Policy Name Change

[rallytoshelly]

Simple proposal: Change name of "Black Markets" to "Informal Markets"

* "Black Market" is a term that is capitalism-centric and has a negative connotation while there are legitimate usages and strategies for informal markets
* The term "Black Market" has a bit of a racist connotation
* In some parts of the world, "Informal Markets" has started to gain common usage in place of the term "Black Markets"

[Geoff the Medio]

* "Black Market" is a term that is capitalism-centric

How so? Capitalism is neither unique in having nor unique in not having regulation of trade or avoidance of that regulation.

...and has a negative connotation while there are legitimate usages and strategies for informal markets

Since FreeOrion provides a government policy for it, I'm not sure what your point is re: there being legitimate uses. A player or empire adopting such a policy would seemingly agree that it's useful. The palette of policies intentionally does not pass or imply judgement on the utility of any of its contents.

* The term "Black Market" has a bit of a racist connotation

Citation needed. As far as I'm aware, this use of "black" is not a reference to any particular group of people.

* In some parts of the world, "Informal Markets" has started to gain common usage in place of the term "Black Markets"

"Informal" markets seems more to imply the lack of structure or regulation, rather than the avoidance of compliance with them. The Black Markets policy is intended to represent the establishment of unofficial unregulated / underground markets within society, perhaps to allow the "official" policy of the government to be different from the reality of how the economy functions, such as to let the politicians or other leadership make pandering / populist official policy without actually effectively imposing their restrictions on the real economy.

[Grummel7]

Well, both black market and informal market mean the same and definitely refer to something unofficial. Which means that they are indeed both rather odd names for an official government policy. Which doesn't mean I know a good name for it.

What does it do? Somehow luxury resources are used to create influence on unstable planets. Perhaps they are used to bribe would-be rebellion leaders into using their influence in favor of the empire. "Bribed Influencers" maybe?

[LienRag]

Underground markets then ?

[Geoff the Medio]

odd names for an official government policy.

The policies are how the government and society actually run, not how they "officially" run.

[Daybreak]

I don't care one way or another what it is called.

I do point out that it obviously affected one person, enough to come here and post about it.

[Oberlus]

Underground Markets sounds as good as black markets for the meaning, so +1 for that change.

[Daybreak]

If I had to choose

Underground Economy or markets
Shadow Economy or markets
Clandestine market

Soucre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_market

I don't like informal markets much, as it does not mean anything to me, as much as black markets, but assume it depends on where you come from.

[Ophiuchus]

odd names for an official government policy.

The policies are how the government and society actually run, not how they "officially" run.

i guess "policy" is the misnomer here?

[Krikkitone]

odd names for an official government policy.

The policies are how the government and society actually run, not how they "officially" run.

i guess "policy" is the misnomer here?

Maybe they could be renamed “institutions” something more society in general and less government.

[LienRag]

Note that a Policy of informal economy could be interesting per se, even if it has nothing to do with Black/Underground markets...