3.4. The State in service of society
Ideas
- The state is at the service of society, and not the opposite.
- The primary role of the state is to guarantee the application and respect of Constitutions.
- The size of the state can be contained by integrating many responsibilities into the Code.
- The state must be transparent, accountable, and report on its actions.
The role of the state
The state is an executor. It organizes and ensures the proper functioning of Software Democracy and is responsible for implementing the decisions made by the people during votations.
By definition, the state can only work for the common good, in strict accordance with the Universal Constitution and the National Constitution. It organizes the basic services of society:
- Education.
- Health.
- Energy.
- Security.
It represents the nation in international organizations, under mandate and under the control of popular votation.
The size of the state
In general, the state is an extremely poor manager. It is inefficient in resource allocation and project execution. It generates its own bureaucracy and perpetuates its inefficiency by deploying unnecessarily complex and costly measures.
Software Democracy, therefore, tries to keep the size of the state to a minimum, which is facilitated by:
- Moving many of its functions into the code: a tax service can be significantly reduced if taxes are collected automatically during transactions, for example.
- The progressive simplification of laws and regulations.
- The use of temporary personnel, appointed or drawn by lot, who by definition will not seek to maintain their career within the state.
In the same vein, if the implementation of the changes requested during votations is the responsibility of the state, the actual execution can be entrusted to efficient and non-bureaucratic organizations, which report on their actions and the means employed. These organizations can be task forces commissioned by the state or simply private companies.
Transparency of the state
If the state were at the service of the population:
- It would have to report regularly on its actions.
- There would be independent bodies responsible for verifying its actions.
- There would be effective counter-powers.
- Its representatives would not need to move under the protection of police squads!
Total transparency is the best guarantee that the state is working effectively in the interest of the general public. This transparency is made possible by the following points:
Open source software
The principles of Open Source software are inseparable from software democracy.
In software democracy, software is a key component. It is the expression of the Constitution. It implements digital identity, currency, voting...
Making it open and accessible software allows control by citizens and ensures the proper functioning of institutions and the transparency of political life.
The Permanent Audit
The various state bodies and commissions must carry out regular and detailed reports on their actions: results, resources implemented, budget, difficulties... This must concern all actions undertaken by the state.
These reports must be presented and publicly accessible at all times, and independent bodies are responsible for verifying them.
State representatives must disclose any conflicts of interest when carrying out a mission for the state: shareholding, family ties, personal interests...
Institutions provide for and organize the revocation of state representatives when they prove to be ineffective or do not comply with decisions resulting from voting. This revocation procedure can be initiated by the Citizen Monitoring Commission based on purely formal criteria (absenteeism, sabotage, deception...) or by a citizen initiative.
The Police
Like the rest of the state, the police serve the population and are subject to its control. They ensure the enforcement of laws resulting from votes and maintain order, strictly respecting the limits of their power. They have no financial objectives; they are not tax collectors!
Their force is professional, and they are the armed branch of the state in the execution of citizen decisions.
The Military
Given our technological means, there is no longer room for armed conflicts on Earth. Peace is an absolute priority of Software Democracy, and global cooperation efforts must lead to general demilitarization. However, the military still has an important role to play.
The national military can be deployed in domestic emergency situations (natural disasters, industrial accidents...). They can assist the police in dismantling criminal organizations.
They also provide a contingent to international institutions, which have them at their disposal as a last resort to carry out peacekeeping missions, with the mandate of an international vote.
This global military must also be focused on space and be capable of deploying space resources for the protection of the planet (asteroids) and the conquest of new resources.