Democratic Federation of Zentrus Factbook

[Zentrus]

The Democratic Federation of Zentrus
Igne Natura Renovatur Integra



Capitol| Dawnpoint (pop. approx. 2 million)
Population| 15.7 million
Government| Parliamentary Democratic Anticapitalist Federation of Municipalities
Chancellor| Emanuele Cattaneo
Legislature| Unicameral legislature (the Federal Senate) with population-based representation
Establishment|
First Settlement in Zentrus| 1796
Independence and Foundation of Republic| 1864
Second Constitution and Reorganization into Democratic Federation| 1998
National Religion| Officially Secular (largest religion Charismatic Christianity)
Official Languages| English, Spanish, Italian
Gross Domestic Product| $455.941 billion
Per Capita GDP| $30,396
Currency| Bit (1 bit = 0.91 US dollars)
National Anthem| Freedom Through Security (alternative title: Hail to the Federation)
UN Classification| Left-Wing Utopia

[Zentrus]

We, the assembled representatives of the municipalities of Zentrus, having whole-heartedly rejected capitalism as a fundamentally unequal system, determined to secure economic security, civil freedom, and direct democracy for our people, committed in the cause of freedom and justice for all, do hereby ordain, adopt, and enact this, the Constitution of the Democratic Federation of Zentrus.

ARTICLE I - EXCLUSIONS

Anything not mentioned here is wholly the purview of the municipal assemblies, and can be referred to the Federal Senate by a majority vote within the assemblies concerned.

ARTICLE II - THE SENATE, THE WORKER'S COLLECTIVES, AND THE MUNICIPALITIES

Section A - Role of the Senate

The Senate shall make no law interfering with the governance of the municipalities, except when concerning the national economy. The Senate and any organization which it should choose, by a majority vote, to invest with authority under the aegis of the state has sole authority over foreign policy, the defense of the federation, and central management of the economy. The Senate shall be comprised of a single house, with a number of senators determined by the population of the federation, with there being one senator to represent each group of 50,000 citizens.

The Senate may;
Regulate commerce with foreign nations;
Coin money;
Monitor economic statistics from across the nation in real time;
Use said statistics to respond in any way that does not impede the sovereignty of worker's collectives and municipalities to economic emergencies;
Issue economic directives to modify the behavior of worker's collectives across the federation based on sound statistical analysis;
Establish social and public ownership over any means of production not yet brought into the public sphere;
Establish state-owned, worker-run corporations in order to allow efficient management and diversification of state industry;
Establish post offices;
Declare war;
Regulate the standing armies of the Federation;
Provide and maintain a navy;
Use said militaries to execute the Laws of the Federation, suppress violent Insurrections, keep the peace, and defend the nation;
Raise or lower the universal basic income in order to provide a living wage to all citizens;

Section B - Power of the Municipalities

Each municipality retains its sovereignty and freedom to tax and govern however it will, as long as it does not impede the economic authority of the Senate, does not impede the economic sovereignty of the worker's collectives, and does not impede the civil liberties of its citizens.

Section C - Power of the Workers' Collectives

Each workers' collective is subservient to the economic needs of the nation as mandated by the Senate; however, if not under an economic directive from the Senate, each workers' collective is entitled to deal with problems and issues however it will, as long as it does not impede the sovereignty of the constituent citizens.

Section D - Senators

The Senate is to be constituted from one representative each from each group of 50,000 citizens within the nation, as determined by yearly censuses to be undertaken by the Senate or an organization which it should choose, by a majority vote, to invest with authority under the aegis of the state. They are to be twenty-four years old or older, be a citizen, and have resided in their district for at least five years before election. The senator will hold their office as long as their constituents should wish, in the context of five-year terms, and will be paid only the universal basic income, with prizes to be awarded based on innovatory work and the approval by referendum of their constituents.

Section E - Assembly

The Senate must assemble at least once in every yearly period, beginning on the 1st January of that year, and may not adjourn without approval by referendum for more than a five-day period. The Senate may approve new codes of conduct for itself without the approval by referendum of the populace. The Senate may not expel any Senator from the body under any circumstance without approval by referendum of the populace.

Section F - Chancellory

In order to dictate the direction of the Senate and maintain parliamentary procedure, the office of the Chancellor shall be created and maintained. The Chancellor shall have no term, and serve as long as the Senate approves. The Senate shall, by majority vote, elect one of their number to the position of Chancellor, who will retain the role of full voting senator. The Chancellor can be replaced, as with any other senator, by majority vote of their constituents. In the event of this, the Senate shall simply elect another Chancellor.

Section G - Restrictions

The Senate shall not interfere with the governance of the municipalities, except in order to enforce economic policy and to protect the civil and political rights of the citizens. No municipality or workers' collective or union thereof may not declare independence from the federation, may not declare war on or conduct diplomacy with any foreign state for any purpose (leaving that responsibility to the Senate), or lay claim to territories or means of production belonging to another municipality, another workers' collective, or any foreign power.

ARTICLE III - COLLECTIVE PROPERTY

Section A - The Role and Nature of Collective Property

All means of production and all things outside the purview of personal property (personal effects, personal computers or phones unused for income, clothes, etc.) are to be the collective property of the people as administered and shared through self-governed worker's collectives and the operations of the Senate.

Section B - Private Property

There is no right to private property within the federation, nor may it be assigned to individual citizens or groups of citizens as a privilege by any governing body. Private property is to be defined as any means of production or property outside of personal property that is in the possession of an individual citizen and kept selfishly away from the benefit of the people as a whole.

Section C - Trade with Private Organizations

Trade with private, non-national organizations outside of the borders of the federation is to be legal with specific ordinances and restrictions under the purview of the Senate. Private and non-national organizations are not to be allowed to set up businesses or storefronts within the nation for any reason or in exchange for any amount of currency. However, their products may be disseminated through the nation by state-run operations at the behest of the Senate.

ARTICLE IV - AMENDMENTS

The Senate, with the approval through referendum of a majority of the population, shall be able, if it deems necessary, to call a Constitutional Convention in order to both write and approve amendments to the Constitution. Any amendments, if approved, will be considered full and legally binding parts of this document.

ARTICLE V - EMERGENCY

In times of great crisis, the Federation can, by majority vote of both the populace and the Senate, vest executive power in the person of the Chancellor and a handpicked Emergency Council to be made up of eight other senators. The Chancellor and the Emergency Council shall have absolute power politically and economically to enact any orders, laws, or changes they see fit, except for insofar as they will change this constitution. Emergency powers will last for exactly one year from declaration of emergency, and can be extended with another parallel majority vote. The Senate, the Workers' Collectives, and the Municipalities will continue to function during the State of Emergency, but can be overrided in all circumstances by the Chancellor and the Emergency Council.

AMENDMENTS

First Amendment

Section A

New municipalities may be admitted to the Federation with the majority consent of the populace living within a territory (whether foreign or under non-representative control of the Federation) and the confirmation of this vote by the Senate.

Section B

New municipalities may be created out of territories of an extant municipality provided the following;
A plurality (40%) of the existing municipality vote for the creation of a new municipality;
Said plurality consists of at least 50,000 citizens;
The Congress approves the motion and confirms their new status as an independent municipality.

Second Amendment

Section A

Legally-recognized houses of worship are to be excluded from Article III of the constitution, though they may not operate on a for-profit basis and may only take donations sufficient to upkeep said house of worship.

Section B

The holy leaders of legally-recognized faiths shall receive the universal basic income like any other citizen as long as they continue to offer spiritual guidance to their faith's adherents.

Section C

Religious practices of any kind barring those that affect the civil rights of non-adherents are to be protected by the Senate and Municipalities and are under no circumstances to be suppressed.

Third Amendment

Section A

Marijuana, LSD, and peyote are to be legal in all municipalities within the Federation, and will be produced by workers' collectives for the consumption of the people. Use of such consumables are not to be suppressed by any constitutional body, except insofar as they affect the health and wellbeing of non-users.