Contents
29th October 1999
As Amended At The World Constituent Assembly In Troia, Portugal 1991. Now being
circulated worldwide for ratification by the nations and people of earth.
Quote
from Benjamin Franklin at the close of the U.S. Constitutional Convention
in 1787
Distribution for ratification under the
direction of the World Constitution and Parliament Association and the Global
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A CONSTITUTION FOR THE FEDERATION OF EARTH
Contents
Preamble
Realizing that Humanity today has
come to a turning point in history and that we are on the threshold of a new world
order which promises to usher in an era of peace, prosperity, justice and
harmony;
Aware of the interdependence of people, nations and all life;
Aware that man's abuse of science and technology has brought Humanity to
the brink of disaster through the production of horrendous weaponry of mass
destruction and to the brink of ecological and social catastrophe;
Aware that the traditional concept of security through military defense
is a total illusion both for the present and for the future;
Aware of the misery and conflicts caused by ever increasing disparity
between rich and poor;
Conscious of our obligation to posterity to save Humanity from imminent
and total annihilation;
Conscious that Humanity is One despite the existence of diverse nations, races,
creeds, ideologies and cultures and that the principle of unity in diversity is
the basis for a new age when war shall be outlawed and peace prevail; when the
earth's total resources shall be equitably used for human welfare; and when
basic human rights and responsibilities shall be shared by all without
discrimination;
Conscious of the inescapable reality that the greatest hope for the
survival of life on earth is the establishment of a democratic world
government;
We, citizens of the world, hereby resolve to establish a world federation
to be governed in accordance with this constitution for the Federation of
Earth.
A CONSTITUTION FOR THE FEDERATION OF EARTH
The broad functions of the Federation of Earth shall be:
- To prevent war, secure
disarmament, and resolve territorial and other disputes which endanger
peace and human rights.
- To protect universal human rights,
including life, liberty, security, democracy, and equal opportunities in
life.
- To obtain for all people on
earth the conditions required for equitable economic and social
development and for diminishing social differences.
- To regulate world trade,
communications, transportation, currency, standards, use of world
resources, and other global and international processes.
- To protect the environment
and the ecological fabric of life from all sources of damage, and to
control technological innovations whose effects transcend national
boundaries, for the purpose of keeping Earth a safe, healthy and happy
home for humanity .
- To devise and implement
solutions to all problems which are beyond the capacity of national
governments, or which are now or may become of global or international
concern or consequence.
- The Federation of Earth
shall be organized as a universal federation, to include all nations and
all people, and to encompass all oceans, seas and lands of Earth,
inclusive of non-self governing territories, together with the surrounding
atmosphere.
- The World Government for the
Federation of Earth shall be non-military and shall be democratic in its
own structure, with ultimate sovereignty residing in all the people who
live on Earth.
- The authority and powers
granted to the World Government shall be limited to those defined in this
Constitution for the Federation of Earth, applicable to problems and affairs
which transcend national boundaries, leaving to national governments jurisd iction over the
internal affairs of the respective nations but consistent with the
authority of the World Government to protect universal human rights as
defined in this World Constitution.
- The basic direct electoral
and administrative units of the World Government shall be World Electoral
and Administrative Districts. A total of not more than 1000 World
Electoral and Administrative Districts shall be defined, and shall be nearly
equal i n population, within the limits of plus
or minus ten percent.
- Contiguous World Electoral
and Administrative Districts shall be combined as may be appropriate to
compose a total of twenty World Electoral and Administrative Regions for
the following purposes, but not limited thereto: for the election or
appointment of certain world government officials; for administrative
purposes; for composing various organs of the world government as
enumerated in Article IV; for the functioning of the Judiciary, the
Enforcement System, and the Ombudsmus, as well
as for the functioning of any other organ or agency of the World
Government.
- The World Electoral and
Administrative Regions may be composed of a variable number of World
Electoral and Administrative Districts, taking into consideration
geographic, cultural, ecological and other factors as well as population.
- Contiguous World Electoral
and Administrative Regions shall be grouped together in pairs to compose
Magna-Regions.
- The boundaries for World Electoral
and Administrative Regions shall not cross the boundaries of the World
Electoral and Administrative Districts, and shall be common insofar as
feasible for the various administrative departments and for the several or
gans and agencies of the World Government.
Boundaries for the World Electoral and Administrative Districts as well as
for the Regions need not conform to existing national boundaries, but
shall conform as far as practicable.
- The World Electoral and
Administrative Regions shall be grouped to compose at least five
Continental Divisions of the Earth, for the election or appointment of
certain world government officials, and for certain aspects of the
composition and functioning of the several organs and agencies of the
World Government as specified hereinafter. The boundaries of Continental
Divisions shall not cross existing national boundaries as far as
practicable. Continental Divisions may be composed of a variable number of
World Electoral and Administrative Regions.
The organs of the World Government shall be:
- The World Parliament.
- The World Executive.
- The World Administration.
- The Integrative Complex.
- The World Judiciary.
- The Enforcement System.
- The World Ombudsmus.
The powers of the World government to be exercised through its several
organs and agencies shall comprise the following:
- Prevent wars and armed
conflicts among the nations, regions, districts, parts and peoples of
Earth.
- Supervise disarmament and
prevent re-armament; prohibit and eliminate the design, testing,
manufacture, sale, purchase, use and possession of weapons of mass
destruction, and prohibit or regulate all lethal weapons which the World
Parliament may decide.
- Prohibit incitement to war,
and discrimination against or defamation of conscientious objectors.
- Provide the means for
peaceful and just solutions of disputes and conflicts among or between
nations, peoples, and/or other components within the Federation of Earth.
- Supervise boundary
settlements and conduct plebiscites as needed.
- Define the boundaries for
the districts, regions and divisions which are established for electoral,
administrative, judicial and other purposes of the World Government.
- Define and regulate
procedures for the nomination and election of the members of each House of
the World Parliament, and for the nomination, election, appointment and
employment of all World Government officials and personnel.
- Codify world laws,
including the body of international law developed prior to adoption of the
world constitution, but not inconsistent therewith, and which is approved
by the World Parliament.
- Establish universal standards
for weights, measurements, accounting and records.
- Provide assistance in the
event of large scale calamities, including drought, famine, pestilence,
flood, earthquake, hurricane, ecological disruptions and other disasters.
- Guarantee and enforce the
civil liberties and the basic human rights which are defined in the Bill
of Rights for the Citizens of Earth which is made a part of this World
Constitution under Article 12.
- Define standards and
promote the worldwide improvement in working conditions, nutrition,
health, housing, human settlements, environmental conditions, education,
economic security, and other conditions defined under Article 13 of this
World Constitution.
- Regulate and supervise
international transportation, communications, postal services, and
migrations of people.
- Regulate and supervise
supra-national trade, industry, corporations, businesses, cartels,
professional services, labor supply, finances, investments and insurance.
- Secure and supervise the
elimination of tariffs and other trade barriers among nations, but with
provisions to prevent or minimize hardship for those previously protected
by tariffs.
- Raise the revenues and
funds, by direct and/or indirect means, which are necessary for the
purposes and activities of the World Government.
- Establish and operate world
financial, banking, credit and insurance institutions designed to serve
human needs; establish, issue and regulate world currency, credit and
exchange.
- Plan for and regulate the
development, use, conservation and re-cycling of the natural resources of
Earth as the common heritage of Humanity; protect the environment in every
way for the benefit of both present and future generations.
- Create and operate a World
Economic Development Organization to serve equitably the needs of all
nations and people included within the World Federation.
- Develop and implement
solutions to transnational problems of food supply, agricultural
production, soil fertility, soil conservation, pest control, diet,
nutrition, drugs and poisons, and the disposal of toxic wastes.
- Develop and implement means
to control population growth in relation to the life-support capacities of
Earth, and solve problems of population distribution.
- Develop, protect, regulate and
conserve the water supplies of Earth; develop, operate and/or coordinate
transnational irrigation and other water supply and control projects;
assure equitable allocation of trans- national water supplies, and protect
against adverse trans-national effects of water or moisture diversion or
weather control projects within national boundaries.
- Own, administer and
supervise the development and conservation of the oceans and sea-beds of
Earth and all resources thereof, and protect from damage.
- Protect from damage and
control and supervise the uses of the atmosphere of Earth.
- Conduct inter-planetary and
cosmic explorations and research; have exclusive jurisdiction over the
Moon and over all satellites launched from Earth.
- Establish, operate and/or
coordinate global air lines, ocean transport systems, international
railways and highways, global communication systems, and means for
interplanetary travel and communications; control and administer vital
waterways.
- Develop, operate and/or
coordinate transnational power systems, or networks of small units,
integrating into the systems or networks power derived from the sun, wind,
water, tides, heat differentials, magnetic forces, and any other source of
safe, eco logically sound and continuing energy supply.
- Control the mining,
production, transportation and use of fossil sources of energy to the
extent necessary to reduce and prevent damages to the environment and the
ecology, as well as to prevent conflicts and conserve supplies for
sustained use by succeeding generations.
- Exercise exclusive
jurisdiction and control over nuclear energy research and testing and
nuclear power production, including the right to prohibit any form of
testing or production considered hazardous.
- Place under world controls
essential natural resources which may be limited or unevenly distributed
about the Earth. Find and implement ways to reduce wastes and find ways to
minimize disparities when development or production is insufficient to suppl y everybody with all that may be needed.
- Provide for the examination
and assessment of technological innovations which are or may be of
supranational consequence, to determine possible hazards or perils to
humanity or the environment; institute such controls and regulations of
technology as may be found necessary to prevent or correct widespread
hazards or perils to human health and welfare.
- Carry out intensive
programs to develop safe alternatives to any technology or technological
processes which may be hazardous to the environment, the ecological
system, or human health and welfare.
- Resolve supra-national
problems caused by gross disparities in technological development or
capability, capital formation, availability of natural resources,
educational opportunity, economic opportunity,
and wage and price differentials. Assist the processes of technology
transfer under conditions which safeguard human welfare and the
environment and contribute to minimizing disparities.
- Intervene under procedures
to be defined by the World Parliament in cases of either
intra-state violence and intra-state problems which seriously
affect world peace or universal human rights.
- Develop a world university
system. Obtain the correction of prejudicial communicative materials which
cause misunderstandings or conflicts due to differences of race, religion,
sex, national origin or affiliation.
- Organize, coordinate and/or
administer a voluntary, non-military World Service Corps, to carry out a
wide variety of projects designed to serve human welfare.
- Designate as may be found
desirable an official world language or official world languages.
- Establish and operate a
system of world parks, wild life preserves, natural places, and wilderness
areas.
- Define and establish
procedures for initiative and referendum by the Citizens of Earth on
matters of supra-national legislation not prohibited by this World
Constitution.
- Establish such departments,
bureaus, commissions, institutes, corporations, administrations, or
agencies as may by needed to carry out any and all of the functions and
powers of the World Government.
- Serve the needs of humanity
in any and all ways which are now, or may prove in the future to be,
beyond the capacity of national and local governments.
Sec. A - Functions and Powers of the World
Parliament
The functions and powers of the World Parliament shall comprise the
following:
- To prepare and enact
detailed legislation in all areas of authority and jurisdiction granted to
the World Government under Article IV of this World Constitution.
- To amend or repeal world
laws as may be found necessary or desirable.
- To approve, amend or reject
the international laws developed prior to the advent of World Government, and
to codify and integrate the system of world law and world legislation
under the World Government.
- To establish such
regulations and directions as may be needed, consistent with this world
constitution, for the proper functioning of all organs, branches,
departments, bureaus, commissions, institutes, agencies or parts of the
World Government.
- To review, amend and give
final approval to each budget for the World Government, as submitted by
the World Executive; to devise the specific means for directly raising
funds needed to fulfill the budget, including taxes, licenses, fees,
globally accounted social and public costs which must be added into the
prices for goods and services, loans and credit advances, and any other
appropriate means; and to appropriate and allocate funds for all
operations and functions of the World Government in accordance with
approved budgets, but subject to the right of the Parliament to revise any
appropriation not yet spent or contractually committed.
- To create, alter, abolish
or consolidate the departments, bureaus, commissions, institutes, agencies
or other parts of the World Government as may be needed for the best
functioning of the several organs of the World Government, subject to the
specific provisions of this World Constitution.
- To approve the appointments
of the heads of all major departments, commissions, offices, agencies and
other parts of the several organs of the World Government, except those
chosen by electoral or civil service procedures.
- To remove from office for
cause any member of the World Executive, and any elective or appointive
head of any organ, department, office, agency or other part of the World
Government, subject to the specific provisions in this World Constitution
concerning specific offices.
- To define and revise the
boundaries of the World Electoral and Administrative Districts, the World
Electoral and Administrative Regions and Magna Regions, and the
Continental Divisions.
- To schedule the
implementation of those provisions of the World Constitution which require
implementation by stages during the several stages of Provisional World
Government, First Operative Stage of World Government, Second Operative
Stage of World Government, and Full Operative Stage of World Government,
as defined in Articles XVII and XIX of this World Constitution.
- To plan and schedule the
implementation of those provisions of the World Constitution which may
require a period of years to be accomplished.
Sec. B - Composition of the World Parliament
- The World Parliament shall
be composed of three houses, designated as follows:
- The House of
Peoples, to represent the people of Earth directly and equally;
- The House of
Nations, to represent the nations which are joined together in the
Federation of Earth; and a
- House of Counsellors with particular functions to represent
the highest good and best interests of humanity as a whole.
- All members of the World
Parliament, regardless of House, shall be designated as Members of the
World Parliament.
Sec. C - The House of Peoples
- The House of Peoples shall
be composed of the peoples delegates directly elected in proportion to
population from the World Electoral and Administrative Districts, as
defined in Article 2-4.
- Peoples delegates shall be
elected by universal adult suffrage, open to all persons of age 18 and
above.
- One peoples delegate shall
be elected from each World Electoral and Administrative District to serve
a five year term in the House of Peoples. Peoples
delegates may be elected to serve successive terms without limit. Each
peoples delegate shall have o ne vote.
- A candidate for election to
serve as a peoples delegate must be at least 21 years of age, a resident
for at least one year of the electoral district from which the candidate
is seeking election, and shall take a pledge of service to humanity.
Sec. D - The House of Nations
- The House of Nations shall
be composed of national delegates elected or appointed by procedures to be
determined by each national government on the following basis:
1.
One national delegate from each nation of at least
100,000 population, but less than 10,000,000
population.
2.
Two national delegates from each nation of at least
10,000,000 population, but less than 100,000,000
population.
3.
Three national delegates from each nation of
100,000,000 population or more.
- Nations of less than
100,000 population may join in groups with other
nations for purposes of representation in the House of Nations.
- National delegates shall be
elected or appointed to serve for terms of five years, and may be elected
or appointed to serve successive terms without limit. Each national
delegate shall have one vote.
- Any person to serve as a
national delegate shall be a citizen for at least two years of the nation
to be represented, must be at least 21 years of age, and shall take a
pledge of service to humanity.
Sec. E - The House of Counsellors
- The House of Counsellors shall be composed of 200 counsellors chosen in equal numbers from nominations
submitted from the twenty World Electoral and Administrative Regions, as
defined in Article II-5 and II-6, ten from each Region.
- Nominations for members of
the House of Counsellors shall be made by the
teachers and students of universities and colleges and of scientific
academies and institutes within each world electoral and administrative
region. Nominees may be persons who a re off campus in
any walk of life as well as on campus.
- Nominees to the House of