that they're all benders favors Amon's plight about social inequality among the people. The quest for balance on this council has, in fact, created an imbalance.

In that small scene where they vote on the task force, they decide to mobilize without so much as a vote from the citizens. The task force is essentially set in stone before the media or the people are informed. That makes me wonder how this system of government actually works and if there's a voting system designed for the people.

I mean, I assume there are elections at least, right?
Our lawmakers in the US can make choices without a direct vote from the people.

But...yeah. The entire system seems really absurd if the goal is equality.

True, we went to war without a direct vote from the people, but at least the people knew about it before it actually happened. These matters go through a complicated system that's made up of a lot more people than the Avatar "council". Tarrlok is just, like, "Oh, we have a task force now. We went ahead and assembled it overnight without your knowledge. This is where your tax money is going because we said so!"

I don't find the task force that strange. Cities assemble stuff like that all the time. It appears to be some extension of the police force anyway.

[Aha]

I don't think the council represents the people of all the nations, just the people from those nations that live in the United Republic and Republic City specifically. The Earth Kingdom is huge and has the most people, but that is still run by the Earth King, the same way the Fire Nation is still run by the Firelord. The United Republic is it's own thing now, with council members representing their cultures and people who are only citizens of the Republic.

There are two Water Tribe representatives because the two tribes themselves are culturally different and exist separately from each other.

The biggest problem here is that the mixed nationality and shared singular culture of the UR means there is less need for cultural representatives and more need for bender and non bender representatives. So the council should be one waterbender, one earthbender, one firebender, one airbender and one non bender for it to be fair.

[Deandriea]

I think it's likely that they are replacements for the original council, which would have had the core cast of the original series on it, and the people who replaced them were either chosen when they stepped down, something to that effect.

[Maximum Hawkeye]

[Maximum Hawkeye]

Lol. Just kidding of course with the picture. I totally agree with you. I think that that is definitely going to come up.

[Aetherwing]

I think you're forgetting the council does not govern the whole avatar world. They are intended to govern Republic City, and Republic City only.