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 Counsellors from each World Electoral and
Administrative Region shall, by vote taken among themselves,
reduce the number of nominees to no less than two times and no more than
three times the number to be elected.
- Nominees to serve as
members of the House of Counsellors must be at
least 25 years of age, and shall take a pledge of service to humanity.
There shall be no residence requirement, and a nominee need not be a
resident of the region from which nominated or elected.
- The members of the House of
Counsellors from each region shall be elected by
the members of the other two houses of the World Parliament from the
particular region.
- Counsellors
shall be elected to serve terms of ten years. One-half of the members of
the House of Counsellors shall be elected every
five years. Counsellors may serve successive
terms without limit. Each Counsellor shall have
one vote.
Sec. F - Procedures of the World Parliament
- Each house of the World
Parliament during its first session after general elections shall elect a
panel of five chairpersons from among its own members, one from each of
five Continental Divisions. The chairpersons shall rotate annually so that
each w ill serve for one year as chief presiding officer, while the other
four serve as vice-chairpersons.
- The panels of Chairpersons
from each House shall meet together, as needed, for the purpose of coordinating
the work of the Houses of the World Parliament, both severally and
jointly.
- Any legislative measure or
action may be initiated in either House of Peoples or House of Nations or
both concurrently, and shall become effective when passed by a simple
majority vote of both the House of Peoples and of the House of Nations,
except i n those cases where an absolute
majority vote or other voting majority is specified in this World
Constitution.
- In case of deadlock on a
measure initiated in either the House of Peoples or House of Nations, the
measure shall then automatically go to the House of Counsellors
for decision by simple majority vote of the House of Counsellors,
except in the cases where other majority vote is required in this World
Constitution. Any measure may be referred for decision to the House of Counsellors by a concurrent vote of the other two
houses.
- The House of Counsellors may initiate any legislative measure,
which shall then be submitted to the other two houses and must be passed
by simple majority vote of both the House of Peoples and House of Nations
to become effective, unless other voting majority is required by some
provision of this World Constitution.
- The House of Counsellors may introduce an opinion or resolution on
any measure pending before either of the other two houses; either of the
other houses may request the opinion of the House of Counsellors
before acting upon a measure.
- Each house of the World
Parliament shall adopt its own detailed rules of procedure, which shall by
consistent with the procedures set forth in this World Constitution, and
which shall be designed to facilitate coordinated functioning of the three
houses.
- Approval of appointments by
the World Parliament or any house thereof shall require simple majority
votes, while removals for cause shall require absolute majority votes.
- After the full operative
stage of World Government is declared, general elections for members of
the World Parliament to the House of Peoples shall be held every five
years. The first general elections shall be held within the first two
years following the declaration of the full operative stage of World
Government.
- Until the full operative
stage of World Government is declared, elections for members of the World Parliament
to the House of Peoples may be conducted whenever feasible in relation to
the campaign for ratification of this World Constitution.
- Regular sessions of the
House of Peoples and House of Nations of the World Parliament shall
convene on the second Monday of January of each and every Year.
- Each nation, according to
its own procedures, shall appoint or elect members of the World Parliament
to the House of Nations at least thirty days prior to the date for
convening the World Parliament in January.
- The House of Peoples
together with the House of Nations shall elect the members of the World
Parliament to the House of Counsellors during
the month of January after the general elections. For its first session
after general elections, the House of Counsellors
shall convene on the second Monday of March, and thereafter concurrently
with the other two houses.
- Bi-elections to fill
vacancies shall be held within three months from occurrence of the vacancy
or vacancies.
- The World Parliament shall
remain in session for a minimum of nine months of each year. One or two
breaks may be taken during each year, at times and for durations to be
decided by simple majority vote of the House of Peoples and House of
Nations sitting jointly.
- Annual salaries for members
of the World Parliament of all three houses shall be the same, except for
those who serve also as members of the Presidium and of the Executive
Cabinet.
- Salary schedules for
members of the World Parliament and for members of the Presidium and of
the Executive Cabinet shall be determined by the World Parliament.
Sec. A Functions and Powers of the World Executive
- To implement the basic
system of world law as defined in the World Constitution and in the
codified system of world law after approval by the World Parliament.
- To implement legislation
enacted by the World Parliament.
- To propose and recommend
legislation for enactment by the World Parliament.
- To convene the World
Parliament in special sessions when necessary.
- To supervise the World
Administration and the Integrative Complex and all of the departments,
bureaus, offices, institutes and agencies thereof.
- To nominate, select and
remove the heads of various organs, branches, departments, bureaus,
offices, commissions, institutes, agencies and other parts of the World
Government, in accordance with the provisions of this World Constitution
and as specified in measures enacted by the World Parliament.
- To prepare and submit
annually to the World Parliament a comprehensive budget for the operations
of the World Government, and to prepare and submit periodically budget
projections over periods of several years.
- To define and propose
priorities for world legislation and budgetary allocations.
- To be held accountable to
the World Parliament for the expenditures of appropriations made by the
World Parliament in accordance with approved and longer term budgets,
subject to revisions approved by the World Parliament.
Sec. B Composition of the World Executive
The World Executive shall consist of a Presidium of five members, and of an
Executive Cabinet of from twenty to thirty members, all of whom shall be
members of the World Parliament.
Sec. C The Presidium
- The Presidium shall be
composed of five members, one to be designated as President and the other
four to be designated as Vice Presidents. Each member of the Presidium
shall be from a different Continental Division.
- The Presidency of the Presidium
shall rotate each year, with each member in turn to serve as President,
while the other four serve as Vice Presidents. The order of rotation shall
be decided by the Presidium.
- The decisions of the
Presidium shall be taken collectively, on the basis of majority decisions.
- Each member of the
Presidium shall be a member of the World Parliament, either elected to the
House of Peoples or to the House of Counsellors,
or appointed or elected to the House of Nations.
- Nominations for the
Presidium shall be made by the House of Counsellors.
The number of nominees shall be from two to three times the number to be
elected. No more than one-third of the nominees shall be from the House of
Counsellors or from the House of Nations, and
nominees must be included from all Continental Divisions.
- From among the nominees
submitted by the House of Counsellors, the
Presidium shall be elected by vote of the combined membership of all three
houses of the World Parliament in joint session. A plurality vote equal to
at least 40 percent of the total membership of the World Parliament shall
be required for the election of each member to the Presidium, with
successive elimination votes taken as necessary until the required
plurality is achieved.
- Members of the Presidium may
be removed for cause, either individually or collectively, by an absolute
majority vote of the combined membership of the three houses of the World
Parliament in joint session.
- The term of office for the
Presidium shall be five years and shall run concurrently with the terms of
office for the members as Members of the World Parliament, except that at
the end of each five year period, the Presidium members in office shall
continue to serve until the new Presidium for the succeeding term is
elected. Membership in the Presidium shall be limited to two consecutive
terms.
Sec. D The Executive Cabinet
- The Executive Cabinet
shall be composed of from twenty to thirty members, with at least one
member from each of the ten World Electoral and Administrative Magna
Regions of the world.
- All members of the
Executive Cabinet shall be Members of the World Parliament.
- There shall be no more
than two members of the Executive Cabinet from any single nation of the
World Federation. There may be only one member of the Executive Cabinet
from a nation from which a Member of the World Parliament is serving as a
member of the Presidium.
- Each member of the
Executive Cabinet shall serve as the head of a department or agency of the
World Administration or Integrative Complex, and
in this capacity shall be designated as Minister of the particular
department or agency.
- Nominations for members of
the Executive Cabinet shall be made by the Presidium, taking into
consideration the various functions which Executive Cabinets members are
to perform. The Presidium shall nominate no more than two times the number
to be elected.
- The Executive Cabinet
shall be elected by simple majority vote of the combined membership of all
three houses of the World Parliament in joint session.
- Members of the Executive
Cabinet either individually or collectively may be removed for cause by an
absolute majority vote of the combined membership of all three houses of
the World Parliament sitting in joint session.
- The term of office in the
Executive Cabinet shall be five years, and shall run concurrently with the
terms of office for the members as Members of the World Parliament, except
that at the end of each five year period, the Cabinet members in office s
hall continue to serve until the new Executive Cabinet for the succeeding
term is elected. Membership in the Executive Cabinet shall be limited to
three consecutive terms, regardless of change in ministerial position.
Sec. E Procedures of the World Executive
- The Presidium shall assign
the ministerial positions among the Cabinet members to head the several
administrative departments and major agencies of the Administration and of
the Integrative Complex. Each Vice President may also serve as a Minister
to head an administrative department, but not the President. Ministerial
positions may be changed at the discretion of the Presidium. A Cabinet
member or Vice President may hold more than one ministerial post, but no
more than three, providing that no Cabinet member is without a Ministerial
post.
- The Presidium, in
consultation with the Executive Cabinet, shall prepare and present to the
World Parliament near the beginning of each year a proposed program of
world legislation. The Presidium may propose other legislation during the
year.
- The Presidium, in consultation
with the Executive Cabinet, and in consultation with the World Financial
Administration, (see Article VIII, Sec. G-1-i) shall be responsible for
preparing and submitting to the World Parliament the proposed annual budget , and budgetary projections over periods of
years.
- Each Cabinet Member and
Vice President as Minister of a particular department or agency shall
prepare an annual report for the particular department or agency, to be
submitted both to the Presidium and to the World Parliament.
- The members of the
Presidium and of the Executive Cabinet at all times shall be responsible
both individually and collectively to the World Parliament.
- Vacancies occurring at any
time in the World Executive shall be filled within sixty days by
nomination and election in the same manner as specified for filling the
offices originally.
Sec. F Limitations on the World Executive
- The World Executive shall
not at any time alter, suspend, abridge, infringe or otherwise violate any
provision of this World Constitution or any legislation or world law
enacted or approved by the World Parliament in accordance with the
provisions of this World Constitution.
- The World Executive shall
not have veto power over any legislation passed by the World Parliament.
- The World Executive may
not dissolve the World Parliament or any House of the World Parliament.
- The World Executive may
not act contrary to decisions of the World Courts.
- The World Executive shall
be bound to faithfully execute all legislation passed by the World
Parliament in accordance with the provisions of this World Constitution,
and may not impound or refuse to spend funds appropriated by the World
Parliament, no r spend more funds than are appropriated bt the World Parliament.
- The World Executive may
not transcend or contradict the decisions or controls of the World
Parliament, the World Judiciary or the Provisions of this World
Constitution by any device of executive order or executive privelege or emergency declaration or decree.
Sec. A - Functions of the World Administration
- The World Administration
shall be organized to carry out the detailed and continuous administration
and implementation of world legislation and world law.
- The World Administration
shall be under the direction of the World Executive, and shall at all
times be responsible to the World Executive.
- The World Administration
shall be organized so as to give professional continuity to the work of
administration and implementation.
Sec. B - Structure and Procedures of the World Administration
- The World Administration
shall be composed of professionally organized departments and other
agencies in all areas of activity requiring continuity of administration
and implementation by the World Government.
- Each Department or major
agency of the World Administration shall be headed by a Minister who shall
be either a member of the Executive Cabinet or a Vice President of the
Presidium.
- Each Department or major
agency of the World Administration shall have as chief of staff a Senior
Administrator, who shall assist the Minister and supervise the detailed
work of the Department or agency.
- Each Senior Administrator
shall be nominated by the Minister of the particular Department or agency
from among persons in the senior lists of the World Civil Service
Administration, as soon as senior lists have been established by the World
Civil Service Administration, and shall be confirmed by the Presidium.
Temporary qualified appointments shall be made by the Ministers, with
confirmation by the Presidium, pending establishment of the senior lists.
- There shall be a
Secretary General of the World Administration, who shall be nominated by
the Presidium and confirmed by absolute majority vote of the entire
Executive Cabinet.
- The functions and
responsibilities of the Secretary General of the World Administration
shall be to assist in coordinating the work of the Senior Administrators
of the several Departments and agencies of the World Administration. The
Secretary General shall at all times be subject to the direction of the
Presidium, and shall be directly responsible to the Presidium.
- The employment of any
Senior Administrator and of the Secretary General may be terminated for
cause by absolute majority vote of both the Executive Cabinet and
Presidium combined, but not contrary to civil service rules which protect
tenure on grounds of competence.
- Each Minister of a
Department or agency of the World Administration, being also a Member of
the World Parliament, shall provide continuous liaison between the
particular Department or agency and the World Parliament, shall respond at
any time to any questions or requests for information from the Parliament,
including committees of any House of the World Parliament.
- The Presidium, in
cooperation with the particular Ministers in each case, shall be
responsible for the original organization of each of the Departments and
major agencies of the World Administration.
- The assignment of
legislative measures, constitutional provisions and areas of world law to
particular Departments and agencies for administration and implementation
shall be done by the Presidium in consultation with the Executive Cabinet
and Secret ary General, unless specifically
provided in legislation passed by the World Parliament.
- The Presidium, in
consultation with the Executive Cabinet, may propose the creation of other
departments and agencies to have ministerial status; and may propose the
alteration, combination or termination of existing Departments and
agencies of ministerial status as may seem necessary or desirable. Any
such creation, alteration, combination or termination shall require a
simple majority vote of approval of the three houses of the World
Parliament in joint session.
- The World Parliament by
absolute majority vote of the three houses in joint session may specify
the creation of new departments or agencies of ministerial status in the
World Administration, or may direct the World Executive to alter, combine,
or terminate existing departments or agencies of ministerial status.
- The Presidium and the World
Executive may not create, establish or maintain any administrative or
executive department or agency for the purpose of circumventing control by
the World Parliament.
Sec. C - Departments of the World Administration
Among the Departments and agencies of the World Administration of
ministerial status, but not limited thereto and subject to combinations and to changes
in descriptive terminology, shall be those listed under this Section. Each
major area of administration shall be headed by a Cabinet Minister and a Senior
Administrator, or by a Vice President and a Senior Administrator.
- Disarmament and War Prevention.
- Population.
- Food and Agriculture.
- Water Supplies and
Waterways.
- Health and Nutrition.
- Education.
- Cultural Diversity and the
Arts.
- Habitat and Settlements.
- Environment and Ecology.
- World Resources.
- Oceans and Seabeds.
- Atmosphere and Space.
- Energy.
- Science and Technology.
- Genetic Research and
Engineering.
- Labor and Income.
- Economic and Social
Development.
- Commerce and Industry.
- Transportation and Travel.
- Multi-National
Corporations.
- Communications and
Information.
- Human Rights.
- Distributive Justice.
- World Service Corps.
- World Territories, Capitals
and Parks.
- Exterior Relations.
- Democratic Procedures.
- Revenue.
Sec. A - Definition
- Certain administrative, research,
planning and facilitative agencies of the World Government which are
particularly essential for the satisfactory functioning of all or most
aspects of the World Government, shall be designated as the Integrative
Complex. The Integrative Complex shall include the agencies listed under
this Section, with the proviso that other such agencies may be added upon
recommendation of the Presidium followed by decision of the World
Parliament.
1.
The World Civil Service Administration.
2.
The World Boundaries and Elections Administration.
3.
The Institute on Governmental Procedures and World
Problems.
4.
The Agency for Research and Planning.
5.
The Agency for Technological and Environmental
Assessment.
6.
The World Financial Administration.
7.
Commission for Legislative Review.
- Each agency of the
Integrative Complex shall be headed by a Cabinet Minister and a Senior
Administrator, or by a Vice President and a Senior Administrator, together
with a Commission as provided hereunder. The rules of procedure for each
agency shall be decided by majority decision of the Commission members
together with the Administrator and the Minister or Vice President.
- The World Parliament may at
any time define further the responsibilities, functioning and organization
of the several agencies of the Integrative Complex, consistent with the
provisions of Article VIII and other provisions of the World Constitution.
- Each agency of the
Integrative Complex shall make an annual report to the World Parliament
and to the Presidium.
Sec. B - The World Civil Service Administration
- The functions of the World
Civil Service Administration shall be the following, but not limited
thereto:
1.
To formulate and define standards, qualifications,
tests, examinations and salary scales for the personnel of all organs,
departments, bureaus, offices, commissions and agencies of the World
Government, in conformity with the provisions of this World Constitution and
requiring approval by the Presidium and Executive Cabinet, subject to review
and approval by the World Parliament.
2.
To establish rosters or lists of competent personnel
for all categories of personnel to be appointed or employed in the service of
the World Government.
3.
To select and employ upon request by any government
organ, department, bureau, office, institute, commission, agency or authorized
official, such competent personnel as may be needed and authorized, except for
those positions which are made elective o r appointive under provisions of the
World Constitution or by specific legislation of the World Parliament.
- The World Civil Service
Administration shall be headed by a ten member commission in addition to
the Cabinet Minister or Vice President and Senior Administrator. The
Commission shall be composed of one commissioner from each of ten World Electoral
and Administrative Magna-Regions. The persons to serve as Commissioners
shall be nominated by the House of Counsellors
and then appointed by the Presidium for five year terms. Commissioners may
serve consecutive terms.
Sec. C - The World Boundaries and Elections Administration
- The functions of the World
Boundaries and Elections Administration shall include the following, but
not limited thereto:
1.
To define the boundaries for the basic World Electoral
and Administrative Districts, the World Electoral and Administrative Regions
and Magna-Regions, and the Continental Divisions, for submission to the World
Parliament for approval by legislative action.
2.
To make periodic adjustments every ten or five years,
as needed, of the boundaries for the World Electoral and Administrative
Districts, the World Electoral and Administrative Regions and Magna-Regions,
and of the Continental Divisions, subject to approval by the World Parliament.
3.
To define the detailed procedures for the nomination
and election of Members of the World Parliament to the House of Peoples and to
the House of Counsellors, subject to approval by the
World Parliament.
4.
To conduct the elections for Members of the World
Parliament to the House of Peoples and to the House of Counsellors.
5.
Before each World Parliamentary Election, to prepare
Voters' Information Booklets which shall summarize major current public issues,
and shall list each candidate for elective office together with standard
information about each candidate, and give sp ace for each candidate to state
his or her views on the defined major issues as well as on any other major
issue of choice; to include information on any initiatives or referendums which
are to be voted upon; to distribute the Voter's Information Booklets for each
World Electoral District, or suitable group of Districts; and to obtain the
advice of the Institute on Governmental Procedures and World Problems, the
Agency for Research and Planning, and the Agency for Technological and
Environmental Assessment in preparing the booklets.
6.
To define the rules for world political parties,
subject to approval by the World Parliament, and subject to review and
recommendations of the World Ombudsmus.
7.
To define the detailed procedures for legislative
initiative and referendum by the Citizens of Earth, and to conduct voting on
supra- national or global initiatives and referendums in conjuction
with world parliamentary elections.
8.
To conduct plebiscites when requested by other Organs
of the World Government, and to make recommendations for the settlement of
boundary disputes.
9.
To conduct a global census every five years, and to
prepare and maintain complete demographic analyses for Earth.
- The World Boundaries and
Elections Administration shall be headed by a ten member commission in
addition to the Senior Administrator and the Cabinet Minister or Vice
President. The commission shall be composed of one commissioner each from
ten World Electoral and Administrative Magna- Regions. The persons to
serve as commissioners shall be nominated by the House of Counsellors and then appointed by the World Presidium
for five year terms. Commissioners may serve
consecutive terms.
Sec. D - Institute on Governmental Procedures and World Problems
- The functions of the
Institute on Governmental Procedures and World Problems shall be as
follows, but not limited thereto:
1.
To prepare and conduct courses of information,
education and training for all personnel in the service of the World
Government, including Members of the World Parliament and of all other
elective, appointive and civil service personnel, so that every person in the
service of the World Government may have a better understanding of the
functions, structure, procedures and inter-relationships of the various organs,
departments, bureaus, offices, institutes, commissions, agencies and other
parts of the World Government.
2.
To prepare and conduct courses and seminars for
information, education, discussion, updating and new ideas in all areas of
world problems, particularly for Members of the World Parliament and of the
World Executive, and for the chief personnel of all organs, departments and
agencies of the World Government, but open to all in the service of the World
Government.
3.
To bring in qualified persons from private and public
universities, colleges and research and action organizations of many countries,
as well as other qualified persons, to lecture and to be resource persons for
the courses and seminars organized by t he Institute
on Governmental Procedures and World Problems.
- To contract with
private or public universities and colleges or other agencies to conduct
courses and seminars for the Institute.
- The Institute on
Governmental Procedures and World Problems shall be supervised by a ten
member commission in addition to the Senior
Administrator and Cabinet Minister or Vice President. The commission shall
be composed of one commissioner each to be named by the House of Peoples,
the House of Nations, the House of Counsellors,
the Presidium, the Collegium of World Judges,
The World Ombudsmus, The World Attorneys General
Office, the Agency for Research and Planning, the Agency for Technological
and Environmental Assessment, and the World Financial Administration.
Commissioners shall serve five year terms, and may serve consecutive
terms.
Sec. E - The Agency for Research and Planning
- The functions of the Agency
for Research and Planning shall be as follows, but not limited thereto:
1.
To serve the World Parliament, the World Executive, the
World Administration, and other organs, departments and agencies of the World
Government in any matter requiring research and planning within the competence
of the agency.
2.
To prepare and maintain a comprehensive inventory of
world resources.
3.
To prepare comprehensive long-range plans for the
development, conservation, re-cycling and equitable sharing of the resources of
Earth for the benefit of all people on Earth, subject to legislative action by
the World Parliament.
4.
To prepare and maintain a comprehensive list and
description of all world problems, including their inter-relationships, impact
time projections and proposed solutions, together with bibliographies.
5.
To do research and help prepare legislative measures at
the request of any Member of the World Parliament or of any committee of any
House of the World Parliament.
6.
To do research and help prepare proposed legislation or
proposed legislative programs and schedules at the request of the Presidium or
Executive Cabinet or of any Cabinet Minister.
7.
To do research and prepare reports at the request of
any other organ, department or agency of the World Government.
8.
To enlist the help of public and private universities,
colleges, research agencies, and other associations and organizations for
various research and planning projects.
9.
To contract with public and private universities,
colleges, research agencies and other organizations for the preparation of
specific reports, studies and proposals.
10.
To maintain a comprehensive World Library for the use
of all Members of the World Parliament, and for the use of all other officials
and persons in the service of the World Government, as well as for public
information.
- The Agency for Research and
Planning shall be supervised by a ten member commission in addition to the
Senior Administrator and Cabinet Minister or Vice President. The
commission shall be composed of one commissioner each to be named by the
House of P eoples, the House of Nations, the
House of Counsellors, the Presidium, the Collegium of World Judges, the Office of World
Attorneys General, World Ombudsmus, the Agency
for Technological and Environmental Assessment, the Institute on
Governmental Procedures and World Problems, and the World Financial
Administration. Commissioners shall serve five year terms, and may serve
consecutive terms.
Sec. F - The Agency for Technological and Environmental Assessment
- The functions of the agency
for Technological and Environmental Assessment shall include the
following, but not limited thereto:
1.
To establish and maintain a registration and description
of all significant technological innovations, together with impact projections.
2.
To examine, analyze and assess the impacts and
consequences of technological innovations which may have either significant
beneficial or significant harmful or dangerous consequences for human life or
for the ecology of life on Earth, or which may require particular regulations
or prohibitions to prevent or eliminate dangers or to assure benefits.
3.
To examine, analyze and assess environmental and
ecological problems, in particular the environmental and ecological problems
which may result from any intrusions or changes of the environment or
ecological relationships which may be caused by technological innovations,
processes of resource development, patterns of human settlements, the
production of energy, patterns of economic and industrial development, or other
man-made intrusions and changes of the environment, or which may result from
natural causes.
4.
To maintain a global monitoring network to measure
possible harmful effects of technological innovations and environmental
disturbances so that corrective measures can be designed.
5.
To prepare recommendations based on technological and
environmental analyses and assessments, which can serve as guides to the World
Parliament, the World Executive, the World Administration, the Agency for
Research and Planning, and to the other organs, departments and agencies of the
World Government, as well as to individuals in the service of the World
Government and to national and local governments and legislative bodies.
6.
To enlist the voluntary or contractual aid and
participation of private and public universities, colleges, research
institutions and other associations and organizations in the work of
technological and environmental assessment.
7.
To enlist the voluntary or contractual aid and
participation of private and public universities and colleges, research
institutions and other organizations in devising and developing alternatives to
harmful or dangerous technologies and environmentally disruptive activities,
and in devising controls to assure beneficial results from technological
innovations or to prevent harmful results from either technological innovations
or environmental changes, all subject to legislation for implementation by the
World Parliament.
- The Agency for
Technological and Environmental Assessment shall be supervised by a ten
member commission in addition to the Senior Administrator and Cabinet
Minister or Vice President. The commission shall be composed of one commissioner
from each of ten World Electoral and Administrative Magna-Regions. The
persons to serve as commissioners shall be nominated by the House of Counsellors, and then appointed by the World Presidium
for five year terms. Commissioners may serve
consecutive terms.
Sec. G - The World Financial Administration
- The functions of the World
Financial Administration shall include the following, but not limited
thereto:
1.
To establish and operate the procedures for the
collection of revenues for the World Government, pursuant to legislation by the
World Parliament, inclusive of taxes, globally accounted social and public
costs, licenses, fees, revenue sharing arrangements, income derived from
supra-national public enterprises or projects or resource developments, and all
other sources.
2.
To operate a Planetary Accounting Office, and thereunder to make cost/benefit studies and reports of the
functioning and activities of the World Government and of its several organs,
departments, branches, bureaus, offices, commissions, institutes, agencies and
other parts or projects. In making such studies and reports, account shall be
taken not only of direct financial costs and benefits, but also of human,
social, environmental, indirect, long-term and other costs and benefits, and of
actual or possible hazards and damages. Such studies and reports shall also be
designed to uncover any wastes, inefficiencies, misapplications, corruptions,
diversions, unnecessary costs, and other possible irregularities.
3.
To make cost/benefit studies and reports at the request
of any House or committee of the World Parliament, and of the Presidium, the
Executive Cabinet, the World Ombudsmus, the Office of
World Attorneys General, the World Supreme Court, or of any administrative
department or any agency of the Integrative Complex, as well as upon its own
initiative.
4.
To operate a Planetary Comptrollers Office and thereunder to supervise the disbursement of the funds of
the World Government for all purposes, projects and activities duly authorized
by this World Constitution, the World Parliament, the World Executive, and
other organs, departments and agencies of the World Government.
5.
To establish and operate a Planetary Banking System,
making the transition to a common global currency, under the terms of specific
legislation passed by the World Parliament.
6.
Pursuant to specific legislation enacted by the World
Parliament, and in conjunction with the Planetary Banking System, to establish
and implement the procedures of a Planetary Monetary and Credit System based
upon useful productive capacity and perfo rmance, both in goods and services. Such a monetary and
credit system shall be designed for use within the Planetary Banking System for
the financing of the activities and projects of the World Government, and for
all other financial purposes approved by the World Parliament, without
requiring the payment of interest on bonds, investments or other claims of
financial ownership or debt.
7.
To establish criteria for the extension of financial
credit based upon such considerations as people available to work, usefulness,
cost/benefit accounting, human and social values, environmental health and
esthetics, minimizing disparities, integrity ,
competent management, appropriate technology, potential production and
performance.
8.
To establish and operate a Planetary Insurance System
in areas of world need which transcend national boundaries and in accordance
with legislation passed by the World Parliament.
- To assist the
Presidium as may be requested in the technical preparation of budgets for
the operation of the World Government.
- The World Financial
Administration shall be supervised by a commission of ten members,
together with a Senior Administrator and a Cabinet Minister or Vice
President. The commission shall be composed of one commissioner each to be
named by the House of Peoples, the House of Nations, the House of Counsellors, the Presidium, the Collegium
of World Judges, the Office of Attorneys General, the World Ombudsmus, the Agency for Research and Planning, the
Agency for Technological and Environmental Assessment, and the Institute
on Governmental Procedures and World Problems. Commissioners shall serve
terms of five years, and may serve consecutive terms.
Sec. H - Commission for Legislative Review
- The functions of the
Commission for Legislative Review shall be to examine World Legislation
and World Laws which the World Parliament enacts or adopts from the
previous Body of International Law for the purpose of analyzing whether
any particular legislation or law has become obsolete or obstructive or
defective in serving the purposes intended; and to make recommendations to
the World Parliament accordingly for repeal or amendment or replacement.
- The Commission for
Legislative Review shall be composed of twelve members, including two each
to be elected by the House of Peoples, the House of Nations, the House of Counsellors, the Collegium
of World Judges, the World Ombudsmus and the
Presidium. Members of the Commission shall serve terms of ten years, and
may be re-elected to serve consecutive terms. One half of the Commission
members after the Commission is first formed shall be elected every five
years, with the first terms for one half of the members to be only five
years.
Sec. A - Jurisdiction of the World Supreme Court
- A World Supreme Court
shall be established, together with such regional and district World
Courts as may subsequently be found necessary. The World Supreme Court shall
comprise a number of benches.
- The World Supreme Court,
together with such regional and district World Courts as may be
established, shall have mandatory jurisdiction in all cases, actions,
disputes, conflicts, violations of law, civil suits, guarantees of civil
and human rights, constitutional interpretations, and other litigations
arising under the provisions of this World Constitution, world
legislation, and the body of world law approved by the World Parliament.
- Decisions of the World
Supreme Court shall be binding on all parties involved in all cases,
actions and litigations brought before any bench of the World Supreme
Court for settlement. Each bench of the World Supreme Court shall
constitute a court of highest appeal, except when matters of extra-ordinary
public importance are assigned or transferred to the Superior Tribunal of
the World Supreme Court, as provided in Section E of Article IX.
Sec. B - Benches of the World Supreme Court
The benches of the World Supreme Court and their respective jurisdictions
shall be as follows:
- Bench for Human Rights: To
deal with issues of human rights arising under the guarantee of civil and
human rights provided by Article XIII of this World Constitution, and arising
in pursuance of the provisions of Article XIII of this World Constitution,
and arising otherwise under world legislation and the body of world law
approved by the World Parliament.
- Bench for Criminal Cases:
To deal with issues arising from the violation of world laws and world
legislation by individuals, corporations, groups and associations, but not
issues primarily concerned with human rights.
- Bench for Civil Cases: To
deal with issues involving civil law suits and disputes between
individuals, corporations, groups and associations arising under world
legislation and world law and the administration thereof.
- Bench for Constitutional
Cases: To deal with the interpretation of the World Constitution and with
issues and actions arising in connection with the interpretation of the
World Constitution.
- Bench for International
Conflicts: To deal with disputes, conflicts and legal contest arising
between or among the nations which have joined in the Federation of Earth.
- Bench for Public Cases: To
deal with issues not under the jurisdiction of another bench arising from
conflicts, disputes, civil suits or other legal contests between the World
Government and corporations, groups or individuals, or between national
governments and corporations, groups or individuals in cases involving
world legislation and world law.
- Appellate Bench: To deal
with issues involving world legislation and world law which
may be appealed from national courts; and to decide which bench to assign
a case or action or litigation when a question or disagreement arises over
the proper jurisdiction.
- Advisory Bench: To give
opinions upon request on any legal question arising under world law or
world legislation, exclusive of contests or actions involving
interpretation of the World Constitution. Advisory opinions may be
requested by any House or committee of the World Parliament, by the
Presidium, any Administrative Department, the Office of World Attorneys
General, the World Ombudsmus, or by any agency
of the Integrative Complex.
- Other benches may be
established, combined or terminated upon recommendation of the Collegium of World Judges with approval by the World
Parliament; but benches number one through eight may not be combined nor
terminated except by amendment of this Wo rld Constitution.
Sec. C - Seats of the World Supreme Court
- The primary seat of the
World Supreme Court and all benches shall be the same as for the location
of the Primary World Capital and for the location of the World Parliament
and the World Executive.
- Continental seats of the
World Supreme Court shall be established in the four secondary capitals of
the World Government located in four different Continental Divisions of
Earth, as provided in Article XV.
- The following permanent
benches of the World Supreme Court shall be established both at the
primary seat and at each of the continental seats: Human Rights, Criminal
Cases, Civil Cases, and Public Cases.
- The following permanent
benches of the World Supreme Court shall be located only at the primary
seat of the World Supreme Court: Constitutional Cases, International
Conflicts, Appellate Bench, and Advisory Bench.
- Benches which are located
permanently only at the primary seat of the World Supreme Court may hold
special sessions at the other continental seats of the World Supreme Court
when necessary, or may establish continental circuits if needed.
- Benches of the World Supreme
Court which have permanent continental locations may hold special sessions
at other locations when needed, or may establish regional circuits if
needed.
Sec. D - The Collegium of World Judges
- A Collegium
of World Judges shall be established by the World Parliament. The Collegium shall consist of a minimum of twenty member
judges, and may be expanded as needed but not to exceed sixty members.
- The World Judges to compose
the Collegium of World Judges shall be nominated
by the House of Counsellors and shall be elected
by plurality vote of the three Houses of the World Parliament in joint
session. The House of Counsellors shall nominate
between two and three times the number of world judges to be elected at
any one time. An equal number of World Judges shall be elected from each
of ten World Electoral and Administrative Magna-Regions, if not
immediately then by rotation.
- The term of office for a
World Judge shall be ten years. Successive terms may be served without
limit.
- The Collegium
of World Judges shall elect a Presiding Council of World Judges,
consisting of a Chief Justice and four Associate Chief Justices. One
member of the Presiding Council of World Judges shall be elected from each
of five Continental Divisions of Earth. Members of the Presiding Council
of World Judges shall serve five year terms on the Presiding Council, and
may serve two successive terms, but not two successive terms as Chief
Justice.
- The Presiding Council of
World Judges shall assign all World Judges, including themselves, to the
several benches of the World Supreme Court. Each bench for a sitting at
each location shall have a minimum of three World Judges, except that the
number of World Judges for benches on Continental Cases and International
Conflicts, and the Appellate Bench, shall be no less than five.
- The member judges of each
bench at each location shall choose annually a Presiding Judge, who may serve
two successive terms.
- The members of the several
benches may be reconstituted from time to time as may seem desirable or
necessary upon the decision of the Presiding Council of World Judges. Any
decision to re-constitute a bench shall be referred to a vote of the
entire Collegium of World Judges by request of
any World Judge.
- Any World Judge may be
removed from office for cause by an absolute two- thirds majority vote of
the three Houses of the World Parliament in joint session.
- Qualifications for Judges
of the World Supreme Court shall be at least ten years of legal or
juristic experience, minimum age of thirty years, and evident competence
in world law and the humanities.
- The salaries, expenses,
remunerations and prerogatives of the World Judges shall be determined by
the World Parliament, and shall be reviewed every five years, but shall
not be changed to the disadvantage of any World Judge during a term of
office. A ll members of
the Collegium of World Judges shall receive the
same salaries, except that additional compensation may be given to the
Presiding Council of World Judges.
- Upon recommendation by the Collegium of World Judges, the World Parliament shall
have the authority to establish regional and district world courts below
the World Supreme Court, and to establish the jurisdictions thereof, and
the procedures for appea l to the World Supreme
Court or to the several benches thereof.
- The detailed rules of
procedure for the functioning of the World Supreme Court, the Collegium of World Judges, and for each bench of the
World Supreme Court, shall be decided and amended by absolute majority
vote of the Collegium of World Judges.
Sec. E - The Superior Tribunal of the World Supreme Court
- A Superior Tribunal of the
World Supreme Court shall be established to take cases which are
considered to be of extra-ordinary public importance. The Superior
Tribunal for any calendar year shall consist of the Presiding Council of
World Judges together with one World Judge named by the Presiding Judge of
each bench of the World Court sitting at the primary seat of the World
Supreme Court. The composition of the Superior Tribunal may be continued
unchanged for a second year by decision of the Presiding Council of World
Judges.
- Any party to any dispute,
issue, case or litigation coming under the jurisdiction of the World
Supreme Court, may apply to any particular bench of the World Supreme
Court or to the Presiding Council of World Judges for the assignment or
transfer of the case to the Superior Tribunal on the grounds of
extra-ordinary public importance. If the application is granted, the case
shall be heard and disposed of by the Superior Tribunal. Also, any bench
taking any particular case, if satisfied that the case is of extra-ordinary
public importance, may of its own discretion
transfer the case to the Superior Tribunal.
Sec. A - Basic Principles
- The enforcement of world
law and world legislation shall apply directly to individual, and
individuals shall be held responsible for compliance with world law and
world legislation regardless of whether the individuals are acting in
their own capacity or as agents or officials of governments at any level
or of the institutions of governments, or as agents or officials of
corporations, organizations, associations or groups of any kind.
- When world law or world
legislation or decisions of the world courts are violated, the Enforcement
System shall operate to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible
for violations.
- Any enforcement action
shall not violate the civil and human rights guaranteed under this World
Constitution.
- The enforcement of world
law and world legislation shall be carried out in the context of a non-military
world federation wherein all member nations shall disarm as a condition
for joining and benefiting from the world federation, subject to Article X
VII, Sec. C-8 and D-6. The Federation of Earth and World Government under
this World Constitution shall neither keep nor use weapons of mass
destruction.
- Those agents of the
enforcement system whose function shall be to apprehend and bring to court
violators of world law and world legislation shall be equipped only with
such weapons as are appropriate for the apprehension of the individuals
responsible for violations.
- The enforcement of world
law and world legislation under this World Constitution shall be conceived
and developed primarily as the processes of effective design and
administration of world law and world legislation to serve the welfare of
all people o n Earth, with equity and justice for all, in which the
resources of Earth and the funds and the credits of the World Government
are used only to serve peaceful human needs, and none used for weapons of
mass destruction or for war making capabilities.
Sec. B - The Structure for Enforcement: World Attorneys General
The Enforcement System shall be headed by an Office of World Attorneys
General and a Commission of Regional World Attorneys.
The Office of World Attorneys General shall be comprised of five members,
one of whom shall be designated as the World Attorney General and the other
four shall each be designated an Associate World Attorney General.
The Commission of Regional World Attorneys shall consist of twenty Regional
World Attorneys.
The members to compose the Office of World Attorneys General shall be
nominated by the House of Counsellors, with three
nominees from each Continental Division of Earth. One member of the Office
shall be elected from each of five Continental Divisions by plurality vote of
the three houses of the World Parliament in joint session.
The term of office for a member of the Office of World Attorneys General
shall be ten years. A member may serve two consecutive terms. The position of
World Attorney General shall rotate every two years among the five members of
the Office. The order of rotation shall be decided among the five members of
the Office.
The Office of World Attorneys General shall nominate members for the
Commission of twenty Regional World Attorneys from the twenty World Electoral
and Administrative Regions, with between two and three nominees submitted for
each Region. From these nominations, the three Houses of the World Parliament
in joint session shall elect one Regional World Attorney from each of the
twenty Regions. Regional World Attorneys shall serve terms of five years, and
may serve three consecutive terms.
Each Regional World Attorney shall organize and be in charge of an Office of
Regional World Attorney. Each Associate World Attorney General shall supervise
five Offices of Regional World Attorneys.
The staff to carry out the work of enforcement, in addition to the five members
of the Office of World Attorneys General and the twenty Regional World
Attorneys, shall be selected from civil service lists, and shall be organized
for the following functions:
- Investigation.
- Apprehension and arrest.
- Prosecution.
- Remedies and correction.
- Conflict resolution.
Qualifications for a member of the Office of World Attorneys General and for
the Regional World Attorneys shall be at least thirty years of age, at least
seven years legal experience, and education in law and the humanities.
The World Attorney General, the Associate World Attorneys General, and the
Regional World Attorneys shall at all times be responsible to the World
Parliament. Any member of the Office of World Attorneys General and any
Regional World Attorney can be removed from office for cause by a simple
majority vote of the three Houses of the World Parliament in joint session.
Sec. C - The World Police
- That section of the staff
of the Office of World Attorneys General and of the Offices of Regional
World Attorneys responsible for the apprehension and arrest of violators
of world law and world legislation, shall be
designated as World Police.
- Each regional staff of the
World Police shall be headed by a Regional World Police Captain, who shall
be appointed by the Regional World Attorney.
- The Office of World
Attorneys General shall appoint a World Police Supervisor, to be in charge
of those activities which transcend regional boundaries. The World Police
Supervisor shall direct the Regional World Police Captains in any actions
which require coordinated or joint action transcending regional
boundaries, and shall direct any action which requires initiation or
direction from the Office of World Attorneys General.
- Searches and arrests to be
made by World Police shall be made only upon warrants issued by the Office
of World Attorneys General or by a Regional World Attorney.
- World Police shall be
armed only with weapons appropriate for the apprehension of the
individuals responsible for violation of world law.
- Employment in the capacity
of World Police Captain and World Police Supervisor shall be limited to
ten years.
- The World Police
Supervisor and any Regional World Police Captain may be removed from
office for cause by decision of the Office of World Attorneys General or
by absolute majority vote of the three Houses of the World Parliament in
joint session.
Sec. D - The Means of Enforcement
- Non-military means of
enforcement of world law and world legislation shall be developed by the
World Parliament and by the Office of World Attorneys General in
consultation with the Commission of Regional World Attorneys, the Collegium of World Judges ,
the World Presidium, and the World Ombudsmus.
The actual means of enforcement shall require legislation by the World
Parliament.
- Non-military means of
enforcement which can be developed may include: Denial of financial
credit; denial of material resources and personnel; revocation of
licenses, charters, or corporate rights; impounding of equipment; fines
and damage payments; performance of work to rectify damages; imprisonment
or isolation; and other means appropriate to the specific situations.
- To cope with situations of
potential or actual riots, insurrection and resort to armed violence,
particular strategies and methods shall be developed by the World
Parliament and by the Office of World Attorneys General in consultation
with the Commission of Regional World Attorneys, the collegium
of World Judges, the Presidium and the World Ombudsmus.
Such strategies and methods shall require enabling legislation by the
World Parliament where required in addition to the specific provisions of
this World Constitution.
- A basic condition for
preventing outbreaks of violence which the Enforcement System shall
facilitate in every way possible, shall be to assure a fair hearing under
non-violent circumstances for any person or group having a grievance, and
likewise to assure a fair opportunity for a just settlement of any
grievance with due regard for the rights and welfare of all concerned.
Sec. A - Functions and Powers of the World Ombudsmus
The functions and powers of the World Ombudsmus,
as public defender, shall include the following:
- To protect the People of Earth
and all individuals against violations or neglect of universal human and
civil rights which are stipulated in Article 12 and other sections of this
World Constitution.
- To protect the People of
Earth against violations of this World Constitution by any official or
agency of the World Government, including both elected
and appointed officials or public employees regardless of organ,
department, office, agency or rank.
- To press for the
implementation of the Directive Principles for the World Government as
defined in Article 13 of this World Constitution.
- To promote the welfare of
the people of Earth by seeking to assure that conditions of social justice
and of minimizing disparities are achieved in the implementation and
administration of world legislation and world law.
- To keep on the alert for
perils to humanity arising from technological innovations, environmental
disruptions and other diverse sources, and to launch initiatives for
correction or prevention of such perils.
- To ascertain that the administration
of otherwise proper laws, ordinances and procedures of the World
Government do not result in unforseen injustices
or inequities, or become stultified in bureaucracy or the details of
administration.
- To receive and hear
complaints, grievances or requests for aid from any person, group,
organization, association, body politic or agency concerning any matter
which comes within the purview of the World Ombudsmus.
- To request the Office of
World Attorneys General or any Regional World Attorney to initiate legal
actions or court proceedings whenever and wherever considered necessary or
desirable in the view of the World Ombudsmus.
- To directly initiate legal
actions and court proceedings whenever the World Ombudsmus
deems necessary.
- To review the functioning
of the departments, bureaus, offices, commissions, institutes, organs and
agencies of the World Government to ascertain whether the procedures of
the World government are adequately fulfilling their purposes and serving
the welfare of humanity in optimum fashion, and to make recommendations
for improvements.
- To present an annual
report to the World Parliament and to the Presidium on the activities of
the World Ombudsmus, together with any
recommendations for legislative measures to improve the functioning of the
World Government for the purpose of better serving the welfare of the
People of Earth.
Sec. B - Composition of the World Ombudsmus
- The World Ombudsmus shall be headed by a Council of World Ombudsen of five members, one of whom shall be designated
as Principal World Ombudsan, while the other
four shall each be designated as an Associate World Ombudsan.
- Members to compose the
Council of World Ombudsen shall be nominated by
the House of Counsellors, with three nominees
from each Continental Division of Earth. One member of the Council shall
be elected from each of five Continental Divisions by plural ity vote of the three Houses of the World Parliament
in joint session.
- The term of office for a
World Ombudsan shall be ten years. A World Ombudsan may serve two successive terms. The position
of Principal World Ombudsan shall be rotated
every two years. The order of rotation shall be determined by the Council
of World Ombudsen.
- The Council of World Ombudsen shall be assisted by a Commission of World
Advocates of twenty members. Members for the Commission of World Advocates
shall be nominated by the Council of World Ombudsen
from twenty World Electoral and Administrative Reg
ions, with between two and three nominees submitted for each Region. One
World Advocate shall be elected from each of the twenty World Electoral
and Administrative Regions by the three Houses of the World Parliament in
joint session. World Advocates shall serve terms of five years, and may
serve a maximum of four successive terms.
- The Council of World Ombudsen shall establish twenty regional offices, in
addition to the principal world office at the primary seat of the World
Government. The twenty regional offices of the World Ombudsmus
shall parallel the organization of the twe nty Offices of Regional World Attorney.
- Each regional office of
the World Ombudsmus shall be headed by a World
Advocate. Each five regional offices of the World Ombudmus
shall be supervised by an Associate World Ombudsan.
- Any World Ombudsan and any World Advocatet
may be removed from office for cause by an absolute majority vote of the
three Houses of the World Parliament in joint session.
- Staff members for the
World Ombudsmus and for each regional office of
the World Ombudsmus shall be selected and employed
from civil service lists.
- Qualifications for World Ombudsan and for World Advocate shall be at least
thirty years of age, at least five years legal experience, and education
in law and other relevant education.
The inhabitants and citizens of Earth who are within the Federation of Earth
shall have certain inalienable rights defined hereunder. It shall be mandatory
for the World Parliament, the World Executive, and all organs and agencies of
the World Government to honor, implement and enforce these rights, as well as
for the national governments of all member nations in the Federation of Earth
to do likewise. Individuals or groups suffering violation or neglect of such rightst shall have full recourse through the World Ombudsmus, the Enforcement System and the World Courts for
redress of grievances. The inalienable rights shall include the following:
- Equal rights for all citizens
of the Federation of Earth, with no discrimination on grounds of race,
color, caste, nationality, sex, religion, political affiliation, property,
or social status.
- Equal protection and
application of world legislation and world laws for all citizens of the
Federation of Earth.
- Freedom of thought and
conscience, speech, press, writing, communication, expression,
publication, broadcasting, telecasting, and cinema, except as an overt
part of or incitement to violence, armed riot or insurrection.
- Freedom of assembly,
association, organization, petition and peaceful demonstration.
- Freedom to vote without duress, and freedom for political organization and
campaigning without censorship or recrimination.
- Freedom to profess,
practice and promote religious or religious beliefs or no religion or
religious belief.
- Freedom to profess and
promote political beliefs or no political beliefs.
- Freedom for investigation,
research and reporting.
- Freedom to travel without
passport or visas or other forms of registration used to limit travel
between, among or within nations.
- Prohibition against
slavery, peonage, involuntary servitude, and conscription of labor.
- Prohibition against
military conscription.
- Safety of person from
arbitrary or unreasonable arrest, detention, exile, search or seizure;
requirement of warrants for searches and arrests.
- Prohibition against
physical or psychological duress or torture during any period of
investigation, arrest, detention or imprisonment, and against cruel or
unusual punishment.
- Right of habeous corpus; no ex-post-facto laws; no double
jeopardy; right to refuse self-incrimination or the incrimination of
another.
- Prohibition against
private armies and paramilitary organizations as being threats to the
common peace and safety.
- Safety of property from
arbitrary seizure; protection against exercise of the power of eminent
domain without reasonable compensation.
- Right to family planning
and free public assistance to achieve family planning objectives.
- Right of privacy of person,
family and association; prohibition against surveillance as a means of
political control.
It shall be the aim of the World Government to secure certain other rights
for all inhabitants within the Federation of Earth, but without immediate
guarantee of universal achievement and enforcement. These rightst
are defined as Directive Principles, obligating the World Government to pursue
every reasonable means for universal realization and implementation, and shall
include the following:
- Equal opportunity for
useful employment for everyone, with wages or remuneration sufficient to
assure human dignity.
- Freedom of choice in work,
occupation, employment or profession.
- Full access to information
and to the accumulated knowledge of the human race.
- Free and adequate public
education available to everyone, extending to the pre-university level;
Equal opportunities for elementary and higher education for all persons;
equal opportunity for continued education for all persons throughout life;
the right of any person or parent to choose a private educational
institution at any time.
- Free and adequate public health
services and medical care available to everyone throughout life under
conditions of free choice.
- Equal opportunity for
leisure time for everyone; better distribution of the work load of society
so that every person may have equitable leisure time opportunities.
- Equal opportunity for
everyone to enjoy the benefits of scientific and technological discoveries
and developments.
- Protection for everyone
against the hazards and perils of technological innovations and
developments.
- Protection of the natural
environment which is the common heritage of humanity against pollution,
ecological disruption or damage which could imperil life or lower the
quality of life.
- Conservation of those
natural resources of Earth which are limited so that present and future
generations may continue to enjoy life on the planet Earth.
- Assurance for everyone of
adequate housing, of adequate and nutritious food supplies, of safe and
adequate water supplies, of pure air with protection of oxygen supplies
and the ozone layer, and in general for the continuance of an environment
which c an sustain healthy living for all.
- Assure to each child the
right to the full realization of his or her potential.
- Social Security for
everyone to relieve the hazards of unemployment, sickness, old age, family
circumstances, disability, catastrophies of
nature, and technological change, and to allow retirement with sufficient
lifetime income for living under conditions of human dignity during older
age.
- Rapid elimination of and
prohibitions against technological hazards and man-made environmental
disturbances which are found to create dangers to life on Earth.
- Implementation of
intensive programs to discover, develop and institute safe alternatives
and practical substitutions for technologies which must be eliminated and
prohibited because of hazards and dangers to life.
- Encouragement for cultural
diversity; encouragement for decentralized administration.
- Freedom for peaceful
self-determination for minorities, refugees and dissenters.
- Freedom for change of
residence to anywhere on Earth conditioned by provisions for temporary
sanctuaries in events of large numbers of refugees, stateless persons, or
mass migrations.
- Prohibition against the
death penalty.
Sec. A - Certain Safeguards
The World Government shall operate to secure for all nations and peoples
within the Federation of Earth the safeguards which are defined hereunder:
- Guarantee that full faith
and credit shall be given to the public acts, records, legislation and
judicial proceedings of the member nations within the Federation of Earth,
consistent with the several provisions of this World Constitution.
- Assure freedom of choice
within the member nations and countries of the Federation of Earth to
determine their internal political, economic and social systems,
consistent with the guarantees and protections given under this World
Constitution to assure civil liberties and human rights and a safe
environment for life, and otherwise consistent with the several provisions
of this World Constitution.
- Grant the right of asylum
within the Federation of Earth for persons who may seek refuge from
countries or nations which are not yet included within the Federation of
Earth.
- Grant the right of
individuals and groups, after the Federation of Earth includes 90 percent
of the territory of Earth, to peacefully leave the hegemony of the
Federation of Earth and to live in suitable territory set aside by the
Federation neither restricted nor protected by the World Government,
provided that such territory does not extend beyond five percent of
Earth's habitable territory, is kept completely disarmed and not used as a
base for inciting violence or insurrection within or against the
Federation of Earth or any member nation, and is kept free of acts of
environmental or technological damage which seriously affect Earth outside
such territory.
Sec. B - Reservation of Powers
The powers not delegated to the World Government by this World Constitution
shall be reserved to the nations of the Federation of Earth and to the people
of Earth.
Sec. A - World Federal Zones
- Twenty World Federal Zones
shall be established within the twenty World Electoral and Administrative
Regions, for the purposes of the location of the several organs of the
World Government and of the administrative departments, the world courts,
the offices of the Regional World Attorneys, the offices of the World
Advocates, and for the location of other branches, departments,
institutes, offices, bureaus, commissions, agencies and parts of the World
Government.
- The World Federal Zones
shall be established as the needs and resources of the World Government
develop and expand. World Federal Zones shall be established first within
each of five Continental Divisions.
- The location and
administration of the World Federal Zones, including the first five, shall
be determined by the World Parliament.
Sec. B - The World Capitals
- Five World Capitals shall
be established in each of five Continental Divisions of Earth, to be
located in each of the five World Federal Zones which are established
first as provided in Article 15 of this World Constitution.
- One of the World Capitals
shall be designated by the World Parliament as the Primary World Capital,
and the other four shall be designated as Secondary World Capitals.
- The primary seats of all
organs of the World Government shall be located in the Primary World
Capital, and other major seats of the several organs of the World
Government shall be located in the Secondary World Capitals.
Sec. C - Locational Procedures
- Choices for location of
the twenty World Federal Zones and for the five World Capitals shall be
proposed by the Presidium, and then shall be decided by a simple majority
vote of the three Houses of the World Parliament in joint session. The
Presidium shall offer choices of two or three locations in each of the
twenty World Electoral and Administrative Regions to be World Federal
Zones, and shall offer two alternative choices for each of the five World
Capitals.
- The Presidium in
consultation with the Executive Cabinet shall then propose which of the
five World Capitals shall be the Primary World Capital, to be decided by a
simply majority vote of the three Houses of the World Parliament in joint
session.
- Each organ of the World
Government shall decide how best to apportion and organize its functions
and activities among the five World Capitals, and among the twenty World
Federal Zones, subject to specific directions from the World Parliament.
- The World Parliament may
decide to rotate its sessions among the five World Capitals, and if so, to
decide the procedure for rotation.
- For the first two
operative stages of World Government as defined in Article 17, and for the
Provisional World Government as defined in Article 19, a provisional
location may be selected for the Primary World Capital. The provisional
location need no t be continued as a permanent location.
- Any World Capital or World
Federal Zone may be relocated by an absolute two-thirds majority vote of
the three Houses of the World Parliament in joint session.
- Additional World Federal
Zones may be designated if found necessary by proposal of the Presidium
and approval by an absolute majority vote of the three Houses of the World
Parliament in joint session.
Sec. A - World Territory
- Those areas of the Earth
and Earth's moon which are not under the jurisdiction of existing nations
at the time of forming the Federation of Earth, or which are not
reasonably within the province of national ownership and administration,
or which are declared to be World Territory subsequent to establishment of
the Federation of Earth, shall be designated as World Territory and shall
belong to all of the people of Earth.
- The administration of
World Territory shall be determined by the World Parliament and
implemented by the World Executive, and shall apply to the following
areas:
- All oceans and seas
having an international or supra-national character, together with the seabeds and resources thereof, beginning at a
distance of twenty kilometers offshore, excluding inland seas of
traditional national ownership.
- Vital straits,
channels, and canals.
- The atmosphere
enveloping Earth, beginning at an elevation of one kilometer above the
general surface of the land, excluding the depressions in areas of much
variation in elevation.
- Man-made satellites
and Earth's moon.
o
Colonies which may choose the status of World
Territory; non-independent territories under the trust administration of
nations or of the United Nations; any islands or atolls which are unclaimed by
any nation; independent lands or countries which choose the status of World
Territory; and disputed lands which choose the status of World Territory.
- The residents of any World
Territory, except designated World Federal Zones, shall have the right
within reason to decide by plebiscite to become a self-governing nation
within the Federation of Earth, either singly or in combination with other
World Territories, or to unite with an existing nation with the Federation
of Earth.
Sec. B - Exterior Relations
- The World Government
shall maintain exterior relations with those nations of Earth which have
not joined the Federation of Earth. Exterior relations shall be under the
administration of the Presidium, subject at all times to specific
instructions and approval by the World Parliament.
- All treaties and
agreements with nations remaining outside the Federation of Earth shall be
negotiated by the Presidium and must be ratified by a simple majority vote
of the three Houses of the World Parliament.
- The World Government for
the Federation of Earth shall establish and maintain peaceful relations
with other planets and celestial bodies where and when it may become
possible to establish communications with the possible inhabitants
thereof.
- All explorations into
outer space, both within and beyond the solar system in which Planet Earth
is located, shall be under the exclusive direction and control of the
World Government, and shall be conducted in such manner as shall be
determined by the World Parliament.
Sec. A - Ratification of the World Constitution
This World Constitution shall be submitted to the nations and people of
Earth for ratification by the following procedures:
- The World Constitution
shall be transmitted to the General Assembly of the United Nations
Organization and to each national government on Earth, with the request
that the World Constitution be submitted to the national legislature of
each nation for p reliminary ratification and to
the people of each nation for final ratification by popular referendum.
- Preliminary ratification
by a national legislature shall be accomplished by simple majority vote of
the national legislature.
- Final ratification by the
people shall be accomplished by a simple majority of votes cast in a
popular referendum, provided that a minimum of twenty-five percent of
eligible voters of age eighteen years and over have cast ballots within
the nation or country or within World Electoral and Administrative
Districts.
- In the case of a nation
without a national legislature, the head of the national government shall
be requested to give preliminary ratification and to submit the World
Constitution for final ratification by popular referendum.
- In the event that a
national government, after six months, fails to submit the World
Constitution for ratification as requested, then the global agency
assuming responsibility for the worldwide ratification campaign may proceed
to conduct a direct referendum for ratification of the World Constitution
by the people. Direct referendums may be organized on the basis of entire
nations or countries, or on the basis of existing defined communities
within nations.
- In the event of a direct
ratification referendum, final ratification shall be accomplished by a
majority of the votes cast whether for an entire nation or for a World
Electoral and Administrative District, provided that ballots are cast by a
minimum o f twenty-five percent of eligible voters of the area who are
over eighteen years of age.
- For ratification by
existing communities within a nation, the procedure shall be to request
local communities, cities, counties, states, provinces, cantons, prefectures,
tribal jurisdictions, or other defined political units within a nation to
ratify the World Constitution, and to submit the World Constitution for a
referendum vote by the citizens of the community or political unit.
Ratification may be accomplished by proceeding in this way until all
eligible voters of age eighteen and above within t he
nation or World Electoral and Administrative District have had the
opportunity to vote, provided that ballots are cast by a minimum of
twenty-five percent of those eligible to vote.
- Prior to the Full
Operative Stage of World Government, as defined under Section E of Article
XVII, the universities, colleges and scientific academies and institutes
in any country may ratify the World Constitution, thus qualifying them for
participat ion in the nomination of Members of
the World Parliament to the House of Counsellors.
- In the case of those
nations currently involved in serious international disputes or where
traditional enmities and chronic disputes may exist among two or more
nations, a procedure for concurrent paired ratification shall be
instituted whereby the nations which are parties to a current or chronic
international dispute or conflict may simultaneously ratify the World
Constitution. In such cases, the paired nations shall be admitted into the
Federation of Earth simultaneously, with the obligation for e ach such
nation to immediately turn over all weapons of mass destruction to the
World Government, and to turn over the conflict
or dispute for mandatory peaceful settlement by the World Government.
- Each nation or political
unit which ratifies this World Constitution, either by preliminary
ratification or final ratification, shall be bound never to use any armed
forces or weapons of mass destruction against another member or unit of
the Federation of Earth, regardless of how long it may take to achieve
full disarmament of all the nations and political units which ratify this
World Constitution.
- When ratified, the
Constitution for the Federation of Earth becomes the supreme law of Earth.
By the act of ratifying this Earth Constitution, any provision in the
Constitution or Legislation of any country so ratifying, which is contrary
to this Earth Constitution, is either repealed or amended to conform with the Constitution for the Federation of Earth,
effective as soon as 25 countries have so ratified. The amendment of
National or State Constitutions to allow entry into World Federation is
not necessary prior to ratification of the Constitution for the Federation
of Earth.
Sec. B - Stages of Implementation
- Implementation of this
World Constitution and the establishment of World Government pursuant to
the terms of this World Constitution, may be accomplished in three stages,
as follows, in addition to the stage of a Provisional World Government as
provided under Article 19:
- First Operative
Stage of World Government.
- Second Operative
Stage of World Government.
- Full Operative
Stage of World Government.
- At the beginning and
during each stage, the World Parliament and the World Executive together
shall establish goals and develop means for the progressive implementation
of the World Constitution, and for the implementation of legislation
enacted by the World Parliament.
Sec. C - First Operative Stage of World Government
- The first operative stage
of World Government under this World Constitution shall be implemented
when the World Constitution is ratified by a sufficient number of nations
and/or people to meet one or the other of the following conditions or equivalent
:
- Preliminary or final
ratification by a minimum of twenty-five nations, each
having a population of more than 100,000.
- Preliminary or final
ratification by a minimum of ten nations above 100,000 population,
together with ratification by direct referendum within a minimum of fifty
additional World Electoral and Administrative Districts.
- Ratification by direct
referendum within a minimum of 100 World Electoral and Administrative
Districts, even though no nation as such has ratified.
- The election of Members
of the World Parliament to the House of Peoples shall be conducted in all
World Electoral and Administrative Districts where ratification has been
accomplished by popular referendum.
- The Election of Members
of the World Parliament to the House of Peoples may proceed
concurrently with direct popular referendums both prior to and after the
First Operative Stage of World Government is reached.
- The appointment or
election of Members of the World Parliament to the House of Nations shall
proceed in all nations where preliminary ratification has been
accomplished.
- One-fourth of the Members
of the World Parliament to the House of Counsellors
may be elected from nominees submitted by universities and colleges which
have ratified the World Constitution.
- The World Presidium and
the Executive Cabinet shall be elected according to the provisions in
article VI, except that in the absence of a House of Counsellors,
the nominations shall be made by the members of the House of Peoples and
of the House of Nations in joint session. Until this is accomplished, the
Presidium and Executive Cabinet of the Provisional World Government as
provided in Article 19, shall continue to serve.
- When composed, the
Presidium for the first operative stage of World Government shall assign
or re-assign Ministerial posts among Cabinet and Presidium members, and
shall immediately establish or confirm a World Disarmament Agency and a
World Economic and Development Organization.
- Those nations which
ratify this World Constitution and thereby join the Federation of Earth, shall immediately transfer all weapons of mass
destruction as defined and designated by the World Disarmament Agency to
that Agency. (See Article 19, Sections A-2-d, B-6 and E-5). The World Disarmament
Agency shall immediately immobilize all such weapons and shall proceed
with dispatch to dismantle, convert to peacetime use, re-cycle the
materials thereof or otherwise destroy all such weapons. During the first
operative stage of World Government, the ratifying nations may retain
armed forces equipped with weapons other than weapons of mass destruction
as defined and designated by the World Disarmament Agency.
- Concurrently with the
reduction or elimination of such weapons of mass destruction and other
military expenditures as can be accomplished during the first operative
stage of World Government, the member nations of the Federation of Earth
shall pay annually to the Treasury of the World Government amounts equal
to one-half the amounts saved from their respective national military
budgets during the last year before joining the Federation, and shall
continue such payments until the full operative stage o f World Government
is reached. The World Government shall use fifty percent of the funds thus
received to finance the work and projects of the World Economic
Development Organization.
- The World Parliament and
the World Executive shall continue to develop the organs, departments,
agencies and activities originated under the Provisional World Government,
with such amendments as deemed necessary; and shall proceed to establish
and beg in the following organs, departments and agencies of the World
Government, if not already underway, together with such other departments,
and agencies as are considered desirable and feasible during the first
operative stage of World Government:
- The World Supreme
Court;
- The Enforcement
System;
- The World Ombudsmus;
- The World Civil
Service Administration;
- The World
Financial Administration;
- The Agency for
Research and Planning;
- The Agency for
Technological and Environmental Assessment;
- An Emergency Earth
Rescue Administration, concerned with all aspects of climate change and
related factors;
- An Integrated
Global Energy System, based on environmentally safe sources;
- A World University
System, under the Department of Education;
- A World
Corporations Office, under the Department of Commerce and Industry;
- The World Service
Corps;
- A World Oceans and
Seabeds Administration.
- At the beginning of the
first operative stage, the Presidium in consultation with the Executive
Cabinet shall formulate and put forward a proposed program for solving the
most urgent world problems currently confronting humanity.
- The World Parliament
shall proceed to work upon solutions to world problems. The World
Parliament and the World Executive working together shall institute
through the several organs, departments and agencies of the World
Government whatever means shall seem appropriate and feasible to
accomplish the implementation and enforcement of world legislation, world
law and the World Constitution; and in particular shall take certain
decisive actions for the welfare of all people on Earth, applicable
throughout the world, including but not limited to the following:
- Expedite the
organization and work of an Emergency Earth Rescue Administration,
concerned with all aspects of climate change and climate crises;
- Expedite the new
finance, credit and monetary system, to serve human needs;
- Expedite an
integrated global energy system, utilizing solar energy, hydrogen energy,
and other safe and sustainable sources of energy;
- Push forward a
global program for agricultural production to achieve maximum sustained
yield under conditions which are ecologically sound;
- Establish
conditions for free trade within the Federation of Earth;
- Call for and find
ways to implement a moratorium on nuclear energy projects until all
problems are solved concerning safety, disposal of toxic wastes and the
dangers of use or diversion of materials for the production of nuclear
weapons;
- Outlaw and find
ways to completely terminate the production of nuclear weapons and all
weapons of mass destruction;
- Push forward
programs to assure adequate and non-polluted water supplies and clean air
supplies for everybody on Earth;
- Push forward a
global program to conserve and re-cycle the resources of Earth.
- Develop an acceptable
program to bring population growth under control, especially by raising
standards of living.
Sec. D - Second Operative Stage of World Government
- The second operative stage
of World Government shall be implemented when fifty percent or more of the
nations of Earth have given either preliminary or final ratification to
this World Constitution, provided that fifty percent of the total
population of Earth is included either within the ratifying nations or
within the ratifying nations together with additional World Electoral and
Administrative Districts where people have ratified the World Constitution
by direct referendum.
- The election and
appointment of Members of the World Parliament to the several Houses of
the World Parliament shall proceed in the same manner as specified for the
first operative stage in Section C-2,3,4 and 5 of
Article 17.
- The terms of office of the
Members of the World Parliament elected or appointed for the first
operative stage of World Government, shall be extended into the second
operative stage unless they have already served five year terms, in which
case new elections or appointments shall be arranged. The terms of
holdover Members of the World Parliament into the second operative stage
shall be adjusted to run concurrently with the terms of those who are
newly elected at the beginning of the second operative stage.
- The World Presidium and
the Executive Cabinet shall be re-constituted or reconfirmed, as needed,
at the beginning of the second operative stage of World Government.
- The World Parliament and
the World Executive shall continue to develop the organs, departments,
agencies and activities which are already underway from the first
operative stage of World Government, with such amendments as deemed
necessary; and shall proceed to establish and develop all other organs and
major departments and agencies of the World Government to the extent deemed
feasible during the second operative stage.
- All nations joining the
Federation of Earth to compose the second operative stage of World
Government, shall immediately transfer all weapons of mass destruction and
all other military weapons and equipment to the World Disarmament Agency,
which shall immediately immobilize such weapons and equipment and shall
proceed forthwith to dismantle, convert to peacetime uses, recycle the
materials thereof, or otherwise destroy such weapons and equipment. During
the second operative stage, all armed forces an d paramilitary forces of
the nations which have joined the Federation of Earth shall be completely
disarmed and either disbanded or converted on a voluntary basis into
elements of the non-military World Service Corps.
- Concurrently with the
reduction or elimination of such weapons, equipment and other military
expenditures as can be accomplished during the second operative stage of
World Government, the member nations of the Federation of Earth shall pay
annually to the Treasury of the World Government amounts equal to one-half
of the amounts saved from their national military budgets during the last
year before joining the Federation and shall continue such payments until
the full operative stage of World Government is reached. The World
Government shall use fifty percent of the funds thus received to finance
the work and projects of the World Economic Development Organization.
- Upon formation of the
Executive Cabinet for the second operative stage, the Presidium shall
issue an invitation to the General Assembly of the United Nations
Organization and to each of the specialized agencies of the United
Nations, as well as to other useful international agencies, to transfer
personnel, facilities, equipment, resources and allegiance to the
Federation of Earth and to the World Government thereof. The agencies and
functions of the United Nations Organization and of its specialized
agencies and of other international agencies which may be thus
transferred, shall be reconstituted as needed and integrated into the
several organs, departments, offices and agencies of the World Government.
- Near the beginning of the
second operative stage, the Presidium in consultation with the Executive
cabinet, shall formulate and put forward a proposed program for solving
the most urgent world problems currently confronting the people of Earth.
- The World Parliament shall
proceed with legislation necessary for implementing a complete program for
solving the current urgent world problems.
- The World Parliament and
the World Executive working together shall develop through the several
organs, departments and agencies of the World Government whatever means
shall seem appropriate and feasible to implement legislation for solving
world problems; and in particular shall take certain decisive actions for
the welfare of all people on Earth, including but not limited to the
following:
- Declaring all
oceans, seas and canals having supra-national character (but not
including inland seas traditionally belonging to particular nations) from
twenty kilometers offshore, and all the seabeds
thereof, to be under the ownership of the Federation of Earth as the
common heritage of humanity, and subject to the control and management of
the World Government.
- Declare the polar
caps and surrounding polar areas, including the continent of Antartica but not areas which are traditionally a
part of particular nations, to be world territory owned by the Federation
of Earth as the common heritage of humanity, and subject to control and
management by the World Government.
- Outlaw the
possession, stockpiling, sale and use of all nuclear weapons, all weapons
of mass destruction, and all other military weapons and equipment.
- Establish an
ever-normal grainery and food supply system for
the people of Earth.
- Develop and carry
forward insofar as feasible all actions defined under Sec. C-10 and C-12
of the First Operative Stage.
Sec. E - Full Operative Stage of World Government
- The full operative stage
of World Government shall be implemented when this World Constitution is
given either preliminary or final ratification by meeting either condition
(a) or (b):
- Ratification by
eighty percent or more of the nations of Earth comprising at least ninety
percent of the population of Earth; or
- Ratification which
includes ninety percent of Earth's total population, either within
ratifying nations or within ratifying nations together with additional
World Electoral and Administrative Districts where ratification by direct
referendum has been accomplished, as provided in Article 17, Section A.
- When the full operative
stage of World Government is reached, the following conditions shall be
implemented:
1. Elections
for Members of the House of Peoples shall be conducted in all World Electoral
and Administrative Districts where elections have not already taken place; and
Members of the House of Nations shall be elected or appointed by the national
legislatures or national governments in all nations where this has not already
been accomplished.
2. The
terms of office for Members of the House of Peoples and of the House of Nations
serving during the second operative stage, shall be continued into the full
operative stage, except for those who have already served five years, in which
case elections shall be held or appointments made as required.
3. The
terms of office for all holdover Members of the House of Peoples and of the
House of Nations who have served less than five years, shall be adjusted to run
concurrently with those Members of the World Parliament whose terms are
beginning with the full operative stage.
4. The
second 100 Members of the House of Counsellors shall
be elected according to the procedure specified in Section E of Article 5. The
terms of office for holdover Members of the House of Counsellors
shall run five more years after the beginning of the full operative stage,
while those beginning their terms with the full operative stage shall serve ten
years.
5. The
Presidium and the Executive Cabinet shall be reconstituted in accordance with
the provisions of Article 6.
6. All
organs of the World Government shall be made fully operative, and shall be
fully developed for the effective administration and implementation of world
legislation, world law and the provisions of this World Constitution.
7. All
nations which have not already done so shall immediately transfer all military
weapons and equipment to the World Disarmament Agency, which shall immediately
immobilize all such weapons and shall proceed forthwith to dismantle, convert
to peaceful usage, recycle the materials thereof, or
otherwise to destroy such weapons and equipment.
8. All
armies and military forces of every kind shall be completely disarmed, and
either disbanded or converted and integrated on a voluntary basis into the
non-military World Service Corps.
9. All
viable agencies of the United Nations Organization and other viable
international agencies established among national governments, together with
their personnel, facilities and resources, shall be transferred to the World
Government and reconstituted and integrated as may be useful into the organs,
departments, offices, institutes, commissions, bureaus and agencies of the
World Government.
10.
The World Parliament and the World Executive
shall continue to develop the activities and projects which are already
underway from the second operative stage of World Government, with such
amendments as deemed necessary; and shall proceed with a complete and full
scale program to solve world problems and serve the welfare of all people on
Earth, in accordance with the provisions of this World Constitution.
Sec. F - Costs of Ratification
The work and costs of private Citizens of Earth for the achievement of a
ratified Constitution for the Federation of Earth, are recognized as legitimate
costs for the establishment of constitutional world government by which present
and future generations will benefit, and shall be repaid double the original
amount by the World Financial Administration of the World Government when it
becomes operational after 25 countries have ratified this Constitution for the
Federation of Earth. Repayment specifically includes contributions to the World
Government Funding Corporation and other costs and expenses recognized by
standards and procedures to be established by the World Financial
Administration.
- Following completion of
the first operative stage of World Government, amendments to this World
Constitution may be proposed for consideration in two ways:
- By a simple
majority vote of any House of the World Parliament.
- By petitions signed
by a total of 200,000 persons eligible to vote in world elections from a
total of at least twenty World Electoral and Administrative Districts
where the World Constitution has received final ratification.
- Passage of any amendment
proposed by a House of the World Parliament shall require an absolute
two-thirds majority vote of each of the three Houses of the World
Parliament voting separately.
- An amendment proposed by popular
petition shall first require a simple majority vote of the House of
Peoples, which shall be obliged to take a vote upon the proposed
amendment. Passage of the amendment shall then require an absolute
two-thirds majority vote of each of the three Houses of the World
Parliament voting separately.
- Periodically, but no later
than ten years after first convening the World Parliament for the First
Operative Stage of World Government, and every 20 years thereafter, the
Members of the World Parliament shall meet in special session comprising a
Constitutional Convention to conduct a review of this World Constitution
to consider and propose possible amendments, which shall then require
action as specified in Clause 2 of Article XVIII for passage.
- If the First Operative
Stage of World Government is not reached by the year 1995, then the
Provisional World Parliament, as provided under Article XIX, may convene
another session of the World Constituent Assembly to review the
Constitution for the Federation of Earth and consider possible amendments
according to procedure established by the Provisional World Parliament.
- Except by following the
amendment procedures specified herein, no part of this World Constitution
may be set aside, suspended or subverted, neither for emergencies nor
caprice nor convenience.
Sec. A - Actions to be Taken
by the World Constituent Assembly
Upon adoption of the World Constitution by the World Constituent Assembly,
the Assembly and such continuing agency or agencies as it shall designate shall
do the following, without being limited thereto:
- Issue a Call to all
Nations, communities and people of Earth to ratify this World Constitution
for World Government.
- Establish the following
preparatory commissions:
- Ratification
Commission.
- World Elections
Commission.
- World Development
Commission.
- World Disarmament
Commission.
- World Problems
Commission.
- Nominating
Commission.
- Finance
Commission.
- Peace Research and
Education Commission.
- Special
commissions on each of several of the most urgent world problems.
- Such other
commissions as may be deemed desirable in order to proceed with the
Provisional World Government.
- Convene Sessions of a
Provisional World Parliament when feasible under the following conditions:
- Seek the
commitment of 500 or more delegates to attend, representing people in 20
countries from five continents, and having credentials defined by Article
19, Section C;
- The minimum funds
necessary to organize the sessions of the Provisional World Parliament
are either on hand or firmly pledged.
- Suitable locations
are confirmed at least nine months in advance, unless emergency
conditions justify shorter advance notice.
Sec. B - Work of the Preparatory Commissions
- The Ratification
Commission shall carry out a worldwide campaign for the ratification of
the World Constitution, both to obtain preliminary ratification by
national governments, including national legislatures, and to obtain final
ratification by people, including communities. The ratification commission
shall continue its work until the full operative stage of World Government
is reached.
- The World Elections
Commission shall prepare a provisional global map of World Electoral and
Administrative Districts and Regions which may be revised during the first
or second operative stage of World Government, and shall prepare and
proceed with plans to obtain the election of Members of the World
Parliament to the House of Peoples and to the House of Counsellors.
The World Elections Commission shall in due course be converted into the
World Boundaries and Elections Administration.
- After six months, in those
countries where national governments have not responded favorable to the
ratification call, the Ratification Commission and the World Elections
Commission may proceed jointly to accomplish both the ratification of the
World Constitution by direct popular referendum and concurrently the
election of Members of the World Parliament.
- The Ratification
Commission may also submit the World Constitution for ratification by
universities and colleges throughout the world.
- The World Development
Commission shall prepare plans for the creation of a World Economic
Development Organization to serve all nations and people ratifying the
World Constitution, and in particular less developed countries, to begin
functioning when the Provisional World Government is established.
- The World Disarmament
Commission shall prepare plans for the organization of a World Disarmament
Agency, to begin functioning when the Provisional World Government is
established.
- The World Problems
Commission shall prepare an agenda of urgent world problems, with
documentation, for possible action by the Provisional World Parliament and
Provisional World Government.
- The Nominating Commission
shall prepare, in advance of convening the Provisional World Parliament, a
list of nominees to compose the Presidium and the Executive Cabinet for
the Provisional World Government.
- The Finance Commission
shall work on ways and means for financing the Provisional World
Government.
- The several commissions on
particular world problems shall work on the preparation of proposed world
legislation and action on each problem, to present to the Provisional
World Parliament when it convenes.
Sec. C - Composition of the Provisional World Parliament
- The Provisional World
Parliament shall be composed of the following members:
- All those who were
accredited as delegates to the 1977 and 1991 Sessions of the World
Constituent Assembly, as well as to any previous Session of the
Provisional World Parliament, and who re-confirm their support for the
Constitution for the Federation of Earth, as amended.
- Persons who obtain
the required number of signatures on election petitions, or who are
designated by Non-Governmental Organizations which adopt approved
resolutions for this purpose, or who are otherwise accredited according
to terms specified in Call s which may be issued to convene particular sessions
of the Provisional World Parliament.
- Members of the
World Parliament to the House of Peoples who are elected from World
Electoral and Administrative Districts up to the time of convening the
Provisional World Parliament. Members of the World Parliament elected to
the House of Peoples ma y continue to be added to the Provisional World
Parliament until the first operative stage of World Government is
reached.
- Members of the
World Parliament to the House of Nations who are elected by national
legislatures or appointed by national governments up to the time of
convening the Provisional World Parliament. Members of the World
Parliament to the House of Nation s may continue to be added to the
Provisional World Parliament until the first operative stage of World
Government is reached.
- Those universities
and colleges which have ratified the World Constitution may nominate
persons to serve as Members of the World Parliament to the House of Counsellors. The House of Peoples and House of
Nations together may then elect from such nominees up to fifty Members of
the World Parliament to serve in the House of Counsellors
of the Provisional World Government.
- Members of the Provisional
World Parliament in categories (a) and (b) as defined above, shall serve
only until the first operative stage of World Government is declared, but
may be duly elected to continue as Members of the World Parliament during
the first operative stage.
Sec. D - Formation of the Provisional World Executive
- As soon as the Provisional
World Parliament next convenes, it will elect a new Presidium for the
Provisional World Parliament and Provisional World Government from among
the nominees submitted by the Nominating Commission.
- Members of the Provisional
World Presidium shall serve terms of three years, and may be re-elected by
the Provisional World Parliament, but in any case shall serve only until
the Presidium is elected under the First Operative Stage of World
Government.
- The Presidium may make additional
nominations for the Executive Cabinet.
- The Provisional World
Parliament shall then elect the members of the Executive Cabinet.
- The Presidium shall then
assign ministerial posts among the members of the Executive Cabinet and of
the Presidium.
- When steps (1) through (4)
of section D are completed, the Provisional World Government shall be
declared in operation to serve the welfare of humanity.
Sec. E - First Actions of the Provisional World Government
- The Presidium, in
consultation with the Executive Cabinet, the commissions on particular
world problems and the World Parliament, shall define a program for action
on urgent world problems.
- The Provisional World
Parliament shall go to work on the agenda of world problems, and shall
take any and all actions it considers appropriate and feasible, in
accordance with the provisions of this World Constitution.
- Implementation of and
compliance with the legislation enacted by the Provisional World
Parliament shall be sought on a voluntary basis in return for the benefits
to be realized, while strength of the Provisional World Government is
being increased by the progressive ratification of the World Constitution.
- Insofar as considered
appropriate and feasible, the Provisional World Parliament and Provisional
World Executive may undertake some of the actions specified under Section
C-12 of Article 17 for the first operative stage of World Government.
- The World Economic
Development Organization and the World Disarmament Agency shall be
established, for correlated actions.
- The World Parliament and
the Executive Cabinet of the Provisional World Government shall proceed
with the organization of other organs and agencies of the World Government
on a provisional basis, insofar as considered desirable and feasible, in
particular those specified under Section C-10 of Article 17.
- The several preparatory
commissions on urgent world problems may be reconstituted as
Administrative Departments of the Provisional World Government.
- In all of its work and
activities, the Provisional World Government shall function in accordance
with the provisions of this Constitution for the Federation of Earth.
(The Constitution for the Federation of Earth was originally ratified at
the second session of the World Constituent Assembly held at Innsbruck, Austria
in June, 1977; and was amended and ratified at the fourth session of the World
Constituent Assembly held at Troia, Portugal in May
1991. The Amended Constitution is being personally ratified by outstanding
personalities throughout the world as the campaign for ratification by the
people and governments of the world gets underway.)
For hard copies of this document, contact the organization below.
Distribution for ratification under the direction of the
World Constitution and Parliament Association and
the Global Ratification and Elections Network.
1480 Hoyt Street, Suite 31
Lakewood, Colorado 80215
USA
- USA Phone 303-233-3548
- Fax 303-526-0463
to Contents
Quote from Benjamin Franklin at the close of the U.S. Constitutional
Convention in 1787
"I doubt, too, whether any other Convention we can
obtain may be able to make a better constitution. For when you assemble a
number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble
with those men all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion,
their local interests and their selfish views. From such an assembly can a
perfect production be expected? It therefore astonishes our enemies, who are
waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded, like those of
the builders of Babel... Thus I consent to this constitution, because I expect
no better, and because I am not sure that it is not the best. The opinions I
have had of its errors I sacrifice to the public good... I hope therefore, that
for our own sakes, as a part of the people, and for the sake of posterity, we
shall act heartily and unanimously in recommending this Constitution wherever
our influence may extend, and turn our future thoughts and endeavors to the
means of having it well administered."
to Contents
CALL to the GLOBAL RATIFICATION and ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN
In the course of history, particularly during the past several hundred
years, the technique of a Constituent Assembly has been developed and used
under various circumstances as a means to devise the constitutions for
democratic governments, either to create new governments where none existed
before or to replace old or crumbling governments under both peaceful and
revolutionary situations.
Sometimes such assemblies have been appointed by existing governments. At
other times, under the most favorable circumstances, such assemblies have been
elected by vote of established electorates. But at other times such assemblies
have been composed and convened under circumstances where only a limited number
of people of the country or areas involved actually took part in the selection
of delegates. Only a small minority of any electorate might actually participate
during the time when a new democratic government is emerging under conditions
of revolution from tyranny or of political turmoil or urgent crises; or in the
absence of any organized political system which was willing or able to
supervise a vote of the total potential electorate for such an assembly or
newly emerging democratic government.
It is under the later kind of circumstances that the move has gone forward
during the years since World War II for the organization of a World Constituent
Assembly to devise the constitution for a democratic form of federal world
government. No previous world government or competent world authority has
existed to organize or supervise elections to such a World Constituent
Assembly. No universally approved electoral lists exist for the conduct of such
elections. Existing national governments heretofore have proved unwilling or
uninterested or hostile or otherwise unable to assist in either the appointment
or election of working delegates to such a World Constituent Assembly, despite
numerous appeals -- although these appeals are continuing.
Under the existing circumstances of global anarchy, of political turmoil in
many parts of the world, of the suppression or non-functioning of democratic
electoral procedures in many parts of the world, as well as of the
unprecedented urgencies of many growing world-wide crises requiring
extra-ordinary measures if humanity is to survive, action has been organized by
the World Constitution and Parliament Association -- as well as by other organizations
and groups since 1945 -- to attempt to convene World Constituent Assemblies for
the purposes of preparing a constitution for democratic federal world
government, and of securing the acceptance and ratification of such a world
constitution.
Under these circumstances, the World Constitution and Parliament Association
does not claim to have organized a World Constituent Assembly composed of
delegates fully representative of and elected by the full potential electorate
for such an assembly or for the subsequent world parliament which may emerge.
The only claim made is that the delegates and volunteer participants in the
four sessions of the World Constituent Assembly are composed of and are
representative of those people and elements of society scattered around the
globe who are ready, willing and able to move constructively under crises
circumstances to devise a Constitution for Democratic Federal World Government,
and to launch the first efforts to obtain widespread consideration and
ratification and the beginnings of implementation of such a World Constitution.
Under these circumstances, we believe there have been convened four sessions
of a World Constituent Assembly -- the first in August-September, 1968, at
Interlaken, Switzerland, and Wolfach, Germany; the
second in June, 1977, at Innsbruck, Austria; the third in 1978-79 at Colombo,
Sri Lanka; and the fourth Assembly in Troia,
Portugal, in May 1991.
Finally, these sessions of a World Constituent Assembly are fully consonant
with the respected theory that democratic government arises from the initiative
and consent of the people who will be the citizens under that government, that
people at all times have the democratic right and prerogative to discharge or
change any governments which do not adequately serve their welfare, and to
initiate new governments when urgently required to their safety or welfare. No
superior authority exists at any time to this basic right of people to initiate
such action; and in particular, no authority superior to action by people
exists for the organization and functioning of a World Constituent Assembly or
a democratic World Parliament.
Therefore, let us go forward with a GLOBAL RATIFICATION and ELECTIONS
CAMPAIGN, appealing to people and governments to ratify the Constitution for
the Federation of Earth which has been produced by these four sessions of the
World Constituent Assembly.
We call upon the people of Earth to ratify the Constitution for the
Federation of Earth, by direct Referendum and by Initiative Petition followed
by election of delegates to the House of Peoples.
We call upon the national governments and legislatures of the world to
ratify the Constitution for the Federation of Earth and elect delegates to the
House of Nations.
We call upon the Universities, Colleges and Churches, Scientific
Academies and Institutes to ratify the Constitution for the Federation of Earth
and nominate delegates with a world view as candidates for election to the Hose
of Counsellors.
Let us move forward with courage and humility in the spirit in which these
sessions of the World Constituent Assembly have been conceived, knowing that we
are fully justified by the circumstances of world crises, the conditions of
world-wide political turmoil and de facto global anarchy, and the recognized
right and authority of people to act in the creation of democratic forms of
government to serve their safety and welfare, as provided by the Constitution
for the Federation of Earth. Although time may reveal the need for some
amendments to this Constitution, it has been prepared by a broad global
representation of qualified people and it is ready for ratification and
implementation now. So let us build on this solid base which has been prepared
over the last 25 years and unite our energies in achieving ratification and
implementation.
(A major portion of this statement, under title of RATIONALE FOR WORLD
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY, was adopted at the Third session of the World Constituent
Assembly meeting at Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 29 December 1978, to 6 January,
1979.)