Government and politics of Balisca
Confederal administration Administración confederal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Polity type | Collaborative liquid democracy |
| Constitution | Constitution of Balisca |
| Legislative branch | |
| Name | Confederal Congress |
| Type | Consensus-based deliberative assembly |
| Meeting place | Baliscan Cabildo |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of Government | |
| Title | Secretary General |
| Currently | Zavier Bilal |
| Appointer | Confederal Congress |
| Cabinet | |
| Current cabinet | Bilal administration |
| Headquarters | Baliscan Cabildo |
| Ministries | 24 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Courts | Reconciliation council |
| Confederal Council of Arbitration | |
| Chief judge | Anh Vong |
| Seat | Palacio de Arbitraje |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| Confederal politics of Balisca |
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The confederal administration of Balisca (Baliscano: Administración confederal) or confederal government (Baliscano: gobierno confederal) is founded upon libertarian socialist theory. The confederation takes the shape of a decentralized, universally participatory, collaborative e-democracy, while incorporating aspects of liquid democracy.
The Secretary General is the chair of the Secretariat Council. The SecGen is considered to be "first among equals", and is representative of the confederal-level administration in Balisca. The current SecGen is Zavier Bilal, who was appointed in July 2021. The Premier recommends individuals to the Congress to be appointed to the Secretariat Council, the de facto executive branch. Deliberative councils in each administrative entity are the main source of law in Balisca.
The Confederal Council is the Balisca's legislative body, consisting of 736 delegates elected by their commune districts. According to the 2022 Democracy Index, Balisca garnered a score of 9.64, ranking it a full democracy.
The fundamental linchpins of this system are the principles of open-source governance and the "wikidemocracy" approach. This facilitates the rapid transmission of relevant information from the source of the discussion to the relevant populace, via the Cosmo system and automated information sorting software, which also employs human engineers assigned to assess unusual problems, problem trends, or through an appeal process pursued by an individual.
Baliscans have called this system the functional antithesis of traditional bureaucracies which sometimes notoriously suffer from corruption, slowness, and a list of other unfortunate qualities. In addition, this open-sourced approach is far more adaptive with its focus on participation, direct democracy and cultural contexts compared to traditional bureaucracies. The Open Cabildo utilizes administrative algorithms and AI.
As a matter of principle, all non-direct democratic authority in Balisca is exercised through the election of authority. This means the people elect the executive and legislative authorities and they are all subject to immediate recall. Economically, this means the workers within an sector elect the coordinating officials, and the workers within a particular enterprise elect the enterprise chairman and executive officers. Elections of delegates by the people or by members of organizations (e.g. syndicate members voting to elect their administrative representatives) are always by secret ballot. On the other hand, all votes cast by the elected delegates (on any level) on various matters, including the election of ministers, are always cast in public, and the votes recorded, even though their deliberations sometimes are closed.
Balisca today is considered a consensus democracy, where consensus is an important feature of political culture. Aspects of direct democracy have been well ingrained in the Baliscan political process since confederation, in the form of the earliest open cabildos. Since 2022, the Constitution also specifically encourages direct democracy through the Open Cabildo, to include the selection or retention of magistrates. A Confederal Convention occurs every ten years in order to review the constitution's content and potentially revise or replace it through amendments according to the confederation's shifting needs.
The judiciary operates based on principles that prioritize individual freedom, social equality, and direct democratic participation. While there is no standardized model for the judiciary in Balisca, certain key principles and possibilities can be identified. It is important to note that the specific structure and functioning of the judiciary in Balisca varies based on local contexts and community preferences. These principles serve as general guidelines, but the actual implementation is consistently undergoing experimentation, evolution, and democratic decision-making.
Decentralization and local autonomy are core tenets of Balisca. Accordingly, the judiciary is organized at multiple levels, ranging from local communal courts to regional and federated courts, depending on the scale of decision-making required. This decentralized structure ensures that power is distributed among the people, preventing its concentration in a central authority. Balisca emphasizes direct democracy, enabling individuals to actively participate in decision-making processes. In the context of the judiciary, this could involve the election or appointment of judges by the communities they serve, with regular rotations to prevent power imbalances. Community members are heavily involved in the selection of judges and determining the rules and procedures of the judicial system, promoting transparency, accountability, and legitimacy.
A strong emphasis is placed on transformative justice, which focuses on addressing the root causes of harm rather than resorting to punitive measures. Restorative justice approaches, such as mediation, reconciliation, and community service form the foundation of the Baliscan judicial system. The aim of this system is to repair harm, rehabilitate offenders, and reintegrate them into the community, rather than relying primarily on imprisonment. Additionally, decisions pertaining to guilt or innocence and suitable consequences are made by a jury of peers, rather than a single judge. This approach ensures collective decision-making that reflects the values and perspectives of the respective community. Jurors are selected through a transparent and inclusive process, actively participating in determining case outcomes.
Transparency is of utmost importance in Balisca's political system. Court proceedings, judgments, and decisions are live-streamed and fully open to the public to ensure accountability and allow for community scrutiny. This transparency fosters trust in the judicial process and empowers individuals to understand and effectively engage with the system. An appeal process is vital to safeguard against potential errors or biases. In Balisca, the appeal process is designed to avoid hierarchical structures and power imbalances, and provides a fair review of decisions, either through an independent body or a community-based mechanism.
