What Is Citizen State?

Human history is in many ways a record of our expansion into the vast, unknown territories of the universe. Our journeys, to new communities, new continents, new planets, have parted us from our fellows by time and distance. It is easy to focus our attention on what separates and divides us, but in truth, even in the distant ages of our past, we have always been interconnected. We depend upon the goodwill and dedication of strangers, without whose unseen labor we would be bereft of luxuries, homes, clothing, food, even life itself. Though the bonds between us may be invisible, they can never be severed. Humanity is but one people.

The world in which we live is becoming a smaller place. Never before has interconnection been so effortless and swift. Our instant communications, our relationships across borders, our emerging global awareness of each other are all chipping away at the illusion of our separation. Despite differences in culture, age, race, gender, sexuality, or faith, we are more united than divided. In the deepest depths of our hearts, all yearn for an end to our strife, to a shared solution that leaves everyone, without exception, able to live the life that they were meant to lead – free of want, hopelessness, and despair.

That is the world we will build with Citizen State. There are, in the course of human events, moments that necessitate a historic change to safeguard the life and liberty of generations to come. The global powers of today have failed to address the gravest and most pressing issues of our time, including threats to our very existence, with governments often prioritizing their own self-interest over the interests of their citizens. We founded Citizen State with the conviction that when governments fail, citizens must step up. Governments derive their power from the consent of the governed. We are, all of us, born not only with the authority to lead, but the moral obligation to contribute to the betterment of Humanity.

Our shared duty to improve the conditions of life around us must not be confused with monolithic intent. For citizens to take an active role in their own governance, we must embrace a bottom-up, community-led approach to the solutions which we all need, so that those solutions can be tailored to each of our diverse societies and cultures. To guide this organic development, We, the People of Citizen State, have articulated in this Manifesto a set of pledges. By upholding these pledges, and pursuing them to the fullest extent, we will create a shared society that benefits all Humanity.

This is our vision for a better world. It is also a living document, open to suggestions and amendments as Citizen State grows. It is the right of every soul to envisage and pursue their ideals for the future of Humanity. We hope you will join us in endorsing this Manifesto and its pledges, so that We, as individuals, communities, organizations, and industries, may advance a shared vision for all our peoples and our planet.

No human life has more value than another, and each human life is priceless. The fundamental rights of all people must be protected to develop a society based on mutual respect, trust, and personal freedom. We pledge to defend, respect, and uphold the rights of all people, regardless of age, disability, health condition, genetic information, race, ethnicity, citizenship, class, faith, philosophy, gender, sex, sexuality, or family structure. To this end, all people should be made aware of their rights and how to exercise them, while those who infringe upon the rights of others should be shown the error of their conduct and prevented from causing further harm.

All people have the right to a secure and stable home. We pledge to ensure that everyone has access to high quality, clean, safe, and affordable housing. By making sure every person has a roof over their head, we can all flourish, safe in the knowledge that we can never be insecure in our housing or become homeless, providing a solid basis to build our lives and communities.

All people have the right to quality physical and mental healthcare. We pledge to develop intelligent, compassionate healthcare and research programs to ensure that all people live longer, healthier lives, promoting wellness in both body and mind. We will design a system that recognizes and respects the humanity and sacrifice of healthcare professionals, and that upholds the comfort and dignity of the patient. We will work towards a future where healthcare of unrivalled quality is available to all, no matter our means.

All people have the right to an accessible, high quality, and consistent education. The knowledge of our present is the cumulative work of generations of Humanity, working disparately and together to compile the lessons, perspectives, and information they gleaned from their own lives. An education is the only way to enjoy, and the only way to enrich, this shared Human legacy. Everyone is entitled to a full and varied learning experience, unshackled from debt. We pledge to ensure that everyone, no matter their means, has easy access to an education of great quality. Our educators, entrusted with the care of our children and our minds, must be provided the essential resources they need to teach, including supporting staff and opportunities for continued education. We also pledge that learning and teaching strategies will be informed by the latest evidence based research and expertise, to fully and effectively prepare students for their future.

All people have the right to protection and aid provided by the community. Each person deserves a guarantee that their security will be upheld. We pledge to ensure that all people have access to quick, efficient, and competent emergency and safety services, so that no one need live in fear of crime or disaster. By building these capacities within our societies, we can take comfort that our lives will be protected and that our institutions are worthy of our trust.

All people have the right to seek accountability and recompense for wrongdoing or neglect. Access to justice and equality before the law are cornerstones of a society which works for all its members. We pledge to ensure that everyone has the benefit of fair, impartial, virtuous, and compassionate justice whenever it may be needed. By making justice accessible to everyone, we can all enjoy the protections it provides and be proud of our achievements, safe in the knowledge they were supported by a justice system we can respect and trust.

All people have the right to safe, compassionate working conditions and ample compensation for their physical, mental, and emotional labor. People across all communities should enjoy economic prosperity and opportunity. We pledge to ensure the development of economic systems that benefit all participants and to share the wealth generated by communities with the people of those communities. By supporting industries with publicly valuable missions, we can all thrive in the plenty that flows from their success.

All people have the right to pursue interconnection, fellowship, and acceptance as a member of one or more communities. All people should benefit from the increasing interconnectivity that new and improving technologies can offer us. We will invest in travel and communication infrastructure across borders so everyone can contribute to their communities and maintain meaningful relationships, despite distance. We pledge to foster an environment of cooperation, altruism, and mutual endeavor between diverse individuals and communities, so that all of us can look beyond national consciousness toward the possibilities of a global identity.

All people have the right to creative expression, as individuals or as part of a community. Culture is the summation of the myriad ways we express ourselves, from the art we create, to the music we make, to the traditions we uphold. A rich cultural life ties us all closer together. We pledge to provide funding and support for the humanities, the arts, and other creative and imaginative cultural outlets. We pledge to foster a vibrant and global cultural landscape so that all people may share their culture and embrace the cultures of others. Cultural exchange and appreciation will allow every one of us to learn more about ourselves and the world around us, making all our communities more beautiful.

All people have the right to self-determination and societies for the people must be constituted by the people. The infinite complexity of our existence requires that every individual make competent and educated decisions about their own governance, because only the individual can truly understand the circumstances of their lived experience and the human impact of the laws enacted in their community. We pledge to promote democratic methods of decision-making and the ready acceptance of civic responsibilities, with all due respect to the nuances of our varied world. Through such emphasis on the right of the individual to communicate their needs and perspectives on the issues that impact them, none of us will be excluded from the ability to chart our own political future, nor our voices be unjustly silenced.

All people have the right to seek veracious and accurate knowledge and understanding of objective reality. Humanity is curious, and our drive to discover the workings of the world around us has led us to build, explore, and innovate in unprecedented ways. By sharing the results of our hypotheses, systematic experiments, and observations, we elevate our entire species and enrich all our lives. Change is constant; the future is always uncertain. The only way to plan for the unknown and unknowable is to invest ourselves in the spirit of discovery. We pledge to prioritize evidence based, peer reviewed, reproducible scientific research in all fields and that all of Citizen State’s policies and decisions will be informed by and in keeping with the latest scientific consensus. We pledge to provide funding, resources, and support to scientific endeavors of significance to Humanity, and to protect the integrity and impartiality of all scientific inquiry. By encouraging participation in independent investigation and experimentation, we will augment our shared knowledge base, benefitting us all.

Individuals

Organizations