Constitution 1.0IntroductionThis document lists the various key features which need to be in a Constitution for a Nation to be truly justified in calling itself a democratic one. The entries here are copies of the entries in each of the documents in the Democracy 1.0 Section. They will give some general indication as to the scope and power of a Constitution 1.0. Please note: it is important that you have read all the chapters in the Feudal Democracy Section or you will not fully understand the reasoning behind these proposals. If you want an explanation for a particular entries here then you will need to read the particular page in the Democracy 1.0 Section, where the entries are explained and expanded. In other words, if you find some of these entries strange and surprising, which you definitely will, you will find the full argument and reasoning in the Democracy 1.0 Section. The wording for each entry is NOT the definitive one, as you will quickly realise. These aren't meant to be the Articles themselves. This page merely describes the various Articles and Principles that need to be included in a Constitution 1.0. The actual wording of the Articles will only come about after discussion to make sure it is thoroughly clear and explained as much as is possible and also must cover all eventualities. There is no correlation between the order they appear in this document and the order they will appear in the real Constitution. They are merely grouped according to the sequence in which they first appear in the documents in the Democracy 1.0 Section.In Constitution 1.0 the final wording of the Articles must include explanations, examples and the spirit of the regulations so as to ensure it is as clear as possible to the citizens what their Constitution defines, promises and safeguards. Constitution 1.0 is a document which belongs to the citizens - NOT to the politicians and NOT to the legal profession. This listing will be extended as each document in the Democracy 1.0 Section is written and uploaded (that's the intention anyway), though it may lag behind. Entries In Constitution 1.0¤ Correcting feudal political system abuses During the transition period (and possibly thereafter), the government, and any special transition enforcer/supervisor, solely on behalf of, and in the best interests of the citizens, may alter, in any manner whatsoever, any legislation, contracts, provisions, pay levels, pensions, appointments, agreements, allowances, prison sentences (serving, served and suspended), Supreme Court decisions, fines and amnesties, and any other matters considered relevant by those appointed to oversee the transition and/or those appointed to oversee the settlement of past abuses which occurred during the previous feudal political system. With regard to previous legislation, these extra-Constitutional powers are only to be used in order to correct a wrong or to counteract and neutralise legislation created by the previous feudal governments which happen to protect wrong-doers from being punished either purposefully by legalising unaccepteble abuse of the feudal power structure, or by chance through unforseen badly worded or incorrect legislation. Any abuse of these special powers by the transition enforcer/supervisor or any other individual appointed to correct past injustices will be punished severely. There will be no automatic compensation whatsoever for any amendments as outlined above but, where warranted, will be limited to the most extreme cases where an actual injustice, only as defined within the framework of the new democratic system, would occur by not doing so. Injustices and abuses of the past not only must be prevented from continuing within the Democractic 1.0 political system, but MUST be corrected as much as is possible. Behaviour by the feudal elite which was condoned by the previous feudal system but which was in effect abuse of the undemocratic political system and contrary to the well being of the citizens can be made punishable retroactively. There will be no time limit as regards the abuses of the past. Justice CAN be backdated. Justive MUST be backdated. Justice WILL be backdated. This Article will take precedence over all other Articles in the Constitution 1.0. unless stated otherwise. ¤ The individual citizen, the collective (the State) The most basic component, or element, of a democratic system are the individual citizens which make up the State - the collective entity of social, financial and political organisation. Wherever possible the individual element, the citizen, must have the maximum right of self-determination as is possible. This basic component includes future generations of citizens.. The second element is the collection of all citizens, otherwise known as the State, or Nation - as distinct from the Country (the physical land area inhabited by the citizens). In general, the behaviour of any individual citizen must only be regulated if the effects of that behaviour have a negative impact on other citizens and end up denying those other citizens their own equal level of self-determination. The term State, or Nation, represents ALL the citizens within that country and should not merely represent, or signify, the majority of citizens. It should not automatically demand compliance from individual citizens merely because of a majority decision. There is no higher power or authority than the citizens collectively and thus the State has the right, and even obligation, to interfere in any matter whatsoever which affects the State and to protect and guarantee the continuance of their democratic system and the overall wellbeing of the citizens. In many cases sub-groups, or vested interest groups, are a significant danger to the democratic process and to the individual citizen's authority and MUST be vigorously controlled and neutralised to the greatest extent possible. ¤ Ownership of the political system The citizens of this Nation own the political system itself and also the political organisation which governs them and therefore they must always have a reasonable collective direct method of changing their political system which includes this Constitution and all its provisions, and any other political institutions or arrangements without any hindrance whatsoever from politicians, or from any other persons, corporations or bodies (domestic or foreign), as and when they decide to do so, the only limitation being the regulations and controls described within the Constitution itself which are in place for the sole purpose of protecting future generations from short-term decisions, and preventing injustice for all those involved in the outcome. This right to alter the political system by the citizens must always ensure the citizens have final say regarding the Constitution and regulations pertaining to the political system. This therefore automatically extends to any decisions made by the Supreme Court or any other political or legal entities. This method must be thoroughly independent from any interference whatsoever including organised groups of citizens. It must be centered around the individual citizen and must enable individuals, as private individuals, whether they are citizens or not, to put forward proposals, to discuss the pros and cons regarding the proposals, and if a set minimum number of citizens agree to a referendum, to initiate a referendum to be held within a specified period, though with a regulated period of delay for the purpose of discussion and information dissemination, without any hinderence whatsoever from any source. Any attempt to hijack or manipulate this process, including but not limited to the use of incentives to members of the Supreme Court, is a direct attack on the democratic rights of the individual citizens, the citizens collectively, and the political system itself and the most severe and maximum penalties must ensue, up to and including the death penalty. This Article can only be amended if those changes to this Article do not create a condition which would in any way whatsoever prevent the citizens collectively, anytime in the future, from having the authority to amend this Article again and also from altering the political system again. The majority required must be above 75% of those elegible to vote. In other words, no matter what amendments are made to this Article, the citizens will always have a right and method as set out in principle, to alter the organisation of the political system without hinderence from any quarter. For example, even if the citizens decided, because of the circumstances prevailing at the time, to empower an individual to such a degree that it would, in effect, be a form of dictatorship, this Article cannot be amended to the point whereby the citizens can ever be thwarted from amending this Article sometime later to undo and cancel that dictatorship. In essence this Article cannot be removed nor diluted to the point where the citizens are denied their absolute right to sole total collective ownership of the political system itself. ¤ Ownership of all political authority In a democracy, the citizens, collectively, are owners of ALL political authority. Therefore in Democracy 1.0 there must be a method whereby the citizens can collectively temporarily assign that authority to specific individuals (politicians, the President etc) via General Elections and Presidential Elections; and subsequently the Judges and other officials via the Government or other appointment bodies, but the citizens must ALWAYS be in a position whereby they can collectively, via a majority decision, revoke that authority AT ANY TIME, without hindrance whatsoever. This power of revoking can be used with regard to an individual politician, the Government as a unit, or President, or any other political or public appointee, after a suitable ‘cooling off’ period of time to allow discussion before a referendum can take place if a sufficient majority are in agreement with that proposal. Although the judiciary are appointed by the Government, or legal profession appointment body, the citizens, as a matter of principle, must be empowered to revoke their authority as set out above but this ability to interfere in the system of justice must be regulated and controlled, within the Constitution 1.0, and possibly through legislation, so that individual judges are not under stress to become populist but must perform their appointed role (being a neutral supervisor of a trial). All legislation and regulations decided by the government, politicians and any other appointed bodies cannot come into effect until a set period of time to enable the citizens to discuss it and, wherever necessary, to cancel or amend it BEFORE it comes into effect. This is to prevent possible usurping of the citizens authority through legislation which may attempt to prevent the citizens from exercising their democratic rights to control the political authority at all times. Legislation brought in by stealth is thoroughly banned. This Article cannot be removed nor diluted to the point where the citizens are denied their absolute right to sole total collective ownership of the political authority itself. ¤ Protection of future generations Each generation must be regulated so as it doesn't make decisions which, although beneficial and advantageous to that generation, will possibly have serious negative consequences for subsequent generations of citizens. This is especially important where the finances and resources of the Nation are concerned.
The most fundamental principle as regards protection of future generations (of citizens) can be summed up with this statement: Therefore, it must be strictly observed that the budget must be balanced each year, to the greatest extent possible. Specifically banned would be debts incurred for the general purpose of maintaining a desired standard of living or level of payment of either wages, salaries, allowances, pensions or social welfare, or any other day to day payments.
This Article does not preclude borrowing for the purpose of infrastructure and long term projects, but MUST fulfill the criteria that future generations must also benefit from those borrowings, and that the result of the borrowing and subsequent use of that money does not cause inflation. The only circumstance in which borrowing for day to day living is allowed within this Article is that of famine or during a period of warfare (non-agressive self defence), otherwise the borrowing should be considered as being unconstitutional and illegal. There must be public discussion and agreement before any Government can have the authority to borrow. This Article is a fundamental principle safeguarding future generations and the spirit of this Article (to prevent any generation for burdening later generations with debt), as set out cannot be amended no matter how large the majority, if it alters the spirit of this Article in substance or effect. ¤ Numbers required to amend Constitution 1.0 Unless otherwise stated within any particular Article a clear and total majority of the electorate is required for any Article to be amended. ¤ Freedom of information Unless otherwise decided by the citizens, as a general principle of a Democratic 1.0 political system, all information regarding the use (direct and indirect) of Public Funds, by the State and its appointees, must be published on a regular basis. Any attempt to prevent information for being published, especially if that information would reveal actions which are dis-advantageous to the citizens, or show a waste of Public Funds, will be punishable as punitively as possible. Any other information relating to or affecting the quality of the democratic system must also be published, taking into account the desire for individuals to keep their personal and private information private, and the possible misuse of sensitive information.
The general principle is this: Legislation can make specific regulations protecting commercially sensitive information for being published. ¤ Political parties within Democracy 1.0 The very existence of political parties is a serious, dangerous and direct threat to the quality of Democracy in this State. In effect, they are conspiracies against the citizens. Apart from the transition period between the previous feudal political system and the new Democracy 1.0 all political parties are banned, totally and absolutely. Those that are already in existence prior to the Transition Period must be wound down as per the instructions of the Transition Supervisor. It is illegal to form, or attempt to form, any type of political party, or political group, whatsoever. Also no individual, if a member of a political party outside this jurisdiction, can be elected to any political or public office whatsoever. Single issue political organisations for the sole purpose of achieving a single time-limited political aim or proposal may be permitted to come into existence but must be registered, it aims publically declared, and all members must be named and registered. These groups must be regulated and can only be permitted to exist if their existence does not threaten the Democratic 1.0 process. (This will need to be worded in such a way that it does not prevent citizens from trying to get their voice heard by other citizens). During the Transition Period the use of the party whip or any other form of conspiracy against the citizens is declared illegal and must not be used in any manner whatsoever. Any meeting or discussion between members of a political party must be announced and publicised before the meeting and the purpose of the meeting must be made public. Permission must be sought and granted from the Transition Supervisor before any meeting can take place. There will be further regulations and matters pertaining to political parties which will be divulged later, by the Transition Supervisor. This Article cannot be deleted or diluted, under any circumstances, to the point where the existence of political parties is allowed. (future generations must also be protected from organisations which can and do corrupt the Democratic 1.0 process.) ¤ ¤ ... page to be continued as soon as is practical and useful! (Feb 2015).
Original date: February 2013
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