Exploring the Exploring the Potential for Open-Potential for Open-

Source Self-Source Self-GovernanceGovernance

Mike MussmanMike Mussman

State University of New York at State University of New York at Albany Albany

Communication Masters StudentCommunication Masters Student

mike.mussman@gmail.commike.mussman@gmail.com

The The ProblemProblem The now unnecessary The now unnecessary

splitting of a group’s splitting of a group’s membership into membership into governors (decision-governors (decision-makers) and governed makers) and governed (non decision-makers).(non decision-makers).

Concentrates group’s Concentrates group’s decision-making power decision-making power into an elite largely into an elite largely insulated from directly insulated from directly sensing outcomes of sensing outcomes of their decisionstheir decisions

Majority Majority disenfranchiseddisenfranchised

A = Action, R = Reaction

The The ProblemProblem

More group members More group members become decision-become decision-makers.makers.

Decision-makers Decision-makers periodically periodically accountable to group accountable to group members. (i.e. members. (i.e. representative representative democracy)democracy)

Group members have Group members have more direct agency more direct agency (i.e. free speech, free (i.e. free speech, free association, greater association, greater economic autonomy…)economic autonomy…)

Moderating

A = Action, R = Reaction

The The ProblemProblem

Governor/Governed Governor/Governed distinction irrelevant.distinction irrelevant.

Governance texts built Governance texts built in the same way that in the same way that open-source software open-source software development handles development handles group members’ group members’ contributions.contributions.

Most effective feedback Most effective feedback loop between those who loop between those who make decisions and make decisions and those who deal with those who deal with their consequences. their consequences. Low loss of information.Low loss of information.

Removing

A = Action, R = Reaction

Coding a GovernmentCoding a Government Peter Suber’s “Nomic”Peter Suber’s “Nomic”

A game where the play is defined by a set of A game where the play is defined by a set of modifiable rules.modifiable rules.

RULE 1: Each player starts with 0 points.RULE 1: Each player starts with 0 points. RULE 2: Players take turns rolling dice.RULE 2: Players take turns rolling dice. RULE 3: A player’s dice roll is added to the player’s score.RULE 3: A player’s dice roll is added to the player’s score. RULE 4: First player to reach 100 point wins.RULE 4: First player to reach 100 point wins. RULE 5: Players can change a rule instead of rolling the RULE 5: Players can change a rule instead of rolling the

dice.dice.

All nomic games…All nomic games… have an initial rule allowing for the changing of have an initial rule allowing for the changing of

rules.rules. are games of self-amendment.are games of self-amendment.

Coding a GovernmentCoding a Government A nomic’s rulebook can be used as a A nomic’s rulebook can be used as a

group’s governing text.group’s governing text.

A nomic’s rule statements can be A nomic’s rule statements can be used to define:used to define: LawsLaws RightsRights RegulationsRegulations PoliciesPolicies ProgramsPrograms Departments/PositionsDepartments/Positions Any other aspect of governanceAny other aspect of governance

Coding a GovernmentCoding a Government

An analogyAn analogy

Nomic rules : governing | code : Nomic rules : governing | code : programmingprogramming

A nomic can be used as a group's internal A nomic can be used as a group's internal operating system.operating system.

Groups with nomic governance have Groups with nomic governance have open-sourced their governing statements open-sourced their governing statements to their members.to their members.

EfficasyncEfficasync A proposed scheme for nomic A proposed scheme for nomic

governance.governance.

““Efficacy” = The capacity to produce Efficacy” = The capacity to produce a desired result.a desired result.

““Synchronous” = Operating in unison. Synchronous” = Operating in unison.

Essentially a Content Management Essentially a Content Management System (CMS) which holds a nomic’s System (CMS) which holds a nomic’s rule statements.rule statements.

What is a Content What is a Content Management System(CMS)?Management System(CMS)?

A mechanism facilitating the A mechanism facilitating the collaborative building, editing, storing, collaborative building, editing, storing, and sharing of information. and sharing of information. Examples - Mediawiki of Wikipedia, Slash of Examples - Mediawiki of Wikipedia, Slash of

Slashdot.Slashdot.

2 Important Features of a CMS2 Important Features of a CMS Work Flow – series of operations Work Flow – series of operations

contributed information goes through.contributed information goes through.

Version Control – archive of changes made Version Control – archive of changes made by different people to the shared by different people to the shared information.information.

MetagraphMetagraph

An electronic An electronic document document visualizing the visualizing the content held by an content held by an Efficasync CMSEfficasync CMS..

An Aside: How it all Fits An Aside: How it all Fits TogetherTogether

Nomic

CMS

Efficasync

Metagraph

defines and is stored in a

visualizes

defines

MetagraphMetagraph

An electronic document visualizing the content held by an Efficasync CMS.

MetagraphMetagraph The metagraph has 5 categories for The metagraph has 5 categories for

governing statements:governing statements: PrinciplesPrinciples – Ideals and ethics by which a group – Ideals and ethics by which a group

professes to exist.professes to exist.

ArgumentsArguments – Rationally and logically develop the – Rationally and logically develop the implications and consequences borne by a set of implications and consequences borne by a set of principles.principles.

LawsLaws – Rights, obligations, and – Rights, obligations, and acceptable/unacceptable actions.acceptable/unacceptable actions.

TechniquesTechniques – Recipes for how things may or – Recipes for how things may or must be done.must be done.

InstancesInstances –Records, constrains, suggests, or –Records, constrains, suggests, or prescribes which resources will be used by a prescribes which resources will be used by a technique.technique.

MetagraphMetagraph

New governing New governing statements statements appear on a appear on a group’s group’s metagraph metagraph inside a linked inside a linked node. node.

Nodes, Nodepages and Nodes, Nodepages and Version VotesVersion Votes

Nodes contain Nodes contain nodepages, which nodepages, which are different are different versions of a versions of a node’s content.node’s content.

Each group Each group member may vote member may vote for one nodepage for one nodepage in each node.in each node.

In each node, the In each node, the page with the page with the most votes is most votes is considered considered active.active.

LinksLinks Visualizes how nodes justify each other.Visualizes how nodes justify each other.

Intended to promote consistency Intended to promote consistency between the many nodes of a between the many nodes of a metagraph.metagraph.

Connects Connects nodes in a nodes in a continuum from continuum from abstract abstract foundations to foundations to specific ways of specific ways of realizing these realizing these foundationsfoundations..

Why

How

Who, What

A Company’s MetagraphA Company’s MetagraphProfitablity

Social/EnviroResponsibility

Some profitto charity

30% profitto charity

Workers set charityw/ year-end survey

Survey Donationcommittee

Principles

Arguments

Laws

TechniquesInstances

Changing the MetagraphChanging the Metagraph A group’s membership can add and remove:A group’s membership can add and remove:

Nodes – by ratified proposalNodes – by ratified proposal Links – by ratified proposalLinks – by ratified proposal Nodepages Nodepages

A group must create a set of nodes specifying A group must create a set of nodes specifying how to offer and ratify proposals.how to offer and ratify proposals.

One exampleOne example Define a 4 month voting cycle, at start of which Define a 4 month voting cycle, at start of which

each member can proposal one change.each member can proposal one change. Votes collected throughout cycle, and tallied at Votes collected throughout cycle, and tallied at

cycle’s end.cycle’s end. Proposals with 3/4 of the group’s population in Proposals with 3/4 of the group’s population in

votes are ratified. votes are ratified.

Profitablity

Social/EnviroResponsibility

Some profitto charity

30% profitto charity

Workers set charityw/ year-end survey

Survey Donationcommittee

Principles

Arguments

Laws

TechniquesInstances

Changing the Company’s Changing the Company’s MetagraphMetagraph

Adopt ahighway

23%44%56%65%

Changing the Company’s Changing the Company’s MetagraphMetagraph

Profitablity

Social/EnviroResponsibility

Some profitto charity

30% profitto charity

Workers set charityw/ year-end survey

Survey Donationcommittee

Principles

Arguments

Laws

TechniquesInstances

30% profitto charity

Donation Law Node

40% profitto charity

50% profitto charity

Deliberating Changes to the Deliberating Changes to the MetagraphMetagraph

Groups can create nodes defining if Groups can create nodes defining if and how they will deliberate and how they will deliberate proposed changes to their proposed changes to their metagraph.metagraph. Online forums Online forums

An aspect of the metagraph itself (like An aspect of the metagraph itself (like Wikipedia’s discussion pages)Wikipedia’s discussion pages)

Face to face town hall meetingsFace to face town hall meetings

An Environment for Writing An Environment for Writing DemocraciesDemocracies Efficasync analogous to a programmer’s Efficasync analogous to a programmer’s

environment.environment.

Programmer’s environment: tools to write, Programmer’s environment: tools to write, update, and debug pieces of digital logic.update, and debug pieces of digital logic.

Efficasync’s environment: tools to write, Efficasync’s environment: tools to write, update, and debug governing statement of update, and debug governing statement of democracies. democracies.

Thank YouThank You

More at More at http://efficasync.blogspot.com/http://efficasync.blogspot.com/

http://www.geocities.com/mikemussman/http://www.geocities.com/mikemussman/

mike.mussman@gmail.commike.mussman@gmail.com