In 13 HY, the Tuesday Group did, slowly, started bringing up and discussing the various options for how Haven should be organized politically. Indeed, it is their numbering of choices that became famous, the ‘four options’ that were shorthand for:
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As it is, with Project Zero making all the decisions, with a better process of getting input from the residents, with possibly some sort of formal petition process so that residents could make it clear what was important. This was often called ‘the status quo’. Critics were often quick to point out it was not the status quo, because proponents were imagining better communications that didn’t exist.
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With Project Zero making all the decisions, but they would have residents vote on various things, with the main difference with the previous option is that Project Zero would supposedly ‘have to’ respect the outcome. This was called ‘self-determination’. Critics of this pointed out this seemed identical to option 1 except that Project Zero pinky swore to do the things Haven voted for.
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With an actual formal local government that made decisions itself, but existing under the authority of Project Zero. This was called ‘local governance’. Critics of this pointed out that Project Zero would never allow it, not just because it would diminish their authority, but simply because it would require Project Zero doing things and that was very unlikely.
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With Haven declaring independence and kicking out Project Zero and the MTPs, an idea mostly only brought up by somewhat ignorant people. This was often called ‘the stupid option’ or ‘the suicide option’. As critics, and literally every person who understood basic math pointed out, Haven could not actually fight the MTPs, and even if Project Zero just shrugged and left, that would leave Haven unable to feed itself. And worse, that could dissolve the Project Zero part of the Major Powers Treaty, and without that, one of the MTPs might decide to just take Timeline Zero for itself! At least the incredibly hidebound bureaucracy of three governments was keeping Haven safe from any individual government!