The New Society Transition Plan.

To transition a town from a traditional representative democracy and capitalist economy into a New Society Practice rooted in Holacracy and alternative economic systems, we can draw from Brian Robertson’s incremental, scope-based adoption model—but adapted to the civic and socio-economic context.

This blueprint guides the town through a modular, step-by-step transformation grounded in evidence-based critical inquiry, decentralized governance, participatory economics, and the Enlightened Lifestyle.

🏙️ Transition Blueprint: Town to New Society Practice

Inspired by Holacracy + Alternative Economics

PHASE 1: Constitutional Shift (Governance Power Transfer)

🔹 Step 1: Foundational Commitment

• The town council (or equivalent governing body) formally adopts a localized version of the Holacracy Constitution, tailored for civic governance.

• Power shifts from elected representatives acting on behalf of citizens, to role-based authority distributed via circles of active citizens and residents.

• A Civic Constitution is written to reflect this shift—embedding principles of critical inquiry, collective intelligence, ecological stewardship, and post-capitalist economic rights (e.g., access to housing, education, healthcare).

🔹 Step 2: Create Anchor Circle

• Establish an Anchor Circle comprising stewards of key domains: housing, food systems, energy, education, healthcare, economic systems, and justice.

• This Circle replaces the traditional mayor’s office or town executive branch and governs through dynamic governance and peer accountability.

PHASE 2: Limited-Scope Implementation (Pilot Zones)

🔹 Step 3: Neighborhood Pilots

• Select one or two neighborhoods (or districts) to become pilot zones of the New Society Practice.

• Within these zones:

  • Holacratic local councils are implemented (e.g., Circle of Energy Resilience, Circle of Food Sovereignty).

  • Citizens practice governance through roles, proposals, and integrative decision-making.

  • Economic shifts begin: local currencies, time banking, community land trusts, and worker-owned cooperatives are introduced.

🔹 Step 4: Community Education & Civic Prototyping

• Initiate town-wide learning initiatives: workshops, civic assemblies, digital platforms, and public rituals to explore the Enlightened Lifestyle path.

• Use Theory U and Liberating Structures to open minds, hearts, and wills to civic creativity and collective transformation.

PHASE 3: Economic Infrastructure Transition

🔹 Step 5: Shift Economic Roles via Holacratic Enterprise

• Replace or integrate traditional business licenses with Holacratic Enterprise Charters, requiring:

  • Distributed leadership

  • Worker self-management

  • Triple bottom line (people, planet, purpose)

• Launch a Town Currency or Credit System (e.g., mutual credit, blockchain-based UBI, or land-backed tokens).

🔹 Step 6: Launch Town Commons Fund

• Establish a Commons Treasury—funded by land rents, cooperative surplus, and town currency issuance—to guarantee basic needs:

  • Community-owned housing

  • Local healthcare collectives

  • Public kitchens

  • Cooperative education initiatives

PHASE 4: Iterative Governance Expansion

🔹 Step 7: Governance Meetings + Role Refinement

• Conduct bi-weekly Governance Meetings and Tactical Meetings across all circles (education, housing, ecology, justice).

• Tensions are used to refine roles, structures, and responsibilities continuously.

• Use GlassFrog-style open databases for transparency and role accountability.

🔹 Step 8: Cross-Circle Integration & Rep Links

• Interlink Neighborhood Circles via Rep Links and Lead Links, forming a Fractal Civic Architecture.

• Shift from centralization to nested autonomy.

PHASE 5: Civic Culture & Ethical Practice Integration

🔹 Step 9: Integrate Enlightened Lifestyle Practice

• Embed the Enlightened Lifestyle Path into community development:

  • Meditation and inquiry spaces in public institutions

  • Critical thinking integrated into lifelong education

  • Practices of eco-awareness, shared responsibility, and non-dogmatic spirituality

• Transition religious institutions (if willing) into Critical Inquiry Hubs for exploring existential questions, grounded in evidence-based wisdom.

PHASE 6: Full Transition and Constitutional Revision

🔹 Step 10: Town-Wide Adoption & Cultural Transformation

• Once pilot zones demonstrate viability, expand to all districts via:

  • Civic votes using deliberative democracy protocols

  • Public consent mechanisms based on informed agreement (not blind faith)

• The original Civic Constitution is revised to reflect the full embedding of:

  • Holacratic governance

  • Participatory economic institutions

  • Enlightened Lifestyle norms and civic ethics

🌱 Principles to Guide the Transition

Start with Full Rules, Small Scope Use complete Holacratic rules within limited civic spheres or neighborhoods

Govern by Roles, Not Personalities Define roles in terms of purpose and accountability—elected roles are redefined as fluid governance functions

Use Tensions to Evolve Civic and economic reforms are driven by sensed “tensions” or opportunities for improvement

Integrate Economics & Ethics Replace capitalist markets with Commons-based Peer Production, mutual credit systems, and worker governance

Transparent Governance Tools Public access to governance records ensures legitimacy and citizen participation

Iterative, Not Perfect Embrace emergence and experimentation; prototype, test, reflect, evolve

Would you like a visual diagram or a PDF town charter template based on this model?