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Please vote on whether to ratify this modified version of the Party Constitution.
All Party members are eligible to vote.
A majority of active members is required to ratify it.
"Active members" will be interpreted to mean those who participate in this poll, with a minimum of 20 votes being cast by end of game day on Friday, October 14th (Day 1424).
Constitution of the Socialist Freedom Party
Proposed on October 7, 2011 (Day 1,417 of the New World)
Part I: Leadership and Governance
Section 1: Governance
1. The Party shall be governed by the Revolutionary Committee of the SFP.
2. The Party President (PP) is the Chair of the Revolutionary Committee (RC).
Section 2: Leadership
1. The PP shall be elected by democratic vote, as determined by the eRepublik game mechanism for Party elections held on the 15th of each month.
2. Should the in-game vote result in a hostile Party takeover, the election shall be considered null and void. In that case, the Party will be governed exclusively by the previously seated Revolutionary Committee (RC), with all presidential powers to be wielded by the person previously elected by the RC to be its Chair.
3. Should the duly elected PP resign before the regular term of office ends, he or she shall be succeeded by the most senior member of the RC. Actions or decisions of the "Party President" according to the game mechanics, whether that person is a supporter of the RC or not, shall have no binding authority.
4. The most senior member of the RC shall be the member with the most continuous experience of serving on the committee.
5. The PP may hold other on-going leadership roles in the Socialist Freedom Party, SFP Commune, SFP Bear Cavalry or any other SFP-sponsored or -affiliated institutions while he or she is Chair of the RC. Holding such roles should be affirmed by a majority vote of the RC on each such role.
6. The preference is for such roles to be assigned to other Party members during the PP's term as Chair of the RC.
Section 3: Revolutionary Committee Voting Membership
1. The Revolutionary Committee shall consist of no more than 9 and no less than 5 voting members, including the Party President.
2. The Party President may appoint up to 4 voting members of the Revolutionary Committee.
3. Any party member can volunteer to be a member of the RC as long as there are open spots. First-come, first-served. There are no elections to the Revolutionary Committee.
4. All members of the RC will have access to the Revolutionary Committee sub-forum.
5. Unless otherwise agreed-upon, terms of service on the RC are the same as that of a Party President's administration. A new RC should be formed after each PP election.
6. A member of the RC is considered to have become inactive if they have not posted to the forum, communicated on the IRC, or otherwise communicated with other RC members for a period of 10 days.
7. The Chair may remove any inactive member of the RC.
8. Any member of the RC, whether active or inactive, may be removed from serving on the RC by a majority vote of the members of the RC. In the event of a tie, the Chair makes the decision.
9. In the event that there are more candidates for membership on the RC than there are seats available, first preference should go to Party members who have not yet served on the RC.
10. Members may step down from the RC by notifying the Chair of their intention.
11. Any member of the RC, and any one they appoint to a specific role, may be removed from RC membership or from an appointed role via petition of the Party membership. A recall petition should be posted to forum for a vote of the membership and be debated for at least 3 days.
12. All members of the Revolutionary Committee have collective responsibility for the actions of both RC Members and Party Volunteers and for the outcome of its initiatives.
Section 4: Revolutionary Committee Non-Voting Membership
1. A non-voting member of the RC has access to the Revolutionary Committee sub-forum and may put forward proposals, participate in all discussions and be assigned to leading responsibilties.
2. A non-voting member of the RC does not have authority to vote on RC proposals.
3. A non-voting member of the RC may be referred to as an “Observer” or “Advisor” member of the RC.
4. The following are automatically considered to be non-voting members of the RC:
• Members of Congress who are SFP members.
• Active SFP members who are former Party Presidents.
5. The RC may vote to include additional non-voting members.
Section 5: Titles
1. Aside from the Party President or Acting President, who shall have the title of "Chair of the RC of the SFP", members of the RC have no permanent, official titles other than "Member of the Revolutionary Committee of the Socialist Freedom Party".
2. Members of the RC and those appointed to specific roles may be referred to as "Revolutionary Volunteer", "Comrade", "Director", "Quartermaster", "Commander", "Chief Poobah", "Cantankerous Busy-body", “Chief Dog Catcher”, "Great and Wonderful Wizard", or any other nickname they like, but none of these are officially recognized other than "Member of the Revolutionary Committee".
Section 6: Roles and Projects
1. All Party members can play a role as a Volunteer on any Party program, campaign or task.
2. It is the responsibility of the Revolutionary Committee to ensure that the Party is actively engaged in eRep affairs. This does not mean that only RC members can play a leading role, nor that only RC members must carry out all tasks.
3. It is the responsibility of the Chair of the RC to ensure that the Party has at least one active project or campaign in each of the following general areas of interest: Domestic Policy, International Policy and Economics.
4. At least one member of the RC, or other Volunteer, should have responsibility for directing one or more activities in one or more of these 3 general areas of interest.
5. Each member of the RC, or other Volunteer, should have responsibility for a particular task or effort, whether it is a short-term goal or part of a longer-term campaign or project.
6. General guidelines for work in each area.
RC Members and Volunteers with responsibility for tasks in a particular area of interest should:
6.a For Domestic policy, propose and lead work with respect to:
• Recruitment and mentoring
• Elections to Congress
• Participation in the Executive
• Relations with other eUSA parties and militias
• Collaboration with other eUSA parties
• Outreach to newer players and friends of the SFP
• Domestic media and public relations
6.b For International policy, propose and lead work with respect to:
• Participation in the Internationale and the International Brigades, and/or other international organizations or coalitions in which the Party participates
• Relations with parties and militias outside of the eUSA
• The Party's militia participation in wars and battles
• Sending Party members abroad to work with other groups
• International public relations
6.c For Economic policy, propose and lead work with respect to:
• Managing, directing and promoting the SFP Commune co-ops and communes
• Recommending economic policy initiatives to SFP Congress members
• Developing and promoting ideas for an anarcho-syndicalist political economy
• Promoting collaboration between communes and co-ops domestically and internationally
• Generally promoting social well-being and economic security
Part II: Powers of the Leadership
Section 7: Executive Decisions
1. The Party President shall wield executive power, with the ability to make on-the-spot decisions.
2. An executive decision is a decision normally under the collective responsibility of the Revolutionary Committee, or delegated to a particular RC Member or Volunteer. When making such a decision, the PP shall notify the RC Member or Party Volunteer with responsibility over that issue, by sending a Private Message and by posting a message in the Revolutionary Committee sub-forum, briefing the entire group of the decision made and reasoning behind it.
3. In cases where the person with regular responsibility for that area disagrees with the decision taken by the PP, that person may call for a vote to countermand the decision of the PP.
4. An executive decision of the PP may be countermanded by a simple majority vote of the RC.
Section 8: Appointments
1. The Revolutionary Committee is not an exclusive club; it is an engine for activity. No Party member is excluded from being active in Party-sponsored activities.
2. The Revolutionary Committee shall be responsible for the creation and managing of on-going or short-term party roles, organizations, campaigns and projects. They may appoint whomever they deem fit to to play a specific role or to direct a specific organization or campaign.
3. Appointees to lead major or long-term campaigns, projects or organizations must be confirmed by a simple majority vote of the RC. Such roles should be re-affirmed by the RC following a PP election cycle.
4. Volunteers for short-term campaigns or to assist with on-going projects, may simply be recruited and accepted by the person managing that effort.
5. Any Party member or Friends of the SFP may volunteer to work on a particular project that interests them, whether or not they are a member of the RC.
Section 9: Forum Administration
1. The Party President, if so desired, shall have administrative powers on the party forum. He or she shall not have the power to change the administrative status of any other party member with the aforementioned status except with the permission of a majority of the Revolutionary Committee.
2. Forum administration is an on-going, long-term role. Administrators do not need to be members of the RC, but should be active Party members or Friends of the SFP.
3. As with other roles and appointments, this role should be reviewed and affirmed by each new RC near the start of their term.
Section 10: Treasury
1. With the demise of eRepublik organizations and Party funds for advertising, the SFP's collective funds are managed by individual player accounts. The primary collective funds are the SFP Commune balances.
2. The Party member(s) with responsibilities for such funds, referred to here as the SFP Commune treasurer(s), shall make a regular report on the Forum regarding the balances in these accounts.
3. Unless otherwise agreed-upon as a time-limited policy, the Party President or the SFP Commune Treasurer(s) may only request disbursement of funds from the Commune treasury with simple majority approval by the RC.
4. The SFP Commune Treasurer(s) may not disburse funds to any entity other than Party-sponsored communes and co-ops without approval by a simple majority of voting RC members on specific disbursements in a forum poll that is posted for a minimum of 24 hours.
Section 11: Meetings and Communications
1. Meetings and communications of the Revolutionary Committee may be held using any appropriate technology such as IRC chat, group messages or e-mails, forum discussions and so forth.
2. The PP and all voting and non-voting members of the RC shall be informed of the occurrence of all Revolutionary Committee meetings and communications, as well as their time and mode of communication.
3. The PP and all voting and non-voting members of the RC shall have access to the sub-forum of the Revolutionary Committee.
4. Summaries of any RC meetings shall be posted on the RC sub-forum.
Section 12: Congress and Country President Nominations
1. The Party President shall nominate or endorse eUSA Country President (CP) candidates based on the results of a Party primary conducted on the Forum in the week prior to elections. CP elections are held on the 5th of each month. Results of the Party primary should be concluded no later than the 3rd of each month.
2. The Revolutionary Committee may propose a Presidential candidate to the Party, but a Primary vote of the membership must still be held to ratify that proposal.
3. As long as the SFP is not a Top 5 party, SFP candidates for Congress must temporarily join a Top 5 party in order to run for Congress. The Revolutionary Committee and Volunteers working on Domestic policy shall engage the Top 5 parties in order to ensure slots for SFP candidates and shall assist SFP members seeking election.
4. Should the SFP become a Top 5 party, it shall be the responsibility of the Chair of the RC, with recommendations from the Committee as a whole and in particular from the directors for Domstic policy, to nominate candidates in viable states or regions in a timely manner.
Part III Powers of the Membership
Section 13: Democracy and Voluntarism
Sub-section 13.1: Voting and Direct Action
1. The Revolutionary Committee and Revolutionary Volunteers serve the international e-working class and the Socialist Freedom Party membership as a whole.
2. The Socialist Freedom Party is a grassroots-democratic organization that encourages individual initiative on behalf of its collective goals.
3. Majority voting is one method of inner-party democracy. The RC and the SFP uses majority voting -- not consensus -- to make decisions, as needed, as a pragmatic method. There is more to democracy than voting. Majority votes shall not be used to suppress minority views. All Party members shall be free to contribute their ideas, take initiative on behalf of the Party and act as Volunteers, whether members of the RC or not.
4. Party members who hold a minority view on any matter shall be respected and listened-to. While majority decisions are sometimes necessary to reach agreement on a plan of action, they do not imply the need for Party members to follow a centralist or authoritarian party line on all matters.
5. Although consensus, unity of action and unity of opinion are desirable, Party members are free to form working groups or affinity groups, and to initiate campaigns, organizations and tasks without approval from anyone. Such initiatives shall be criticized only if they do obvious harm to the Party or to the international e-proletariat.
Sub-section 13.2: Decisions
1. The Powers described in this section apply equally to anyone appointed to or who has volunteered to carry out a specific role on behalf of the Party, whether or not they are a member of the Revolutionary Committee.
2. Unless on a mission that requires otherwise, members of the RC must be a member of the Socialist Freedom Party, a member of a participating party of the Internationale, or a member of a Party that is collaborating with the SFP towards a specific goal, such as getting elected to Congress.
3. Any RC Member or Party Volunteer with responsibility for a particular campaign, project or organization -- including individual, working group or affinity group initiatives -- shall have decision-making jurisdiction over his or her area, except as noted above regarding disbursement of funds where an RC vote is required.
4. Specific directives or plans may be overridden or publically criticized by a majority vote of the Revolutionary Committee or by an executive decision of the Chair.
5. An executive decision of the Chair may be countermanded by a majority vote of the RC within 48 hours.
Sub-section 13.3: Communications
1. Members of the RC or Volunteers with a leading responsibility shall be granted moderator status on the party sub-forums relevant to that area of work if so desired.
2. Each member of the RC or Volunteers with a leading responsibility shall provide briefings to the Revolutionary Committee upon initiation of, completion of, or when significant progress is made, or significant difficulties encountered in a major issue, project, or undertaking.
3. The Revolutionary Committee shall remain appraised of all communications between Socialist Freedom Party representatives and other parties, be they foreign or domestic, as well as communications with governmental officials, companies, and/or media.
4. The direct posting of the content of private messages is not permitted under eRepublik rules and it harms the ability to engage in free speech. If such correspondence falls within the purvey of items 2 and 3 above, then members of the RC shall provide summaries of messages sent and received, upon request of another member.
5. Members of the RC and Voluntters working on key projects shall notify the Revolutionary Committee of official communications so that summaries may be requested and provided.
6. Briefings and communication summaries may be provided over IRC, other messaging or chat media, forum Private Messages, eRepublik Private Messages, e-mail, the Revolutionary Committee sub-forum or in an other appropriate sub-forum.
Sub-section 13.4: Party Proposals
1. Party members are always free to start up and pursue Party work on their own initiative. A more formalized Party Proposal may also be put forward by any Party member in order to gain support for the initiative from the Party as a whole. In order to receive funding or political support from the RC, an initiative needs to be put forward as a Party Proposal.
2. Any Party member, be they a part of the RC or not, may put forward a Party Proposal.
3. A Party Proposal is defined as any change in or new policy or action that a member or supporter of the SFP believes that the Party should take.
4. Party Proposals are approved by a simple majority in a poll of the entire membership.
5. All Party Proposals must be a public poll, meaning all can see how others vote.
6. All Party Proposals must allow for at least 2 days of voting.
7. If three-quarters (3/4s) of the total party membership approves of a Proposal, then it can not be over ruled by the RC.
8. The RC may overrule a Party Proposal if the motion to Overrule passes by a Solid Majority of the RC. The RC votes must be as follows for a Solid Majority:
• If the RC consists of 5 members then 3 must publicly vote against the proposal.
• If the RC consists of 6 members then 4 must publicly vote against the proposal.
• If the RC consists of 7 members then 5 must publicly vote against the proposal.
• If the RC consists of 8 members then 6 must publicly vote against the proposal.
• If the RC consists of 9 members then 7 must vote publicly against the proposal.
Part IV: Democratic Rights and Political Strategy
1. The Ten Points of Solidarity appended to this Constitution express the general political orientation of the Socialist Freedom Party with respect to democratic and civil rights.
2. The following three sections define the overall political strategy of the Socialist Freedom Party for promoting revolutionary freedom for the individual player within a framework of social solidarity. Implementing specific initiatives within these three strategic goals is the responsibility of the Revolutionary Committee, with participation and oversight from the Party as a whole.
Section 14: Domestic Revolution and Solidarity
1. Recruitment of new players and those bored with capitalist shenanigans into the socialist freedom movement.
2. Mentoring and training of new players. Development, strengthening, education and training of Party members and friends and allies of the Party.
3. Promotion, support and organizing of a progressive and revolutionary political culture in the eUSA. This includes, but is not limited to, election of members of the Socialist Freedom Party to Congress. It also includes media work and collaboration with like-minded forces on areas of common interest, both within and outside of Government strutures and institutions.
4. Exposure of capitalist crimes and the promotion of a lively and fearless media in the eUSA.
5. Promotion and explanation of anarcho-syndicalist policies and programs, based on the Constitution, Program and Principles of the Socialist Freedom Party in the eUSA.
6. Participating in tactical and strategic alliances, when merited, with other eUSA parties and organizations, or with campaigns initiated by other forces, when it will advance the cause of the e-working class.
7. Encouraging and training both newer players and friends of the SFP in game mechanics and in the spirit and programs of the SFP.
8. Coordinating with the Party's economic and international efforts to advance these aims.
Section 15: International Revolution and Solidarity
1. Active participation in internationalist efforts to promote workers' freedoms and the dignity of nations and individuals throughout the New World, such as the Internationale.
2. Support for the defense and liberation of small and oppressed e-nations.
3. Opposition to e-Imperialism in all of its forms.
4. Material, political and military support for revolutionary e-nations and other far-left parties who share the SFP's vision of freedom and solidarity.
5. Material support for grassroots democracy in all spheres, including the development of worker-managed communes and cooperatives internationally.
6. Participating in tactical and strategic alliances, when merited, with parties and organizations internationally when it will advance the cause of the international e-working class, including support for campaigns initiated by other groups.
7. Coordinating with the economic and domestic efforts of the Party to advance these aims.
Section 16: Economic Revolution and Solidarity
1. Promoting, developing and managing autonomous and member-managed alternatives to e-capitalist economic structures within the New World.
2. Encouraging and promoting social solidarity, both nationally and internationally, through economic collaboration.
3. Providing the material basis to promote revolutionary domestic and international economic practices that benefit individual freedom and collective progress.
4. Finding ways to support and encourage working class and impoverished players by outflanking the capitalist game model.
5. Promoting the study, analysis and development of anarcho-syndicalist theories of e-political economy.
6. Coordinating with the domestic and international efforts of the Party to advance these aims.
Part V: Ratification and Amendment
1. The Constitution requires ratification by 2/3 majority of active members and may be amended by the same.
2. Amendments aimed at minor re-wording of any part of the Constitution may be proposed by an RC member and must be approved by a simple majority of the Revolutionary Committee.
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Ten Points of Solidarity
1. The Socialist Freedom Party supports the right of players with a common ideology, culture or interests to gather together as a Political Party to empower constituents to achieve their goals regarding specific issues.
2. The Socialist Freedom Party recognizes the right of those constituents who have gathered together as a Political Party to lobby Governments for this purpose – regardless of the issue involved, whether it be foreign policy, military goals or funding of specific organizations, military groups or other pursuits. While we support other parties approaching individuals to join their party, we are against using political pressure, bribes or coercion to do so.
3. The Socialist Freedom Party supports the right of players to freely travel between countries and regions, whether to escape economic hardship, political persecution or simply to seek a better life. We also support the right of immigrants to pursue citizenship regardless of any differences in culture and language.
4. The Socialist Freedom Party demands that every citizen of every nation, regardless of national origin, culture, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, primary language, political belief or disability is entitled to equal protection under the Laws and Codes of their country and is therefore entitled to the equal opportunity to pursue programs that the country offers, inclusive of, but not restricted to, forums, government IRC Channels, government solidarity and welfare programs, and the right to apply for all government-funded military branches.
5. The Socialist Freedom Party believes it is in everybody's best self-interest, when there is difficulty communicating due to language, to work towards finding mechanisms that will help us communicate with each other.
6. The Socialist Freedom Party celebrates nations who view themselves as a melting pot of free individuals from countries all over the world, and encourages the granting of asylum to those who were considered criminals for political reasons and are escaping from their oppressive governments to find freedom.
7. The Socialist Freedom Party supports the development of alliances and mutual protection pacts between nations, where the countries involved assist in the defense of countries in the alliance when attacked, or when countries in the alliance have previously had regions annexed, the allied countries would assist in rebellion by the occupants of the region.
8. The Socialist Freedom Party believes that all governments and government branches are the servants of the people, and governments shall recognize that the respect of the country's citizens and residents is something that needs to be earned. Such respect is not entitled to them through the positions they hold.
9. The Socialist Freedom Party believes that the collusion between political parties to select regions for Congressional/Parliamentary candidates, for the purpose of predetermining which candidate will be elected and preventing open elections, is ethically disingenuous as it denies the right of the individual player to cast a meaningful vote.
10. The Socialist Freedom Party opposes the running of blockers in Congressional elections unless those blockers are clearly listed a such, where all players are able to easily access that information, and those blockers, by server reset at the start of the Congressional election day, don avatars that clearly identify them as blockers.
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