The second rule is participatory democracy. This term is problematic but the train of thought is essential. The term is problematic because of the common association of democracy with a representative form of democracy, or a majority rules democracy without free association. However participatory democracy advocates none of the above. Participatory democracy, like free association, is all about consent based social relations. Participatory democracy can take many forms. One form is majority rules within a free association. This is not mob rule, nor does it allow the minority to oppress the majority. And the ability for people to dissent from a collective is meaningful in a needs based economy, unlike capitalism where one’s options are often “work for a boss or starve/suffer” conditions. Work for a boss or suffer is a threat more than it is a choice. Since one’s needs are met in a needs based economy, there is not economic coercion to join collectives one doesn’t want to join. Majority rule is only problematic outside of freedom of/from/within associations. The majority of a group expressing a rational preference is not the majority of a group oppressing the minority(similar to how two out of three people in an association wanting to see a concert that the one person doesnt want to see is not oppressing the one person). Another form of democracy is consensus. Consensus has issues. It can often be the lowest common denominator rather than what people want to do. However consensus can sometimes be by far the most ideal. Then there is participatory deliberative democracy. Participatory Deliberative democracy proposes deliberation(the process of thoughtfully weighing opinions prior to voting) as a mechanism for arriving at decisions. Participatory Deliberative democracy can take both consensus and majority rule formats. Even if ALL(or most all) industry was COMPLETELY(or almost completely) automated, we would still need and want participatory democracy within free associations when we associate with each other. (((If participatory democracy appears foreign to you in regards to lived experience, the chances are that you already utilize participatory democracy amongst friends when arriving at preferences))). The biggest problem with participatory democracy within a free association is not the fact that people are making preferences. Problems arise when the preferences are irrational. To minimize irrational preferences we ought to have consensus in regards to the scientific method(which can only happen through education).

The fourth rule is decentralization of power. Merriam webster defines decentralization as “the dispersion or distribution of functions and powers”. Central planning (like irrational planning) is incapable of meeting human needs because it is disconnected from consent which is a fundamental human need. Decentralized planning on the other hand doesnt suffer from the ignorance of irrational planning nor the violence of central planning. Decentralization of power also creates resiliency. Centralization of power leaves society vulnerable. For the society is forced to be dependent on a centralized power structure. However decentralization of power makes societies less effected by errors. One decentralized component fails and there are others ready to take over the function of the failed system and/or contribute with mutual aid to help the failed system. However even if decentralization of power was less resilient than centralization of power(which it isn’t) we should still advocate for decentralization of power because it is based on consent. Its important to stress that advocates of decentralization of power are not against legitimate authority(such as a doctor, a shoemaker, a solar panel engineer, or a teacher in a consent based social relationship) we are against authoritarianism.

The tenth rule is that Our technical efficiency should be checked and balanced by resource efficiency. We need to manage our finite resources in a way that meets human needs(and by extension we need to have concern for the environment we are dependent upon). This means we can’t afford to take cost efficiency and profit into consideration when it comes to production. We need to take human needs/preferences and resource efficiency into consideration. We don’t need to sacrifice our technology for resource efficiency, but we do need to harmonize our technology with resource efficiency.

These rules in isolation are not sufficient, but when they harmonize with each other they are able to create liberatory conditions. If our goal is to maximize wellbeing, the scientific method can allow us to achieve compassionate results(rather than mere compassionate intentions…). If our goal is maximizing the biopsychosocial wellbeing of all, The scientific method as our epistemology leads us towards meeting human needs(both finding out what these human needs are, and how to best meet them with the current technology available) and the scientific method leads us to an ecological focus by extension(and our ecological problems are social problems in disguise). And if we are trying to meet human needs, we need an access system based on needs/use rather than a system based on private property. One of the fundamental human needs is the need for consent based social relations. From consent based social relations we get Participatory democracy within free associations and decentralized yet federated associations. Our current technology allows us to automate mechanical labor freeing us from avoidable suffering. Through the automation of mechanical labor aimed at meeting human needs with concern for the environment, there are no longer any meaningful arguments for a monetary system(or even a labor voucher system) making gift the ideal mechanism for the economy. And when it comes to suppressing symptoms, restraint/rehabilitation are less harmful and more effective than punishment models.