We need a political solution... seriously!

Computer operating systems are designed to manage the hardware resources of a computer efficiently and cost-effectively, providing every program running on the machine equal and fair opportunities to do their job productively. The OS does not take bribes from processes to give them more CPU time, it is not corrupt and is flexible when it comes to changes in hardware and other system changes.

Has anybody thought of writing a computer program (something like an OS) to replace a government? I mean… think about it! Given the new Software development techniques such as object oriented methods that allow real world processes and entities to be more easily replicated/duplicated within a computer, and given the fact that the functions of government are not prohibitively complex, it sure seems like a good idea to me… give or take a decade or two for the software to be developed and consider the advances in technology that will make the idea more feasible in the future… just imagine having a computer system as the government of a country!!!

Am I reducing human beings to mere diodes and capacitors? Well, metaphorically that may be the case; just to illustrate my point. But I concede without hesitation that managing a country is far more complex than managing a computer - thus the suggestion to take a good decade or two and produce a modular, bug free system that can be easily updated.

And dwelling more on the technicality of the idea, “government” consists of a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. I don’t suggest that it is possible or rational to assume that the legislative or judicial functions can be automated just yet – not with the present technology. We need advanced artificial intelligence for that (with all due respect to the honourable MPs and the honourable judges, it seems apparent that we need artificial intelligence even in the present system, but that is another matter).

But surely, most of the executive functions can be automated? With a few exceptions like the armed forces and the police, most executive functions can be totally automated. I am talking about automating the whole process; not using IT to aide the functions of government officials – like for example; installing IBM black-boxes to suffer the abuse of incompetent users at the department of immigration and emigration. I am talking about using IT to actually cut down on the bureaucracy. Take away the fertile ground where corruption and waste prosper.

Doesn’t that seem like a bright idea to you? If not, tell me why…