Drafting the Manifesto

[Zimmerwald]

For members only please.  If you've browsed the pinned threads, you'll have noticed that the Manifesto hasn't been written yet.  This thread is where it is to be drafted.  Please brainstorm all you like, but remember; try to keep discussion to the point.  For the sake of it, I'll propose that the Manifesto be divided into the following categories:

Guiding Principles

Member Rights and Responsibilities

Party Organizations and Decision-Making

The Party in Taijituan Elections

and maybe more, if people come up with them.

[LLANYDERN]

Guiding principles
The spread of equality between races, sexes, religion and sexual preferences.

The right of everyone to personnel choice.

resources dependent on need rather then wealth

[Zimmerwald]

I take it that you've applied for membership?  I'll add you to the group.  Good suggestions, BTW.

Now, this is just a rough draft that I put together.  Peruse it, accept parts, reject, incorporate into your own ideas.  I haven't done Guiding Principles.

Guiding Principles
1. The Taijitan Communist Party aims to create first a socialist, then a communist region that will serve as an example for the rest of NationStates to follow.
2. The Taijitan Communist Party promotes complete economic, social, and political equality among Taijitan citizens, and proposes governmental and non-governmental initiatives to make such equality a reality.
3. The Taijitan Communist Party recognizes no distinction between different races, different sexes, and different religions, and does not discriminate based on sexual orientation or preference.  The Taijitan Communist Party works to eradicate such prejudices in Taijitu and in NationStates.
4. The Taijitan Communist Party affirms a belief that individual choice and personal freedom should be jealously guarded, and affirms also that economic exploitation and the various forms of discrimination are detrimental to these freedoms.
5. The Taijitan Communist Party bases itself on democracy; its internal government is as democratic as possible, and it works to implement democracy in all branches of Taijitan government.
6. The Taijitan Communist Party recognizes the right of all members to debate all proposals internally, but in government and in relations with other Parties, the Taijitan Communist Party speaks with one voice.
Determining Membership Status
1. Any Taijitan Citizen has the right to apply for membership in the Taijitan Communist Party by posting his or her application in the Application Thread. 
2. A membership application shall consist of:
a. The applicants name;
b. A statement outlining why the applicant wishes to join the Taijitan Communist Party;
c. A statement confirming that the applicant believes in and will adhere to the Guiding Principles of the Party;
d. A statement showing that the applicant shall abide by the Responsibilities of Party Members.
3. If an applicant fails to submit a proper application three times in a row, that applicant shall be barred from making further applications for a period of one week.
4. Once a proper application has been filed, the Supreme Council of the Taijitan Communist Party shall have one week to confirm the applicant for Membership.
5. This vote shall last for a period of one week.
6. Membership shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast by the Supreme Council.
7. Should the vote result in a tie, the applicant shall be admitted to the Taijitan Communist Party.
8. Once an applicant has been accepted into the Taijitan Communist Party, the Rights and Responsibilities of Members are immediately conferred upon the new Member.
9. If a Party Member (the Plaintiff) feels that another Party Member (the Defendant) has defaulted on his or her responsibilities, abused another Member’s Rights, or has broken one of the rules of the Party without just cause, the Plaintiff may petition for the Defendant’s removal from the Party.
10. The Plaintiff shall have one week to make his or her case to the Supreme Council.
The Defendant shall have one week to make his or her case to the Supreme Council.
11. A vote of the Supreme Council, excluding the Plaintiff and Defendant, shall decide whether to expel the Defendant from the Party.  Expulsion must be supported by a super majority of votes cast by the Supreme Council for it to pass.
12. If a Member is expelled from the Party, he or she may not make another application for a month.
Member Rights and Responsibilities
1. All Members have the right to free speech, in any circumstances not specifically prohibited by this Manifesto.
2. All Members have the right to propose, debate, and vote on measures that come before the Supreme Council.
3. All Members have the right to know how their dues are being appropriated.
4. All Members have the right to resign, without retaliation, from the Part or any position they may hold within it.
5. All Members have the right to run for any Party position they desire.
6. All Members have the responsibility to abide faithfully by the decisions of the Supreme Council.
7. All Members have the responsibility to be civil to each other, and to be civil to non-Members when representing the Party.
8. All Members have the responsibility to support, though not necessarily vote for, Party candidates in Taijitan elections.
9. All Members have the responsibility to vote regularly in the Supreme Council.  If a Member misses five or more consecutive votes, his or her Membership shall automatically be put up for review.
Party Organizations and Decision Making
1. The Supreme Council
a. The Supreme Council is the highest governing body of the Taijitan Communist Party.
b. The Supreme Council consists of every Member of the Taijitan Communist Party.
c. The Supreme Council is empowered to:
i. Elect from among its members the Party’s candidate in Delegate elections;
ii. Admit and eject members in accordance with Article 2 of this Manifesto;
iii. Elect from among its members and recall the Chair;
iv. Set Party dues;
v. Appropriate Party funds;
vi. Determine Party policy.
d. Any Member of the Supreme Council has the right to propose a measure in the Supreme Council.
e. Once a measure has come before the Supreme Council, there shall be a one-week period while the merits of the proposal are debated.
f. Once the debate period has concluded, one week shall be devoted to voting on the proposal.  A simple majority of the votes cast shall be required unless stipulated in the proposal itself, or by this Manifesto.
2. The Chair
a. The Chair is the Moderator of the Taijitan Communist Party board.
b. The Chair is empowered, and has the responsibility to:
i. Induct new Party Members into the Taijitan Communist Party group;
ii. Accurately represent the opinions, and communicate the decisions, of the Supreme Council to the rest of Taijitu;
iii. Faithfully carry out the decisions of the Supreme Council as they effect the Party;
iv. Archive votes by the Supreme Council once they are completed so that they may be easily reviewed.
c. The Chair is elected for life from among the membership of the Supreme Council. 
d. If a Party Member (the Plaintiff) feels that the Chair is not doing his or her job, or is abusing Moderation powers, the Plaintiff may introduce a resolution in the Supreme Council calling for the recall of the Chair.  A recall vote shall last a week, and shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast in the Supreme Council.
If the Chair is successfully recalled, he or she may name an Interim Chair to assume the functions of the Chair until a new one can be elected.
e. If the Chair is successfully recalled, there shall be a two-week nominating period where Party Members may be nominated for the position.  Nominations must be seconded, and Members may not nominate themselves.
Once the nominating period has concluded, Nominees have one week to post a Manifesto detailing why they should be the new Chair.
f. Once the Manifesto period has concluded, the Supreme Council will have one week to elect a new Chair.  The election shall be a Condorcet vote.
The Party in Taijitan Elections
1. The Supreme Council, three weeks before the beginning of Delegate Elections, the Party shall begin the process of choosing its candidate for the Delegacy.
2. This process shall follow the procedure for electing a new Chair, but the nomination period shall be one week, rather than two.
3. Three weeks before the process for selecting a candidate begins, all Party Members who feel so inclined shall draft a platform for the candidate to propose.  The drafting process shall not exceed two weeks.  The draft must be approved by a simple majority of the votes cast in the Supreme Council in a vote that shall not exceed one week.
4. The candidate has the responsibility to follow the Party platform, though he or she may propose changes to it in the Supreme Council.  To amend the platform, a vote lasting three days shall be taken in the Supreme Congress, and amendments must pass by a simple majority of the votes cast.

[Zimmerwald]

Would somebody like to comment on Llanydern's and my proposals?  The inactivity is appalling.

[Delfos]

only you 2 on the party yet :p seems fine, although too machine-like, get in prose! good old-school manifest.

[Zimmerwald]

You are in as well...

[Delfos]

already? fine.

maybe we should stick with the plan? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Communist_Manifesto

[Zimmerwald]

I don't remember the last time French radicals, German police-spies, and all the rest were present in Taijitu...

[Delfos]

then why not using the Futurist Manifesto a change it to our proposes? as more artistic more fancy, also would be cool to research some 'manifestos' of constructivist artists. actually most of the artists of the XX century have nice manifestos.

[Zimmerwald]

 

Umm...this is not just a statement of principles, but a system for governing the Party.  I just used the word "Manifesto" in the thread title because Charter and Constitution were taken.

[Zimmerwald]

Should we adopt this?  There are eight Party members as of now...

[Delfos]

I agree with anything, I'm more interested in propaganda and communication, I will propose a symbol for us...like the one i have in msn now with my 'New Delfos National Theme'