The Economy?? [NO goods import; migration unsettled]

[Coconut Kid]

As long as the player has "god powers", only a totalitarian form of government can be represented.

Players [The player] can be either a corporate fascist or a centralized economy communist. 

To be honest, I do not know if it is possible to escape this unfortunate situation.

I suspect that the coding to do otherwise ... Even if it were possible to code a more flexible economic system, would current computers be able to run it?

I think that is an absolutely correct assessment of the potential of PC "simulation" games when they deal with social situations such as the economy and politics (the political economy as old-time academics called it).

The wild card is the multi-player game. Unfortunately, what sells for PCs is war and violence. If any PC game developer could bring out a "working" multi-player game based on the three elements of

• cooperation
• competition
• conflict

which did not immediately rise to violence, they would have a winning simulation. But the sales would be doubtful.

[el_malo]

Of course, in regards to Tropico, the two economic models DO represent the Caribbean historical pathways, especially with a 1950 start date.

Dictators have not been known for their support of other economic models.

Trop3 would actually be an aberration, if it was to deviate to far from these economic systems.

[Coconut Kid]

The weakness of T1's economic system is that it is focused entirely on exports and tourist income and mades the big four needs of the population simply dead-weight overhead. ...

Although there has been no hint (I think) that there will be import activity added in T3, it seems likely. T1 was very unrealistic on that point.

However, it seems necessary to recognize that if such activity is added, it is likely to be highly abstracted! It would not involve a "jumble sale" of automobiles, household items, clothing, bubble gum, ad nausium. At most, it would involve broad categories such as generic food, generic medical supples, generic military supplies and generic luxury goods. Such items would represent policy decisions by El Presidente at an appropriate cost. Further uncategorized imports could be abstractly represented by a monthly charge to the National Treasury which could be tied to the setting of the Immigation Office (retitled Customs & Immigation Office. Take a guess how >>Grin<<!

[Coconut Kid]

I make bold to suggest that you reread the entire thread!
It is improved - or so I think. 

Customs & Immigration Office
Levies an abstract cost of imports by subtraction from the Treasury.

Import Cost	Immigration	Other Effects
20% per month	Open Door	+ 10% Liberty
15% per month	Educated Workers Preference	+ 5% Liberty
10% per month	Tropicans First	Minus 5 Liberty
5% per month	Unhappy Leave by Force	Minus 10 Liberty
10% per year	Iron Curtain	Minus 15 Happiness

So things are not so simple when you control migration. Goods move too.

You wish to recoup the costs of imports? What can I say? Raise the charges for purchases from the Market Places and the other places where you gouge your citizens?

At least "imports" are in the economy.

 
Oops! If you don't have a Customs & Immigration Office fully staffed, imports move freely -- therefore your National Treasury is charged 25% per year to reflect your careless lack of control of your island's trade.
 

[Coconut Kid]

There has been a recent statement from the developers that there will be no facility for goods import.

Whether the specifics of the control of migration will be tweeked has not been addressed by the developers.

[Coconut Kid]

Jamaica Daily Gleaner
Letter to the Editor, June 26, 2009:

Jamaicans have this propensity to do things which would be unheard of in other Caribbean countries, and then complain when these countries take steps to protect the interest of their citizens.

Just recently, there was heated debate between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago about the refusal of the twin-island republic to allow the importation of Jamaican patties. A month later I am reading of a supermarket importing patties from, of all places, the United States of America (USA). Jamaica's market is wide open and you can import just about anything, as we seem not to have set standards for anything.

Second, even where standards exist you really have no need to worry about them anyway; you can still bring the stuff in and get them on the supermarket shelves. Who cares?

Therein lies our problem, we seem as people to have very little regard for the rest of the country as long as we see an individual profit, even if it means dragging this country to its knees. Then we complain how some Caribbean countries put in place so-called protectionist polices, which are really meant to help their people.

Instead of trying to expand our markets for export, to earn additional foreign exchange, we are buying US currency to import just about anything that can be imported.

The chief executive officer from Trinidad Cement Company was spot on in his recent stinging comments on Jamaica, and here is clear evidence to support his charge.

While it may be difficult to stop our business people from doing dumb things from a policy perspective, it just takes some educated consumer to put an end to this folly.

The perspective on protectionism vs profits in any way possible have not changed in a 100 years. No wonder imports are banned from Tropico.