Summary & commentary · Chapter 05 · PDF pp. 51–57
Federated self-government of free communities
The federation is not a pyramid of command, but a circle of equals.
A federation is meant to connect local self-government with binding cooperation. It must be clear which level can decide and how its authority can be limited.
Read the full chapter →Open original at PDF page 51Responsibility
What can be decided locally
The design of a neighbourhood square initially concerns the people who use it. They should have a say. A local majority cannot, however, suspend fundamental rights. §
Cooperation
Where one community is not enough
Transport networks and the use of a river concern several places. Such tasks require binding agreements. A higher level receives a defined mandate for them, not general authority over every area of life. §
Mandates
Delegates can also develop their own power
A binding mandate and the possibility of recall are intended to stop representatives becoming autonomous rulers. Neither works if delegates monopolise information. Expertise must remain accessible without requiring everyone to study every question personally. §
Critical examination
Can a council system coordinate complex societies without becoming slow or informally elitist?
Only with clear divisions of responsibility, rotation, expert advice without sole decision-making, and accountability that is accessible both digitally and in person.