Please note the following:   

• This proclamation of independence envisions a future of equality and dignity for all individuals. 
• It envisions a future of Mutual Aid within local communities.
• It envisions a future of People choosing to work together collectively for the benefit of all. 
• It envisions a future of Peace and Harmony. 

This future can be achieved without violence if People choose to make it so.

(Note:  Contextual definitions of key concepts in Proclamation are presented at end of text)

People's Proclamation of Independence

For the sake of humanity's future sustainability, it is essential to learn.  Today, in 2007, we are witness to decadent world-wide institutions and organizations prolonging continued disarray for "the commons" against the desires of People everywhere.  People everywhere desire Peace and Harmony, and this is a Proclamation of Independence from those institutions and organizations that perpetuate and prolong ongoing suffering of innocence.  

This Proclamation extols the virtues of:  local commerce and governance as well as individual liberty for the good of all.  This Proclamation calls for a Confederacy of Communities committed to a peaceful and better future for ALL People.  The following forms the basis of the Confederacy:

1.  Institutions and organizations are to be directly accountable to and in the interest of the People.  Institutions and organizations that exert large-scale authority over many local areas are to be identified.  Institutions and organizations premised upon domination or that perform acts of domination are to be dismantled and discontinued in an orderly and systematic fashion during a "Time of Transition".  The principles and intent of all on-going institutions and organizations ought be published periodically and these publications ought be free for all.   

Note:  What defines an "institution" or an "organization" ought be self-evident.  They include current government entities, corporations, and "highly organized" groupings that are "not alive" but nonetheless exert large-scale influence over the lives of many.

2.  Liberty for individuals is understood to be freedom of expression in "non-physical" ways and freedom of action (choice) in most situations in one's "day-to-day" pursuits.  Liberty is essential for individual's natural abilities to manifest, and in this way, it is in everyone's interest for there to be liberty for all.  Where there is physical interaction amongst individuals in a commonly shared space, informal bounds and formal restrictions on liberty are generally necessary and desirable for the purpose of maintaining order for the benefit of all (both those present and those who will inhabit the space in the future).   

3. "Generally agreed upon principles" to guide behavior ought be established for each community and revisited and adjusted as necessary.  Any restrictions that are proposed are only to be considered if a majority of the commons agree.    In situations where an agreement has been reached to consider a restriction, then the individuals who proposed the restriction must respond to any questions from others.  The amount of time and effort in consideration should be proportional to the restriction's scale.  

4.  The primary purpose of all governing entites is to facilitate education and collective learning for the commons.  As vested by the commons, governing entities may also be responsible for:  health services, transportation services, auditing services, general public safety-related considerations, etc.   

5.   It is in the interest of local communities that all members of the community have the basic needs of shelter and daily sustenance sufficiently met, so that in times of bounty these needs are of no concern.  Adequete supplies should be stored in reserve to prepare for times of shortage.  During times of shortage the reserves are to be distributed per procedures as developed by each local community.  Development of these procedures should be one of the first tasks taken up by any community.  If a community has a surplus of daily sustenance materials (food, clothing, medicines, etc.), mechanisms for trading this surplus with other nearby communities should be established and agreed upon.

6.  Any transportation within a community is to be "owned" by members of the community and any benefits associated with this tranportation are to be shared equally.

7.  Media entities formed for the purpose of public communication amongst members of the community are to be readily enabled by the community so that all views have opportunity for expression.  For "non-entertainment" aspects of media, a primary purpose is to report on "scale" accurately.  A broad diversity of media entities is preferable to help assure that reporting remains objective, fair and in the community's long-term interest.  A key aspect of education is the understanding of how media can shape public perception and this is why accurate and diverse reporting is essential for a healthy community. 

8.  Enforcement of restrictions is to be done by members of the community all of whom take turns with this responsibility.  Enforcement should be diffuse so as to discourage concentration of any enforcement authority in the hands of a few.  If there are individuals who work full time on enforcement, these individuals should be representative of the community to the greatest extent possible, and these individuals should engage in face-to-face interaction with members of the community in both "good-standing" and "bad-standing" on a daily basis.  

9.  Defense of the community is to be the minimum necessary to achieve sufficient disincentive to prevent outsiders from pursuing any offensive military actions against the community.  Military expenditures and research should be for defensive purposes only and military assets should remain within the community.  All members of the Confederacy should come to each others aid in the event of offensive military action initiated by a non-member against a member.

10.  All Communities that are in the Confederacy need to first and foremost make a Pledge of Peace towards each other as well as towards others who are not members of the Confederacy.  By virtue of Peace the Confederacy can strive towards a sustainable future for humanity.  Discoveries of the Confederacy should be made available for "the global commons".  New members to the Confederacy should be readily accepted.