What is a Democratic Village?
The Democratic Village is a project and strategy aimed at bringing Swiss democracy to the world, by helping unite the people and creating the incentives to create a global network of municipalities or villages using the principles of Swiss democracy (referendums)
The plan involves creating several Democratic Villages globally, using the same model Switzerland employed, beginning with the Landsgemeinde at the municipal level.
The ultimate goal is to eventually implement all the tools in SwissDem7 and replicate Switzerland’s democratic system everywhere. This strategy advocates for a bottom-up approach.
The plan is to create a global network of democratic villages around the world using a combination of Web3 smart contracts & mechanisms (enforcing constitutions into the real world), Bitcoin incentives, Nostr, etc…
We have a Working Group for creating Democratic Villages in the world! Join the Discord/Telegram channels to find the Democratic Villages Working Group here.
What defines a Democratic Village? What tools?
The idea is to replicate the landsgemeinde in Switzerland.
The Democratic Village can have 4 referendums annually every 3 months, or at least twice a year.
This process could also be done digitally. This how it has been done in the Landgsmeinde in Switzerland for centuries.
1. People’s Veto Power (Optional Referendums)
The People’s Veto Power allows Swiss citizens to reject any law passed by their government at federal, cantonal, or local levels by collecting 50,000 signatures within 100 days, triggering a referendum. This system ensures that laws reflect public opinion and promotes consensus-building among legislators, as they must consider potential rejections when crafting legislation.
2. People’s Initiatives
Swiss citizens can propose new laws or constitutional amendments by gathering 100,000 signatures, leading to a referendum. This process encourages active civic engagement and allows direct influence on legislation, ensuring the government remains responsive to citizen-driven issues. While most initiatives are rejected, they stimulate public debate and reflect democratic participation.
3. Public Recalls
Public Recalls enable Swiss citizens to remove elected officials through recall elections, although this process is rarely used. It serves as a deterrent against misconduct and complacency, reinforcing accountability and responsiveness of public officials, ensuring continuous performance and ethical conduct, and maintaining a dynamic and adaptable political environment.
How is this implemented?
Implementation involves philosophy, culture, Bitcoin, and Web3 technologies to create incentives.
Steps:
1. Establish a Constitution, Manifesto and DAO
A foundational document, like a constitution or manifesto, is created. It outlines the principles and structure of the Democratic Village. For example:
An example Constitution for a Democratic Village
1. Article 1. People’s Veto Power (Optional Referendums)
- 1.1 Citizens have the power to reject any law passed by the village government.
- 1.2 To initiate a veto, the signatures of 0.06% of eligible voters (in the municipality) must be collected within 100 days of the publication of the law.
- 1.3 If 1.2 is achieved a referendum will be triggered (in no more than 3 months), allowing the entire community to vote on the law.
- 1.4 This process ensures laws reflect public opinion and promotes consensus-building among legislators.
2. Article 2. People’s Initiatives
- 2.1 Citizens can propose new laws or constitutional amendments.
- 2.2 To bring an initiative to a vote, 0.012% signatures must be gathered.
- 2.3 A referendum will be held, giving the community a direct say in the legislation.
- 2.4 This encourages active civic engagement and ensures the government remains responsive to citizen-driven issues.
3. Article 3. Public Recalls
- 3.1 Citizens can remove elected officials through recall elections.
- 3.2 The recall process serves as a deterrent against misconduct and complacency.
- 3.3 It reinforces the accountability and responsiveness of public officials.
- 3.4 This mechanism ensures continuous performance and ethical conduct, maintaining a dynamic and adaptable political environment.
2. Select a Village
- The community identifies and chooses a village where the Democratic Village model will be implemented.
3. Decide on Participants
- The community collectively decides who will be part of the project, ensuring inclusive participation.
4. Elect a Mayor
- The community elects a mayor to lead and represent the village.
5. Mayor’s Collateral
- The elected mayor is required to put up collateral, such as money or property, which can be controlled by a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). For instance, the mayor might use a house as collateral.
6. Mayor’s Role
- The mayor represents the village’s governance system and is accountable to the community through the DAO.
7. DAO Functions
- The DAO manages key democratic processes:
- People’s Veto: Allows the community to reject any law, including budgets, within a specified period.
- People’s Initiatives: Enables citizens to propose new laws or policies.
- Public Recall: Provides a mechanism to remove officials, including the mayor, if they fail to perform their duties.
This approach leverages modern technologies and democratic principles to create a transparent, accountable, and participatory governance model.