Chapter 46: Guidelines for the Declaration to be Disseminated at the Time of Transition

The long version of this book contains a detailed suggested text for the Declaration that will be disseminated over all media accompanying the Transition, in a form oriented towards the United States of America. The Transition is not, however, intended to be restricted to any one country. Each country and culture will perform their own Transition, and will have to produce a Declaration drawn from, and addressing, their own unique, culture, history, and legal framework.

The Declaration should address all citizens and residents of the country in Transition, but be shared globally.

A good intro will cite and reference the strongest Constitutional, foundational, legal, cultural, or other documents, traditions or stories that express or codify the principle of government of, by, for, and responsible to and for the people. If none exists, then references can be borrowed from foundational documents and traditions of other countries, or from internationally-recognized figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, or Noam Chomsky. This will form a familiar and relatable anchor for what is to follow. If reference exists to resisting autocracy, it should also be referenced, and a statement made that we are currently in just such a situation, requiring action for fundamental change.

Emphasize that the threat to the freedom and well-being of the people comes not from without, but from within and not from a political power structure, but from a socioeconomic one. Point out that the economic power structure co-opts and strongly influences politics and politicians, skewing laws and policies strongly to the benefit of the feudal economic lords. State that those feudal lords aren’t accountable to anybody in practice.

Point out that under the guise of a free market, mega corporations and the ultra-wealthy who control them have become de-facto feudal lords, inexorably expanding their wealth and power at the expense of the life, liberty, dignity, well-being and quality of life of the vast majority of the people. Illustrate how the overall socioeconomic structure is identical to that of a pyramid scheme. Emphasize how the modern feudal lords influence lawmakers and executives through their lobbyists, ability to disrupt society via abuse of their control of resources, and through far more direct personal access than other members of society have.

If this is the case in your country, mention how increasing cultural and legal norms have increasingly allowed employers increasing dictatorial power over employees that goes far beyond the workplace, even as far as cutting off employees’ livelihood if their boss doesn’t like their religious, political, cultural, or personal beliefs or traits. Mention that negative references following a fired employee, seriously cripple their ability to get a new job. In a society where one’s right to access the necessities of life are denied by default if one cannot ransom it continually, this effectively gives employers the power to destroy an employee’s life, just because their boss dislikes their lifestyle or beliefs. This is utterly incompatible with any kind of democratic, free society.

State it explicitly: under the current socioeconomic paradigm, all persons are by default denied the right to occupy space, eat, drink, study, seek medical care, exercise their rights, or live their life unless they constantly pay for it. Highlight the fact that it is the same tiny ultra-wealthy sliver of society, the modern feudal lords, who functionally determine how much we’re paid, and how much we must pay for everything, exactly like the old company towns. In this case, it affects not a town but the whole country. Point out that the widespread economic disparity is actually more extreme that it was in Medieval times.

State in stark terms that without empowerment, equality, and an economy of, by and for the people, there can be no free, empowered, thriving, democratic individuals, society or government.

Declare that the current socioeconomic system is a direct threat to any free and democratic society. It generates an increasingly despotic socioeconomic wealth-and-power structure that is answerable to no one. It stratifies us, fragments us into subgroups and sets them against each other, sets us all at odds with each other, to survive.

Call upon all who have taken oaths to defend the people and its democratic principles against all threats, such as those in the armed forces, law enforcement or government, to point out that, since the current socioeconomic system actively undermines democracy, it is their duty to support and join the Transition, and not to oppose or try to suppress it. Call upon them to contain and oppose all attempts to re-establish the old, newly-defunct, socioeconomic hierarchy.

Emphasize to your serving countrymen that the government will not be disrupted, but only the economic structure will be re-cast in a new mould. It is their duty to defend and assist those who are bringing the Transition. The new paradigm will be one designed to empower every one of us to thrive, enjoy excellent quality of life, and fulfill our dreams, structured so that this will yield a thriving, dynamic society of actualized, fulfilled people. Our serving members must be made aware that their duty is to the people and the new paradigm, not to the modern feudal lords, vassals, and hierarchy.

Unless your country is an exception, make the point that, for decades, more and more people have had to work longer and longer, and harder and harder, for steadily diminishing freedom, options, dignity, and quality of life, while a very few have gained in wealth and power to where they are above the law. If your country has the legal abomination of “corporate personhood,” decry it and make the case that it pits overworked, underpaid employees against mammoth corporations with more wealth and power than some countries, like pitting an unarmed half-starved civilian against a fully equipped platoon of Navy Seals (or whatever your equivalent is).

Reiterate that under this socioeconomic paradigm, our rights are functionally denied by default, unless we pay and keep paying for them. Our rights, options, the degree of freedom and respect accorded to us, quality of life, and access to resources are rigidly dictated by our place in the socioeconomic pyramid.

Call out your local version of the “anybody can make it” myth, and elucidate how it’s misleading, since the economic paradigm cannot function if more than a very few “make it.” There just isn’t room that high on the pyramid for many people. A very few will “make it,” but the rest cannot “make it,” no matter how hard they work and apply themselves. State that this goes directly against the spirit and intention of founding documents asserting the equality, dignity, and rights of all people. Point out the ongoing trend for lawmakers to increasingly support the power and “rights” of big businesses and the wealthy, at the expense of the rest of us. Make it clear that you are not disrespecting the framers of your country, but that challenges have arisen that they had no way to foresee, and that it is our duty to restore all people to their rightful state of empowerment, liberty, mutual support, and fulfillment.

Declare that, under the guise of democracy, your country has become a de-facto corporatocracy, a feudalistic dictatorship of the ultra-wealthy and their corporations, which makes it incumbent upon us to halt this paradigm and replace it with one designed to reinforce and empower our most constructive, mutually-supportive, creative potentials rather than our most destructive and predatory ones. Drive home the message that it is imperative that we non-violently but unequivocally force a change of paradigm.

Call upon every person (with a few exceptions), from this day forward, to continue to work at their job, with the following changes: Ignore and don’t obey or take into account the business hierarchy, the chain of command; govern your enterprises by peer consensus and make your operations transparent to the public. You who are involved in production of goods and services, are now the co-owners, decision makers, and responsible parties of your enterprise. Do not charge or ask for payment for anything, and do not offer payment for anything whatsoever. If you are in accounting, mark all accounts paid in full. Software developers, your mission is to modify all business software to eliminate all financial functionality and facilitate the unobstructed, coordinated flow of goods and services. All forms of currency are null, void, and obsolete.

If and when managers, bosses, and others from up the business hierarchy try to re-assert their power and the old paradigm, inform them respectfully that their services are no longer required and invite them to find a niche to stay as a peer among peers. If they get physical or even violent in trying to assert their dominance, then, together, use the minimum force necessary to contain them, then escort them as unharmed as possible from the premises. If any among you try to attack your former bosses, contain them as well. If anybody is hurt, then compassionately render aid as soon as it is safe to do so.

Call upon everybody to keep their cell phones, camcorders and other recording devices charged and with available memory, and to act as reporters, recording and streaming events to the country and the world as they unfold. If the deposed feudal lords and their vassals use force and violence to get their way, or to try to stop you from producing, then steadfastly resist them, defend yourselves and resist physically if necessary, with the minimum possible violence and harm, and let the whole country and world see that the Transitionaries are the level-headed party working to keep things running and the former people in power are the irrational, disruptive ones trying to disrupt the processes of life. When in a position of necessity, if you must use violence, use the minimum necessary to achieve safety and with the aim of causing the least possible harm to all parties.

If members of the military or law enforcement attempt, on behalf of the deposed feudal lords, to force us back into the old paradigm, then refuse, respectfully but uncompromisingly and forcefully if necessary, to comply. Remind them that their duty is to the people, not to the socioeconomic ruling elite. We will keep goods and services flowing at all costs, thus demonstrating to our own people and the people of the world, that this is quite possible and practical with neither currency nor a hierarchy. This will put outdated, disempowering cultural myths to rest.

If the deposed feudal lords try to re-assert their dominance directly by force, then respectfully but forcefully resist. Let’s keep our cell phones, camcorders and other multimedia devices recording and streaming at all times. Thus will the world see that we Transitionaries are the peaceful, reasonable, productive parties committed to keeping things running, while the deposed feudal lords and their would-be enforcers show themselves clearly to be the ones trying to disrupt all sectors by violence, intimidation, and thuggish behavior. The dynamics will speak for themselves.

Our purpose is to initiate a socioeconomic paradigm where every person is empowered, free to thrive, fulfill their dreams and purposes, and live in dignity, freedom, and fulfillment at a high quality of life. The current paradigm is toxic and oppressive, by its very operating principles. When the game is harmful, we must literally change the game itself, rather than punish or purge the players. We absolutely must discipline ourselves to not engage in any acts of vengeance, payback, brutality, or purging. Such actions and attitudes have no place in the new paradigm. Let us engrave this ethic deep in our hearts and minds!

To all of you who work in the various industries of the financial sector: Do not go to work, unless it is necessary to do so in order to mark accounts paid in full to keep services turned on. Work with other Transitionaries to use large vehicles and other physical means to block access to all banks, credit companies, insurance companies, stock exchanges, realty offices and other financial entities. Respectfully evacuate any persons who are inside. Cut and jam power and communications to such facilities, to render them inoperable. If you work in billing, then mark all accounts paid in full. To all software engineers: one of your vital contributions to the new paradigm is to write billing and all financial functions out of business software, while leaving production, distribution, quality control, and inventory functionality fully operational.

To all engineers, designers, and developers in all sectors and industries: now is the time to reach out to your counterparts at all other formerly-competing companies to mutually grant access to, and to openly share, all information and data systems. Your goal is to integrate all of your knowledge, technology, and processes, in order to produce goods and services that combine best of all of your formerly-competing products and services. New goods and services must be compatible with old versions, must be designed to be easily serviceable, and as durable as the state of the art permits. Develop unified form factors, in order to allow straightforward upgrading of products with new technological developments. Thus a new, improved engine will easily replace the old one in an existing car, and a more advanced motherboard will easily replace the old one in a computer. No need to replace the entire product.

It’s also vital that you lock out your former managers and directors from all access to your systems and facilities, and take steps to protect information from possible sabotage attempts by former bosses. Take this to heart: you are no longer employees, and you no longer have bosses. You are now co-decisionmakers, co-stakeholders, co-workers, and co-owners of your workplace and its enterprise. If your former bosses try to force you into submission, resist with the minimum force necessary, with respect but no compromise. If they wish to remain in the enterprise as peers among peers, then welcome them, though observe them for a time to verify that they are sincere and not engaging in deception.

Some of us will find our jobs have gone away. Do not panic. You will no longer need a paycheck to survive. You now own your home, car, and all other items that you use directly and personally. All forms of currency are obsolete and unnecessary. All debts are null, void, and irrelevant. You will have unlimited support and minimal stress in finding new niches, many of which will fit you better than your current ones.

To all who work in advertising and marketing: These functions are now obsolete and unnecessary. Your talents and skills, however, can be repurposed into the fields of education, public service and informational communication, motivational and morale-boosting applications, and the performing arts, among other fields. From today on, our country is shutting down the current hierarchical modern feudalistic socioeconomic paradigm and initiating a new, peer-based paradigm based on operating principles compatible with, and conducive to, a free, democratic, symbiotic, empowered, thriving society of free, empowered, thriving people living at a high quality of life.

To repeat: all debts are hereby null and void. All forms of currency are abolished.

Henceforth, all hierarchical social and economic structures will be eliminated, except in specialized contexts where they are absolutely necessary, in which case they will be minimized, de-emphasized, with their mission narrowly and clearly defined and publicly visible, to prevent destructive, dysfunctional dynamics from forming. All participants will learn all roles in the hierarchy and will rotate roles frequently; any signs of abuse or power-driven dynamics will trigger an immediate rotation. All perks and privileges associated with rank will be strictly eliminated.

All production and distribution processes shall be driven by consensus-based and democratic processes including all involved persons, and responsive to genuine need or demand and public feedback.

Let it be clearly understood that this is not an overthrow of our government. It is an overthrow of the feudalistic socioeconomic power paradigm and structure that has, for too long, undermined and countermanded democratic institutions and governance, and disempowered increasing numbers of people, effectively blocking us from exercising our inalienable rights.

To all who work in government: This transition is not a threat to you. Please go about your normal work activities. Be informed, however, that the dynamics of corporate lobbies, financial special interests, and wealthy individuals wielding disproportionate influence in the halls of government, will be gone. We, the people, are abolishing them from the ground up. From now on, you serve, and are answerable to, only us, your constituents. Please act accordingly. Your jobs, however, should now become simpler and less stressful.

We call upon our government to protect, seize, the records, assets, and technology of all large businesses and corporations and make them readily accessible to the people of our country and the world. We call upon you to do impartial investigations into any policies, norms or practices of such businesses that harmed employees, clients, or the environment. Where such behaviors willfully and knowingly occurred, then the responsible individuals must be tried and sentenced if found guilty, for their crimes. Let those found innocent be free to go on with their lives. Any who carried out behaviors that rise to the standard of crimes against humanity or the planet, will be referred to The Hague for trial.

We must all commit to treat each other with respect and dignity. If anybody, including former CEO’s, managers, wealthy people, demands to be treated with special deference or accorded special privileges, ignore them. Don’t take them into account. Neither obey, nor dispute with them or with any other bullies. Don’t reinforce such behavior. If anybody becomes violent, contain or de-escalate them firmly but compassionately, and handle them with due process under law.

To those in law enforcement: Times of great change such as this, sometimes bring some panic, rioting, looting, and other lawlessness at first, due fear of the unknown, insecurity, and exacerbation of existing tensions. Therefore, peacekeepers should be highly alert and ready to respond. We call upon you to emphasize and strive for de-escalation. Only use force if all other options fail. Always treat members of the public with respect and dignity, under all circumstances. When physical force is unavoidable, use the absolute minimum necessary to keep everybody safe. Initiating violence, intimidation, or bullying on anybody’s part will not be allowed, regardless of who does it to whom. That includes peace officers. The intent here is not to punish, but to protect and maintain the safety, well-being and dignity of all people.

To those in our armed defense services: Our nation has enemies. Some of them may misperceive this Transition as a time of weakness, and try to exploit it by attacking us. If so, they will be sorely mistaken. Let all armed forces and intelligence agencies be on high alert, ready to deter, repel and defend against any attack or invasion attempt. Once the Transition is complete, let all citizens and other residents be trained in and organized for guerrilla warfare and civil defense. If any enemy, either foreign or domestic extremists, ever does attack and overcome our military, then we will fight them in every street and building. If such a tragedy ever does occur, we must, even in war, always be mindful of and guided by the principles of the Geneva Convention and respect for all life.

From this day forward, every person, family, and other cohesive social unit legally owns their dwelling, vehicles, and all items that they personally use. All mortgages, loans, and rental agreements are null and void. All workplaces are the shared legal property and responsibility of all people involved in the enterprise, to be run by consensus or democratic process, transparently to the public to ensure accountability. No person, family or other social entity may own or control any resource that they don’t directly use either personally or in their work. No person or social entity (A) may obstruct or hold hostage in any way, another’s (B) access to any resource that they (A) don’t personally, directly use, nor make a claim to any resource used and owned by another. To lawmakers: We will need clear and accessible legal mechanisms and channels to facilitate resolution of any disputes that may arise regarding ownership.

All currently unoccupied or unused land and other resources (such as dwellings, schools, or industrial facilities) that are not national parks, preserves, or other public lands, are available for occupation, through fair and impartial legal processes. If you’re homeless, then you have the right to claim land or a dwelling and live on it. Please, though, follow legal procedures, to avoid unnecessary disputes. There are tens of millions of unoccupied living units in the United States alone, which is far more than the number of homeless people. There is now no reason for anybody to be homeless, hungry, or missing needed medical treatment, unless they choose to be, in which case it is our responsibility to respect their rights, dignity, and humanity in every way.

To lawmakers again: We will need legislation and, where applicable, Constitutional amendments setting forth and codifying every person’s right to a home, food, water, medical care, education, tools, utilities, communication, transportation, clothing, and all tools, technology and other resources currently necessary to carry on with a reasonable quality of life for the time and place. In this case, the paradigm change initiated by the people from the bottom up, must be corresponded and supported with legislation supporting this momentous, vastly beneficial new socioeconomic paradigm. We urge you to rise to the occasion.

Our Declaration will also include a message specially addressing the modern feudal lords, intended to assuage their fears and assure them of their safety. Here are some general examples:

To all billionaires, CEO’s, landlords, managers, stockbrokers, and other ultra-wealthy people, who are the modern feudal lords, and those who live by doing and enforcing their will and interests: You are probably worried for your safety. Many revolutions and regime changes have brought purges and blood baths. This will not happen here! Yes this Transition is being forced upon you, albeit nonviolently, by us over whom you have long ruled as bosses and resource owners much as the Medieval feudal lords ruled over the serfs and peasants of their time. The paradigm under which we’ve lived has kept us disenfranchised and disempowered to support and fuel your accelerating hold on resources, wealth, and power. Our country is little different from a company town of yore.

Based on the historical record, you’re worried and afraid that you’ll be vilified, attacked, spat upon, humiliated, imprisoned, tortured, killed, or exiled. This is our commitment and promise, with our nation and the world as witnesses, that such atrocities will not happen, and that you are in no danger. We invite you to understand that the new paradigm that we’re bringing, is intended and designed to empower every one of us to thrive in dignity and freedom, in a framework of symbiosis, collaboration and co-operation where we uplift and support one another. This includes you!

Fundamental to the new paradigm is the guarantee to every living thing of life, liberty, access to life’s necessities, safety, dignity and empowerment. Violence, vigilantism, and bullying are contrary to every principle of this paradigm, and will not be allowed by any party, except in defense of self or others. If anybody tries to attack, threaten, harass, or otherwise abuse or violate a former CEO or billionaire out of a misguided sense of revenge, they will be restrained and subjected to appropriate charges and due process. If any former wealthy, powerful person tries to attack, threaten, harass or otherwise abuse or violate someone as a way to try to reclaim your their former power position, the same will apply to you. The safety and dignity of all persons will be protected and upheld. Transgressors will be guilty of crimes, just as they would have been before, and will be processed accordingly. No one will receive discriminatory treatment, positive or negative.

You, former wealthy, privileged and powerful people, will live among us all in peace, liberty, well-being and dignity. You will no longer have special privileges, power over others, wealth, opulence, or access to resources denied to others not in your class. You will no longer own or control any properties, facilities, or resources that you don’t personally, directly use. Your stocks and other financial assets are now worthless and meaningless. You will no longer be treated with special deference or preference over others. To you, this may feel like you’re being treated unfairly, that you’re being wronged. Some of you may feel that you’ve built your socioeconomic empires with long, hard, dedicated work, which for some of you may be the case. But we remind you that everything that you built and accomplished, you didn’t do it alone. Hundreds or thousands of others built it with you, with their long, hard, dedicated work as your employees. Yet under the paradigm that we’ve been living in, you have gained wealth and power beyond any Medieval monarch, while your employees have been steadily disempowered, marginalized, and broken under the strain of holding up the socioeconomic power and wealth pyramid on their backs.

Yet we don’t blame you or seek to harm you for the inequities and injustices that have occurred under your command. Literally all of us have, unaware, been party to perpetuating and propagating this dysfunctional modern feudal paradigm masquerading as free enterprise. We have played the part of the serfs and peasants, while you have played the part of the royal rulers. In the process, you have become literally addicted to wealth, power over others, privilege, opulence and all that comes with them. We have all enabled your addiction, even encouraged it and held you up as success stories to be emulated. You are, however, addicted to these things. Some of the fear and anxiety that you’re feeling is fear of a violent purge, which is based on other times and places and will not happen. Some of your fear and anxiety, however, is simply withdrawals, just like any addict goes through, be they addicted to drug, alcohol, gambling… or privilege and power. Your “drug of choice” is gone forever. You will have to go “cold turkey.” Your feeling of being treated unfairly is typical of any addict when denied the object of their addiction. Your fellow citizens do understand, and we intend to support you in getting through your withdrawals and finding a good niche to live a fulfilled life, if you will let us. There are a number of treatments for addictive disorders, some of them very effective. All healthcare, including rehab, are now free to all. We encourage you to avail yourself. No one will try to force you. But your former wealth and power is gone forever. You have no risk of relapsing; but the withdrawal will be smoother if you do take advantage of available treatments.

You will find life in the new paradigm very different from what you imagine or fear. With your life of wealth, privilege and power, came horrendous stresses that you just got used to. You’ve been the object of cons, sycophants, manipulators, cutthroat business practices of competitors, and other people demanding or wanting something from you. It’s probably been hard to know who you can trust. In the back of your mind, you probably felt some concern that the hundreds of millions of disenfranchised people might some day come against you. What you’ll experience in the new paradigm is a degree of simple safety and security that no amount of hi-tech security technology and bodyguards could give you. You won’t have to wonder who your friends really are. You’ve adapted to a reality in which you come to view most of your fellow human beings are potential rivals, enemies, con artists, users, and other people who can’t be trusted. In the new paradigm, most of your fellow human beings will be potential friends, allies, and support systems. You’ll learn that money, power and privilege aren’t needed in order to be safe, at peace, happy, respected, fulfilled, and empowered!

To those of you former wealthy feudal lords who are unable or unwilling to give up heaving wealth, power over others, and privilege above others, we regret the distress that you’re experiencing but we offer no apology. For generations, we have enabled your addiction to power and privilege, unknowing and unaware, causing untold billions of people suffer, starve, labor, be disenfranchised, disempowered, exploited, enslaved, and oppressed. How much blood has been spilled in how many wars as a result?! We have played serfs and peasants to your kings, queens, viceroys, suzerain, and samurai. Now the very future of life on earth, and of human civilization, is at grave risk due to the inevitable side-effects of your addiction and our enabling of it. We’re have no grudge against you. You have merely excelled at the behaviors most strongly reinforced by the operating principles of our society, winning at the game that we’ve all been playing. We all share responsibility. Just as we would restrain an impaired person from driving a car or flying a plane, we will not allow your addictions to shape and dictate how we operate as a society or as individuals. We cannot afford to enable your addictions any longer.

As a group, you ultra-wealthy modern feudal lords have shown little to no care, empathy or compassion for how your actions, behaviors and lifestyle affect the rest of us. All too often, your policies, decisions, and modes of operation have devastated more people than you can imagine, and damaged the environment that is our life support in ways that are becoming more apparent every day.

It’s time to end this dysfunctional, unsustainable socioeconomic paradigm and relegate it to history’s accounts of failed social experiments, alongside Medieval feudalism, Soviet communism, theocracy, company towns, slavery, and outright dictatorship. Fear not, for you’ll be treated with far more compassion in the new paradigm, than you ever showed to those whom you considered to be beneath you under the old paradigm. We who bring this Transition are committed to forging a society where every person is empowered to thrive, where neighbor helps neighbor, where one person’s gain benefits all, and one person’s loss is felt by all. You will be treated as equals, no less, no more, as valued human beings whose dignity, freedom, and happiness matter and are respected by all. Alongside government of, by and for the people, we are instituting an economy of, by and for the people. All are included. All will be treated with respect, support, and compassion, regardless of your socioeconomic status before the Transition.

If any of you have, in running your businesses, committed crimes against humanity, our nation and people, or the environment, you will be subject to prosecution under due process of law. If you have knowingly and willfully used or supported sweatshop or slave labor, damaged the natural environment, coerced, manipulated, or bribed lawmakers to serve your interest to the detriment of the people, abused your power and position to victimize or control other vulnerable people, price gouged, supported or strengthened governmental regimes that practice human rights violations, or taken actions that harmed, disenfranchised, marginalized, or oppressed innocent people, then you will have to stand trial for your crimes, just like any criminal. You will, however, have a fair and impartial trial. From now on, literally no one is above the law. If you never committed such crimes, then you need not worry. No one will come after you with made-up charges.

From now on, there will be no advertising and no marketing. Instead, a public information network, web site, call center, and other media will show where and how to find all goods and services.

To all designers, developers, and producers of all goods and services: Until now, you’ve worked for competing companies. You’ve been prevented by intellectual property laws, employment contracts, and nondisclosure agreements from sharing your knowledge and from collaborating. That has now changed. Your task now is to form yourselves into larger teams to collaborate to create goods and services that combine and integrate the best features of your formerly competing products, to create the best goods and services that the state of the art permits. Make enough so everybody has what they need, and then scale back production to just enough to cover breakage, population growth, immigration, and natural disasters, with a small reserve supply to cover emergencies. Make your products as durable, easily serviceable and upgradeable to new technology, and user-friendly as possible. Distribute your goods and services via the appropriate supply depots, into which former retail outlets will be repurposed. In many cases, you’ll be shipping to the same place as you were doing under the old paradigm; but the nature and substance of the interactions and transactions will be vastly simpler for all.

To other countries: Know that we will honor our treaties, alliances, and agreements, except where doing so would make us party to human rights violations, environmental destruction, abuse or harmful exploitation of animals or humans, belligerent aggression against other countries or minorities within your country, or any other behavior that runs counter to our ethics and values. Our commitment to these principles allows no compromise that enables their negation. In such cases, we will invite the other parties to negotiate new arrangements that will benefit and be acceptable to all parties. If any problematic party fails to work with us to improve their social and environmental modes of operation, then we will terminate any agreement with them with a clear statement of why, and an open invitation to revisit the dialog when the other party is ready.

Know also that we will respect the sovereignty of other nations and peoples, including indigenous peoples and other minorities within our own country. We will not attempt to invade, coerce, harass, manipulate overtly or covertly, bribe, or violate the sovereignty of any other country, by any means.

To our country’s enemies: Know that this time of Transition is not a time of vulnerability or weakness. If you try to move against us in any way, we will respond with whatever force is necessary to defeat you.

To foreign businesses who have facilities in our country: From now on, all facilities and resources that you own in our country are the shared property of the people who work in them, to be run democratically or by consensus. They are no longer your employees. They are now an independent facility under their own control. We will defend this new paradigm with our armed forces if necessary. You no longer control them. You are also now relieved of paying them wages or benefits – they will not be needing them. Neither you former owners, nor your former employees, owe the other anything. That does not, however, mean that your production must be compromised. You are sincerely, cordially, and eagerly invited to sit down with your former employees in our country in order to work out new agreements, arrangements, interfaces, procedures and protocols to empower you, and your former employees in facilities in our country, to collaborate and work together to keep production running. You will find that entering into such new kinds of arrangements with your former facilities in our country, will give your companies major advantages relative to your competitors not so engaged: you operating costs will go down significantly, and you will be able to offer superior products for far lower prices and still make a handsome profit.

To overseas facilities and employees of parent companies based in our country: The businesses or companies that have, until now, owned your workplaces and been your bosses, are now defunct. But fear not. These facilities and the people in them are still here and operational. What’s changed is their organization, operating principles, and priorities. We therefore encourage you to continue with business as usual. You won’t lose your livelihood. While we have eliminated currency and the need for it, we respect that your country still uses currency, which you need to survive. Your paychecks and benefits will continue. Your compensation, working conditions, and treatment will improve significantly. Teams from the parent entity will work with teams from the daughter entity to create interfaces to ensure smooth, efficient, and well-choreographed function between parent and daughter facilities. The parent entity will still direct operations, for the most part. We will not require your operations to imitate our own, unless you wish it. We will, however, require that your operation maintain, and create if necessary, a workplace culture and norms that are in harmony with our principles of respect among all people, empowerment of all people, and the dignity of all people. Any managers or other leaders who can’t or refuse to adapt accordingly, will be fired respectfully and replaced from the rank-and-file. After working agreements are reached, you will immediately cease any aspects of any operation that have until now been contrary to our principles with respect to treatment of employees, customers, other businesses and the environment. This is non-negotiable. If your leadership finds it difficult to adapt, we will happily provide peer advisors and other resources to assist and advise you in doing so. We encourage such overseas facilities to adopt our model of non-hierarchical, peer-based, egalitarian operations and culture, but we will not pressure or force you.

To all foreign nationals legally within our borders: Be at peace. You are free to go about all of your legal business, academic, or recreational activities. Your safety, dignity and free passage within our country, as well as into and out of it, are guaranteed. While you’re here, you have the same access to goods, services and resources as citizens and permanent residents. You are also subject to the same laws. We invite you to observe the new paradigm in operation and, if you feel so inclined, to take it home with you and share it with your families and friends. You will see it working here, and you’ll see its advantages. It can work in your countries as well. It’s up to you.

To all foreign nationals illegally within our borders: We invite you to come forth and apply for legal status. Your applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and will be granted unless you’re engaged in criminal activity, harming others, or attempting to profiteer by scooping up bunches of products that are free here, then selling them in currency-using countries for profit.

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