A constitution can only be as good as the rulers who preside under it. That withstanding, a constitution can inspire the better or worse of men.
With their extensive history, the British never bothered with a constitution. Instead, Brits relied upon tweaking tradition to adapt to the changing times.
The US broke from Britain in the 18th century and brokered a compromise constitution which was repeatedly repaired, but never shorn of its shoddiness. The American pseudo-democracy which favors yokels begat a plutocracy ruled by kleptocrats. The current president, Donald Trump, was a stunning triumph in demonstrating the failure of the US constitution to protect its people from autocracy.
Economic ruin imposed upon Germany by France after the Great War led to a 2nd World War. After that debacle, the Germans were determined that their constitution would thwart any dictator’s attempt to seize power. The German Basic Law is a tediously detailed document which has at times hamstrung reasonable governance.
4 principles are key to constitutional design: degree of specificity, treatment of tradition, amendability, and incentive for compliance. Specificity is not necessarily an advantage. Napoléon Bonaparte once said that a constitution should be short and obscure.
Humanity faces a crisis of self-extinction from industrialized pollution and other rape of Nature which is only now showing its inevitability. The majority of the world’s people remain unaware of their impending doom as a species. The likelihood is that no concerted action will be taken until humanity’s demise is just a decade away.
A decided break with tradition is essential if humanity is to have any chance to survive. If decently implemented, here is a political constitution that could save the human race. While short and leaving ample latitude for flexibility, this constitution’s intent is clear. Its incentive for compliance is in its enforced equity.
Mission
Living is for enjoyment. Education and skill are esteemed. Economic activity aims at sustainable prosperity for all members of society.
Constitutional rule of law promotes the welfare of all members of society by social equity in every sphere and respect for Nature in a sustainable way. Justice emanates from judgment tempered by compassion that does not tolerate evil.
Society
Government and society are synonymous. All economic activity is under the aegis of society. Individuals may have personal possessions but no property is private.
Each individual in society is a member. The economic work a member performs is a societal proceeding. Each individual contributes according to ability and receives according to need.
A worker is a member of society with a productive responsibility. A supervisor is a worker responsible for assigning tasks to or overseeing other workers (a supervisor’s charges). A leader is the head of a branch or other office of high responsibility.
Dependents are members who are not workers: children (juniors) and those who have completed their contributive efforts to society (seniors).
The reason for economic activity is so that society may materially support and provide productive purpose to its members. There shall be no objectionable distinction in quality of living conditions between members. Hardships shall be compensated.
Regardless of responsibility, all members have equal rights.
Privacy is a civil right as much as surveillance is a societal necessity for determining crime.
Branches of Government
With its roots in equality, the tree of government has 3 branches: administration, oversight, and legality. Members may work for different branches during their careers to meet societal needs and provide fulfilling employment.
Administration
The administration branch manages the affairs of state for the benefit of society in a way which is sustainable for generations to come.
A triad lead administration: a domestic czar, a supreme diplomat, and a statesperson. The czar is responsible for domestic welfare. The diplomat is responsible for comity with other states and defense of the nation. The statesperson coordinates administration.
Oversight
Transparency is essential to the proper functioning of governance. Oversight functions to ensure competency, meritocracy, purity, and transparency of all branches.
Oversight is responsible for determination of justice and information disbursal to the public (the press).
All recorded information of societal proceedings is available to the public. The press presents information to the public in cooperation with the branch in administration responsible for education and public entertainment.
Courts adjudicate all disputes and accusations of crime in cooperation with law enforcement. Trials are investigations to determine actual events and are not adversarial.
Legality
The legislature determines laws.
Specific constitutional amendments suggested by the legislature, in keeping with the principles of this constitution, shall be instituted by 2/3rds approval of all voters in society.
The legality branch independently contributes to oversight, including overseeing the competency and purity of the oversight branch.
Legality oversees approval of oversight members.
Law enforcement is a community endeavor that is a function of legality.
The supreme appeals court is part of legality. This court may rule only on the constitutionality or legality of a case, not on merits.
Meritocracy
Meritocracy is of competency and is determined by the approval of workers. Society becomes corrupt or dissolute if not meritocratic. There shall be no discrimination except on merit.
Every worker has a responsibility to attain competence which meets approval. Sincere effort and education are key to competence. Supervisors shall provide for proper education of their charges.
Approval is a vote of confidence in a worker’s competency or performance, or in the integrity of a process. Workers and seniors comprise potential voters. Approval is of a majority of voters who express their opinion. Approvals are not competitive elections.
A worker may nominate themself for an office. If majority approval is met, that worker assumes the designated office once it becomes available.
Leaders of each branch shall meet approval at least every 5 years. Those not meeting approval are relieved of their current responsibility and removed from their office.
A branch shall determine its organization and hierarchy, and also determine at which level of hierarchy periodic approval must be made. These processes and their revisions shall meet the approval of current branch members and seniors who served at least 5 years in that branch.
A motion for approval of a supervisor may be made by workers for which the supervisor is responsible. Such a motion requires at least 10% of charges under the supervisor for the approval process to proceed. A motion for approval of a supervisor may not be made more than once a year unless performance is notably deteriorated.
Peer-level approvals shall be made according to a procedure determined by a branch.
Impeachment for incompetence or corruption shall proceed from within a branch or by a branch responsible for oversight. A motion for impeachment may be made by a worker.
An impeachment motion is investigated by oversight for other branches. An impeachment motion for an oversight member is investigated by administration.
Those found unfit are removed from their office and found suitable employment.
Crime
The purity of society is paramount. Crime is an act of consequence in light of behavior, not intention, though evidence of maliciousness shall be considered.
Concealment or distortion of information pertinent to a societal proceeding is a crime of corruption, and in the instance of serious consequence shall be a capital crime. A false accusation is a capital crime.
Violence of any sort – against another member, against Nature, or against the well-being of society – is a crime. Corruption, vote suppression, exploitation, and sexual assault are exemplary capital crimes. With compassionate consideration, habitual repetition of non-capital crimes is a capital crime.
The only purpose of imprisonment shall be retaining an accused who may be expected to flee. Imprisonment shall be the briefest possible duration.
Non-capital crimes are addressed by a period of extra service to society according to law.
Capital crimes shall be punishable by hanging. A convicted criminal shall be held for the briefest possible duration prior to execution.
Commentary
The constitutional aims are civic equality, material equity, meritocracy, transparency, comity, and respect for Nature. This constitution intentionally affords flexibility in its administration to meet current societal needs.
Purity refers to integrity to constitutional intent/spirit. The terms purity and corruption are antonyms.
Civil rights are inherent within the constitution.
Dependents are cared for: juniors educated to become workers and seniors contributing as they choose.
There is no distinct government from enterprise. Society functions as a cooperative whole.
Periodic approval is aimed at meritocracy and cooperative endeavor – a check against cronyism and corruption.
Administration is expected to have by the largest number of workers, followed by oversight. Both administration and legality branches rely heavily upon information from oversight. The branches of oversight and legality act as a check on meritocracy.
There are checks and balances to ensure proper functioning among the 3 branches. Legality determines laws and ensures their enforcement distinctly from civil administration. Yet adjudication is a function of oversight, whose primary responsibility is information collation and dispersal. To ensure adjudication quality, the highest appeals court is within the legality branch.
There are no term limits to leadership, but rotation is advised as a way to engender cooperation and provide to depth of experience and job satisfaction fulfillment to as many workers as possible. Exceptional leaders who retain their office for longer terms should mentor.
Materialism as a cultural value should be disdained.
Whereas constructive criticism and creativity are contributive, divisiveness is objectionable. Expression of thought involves civic responsibility and is not an unalloyed freedom.
Petty Christian pseudo-morality should be rejected. Practicality should guide public policy, not religious dogma.
Criminals are not tolerated. There is no punishment besides death. Imprisonment as punishment is forbidden.
Community service is recompense for wrongdoing. Compassion and rehabilitation through education are encouraged.
Capital punishment is via neck-breaking hanging. Other forms of execution have proven either more violent, inhumane, or tortuous. As transparency is cardinal, hangings may be publicly witnessed.
In keeping with the preamble mandate, regular public entertainment in its many forms is encouraged as a means of a lively culture and societal vigor. Entertainment guilds within administration are expectable, with oversight mechanisms (besides approval) to engender innovation.