The Academy of Sciences and its Programme of Research

Comrades, knowledge is common property like any other. A discovery kept by one colony is a loss to all the rest. The Academy of Sciences exists so that the Commonwealth learns as one: it keeps the knowledge of the working people, teaches it in these lectures, and proposes a programme of research that the colonies carry out together.

What the Academy does

• It teaches. The professors lecture on history, engineering, agronomy, architecture and political economy, the physician on medicine, and the Director of Research on research. Every lecture is free to every citizen: /cw lecture <subject> [number], or in the People's Library on the website.
• It answers. Every professor answers questions in the game: /cw ask <professor> <question>.
• It proposes a programme. Which research the Commonwealth needs most, and which colony takes it on.
• It keeps the record. What each colony has researched, so no one repeats it by accident.

The Academy advises; it does not command. Its programme becomes binding only as the council adopts it and the plan counts it.

The programme of research

Research in MineColonies belongs to each colony separately (see /cw lecture research 1). A sensible programme therefore does three things:

1. Shares the basic research. Every colony needs some research for itself: the research that unlocks the buildings of daily life, basic defence and better builders. The programme names it, so new colonies know where to begin.
2. Divides the advanced research. Where one colony can serve all (a specialised workshop, a great smelter, the armoury of the Commonwealth), one colony takes the research on, builds the workshop, and delivers its products to the common stores for everyone.
3. Follows the plan. Research that helps meet the plan's targets comes first.

How a citizen takes part

• Propose a priority. Table a motion in the council ("Research programme: the Technology branch in the colony of the North") with the reasons. If it is adopted, it is the Commonwealth's decision.
• Put it in the plan. A plan change can add a target such as "University at level 3 in the eastern colony" or "Research: better armour for the guards", reported by hand when done. Propose it on the Plan page, or bring it to the Planning Commission (/cw commission <proposal>).
• Deliver the materials. Research costs materials. Goods delivered to the common stores (/cw deliver) can be allotted by the Distribution Office to the citizens who run the researching colony, when they ask for them.
• Report what is done. When research completes, report it on its plan target and tell the Chronicler; the Gazette reports what the plan achieves.

The Commonwealth's register of research

Until the Academy has its own page on the website, keep the register in the open: the plan's targets, the council's motions and the Chronicle together show what the Commonwealth has decided to learn and what it has learned. Ask me what is known at any time: /cw ask research-director <question>.

Science for the working people

The Academy's principle is simple: research serves the needs of the people, decided by the people. Not the prestige of one colony, not the curiosity of one professor, but the plan. A stronger guard, a faster builder, a richer harvest: each is a gift from the researchers to every comrade.