Optimocracy, our system of governance

While we attribute big advances in technology to the work of scientists and engineers, people with an engineering mindset are also responsible for advances in human governance. From the writing of the Magna Carta to the Icelandic Constitution to the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution, we owe whatever freedoms we have from despotism to people who are able to step back, define the problem, and then set out to write specifications — textual engineering drawings if you will — that define structures that preclude, or minimize the effects of, known sources of failure.

That is engineering.

Engineers, and those with an engineering mindset, tend to understand the role of constraints in systems. A system of checks and balances is engineered to minimize the consequences of the tendency of power to corrupt. It's no coincidence that those who developed workable systems of balance of power, from Pericles to Torgny, Lovelace to Jay, Jefferson, Hamilton and Franklin — all approached the problem of power with an engineering mindset.

Now, with the introduction of PKI-based identity and the other elements of the Authenticity Infrastructure, direct governance by individual members of geographically dispersed communities without complicating intermediaries is possible for the first time.

In Optimocracy, anyone can be a voting member of a commission or other governing body, without campaigning for election or appointment. The only requirements are

  • The member must have, and use, an identity credential with a minimum Identity Quality score as set by the Chief Moderator of the community or commission
  • The member must demonstrate ongoing participation in the commission (or other governing body) by digitally signing its periodic checkpoints and polls, and must contribute to its deliberations at a minimum level set by its moderator.

All deliberations take place online, in InDoor™ facilities. They may be synchronous (everyone participates at the same time,) asynchronous (participation at the member's convenience), or both.

Roberta's Rules, the parliamentary system used by optimocracy

Decisions made in the various commissions are made using a parliamentary system called Roberta's Rules, which is the adaptation of Robert's Rules of Order to the online environment.

Information about, and specifications for, Roberta's Rules may be found at https://www.robertasrules.org/ .