SECESSION.NET
Creating a worldwide Secession Network promoting the Right to Secede - Community-Based Secession - Libertarian/Decentralist Political Processes - Nonviolent Secession and Institutions |
Declaration of Independence of the American Colonies, 1776 |
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| ABOUT SECESSION.NET Principles Goals Strategies
At least 5,000 racial, ethnic, linguistic and cultural groups are
lumped together
into only 189 nation states. Most of the world's violent
conflicts
are related to struggles for dominance within or independence from some
large,
multi-national nation state. A large percentage of the world’s
people
(especially in populous India, China, Indonesia and Africa) would
choose
to secede from their respective nation states if given the opportunity.
Millions of activists worldwide are committed to national, ethnic,
religious and regional secessionist movements described variously as:
self-determination, independence, autonomy, sub-national,
micro-national, separatist, sovereignty, indigenous, homeland,
Fourth World. Ideological movements explicitly or implicitly
promoting individual, community or regional rights to secession
include: libertarian, anarchist, anti-authoritarian, decentralist,
devolutionist, cantonal, green, bioregional, "small is beautiful,"
communal, survivalist, radical pacifist or futurist. While these
latter movements may promote differing social and economic goals, their
commitment to individual liberty is strong. After the 2004 elections in the United States, millions of non-Republicans were thinking seriously of secession as an alternative to four more years of being subjects of warmongering religous fundamentalists who care more about expanding Israel to bring back Jesus than protecting Americans from nuclear destruction! "Blue state" -- or blue county -- progressives started talking seriously of secession as an alternative. With the election of the popular Barack Obama, a big fan of anti-secessionist Abraham Lincoln, some assume secession has become a lost cause. Of course, Obama can't fix the problems caused by 100 years of massive government and probably will only exacerbate them, leading even his fans ready to consider secession from the state he "rules" (as one presidential debate moderator put it). And now with President Barak Obama imposing more taxes, more laws, more debt on Americans, more and more conservatives see secession as a viable option. As we enter the Twenty-First century, the desire for individual liberty
is
at an all time high. We are developing the computer and other
technology
which can secure it--even as large nation states begin a new nuclear
arms
race that is hurtling us towards almost inevitable accidental or
intentional
nuclear war. The time has come to recognize that the great nation state “experiment” of the last five hundred years has failed. The time has come for humans to launch new experiments, ones based on past experience as well as new ideas and technology. The time has come to identify principles and strategies, and initiate educational and action campaigns, to support the world’s people as they seek true freedom, true peace and true justice.
If you like what you read herein, please keep coming back and explore
the various links as they are constructed. Feel free to email contactsATsecession.net with questions and comments or to get involved. Links: * Wikipedia List of active autonomist and secessionist movements   |
PRIMACY
OF THE RIGHT TO SECEDE
The primary political right of the individual and of political
communities must be to secede from any larger political entity, whether
they were born into it, were forced to join it, or voluntarily joined
it. If one denies
or relinquishes that right, one is little more than a slave--and no
agreement
to become a slave can be legally or morally binding.
Secession of individuals and communities does not have to mean war and
violence.
It should be a natural evolutionary feature of all political
entities.
Communities can form networks or confederations, since secession is
accepted
by both in principle. However, communities will not form
"federations"
which by definition do not allow secession. We will
suggest
practical and nonviolent means by which such separation can occur and
the
kinds of networks and confederations that could be created to replace
oppressive
nation states.
COMMUNITY-BASED SECESSION:
In the name of nationalism, religion, ideology, tradition or
"the common good," the governments of the world suppress
individual liberty and individuals' control of their own
communities. Special interest- corporate- state- bureaucratic-
military elites worldwide tax,
regulate, bully, beat, prosecute, jail and execute citizens
into submission. They discriminate against, rob, ethnically
cleanse
and genocide members of oppressed racial/ethnic/religious/regional
groups.
Without government control, these elites would have little real power
over
individuals and communities.
The concept of individual liberty is simple: individuals should be free
to
do whatever they please as long as they don't harm others by using
force or
fraud. This is the basic ethical tenet or "golden rule" of all
religions,
one corrupted by layers of theology and ritual and centuries of
kowtowing
to political authority. Individual consent–not some nationalist,
racial,
religious, tribal or, ideological construct or “social contract”–is the
only
legitimate basis of any social, economic and political
organization.
However, supporting the idea and value of individual liberty is not
enough
to obtain liberty. We must support institutional structures that
make
it impossible for public or private entities to crush individual
liberty.
Throughout history most individuals have chosen to live in community
with others, be it on communally held or privately held lands, as
either owners or renters. Large, multi-national nation
states were created by military conquest of smaller independent
communities, tribes and nations. Individuals today have
little control over their local communities, most of
which have become mere administrative units of large, distant,
oppressive nation states. Government and special interest
confiscation of communal and private land has further muddied the
territorial basis of many communities.
In the last 50 years the largest and most powerful nation states have
been building big super-national organizations like the United Nations,
NATO, the
International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade
Organization to ensure that special
interest-corporate-state-bureaucratic-military elites further
concentrate their control. What some call "corporate
globalization" is really government globalization in service of (mostly
"First World") corporate
and political elites.
Many think in terms of "state's rights" secession, especially in the
United
States, with such states opposed to secession by smaller political
units.
However, Secession.Net promotes "community-based secession," assuming
that
smaller entities like communities, towns, small cities, neighborhoods
within
larger cities will and must become the basic political unit, after the
individual.
The map at left suggesting hundreds or even thousands of independent,
networked or loosely confederated communities as an alternate to the
United States of America, Canada and Mexico. However, communities
can be both geographical and non-geographical.
Geographical communities can include contiguous "bedroom" or vacation
communities, industrial or commercial "parks", counties including a
number of farms and tiny communities, shopping malls, environmental
preserves or be mixed use communities. Non-geographical
communities are communities of interest, be they industrial,
professional, trade or service-related, charitable, cultural, ethnic,
racial, political, etc. and may include members all over a continent or
the planet. It is possible that members of geographical
communities not only can hold overlapping memberships in
non-geographical ones, but conduct most of their affairs with those
communities.
Communities must be free to join or secede from any larger regional,
continental or even worldwide networks and confederations they join to
deal with a variety
of issues. While communities may choose to
confederate along
traditional
linguistic, ethnic or racial national lines, these confederations must
recognize
the rights of sub-communities among them to maintain their autonomy.
And
communities themselves must recognize the right of members and
geographical
sections of the community to secede and become autonomous or attach to
other
communities. Only the right to secession guarantees true
autonomy.
(Future articles will detail how these processes have and can work.)
Many worry that corporations would run roughshod over such
communities. But without central government- limited liabilities,
privileges, welfare and
stifling of competition, most existing huge multinational corporations
would
disappear or break up into much smaller entities that would have little
real
power to control communities. Those who look to central
governments
for such protection are enslaving themselves to a phantom.
LIBERTARIAN/DECENTRALIST POLITICAL
PROCESSES
Communities may create whatever economic, social or cultural systems
they choose. However, we believe that in order to prevent
communities from
re-creation of warring nation states or abusing individual rights and
liberties,
they must follow five principles of political process, which are both
libertarian
and decentralist:
A Bill of Rights: Any community may
fall
victim to prejudice, intolerance, exploitation, suspicion or hysteria
towards
one or more of its members. Therefore it is necessary to have a
written
guarantee of (a) freedom of association and of movement in and out of
the
community; (b) equal political rights to participate in community
decision-making or to access community-related information; and (c)
procedural rights--right to trial and due process, right to counsel,
right of appeal, no cruel and unusual means of interrogation or
punishment.
"Polycentric" Law: Over the last few centuries legislatively decreed law ("fiat" law), made by and for elites, has restricted
individual
liberty worldwide. It has supplanted more naturally and freely
evolved
"common law," private commercial law or law governing voluntary
associations.
Because such laws come from many centers of activity and interest they
can
be called "polycentric" law. Individuals and communities must be
free
to choose the legal system by which they will abide. They may
choose
different systems to deal with personal, business, or other matters.
They
may choose how much of their lives will be ruled by contractual
obligations
and how much, if any, by democratic decision-making. They can do
so,
in large part, simply by deciding what legal system and what community
or
communities to join.
Consensus-Oriented or Super-Majority Democracy: . "Democracy"
means "rule of the people"--a phrase which has been interpreted in ways
both authoritarian
and libertarian. Even those who attempt to form communities only
by
contract usually will encounter unexpected situations which require
some
sort of democratic decision-making. Majority rule decision-making
usually
turns into a cloak for defacto minority rule by special interests and
elites
which ever increase their control over society. Contracts and
consensus
democracy are both examples of consensus-oriented decision-making where
decisions,
including those to restrict liberty, are not made until all
affected parties
agree. Super-majority decision-making means at least two-thirds,
three-quarters
or even nine-tenths of all those eligible to vote must agree to
the
decision. These processes contribute to community harmony because
members
propose and adopt only rules and policies that enjoy overwhelming
support
by all members.
Direct Democracy: Representative democracy, even in groups
of a
few dozen people, usually results in rule by cliques or elites, usually
for
their own benefit. Direct democracy means only the votes of
individual members can approve or reject laws/rules/regulations and
taxes/fees/contributions (depending on what each community chooses to
call these functions). The growth of the Internet makes it easy
for people to vote from home, office,
library, etc. Direct democracy also discourages elites from
suggesting
special interest laws or taxes since only a small number of people will
be
motivated to vote for them, and at least a super-majority of all
eligible
voters must approve them. Voters may still elect, appoint or hire
adminstrators
and managers, but their policy-making ability is strictly limited.
Sunset
Provisions: People too often are panicked into creating
rules and
regulations to deal with one time or emergency situations.
Therefore it is necessary to include a provision allowing a minority of
members (15 to 25%) to vote to rescind rules after a few months have
passed. And
all rules and fees should have "sunset" provisions so that they
are
phased out after a few years unless explicitly re-instated by
voters. There also should be explicit "fair exit provisions"
ensuring individuals disagreeing with a near-consensus rule or policy
are given sufficient time to settle affairs and leave a community.
Variations on the principles above also should be followed in the
regional, continental and other networks and confederations communities
choose to form
or join. While some sort of representation (probably
proportional) probably
would be used in these bodies, important decisions still would be
referred
back to community members. Most important we must all remember that the
price
of liberty is eternal vigilance.
NONVIOLENT SECESSION AND INSTITUTIONS
The world's large nation states are maintained through threatened and
actual military violence against even perceived secessionists.
Democratic welfare
states bribe their citizens with unsustainable social welfare programs
while
they build up powerful and increasingly nuclear-armed militaries.
Dictatorships
dispense with social welfare bribes, sacrificing their people as they
focus
on military buildups. Only abolition of large multi-national
nation
states and their militaries will prevent destructive regional wars and
eventual
and inevitable, accidental or intentional, nuclear war.
Nonviolence is the belief that no racial, ethnic, religious,
ideological, social, or economic belief or goal excuses the use of
individual or state violence to force the compliance of others.
Nonviolent philosophy and practices extend to interpersonal, group and
community conflict resolution, nonviolent
legal sanctions and nonviolent policing and defense.
The purpose of non-violent action is to withdraw consent from
government
or other authorities, rather than wrest power from them--defacto
secession. Non-violence heightens the moral superiority of the
actionists in the eyes of the general public--especially if the
authorities respond to their sincere and open nonviolent protest with
violence. Even members of the ruling classes can be swayed to
sympathy by such non-violent actions. Police and soldiers wooed
with sound political arguments and non-violent demonstrations are more
likely to come over to the side of the activists than ones afraid of
being harmed by protesters.
Political violence destroys public sympathy and unites the people with
the
elites and the police against the protesters--that's why governments
infiltrate
demonstrations with violent "agent provocateurs." Violent action
usually
is practiced predominantly by angry young males, often with military
training,
who often become as ruthless towards other dissidents as they do
towards
the oppressor. When violent revolutionaries take power, their
regimes
often are as ruthless as their revolutions.
Similarly, we must work to remove violence as a means of resolving
conflicts in, or regulating, our private and public affairs. The
acceptance of
personal violence, public violence, government violence and war between
nations
are intimately connected. Nonviolent conflict resolution within
and
between communities, nonviolent enforcement of contracts and rules and
regulations,
and even nonviolent policing, peacekeeping and defense have all proved
workable
in many places, at many times. A
commitment
to nonviolent conflict resolution helps create tolerance among people,
despite
their ethnic, racial, religious, ideological and other
differences.
We must extend them to all place and all times, if humanity is
to
survive and prosper.
Legitimatize Secession of Small Political Entities: the United Nations and human rights organizations give lip service support to autonomy and self-determination movements; we promote factual and moral arguments for the right of individuals, communities large and small, and national sub-groups to seek independence.
Promote Nonviolent, Libertarian and Decentralist Political Visions: ones that will replace centralized, authoritarian economic-political institutions and offer concrete nonviolent strategies for achieving true peace, freedom, justice and prosperity.
Influence Existing Secessionist Movements: too many movements want to replace one big, centralized authoritarian state with two or more smaller ones. Only a worldwide movement promoting the radical goals of freedom for individuals and communities can legitimatize the aspirations of hundreds of suppressed national and regional groups for freedom.
Promote New Secession Movements: billions of people are ready for radical decentralist alternatives and secessionist strategy, they just need a firmer philosophical basis and a little encouragement to begin organizing their own movements.
Network
among these Movements to coordinate nonviolent secessionist
strategies and tactics.
Emphasize right to secession: so as not be co-opted by "reformist" promises to decentralize power. Movements advocating anything short of the right to peaceful secession–i.e., advocating any form of “top down” decentralization or "devolution”--are easily ignored or co-opted.
Promote tolerance: so that oppressed and freedom loving men and women from every racial, ethnic, religious, cultural, economic, sexual grouping or orientation, can find a common goal and common bond of trust. Long-time adversarial groups which seek to separate into homogeneous communities must maintain mutual tolerance, as well as tolerance towards members of their groups who may choose to live in integrated communities in their region. This will help provide solidarity as we attempt to free ourselves from the powerful entrenched elites who themselves have transcended such differences in their quest for power over humanity.
Work within the System: by promoting decentralist alternatives and secession through education, lobbying, secessionist initiatives, referendums and constitutional amendments, influencing radical parties and running candidates. Maintaining cordial relationships with those in power, and their supporters, divides elites, wins over converts and helps minimize harm to future secessionist action.
Use
a Diversity of Nonviolent Action Strategies and Tactics to
Withdraw Consent from the System: because
elites,
special interests, and individuals receiving government contracts,
paychecks
and social welfare payments are usually majority of those who bother to
vote.
Therefore, we must also work on withdrawing our consent from the
nation
state system by assertively using the full range of nonviolent
strategies--nonviolent
protest and persuasion, economic, political and social noncooperation,
nonviolent
civil disobedience and direct action; creation of parallel community
institutions;
coordinated proclamations of secession, if only for a day or a week,
until
enough communities have joined in any region or nation to make the
right
to secession a defacto right. We must continually marginalize
violent
street fighting and terrorist elements from our organizing until we
have
convinced them to use only the full diversity of nonviolent
tactics.
Create Alternate Networks and
Confederations: Something to replace the United States of
America. Something like ConfederatedCommunitiesofAmerican.Net
Respect Rights of Non-Secessionists: we must reassure the public that communities and new confederations will be created by voluntary alliances, not by driving off unwanted people and confiscating their property. And we should assure non-secessionists that those who want to retain citizenship in the nation state, obey its laws and pay its taxes may do so, even if most of their neighbors secede.
Prepare for Alternative Scenarios: three scenarios for change are possible, "gradual/reformist" scenarios of relatively slow change, punctuated by crisis (as well as those years of increased activism during sunspot cycle heights); continual "crisis" scenarios of escalating economic, political, and military crisis; "catastrophe" scenarios of economic and political chaos and/or massive regional wars and even nuclear war. The self-destructive dynamics of large nation states, as well as the spread of technology which makes them increasingly irrelevant, are opportunities freedom lovers must seize. It is possible great progress towards a free world of networked and confederated communities can be made by the year 2025.