Cellular democracy
Encyclopedia
As developed by economist Fred E. Foldvary
, cellular democracy is a type of democracy
based on multi-level bottom-up structure based on either small neighborhood governmental districts or contractual communities.
such as a county or city is divided into neighborhood districts with a population of about 500 people, with about 100 to 200 households. The voters in the district would elect a council. The small size of districts would allow for more informed voters at a smaller cost. Representatives, plus one alternate, would be elected to the council. This would be a "level-1 council"
A region containing 10 to 20 neighborhood districts would then vote for a "level-2 council". Each level-1 council elects a regular representative and an alternate to the level-2 council from its own regular membership.
A further region containing several level-2 councils would comprise a level-3 council, each level-2 council again electing a regular and an alternate representative to level 3. The level-2 representative sent up to the level-3 council would be replaced by his or her alternative.
The hierarchy
would continue indefinitely, depending on the size of the state, or even going on to the top of the world.
. Property taxes would be most likely. Every council above council-1 gets its money from the council below it.
Fred E. Foldvary
Fred Emanuel Foldvary is a lecturer in economics at Santa Clara University, California, and a research fellow at The Independent Institute...
, cellular democracy is a type of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
based on multi-level bottom-up structure based on either small neighborhood governmental districts or contractual communities.
Councils
In cellular democracy, a jurisdictionJurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
such as a county or city is divided into neighborhood districts with a population of about 500 people, with about 100 to 200 households. The voters in the district would elect a council. The small size of districts would allow for more informed voters at a smaller cost. Representatives, plus one alternate, would be elected to the council. This would be a "level-1 council"
A region containing 10 to 20 neighborhood districts would then vote for a "level-2 council". Each level-1 council elects a regular representative and an alternate to the level-2 council from its own regular membership.
A further region containing several level-2 councils would comprise a level-3 council, each level-2 council again electing a regular and an alternate representative to level 3. The level-2 representative sent up to the level-3 council would be replaced by his or her alternative.
The hierarchy
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
would continue indefinitely, depending on the size of the state, or even going on to the top of the world.
Secession
Councils could 'secede', creating a new branch of councils that would be incorporated back into the system.Taxation
Each level 1 council would be able to select its source of revenueRevenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
. Property taxes would be most likely. Every council above council-1 gets its money from the council below it.