Libre-SOC Charter Agreement

  • Draft Status (v0)
  • Last Edited: 11 Aug 2019

This document is based on the Titanian's "Code of Honour" and on the Systemic Laws of Organisations, listed in "Invisible Dynamics". Comments and discussion elaborates.

The Code of Honour

  • Always do "good"
  • Never do "harm"
  • The Code applies 100% of the time
  • Everyone knows The Code

This Code is simple and short enough to memorise. "Good" is further defined to mean "increasing Truth, Awareness, Love or Creativity for one or more people including yourself" and "Harm" is defined as reducing any of those same four qualities for anyone.

However, The Code on its own, due to its minimalist nature, can be hard to apply when the chips are down, so we further augment it with the Systemic Laws, listed below.

Just as with The Code, the Systemic Laws are not optional.

The Systemic Laws of Organisations.

The Systemic Laws are based primarily on respect, recognition, responsibility, and ownership of the same; on encouragement and allowing each contributor to grow and be part of the group.

  • Everyone belongs; every contributor (users included), is recognised both in their own right as well as for their achievements and their contributions.
  • Reality is acknowledged and accepted.
  • Everyone is respected and honoured, past and present.
  • Length of service is respected alongside and in balance with their level of expertise.
  • Everyone acknowledges and accepts their role and seniority, and in turn acknowledge and accept the role and seniority of others.
  • The responsibility to those who depend on us, when we take on a role of responsibility and power, is acknowledged and accepted.
  • Everyone is rewarded equitably for their contributions.
  • Everyone is responsible - and accountable - for their actions: good and bad, "Guilt" and "Merit" belong with whoever earned them.

Further explanation can be found in discussion.

Decision-making and new contributors

  • All decision-making shall be unanimous, including changes to the goal
  • Abstention is permitted.
  • New contributors must agree to abide by this Charter prior to being involved in decisions
  • Only after agreement may new contributors propose changes (which will require unanimous agreement to implement)
  • In recognition of the fact that unanimous decision-making slows down productivity above around 8-9 people, the appropriate way to handle that is to "delegate" (divide and conquer).

Further explanation can be found in discussion.