A country that has no access to water at all.
They’re completely dependent on some neighbor/more powerful/much smaller country that DOES hold all the water reserves and controls that. (Maybe they control it for the ENTIRE WORLD?)
- “Of course we’re going to use that power. Of course we’re asking the highest price we possibly can. You’d be stupid not to.”
- “No. You’d be kind. And humane. And reasonably afraid of a terrible rebellion.”
What would happen then? Imagine the numerous conflicts that could break out if a single small country controlled the water supply for the entire world.
Possibly related idea:
Some family does something really important—save the country, save the world, selfless sacrifice, whatever—which grants them an exception in the law. (Similar to special status of king/president, but that is temporary and only based on one person. This is an entire family that gets special rights.) For example, they pay no tax, their witness statements are deemed more valuable/reliable, etcetera.
- Now, years later, it’s the next generation and there’s issues with this.
- People in the country think it’s unfair. People within the family don’t want to be held to such a high standard, or think they’re not “worthy” of that treatment. On the other hand, some people really really abuse it and live the high life on the exceptions.
How is it related? Because we can make this family the one who discovered the water supply. The family that saved this country and made all other countries depend on it in a clever way, gets this exemption in the law forever.