Best places for human rights/greater equality?

[naseridrl]

Which places are the best for providing some small amount of basic human rights to their people? This is ASOIAF no place is going to be a wonderful place to live but some places provide better things than others.

You have freedom of religion in the free cities area particularly Braavos, you have greater rights for women in Dorne, the Summer Isles seem to have greater sexual freedom and Dorne has this a little too and better treatment of bastards. Both the Summer Islands and the Iron Islands seem to have female captains of ships. Naath people sound very peaceful and maybe that extends to tolerance as well

To me it seems that most place have something good about them but also a bunch of terrible stuff a well.

[Slender Aimry Hill]

Somewhere way too boring for fiction

[Chebyshov]

DORNE! There's little to say against it, except for the vague threat of dehydration.

[Julia Martell]

DORNE! There's little to say against it, except for the vague threat of dehydration.

Yeah, Dorne ain't perfect but it's the best we're gonna get in this crapsack world.

At least a woman can get laid every once in a while without being forced to become a mute nun for the rest of her life afterwards.

[Winter's Knight]

Somewhere way too boring for fiction

You need to read more if you think inequality is the only way a story can be interesting.

I'm throwing my hat in for Dorne as well, although politically Bravoos is also good.

[JoeyBanana]

Summer Islands > Dorne (> rest of Westeros)

It is known.

[The Marquis de Leech]

The Iron Islands and the Wildings have the most meritocratic societies in Westeros: your bloodline matters less than what you yourself can achieve.

[Ingelheim]

The Iron Islands and the Wildings have the most meritocratic societies in Westeros: your bloodline matters less than what you yourself can achieve.

Night's Watch then. By far.

[Chebyshov]

Not sure the best case can be made for the Iron Islands concerning human rights...(salt wives, thralls).

[The Marquis de Leech]

Night's Watch then. By far.

Except that blood really does matter on the Wall (c.f. Jon), and in marked contrast to the Iron Islands or the Wildings, there is a tightly enforced hierarchy.

[A Man Reads]

The Free Cities surely. They seem to be the Westerosi equivalent of medieval Italian cities.

[The Onion Sleight]

Summer Islands > Dorne (> rest of Westeros)

It is known.

Yeah, I'd pick the Summer Isles as well, they sound fascinating, I mean, read e.g. about their culture...

The natives of the islands are an ebony-skinned people who speak their own language and often wear capes of brightly colored feathers. The act of lovemaking is considered an important and even holy skill. Prostitution is a respectable profession, practiced even by the high-born islanders. Summer Islanders respect their elderly, and mourning customs include celebrating the dead with wine and lovemaking.

The Summer Islands are known for their swan ships. Archery is another important cultural skill, and their special bows have a longer range than most others, giving their merchant boats added defense against pirates. According to semi-canon sources, the Summer Islanders are regarded as the best archers in the known world.

The best bows are made of the golden wood from the Summer Isles. The golden wood that the Islanders are famous for comes from the goldenheart tree which are only found on the Summer Islands. They also make a sweet amber wine. Their diet consists primarily of fruits and fish.

...And then tell me why somebody wouldn't want to live there?!

ETA: If I would live on GRRM's world, I'd maybe pick/say:

Summer Isles > Braavos > Dorne > the rest

But I'm no friend of hot climate, so I'd go with White Harbor.

[Ingelheim]

Except that blood really does matter on the Wall (c.f. Jon), and in marked contrast to the Iron Islands or the Wildings, there is a tightly enforced hierarchy.

Cotter Pyke? Jon Snow? Two of the three main guys of the NW are bastards.

Also, saying blood does not matter on the Iron Islands is wrong. You just have to see how the Kingsmoot worked, etc.

[JoeyBanana]

Yeah, I'd pick the Summer Isles as well, they sound so wonderful, I mean, read e.g. about their culture...

...And then tell me why somebody wouldn't want to live there?!

Exactly, they're great. Arianne and Oberyn would be considered amateurs down there, i'm sure.

[Trickrs]

Yeah, I'd pick the Summer Isles as well, they sound so wonderful, I mean, read e.g. about their culture...

...And then tell me why somebody wouldn't want to live there?!

ETA: If I would live on GRRM's world, I'd pick/say:

Summer Isles > Braavos > Dorne > the rest

Well... I don't drink neither do a lot of sex, so I pick Braavos.

[Julia Martell]

Cotter Pyke? Jon Snow? Two of the three main guys of the NW are bastards.

Also, saying blood does not matter on the Iron Islands is wrong. You just have to see how the Kingsmoot worked, etc.

Cotter Pyke may be a good example, but Jon... it does matter WHO'S bastard you are, after all.

[Chebyshov]

Exactly, they're great. Arianne and Oberyn would be considered amateurs down there, i'm sure.

Them's fighting words :fencing:

I say both places are quite libidinous. Though the Summer Isles seem to have Firefly-style companions.

[naseridrl]

If you've got nothing then the Free Cities might be the best place to go. Being based on trade they'd probably have a good amount of social mobility so it'd give someone with nothing a better chance to make something of themselves, especially as trade relies more on the goods themselves than who the person is.

[SeanF]

Braavos seems to be the best-governed, so that's the one I'd opt for.

Dorne has its points, but the duelling and the poisoning would be drawbacks. Also, the whole country is probably heading for disaster under the leadership of Arianne and the Sand Snakes, in future books.

The fact that Jalabar Xhao is an exile from the Summer Isles suggests that they have their own share of civil wars.

[The Onion Sleight]

Cotter Pyke? Jon Snow? Two of the three main guys of the NW are bastards.

Also, saying blood does not matter on the Iron Islands is wrong. You just have to see how the Kingsmoot worked, etc.

Same way as today in many places: Money, money, money + rhetorical skills & some inspiring speech + great visions and campaign promises; Plus points for: Charisma + good-looking + a certain reputation + magical horn (or something else to promote your promises) => XY King(/president/mayor/...)!