Original version was posted to the World Government List, Sun., Oct. 26, 1997
Published on this site by the gracious permission of the author.
Constitution of the Earth Federation
By Scott F. Rausher
This Constitution represents a long-standing ideal of mine for world peace, human rights, and just government everywhere. Please send me your thoughts at srausher@atlcom.net. Thanks for your time and consideration of the ideas expressed here. For more information on world government sites, check out this Yahoo listing.
Preamble
We, the people of Earth, in order to end for all time the scourge of war, secure the blessings of peace and liberty, recognize the fundamental equality of all people, guarantee to all people the fundamental human rights, protect human civilization and culture, preserve the environment of the Earth for future generations, and provide for a worldwide democratic system of government in which all people are guaranteed respect and equality and are able to exercise their moralities, do hereby ordain, establish, and approve this constitution of the Earth Federation.
Chapter I - Fundamentals of World Government
Article 1.
All people of earth, upon their collective assent to the provisions of this Constitution, shall be united in this Earth Federation, which shall exist to guarantee human rights and equality. The structure of the government of the Earth Federation shall be of a form which respects democratic principles, fundamental individual rights, and the collective and communal welfare of the people.
Article 2.
Equality of all people and the guarantee of human rights shall be inviolable. It is the duty of the Federation government to recognize, respect, and protect the equality and rights of all people.
Article 3.
The nation-state, as a vehicle for the separation of peoples and the waging of war, is hereby abolished.
Article 4.
All sovereignty of the Earth Federation is derived from, and is inherent in, the people, under the terms of their moralities. Referenda and free elections shall be available as means for the people to express their sovereignty in the government of the Earth Federation, as provided for in the provisions and principles of this Constitution.Chapter II - Charter of Peoples' Rights and Freedoms
Article 5.
All people are recognized as endowed with conscience, honor, and dignity, and should be treated accordingly under the law.
Article 6.
1. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person under the law.
2. All people are hereby recognized as equal. As such, they are entitled to enjoy equal protection of the law and equality of rights under the law. 3. The Earth Federation shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, creed, caste, color, culture, tribe, place or circumstance of birth, religious beliefs or lack thereof, political opinion or affiliation, education, philosophical views or statements, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, property or wealth, social status, age, health, condition of dependency, disability, language, previous nationality, previous condition of servitude, criminal history, or any other reason.
4. The Earth Federation shall not act to deny any person equal opportunity, and shall promote equal opportunity for all people. The Earth Federation shall act to promote diversity and human understanding, by means including affirmative action policies, which shall be maintained to the extent and for the period of time necessary to ensure reasonable future equality of opportunity.
Article 7.
1. Basic human rights, as ordained by this constitution, may not be infringed upon by the Earth Federation.
2. It is the responsibility of the Earth Federation that those rights ordained by this Constitution be guaranteed to all persons.
3. While rights are codified and organized herein, it is recognized that these rights are not granted by the Earth Federation or by this Constitution, but that they are inherent in the people, and that these inherent rights supersede any laws or actions made by societal institutions or governments.
Article 8.
1. All persons are from birth citizens of the Earth Federation.
2. A person's citizenship may not be revoked by the Earth Federation under any circumstances.
3. A person may freely choose to renounce his or her Earth Federation citizenship at any time and for any reason. A person who has renounced his or her Earth Federation citizenship shall be free to reassume his or her Earth Federation citizenship at any time.
Article 9.
The fundamental and inalienable rights to life and liberty and the morality inherent in the people constitute the basis for all human rights.
Article 10.
1. People shall enjoy the right to freedom of conscience.
2. No person shall ever be persecuted by the Earth Federation on the basis of his or her beliefs.
Article 11.
1. People shall enjoy freedom of religion. This right includes the freedom to change religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, or observance. This right includes the right to practice or profess no religion or religious beliefs.
2. Neither charities nor religious organizations be subject to special government scrutiny, regulation, or peculiar taxation.
3. The Earth Federation shall have no official religion, and it shall not grant favor to any religious belief, nor shall it compel participation in any religious ceremony, nor shall it establish a mandatory ideology, nor shall it compose any prayer, nor shall Federation monies be used to subsidize religious establishments.
4. The separation of church and state shall be maintained.
Article 12.
1. People shall enjoy the freedom of expression. This shall include the right in a public forum to speak, write, print, or in other ways publish and disseminate one's sentiments, irrespective of medium.
2. Freedom of the press is recognized as vital to the maintenance of a free society. As such, the press shall be free from restraints of government. The right of the press and of the people to analyze and criticize the government shall be respected.
3. The Earth Federation shall not have authority to punish abstract or non-violent sedition as a crime.
4. Slander and libel suits may be commenced only in evidence of actual malice or gross and willful negligence by the disseminator of information.
5. The Earth Federation shall have no censorship authority.
Article 13.
1. No person shall be held in involuntary servitude. Slavery and the slave trade are prohibited in all their forms.
2. The Earth Federation shall have no power of conscription, and shall not have authority to compel or conscript military, labor, or other service from any person.
Article 14.
1. The people shall enjoy the right to privacy.
2. The people shall enjoy inviolability of the home and of correspondence. No person shall be subject to arbitrary or unreasonable search, seizure, or interference with his or her person, home, family, correspondence, or property by the government, nor without a search or seizure warrant. No evidence attained by means prohibited by this article shall be admissible in a court of law.
3. All warrants issued for the purposes of this article shall specify in reasonable detail the place to be searched, or the items to be seized, and shall all bear the signature of an officer of the Federation judiciary. No warrant shall be issued by an officer of the Federation judiciary but upon probable cause, with reasonable suspicion of the occurrence of a crime. Warrants for searches or seizures shall be valid and enforceable for only a limited amount of time, which shall be specified in the terms of the warrant, and shall not exceed two weeks in length. Warrants shall only be executable by officers of the Federation, and shall be enforced in such manner as best respects the rights codified in this article.
4. The Earth Federation shall have no authority to conduct surveillance of the people.
Article 15.
The Earth Federation shall not have authority to station any of its employees or property in private residences without the consent of the owner thereof, except in time of emergency when required by the public safety, and only then as may be provided for by law.
Article 16.
The right of the people to defend themselves from attack or the clear threat thereof against their persons or their rights, in such manner and with such force as might seem reasonably proportional at the time to the nature of the threat, shall not be infringed. The Earth Federation shall limit the ability of the people to access weapons in order to maintain the public safety.
Article 17.
The people shall have the right peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and to publicly stage protests and conduct peaceful demonstrations.
Article 18.
The people shall have the right to marry, to form families, and to associate freely with other people personally according to their consciences. The government shall have no authority to interfere with personal associations. The right of parents to raise their children according to the dictates of their consciences shall be respected to the extent that the welfare of the children is not compromised.
Article 19.
1. In respect of the rights of individuals to act under the terms of their own moralities, every competent person shall enjoy freedom to exercise determination over the affairs of his or her own life and body.
2. The right of persons to make and effect reproductive decisions concerning their own bodies shall not be infringed. Access to contraceptives shall not be infringed. Abortion shall be permitted from the date of conception until the fetus becomes naturally viable outside of the womb, and after that date if the life or health of the mother is in danger. The Earth Federation shall have no authority to encourage or to compel a woman to have an abortion, or to use contraceptives. Human cloning shall be regulated by Earth Federation law in such manner as respects the right to reproductive freedom.
3. People shall have the right to die with dignity according to the dictates of their consciences. This right includes the right to refuse medical treatment, and the right to attempt suicide, and to access of assisted suicide. The Earth Federation shall have no authority to promote or encourage suicide, assisted suicide, or refusal of medical treatment, or to practice involuntary euthanasia.
4. Medical doctors shall be free under the law to follow the dictates and the spirit of the Hippocratic oath.
5. In recognition of the differences in personal, legal, and moral opinions on the issues addressed under this article, the Earth Federation shall strive to maintain a constructive dialog on the issues addressed herein. The Earth Federation shall issue no official support or condemnation of actions taken under the aegis of this article, but shall reserve such opinions for the people themselves, directly and through their agencies of morality.
Article 20.
1. The people shall enjoy freedom of political association.
2. The Earth Federation shall provide an equal and sufficient base level of funding for each political party in Federation elections which qualifies to participate in said election. No political party shall receive special funding from the Earth Federation.
3. The Earth Federation shall have no authority to ban, or to discriminate against, any particular political party or parties, or members thereof.
4. The people shall be free to contribute money to any political party. Political parties and their candidates shall be free to spend their own monies in their campaigns.
5. The Earth Federation shall ensure that party primary elections are held in such matter as respects the principles of democracy and the terms of this Constitution.
Article 21.
1. The people shall have the right to form trade unions and syndicates for the purpose of protecting the rights of workers.
2. The right to strike shall be guaranteed by the Earth Federation in such manner as will protect the public safety.
3. The labor of persons under eighteen years of age shall be regulated by the Earth Federation to the extent necessary to protect the welfare of such persons.
4. The people shall have the right to seek employment without undue interference from the Earth Federation.
5. The Earth Federation shall strive to ensure the fairness and safety of the workplace.
6. The Earth Federation shall maintain a regulated market economy, and shall guarantee the right to own property, to the extent necessary, feasible, and appropriate for the maintenance and advancement of the principles of this Constitution, and to the extent that the rights of the poor and of the people collectively are not compromised. The Earth Federation shall protect the people against the dangers of capitalism, and against the industrial complex. The Earth Federation shall provide just compensation for property seized by eminent domain, to the extent that such compensation would be favorable to the economic welfare of the people collectively.
7. The unemployed, disabled, infirm, orphaned, and elderly shall enjoy an entitlement to social welfare payments or pensions to the extent necessary to provide for them an adequate standard of life. The Earth Federation shall provide for employment programs to assist the unemployed in finding work.
8. The Earth Federation shall determine a legal minimum wage and a fixed number of hours in a work week in order to protect the rights of workers.
9. The Earth Federation shall guarantee unto all people an adequate amount of leisure time.
Article 22.
1. The people shall have the right to seek an education for themselves and for their children.
2. The Earth Federation shall provide for a system of free and public education for all age, experience, and ability levels, but shall have no power to discriminate against privately owned and managed schools.
3. Education shall be compulsory up to a reasonable age and experience level as may be set by law.
Article 23.
1. The people have the right to seek an decent standard of living for themselves and their families. This shall include, but not be limited to, adequate access to food, water, shelter, clothing, and medical care. This right shall not be infringed by the Earth Federation.
2. It is the duty of the Earth Federation to provide assistance in maintaining an adequate standard of living for all persons. This duty shall include guaranteeing food, water, shelter, clothing, and medical care to all people.
Article 24.
1. The people shall have the right to enjoy and participate in cultural life, and to enjoy developments in the arts and sciences.
2. Artists and inventors shall have due compensation rights to their works by patent law ordained and established by the Earth Federation.
3. Scientists shall enjoy the freedom to conduct research, as may be regulated by law only to protect safety and guarantee human rights.
Article 25.
The people shall enjoy freedom of travel, with restraint by the Earth Federation only as may be necessary to combat epidemics or to protect the public safety. No passports, visas, or other permits or documentation shall be required to travel.
Article 26.
1. The people shall enjoy the right to an environment stable and free from pollution.
2. It shall be the duty of the Earth Federation to ensure the protection of the earth's environment.
3. The Earth Federation shall act to ensure the preservation of natural resources for the welfare of future generations.
Article 27.
1. The people shall enjoy free access to the courts for civil suits.
2. The common law shall be binding to the extent allowed by this Constitution and by the laws of the Earth Federation.
3. Neither the Earth Federation nor the local governments shall enjoy sovereign immunity against suits by the people.
4. Civil suits shall be adjudicated by jury trial, unless both parties shall waive their rights to trial by jury.
5. The Earth Federation shall make no law denying the legal force of contracts, in general or in particular.
Article 28.
1. The dignity and honor of the person shall always be recognized and protected by the Earth Federation.
2. No person shall be subjected to torture, or to cruel, unusual, inhuman, or degrading punishment.
3. The death penalty shall not be imposed or executed by the Earth Federation, or by any tribunal or government under its jurisdiction.
4. No person shall be imprisoned as punishment for any crime for a term of more than twenty years.
5. No person shall be subject without his or her informed consent to scientific or medical experimentation.
6. Persons shall not forfeit their right to vote or to hold office upon conviction of a crime.
Article 29.
1. Persons shall be considered innocent of any crime until proven guilty in a court of law.
2. Sentences shall only be issued after proof of guilt in court, and only then to such an extent fitting to the circumstances of the crime.
3. The judicial process shall exist not for the purpose of punishing the guilty, but for rehabilitation, and for prevention of future crimes and dangers to the people. All sentences therefore must be designed to rehabilitate the convicted, and to minimize future dangers to humanity while ensuring that the rights of the convicted are not violated.
4. Persons shall be tried in a language in which they are competent, or, if such is not feasible, shall be provided with a translator.
5. All sentences shall be issued by the judge who presided over the trial, with such provisions for sentencing by jury as may be deemed proper by the Earth Federation.
6. Sentences shall be for the minimum degree of severity necessary to accomplish sufficiently the above goals.
Article 30.
1. The writ of habeas corpus shall be guaranteed in all circumstances.
2. All persons convicted of a crime shall have the right to just and accessible means to appeal their verdicts and sentences.
Article 31.
1. No person shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile.
2. Arrests or searches of the person by police shall only be allowed upon reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, and only then in such manner as is in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and the law of the Earth Federation.
3. Any person arrested by a governmental agency acting under the aegis of the Earth Federation has the right to be informed of the charges against him or her within twenty-four hours of his or her arrest, and has the right to a preliminary hearing on the validity of the arrest and on the posting of bail within forty-eight hours of his or her arrest.
4. Persons under the age of eighteen years detained by the Earth Federation have the right to be detained separately from those over the age of eighteen years, and to be treated in their detention in a manner respecting their age.
5. No person shall be detained or confined without evidence of a crime on grounds of insanity or mental dysfunction unless he or she is found by a court on the advice of two pertinent witnesses eligible to practice medicine or psychology to pose a clear and present danger to himself or herself or to others, in addition to meeting the clinical and legal definitions of insanity.
Article 32.
1. No ex post facto law shall hold force, except to the benefit the accused. No one shall be held guilty of any crime on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a crime at the time when it was committed, nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the crime was committed.
2. No bill of attainder shall be passed.
3. No title of nobility shall be granted or recognized by the Earth Federation.
Article 33.
No person may be tried or punished twice for the same offense.
Article 34.
1. No person may be compelled to testify against himself. No person shall be compelled to testify against another person for whom he or she professes a significant emotional bond. Refusal to testify as ordained under this article shall not be construed as evidence of guilt.
2. The lawyer-client, physician-client, and counselor-client privileges shall be honored.
3. No person may be convicted solely on the evidence of his or her own or another's confession.
4. No confession shall be admissible as evidence if obtained by agents of the Earth Federation by means of undue force, or if obtained without informing the suspect of his or her right not to confess, and of the consequences of his or her testifying against himself or herself, and of his or her right to the assistance of legal counsel.
Article 35.
No person shall be deprived of liberty without due process of law.
Article 36.
1. Excessive bails shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed. Bails required and fines imposed shall take into account the wealth of the accused or convicted.
2. Bail shall always be allowed unless the accused is found by the presiding judicial officer to pose a significant threat to the public.
Article 37.
1. Any person accused of a crime shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial in reasonable proximity to the location in which the crime was committed, as long as a fair trial is there allowed, and to be confronted with evidence against him or her, and to attain legal counsel and representation, and to obtain and present evidence in his or her favor.
2. The Earth Federation shall provide for a system of public defense to provide for legal counsel and representation for the indigent.
Article 38.
1. No person shall stand trial for a crime unless indicted by a grand jury.
2. Persons accused of a crime shall have the right to trial by an impartial petit jury. The accused shall not be found guilty without the unanimous consent of the petit jury.
3. Petit juries shall be composed of twelve citizens randomly chosen from amongst those eligible to vote under this Constitution.
4. The grand and petit juries shall have the duty to judge both the circumstances of the crime and the fairness of the law.
5. No person shall be excused from jury service on account of moral refusal to judge another person; but such persons shall be free to take into account such moral refusal in weighing decision of guilt.
6. Grand and petit juries shall be informed of the punishments faced by the accused under the law upon conviction.
Article 39.
The enumeration of certain rights herein shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Article 40.
1. The people have the right to a social and governmental system in which the rights herein defined may be fully realized.
2. People shall be free to refuse payment of taxes to the Earth Federation, in exchange for forfeiture of benefits and services of the Earth Federation.
3. People who feel that their rights are not sufficiently guaranteed by the government of the Earth Federation shall be free to move to areas set aside by the Earth Federation, and to live there independently and according to their own terms, without undue interference from the Earth Federation, provided that they do not threaten the Earth Federation or the fundamental tenets of this Constitution.
4. Treason shall not be punishable as a crime.
5. The people shall enjoy the freedom to engage in civil disobedience in protest of unjust law.
Article 41.
Animals shall enjoy the right protected by the Earth Federation not to be subjected to excessive cruelty, and to be treated in such a manner as reflects their self-awareness.
Article 42.
1. The people have the right to require of every public agent an account of his or her administration.
2. The Earth Federation shall have no authority to issue propaganda which is known to be untrue for the purpose of manipulating the will of the people.
3. The people shall enjoy freedom to access information held by the Earth Federation, with such limitations by law as may be absolutely necessary for the security of humanity stated in an order approved by an officer of the Federation judiciary at the request of the World Parliament.
Article 43.
No identity cards or other forms of personal identification shall be mandated by the Earth Federation.
Article 44.
The Earth Federation shall not have authority to compel a person to sacrifice liberty for the greater good without the consent of the person in question, with such exceptions as may be absolutely necessary for the welfare and survival of humanity.
Article 45.
All rights established herein shall be binding against the Earth Federation, and against any local governments.
Article 46.
Judicial interpretation of the rights set forth herein shall be conducted in the light most favorable to the advancement of equality and human rights, and the welfare of the people. The people shall enjoy the right to an effective remedy by a competent tribunal for violations of the fundamental rights guaranteed herein.
Article 47.
Powers not delegated by this Constitution to the Earth Federation or to the local governments are reserved for the people.
Article 48.
Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each person has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights. In accordance with the fundamental right to liberty, no person shall be held accountable for any offense which does not do harm, or which affects none but the person who commits the action. Every person shall be free do whatever is not forbidden by law, and no person may be forced to do what the law does not require. The sovereignty of the individual is acknowledged; everyone is free to do or not to do whatever he or she chooses, and is responsible for acts freely chosen.
Article 49.
The majority shall have no power to make laws which bind the minority but not the majority itself, but shall only enjoy power to make laws equally binding against itself and against the minority.
Article 50.
The people shall always enjoy the right to just revolution if ever a system of government becomes authoritarian or intolerably denies the equality and fundamental human rights of the people, or rejects the common welfare of the people.
Article 51.
1. Free, equal, and democratic representation in the government of the Earth Federation for all persons is recognized as necessary for the continued respect of the equality of humanity and of human rights.
2. All citizens of the Earth Federation, who have attained the age of sixteen calendar years, shall be eligible to vote in all elections, ballots, party primary elections, and referenda. Citizens who have not attained the age of sixteen years may vote in all elections, ballots, party primary elections, and referenda, upon passing an examination on this Constitution, as shall be established by the World Parliament.
3. No poll tax or other tax shall be imposed as a condition for voting. No literacy test shall be required as a condition for voting.
4. All citizens eligible to vote in Earth Federation elections under this article are eligible to hold office under the Earth Federation.
5. All voting shall be conducted by secret ballot.
6. Voting shall not be compulsory, but shall be treated under the law as a civic responsibility.
7. Local governments may not establish voting requirements more stringent than those established by this article.
Chapter III - Renunciation of War
Article 52.
War has proven to be a perpetual source of human pain and suffering throughout the course of human history. The people of Earth, united under this Constitution, do therefore hereby forswear the waging of war forevermore. The Earth Federation shall strive to promote the dignity and fraternity of mankind, in order to eliminate the need for war. War is hereby recognized by humanity and by the Earth Federation as the height of barbarism and injustice, and as such, shall never again be tolerated.
Article 53.
In accordance with its goal to end all war, the Earth Federation shall strive to eliminate the tools of war worldwide. Weapons of mass and indiscriminate destruction shall no longer be produced, and those already in existence shall be destroyed as quickly and safely as possible.
Article 54.
The Earth Federation shall under no circumstances keep or maintain any arms or tools of war, or raise any military force, or engage in belligerent actions. Those armaments maintained by the Earth Federation in cases of absolute necessity shall be of a generally defensive and non-lethal type.
Chapter IV - Organs of Earth Federation Government
Article 55.
All legislative power shall be vested in the people. Legislative authority shall be exercised by the people directly, and by their representatives in the World Parliament.
Article 56.
All executive power herein granted shall be exercised in the name of the people by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, who shall be chosen by, and answerable to, the World Parliament.
Article 57.
Supreme judicial power shall be vested in the Supreme World Court. Inferior judicial power shall be vested in such courts as may be established by law. No local government may establish its own judiciary outside of the authority of the Earth Federation.
Article 58.
The fairness and accuracy of elections shall be monitored and adjudicated by the Elections Commission.
Article 59.
1. The independence of the judiciary from political influence and from the other instruments of government shall be maintained to ensure the stability of the democratic system.
2. No branch of government may impede upon the functions and powers of the other branches, as such functions and powers are herein codified.
3. No executive authority may, by threat of force or other means, establish authoritarian control, or seize powers not appertaining to his or her office, or supersede the provisions of this Constitution or the laws of the Earth Federation.
4. No person may simultaneously hold two or more constitutional offices in the government of the Earth Federation, except as provided for in this Constitution.
Chapter V - World Parliament Elections
Article 60.
The World Parliament shall exist to legislate according to the people's wishes and the common welfare, and shall be composed as provided for herein.
Article 61.
1. Elections for the World Parliament shall be held no less frequently than once every two years. Elections shall be held over the course of one weekend. Balloting shall be conducted as shall be provided for by the Elections Commission. The term 'weekend' as used herein shall refer to a forty-eight hour period of time as defined by law, generally to include one Saturday and the Sunday immediately following.
2. The new session of the World Parliament shall be inaugurated, and the previous session vacated, at noon on the day after the day in which the results of the election are known.
Article 62.
One thousand Members shall be elected to the World Parliament at every election, as provided for in the following articles. Members shall be elected by party, in proportion to the percentage of votes won by each party.
Article 63.
Each voter shall be eligible to cast one vote for one party during the election.
Article 64.
Political parties shall, before each election, tender a list of one thousand candidates, ranked in order, to the Elections Commission, which shall make such list public. A number of candidates from those ranked first down the list shall be elected in such number as the number of seats which the party wins in the election. No candidate shall have his name listed by more than one party, nor without his consent.
Article 65.
1. Every political party which seeks inclusion on the ballot shall present the Elections Commission with a petition containing the signatures of one-half of one percent of the citizens of the Earth Federation eligible to vote in the upcoming election by noon on the date thirty days before the scheduled date of the election of the same year. The petition shall name one thousand consenting candidates for the party, ranked in order.
2. The Elections Commission shall ascertain the authenticity of the petition within ten days of its submission.
3. Any political party which succeeds in meeting the requirements for inclusion on the ballot under this article shall be included on the ballot in all future elections, unless it shall ever garner less than one-tenth of one percent of votes cast in any election, in which case it must again successfully satisfy the provisions of this article before it may be again included on the ballot.
Article 66.
1. Parties shall be represented proportionally to the percentage of votes garnered in the election. No party shall be represented which has received less than one-tenth of one percent of the votes cast.
2. No peculiar oath or affirmation shall be required to hold office under the Earth Federation.
Article 67.
The Elections Commission shall provide for the case of a tie vote in any election, and for the case of any election irregularities.
Article 68.
Immediately after the election, the leader of the party holding the most seats in Parliament shall have one week to form a governing coalition of five hundred and one members of the World Parliament. If he or she shall fail to do so, the same power shall devolve upon the leader of the party with the second-greatest number of seats, and shall continue thus until a government is formed. If no government is formed within a month, new elections shall be called within fourteen days.
Article 69.
New elections shall be held if the membership in the World Parliament ever falls below 500.
Article 70.
All elections herein provided for shall be organized by the Elections Commission.
Article 71.
Within one week of the formation of a governing coalition, that coalition shall nominate a candidate for Prime Minister, who shall take office upon approval by the World Parliament. Within one week of the inauguration of the Prime Minister, he or she shall nominate officers to the Cabinet, who shall take office upon confirmation by the World Parliament.
Article 72.
The people shall have the power to recall Members of the World Parliament. A petition for recall shall be submitted to the Elections Commission containing the signatures of seven percent of citizens eligible to vote. Upon authentication of such petition, a referendum on the recall of the specified Member of the World Parliament shall be called within thirty days. If a majority of the people voting therein choose to recall the Member of the World Parliament, he or she shall immediately forfeit his or her title and office. No recall referendum for one Member of the World Parliament may be called more than once per session of the World Parliament.
Article 73.
1. In the event that a vote of no confidence passes in the World Parliament, the Prime Minister must, within fourteen days, choose either to tender a resignation in the names of him or herself and of the other members of the Cabinet, or choose to dissolve the World Parliament.
2. If the Prime Minister votes to tender the resignation of his Cabinet, the coalition in the World Parliament which passed the vote of no confidence shall nominate a new candidate for Prime Minister within seven days, who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of the World Parliament. If the coalition fails to nominate such a candidate, or a candidate nominated fails to be confirmed, then new elections for the World Parliament shall be held within thirty days of the expiration of the seven-day period.
3. If the Prime Minister chooses to dissolve the World Parliament, new elections for Members of the World Parliament shall be held within thirty days of his decision.
Chapter VI - Legislative Procedures
Article 74.
Legislative power shall be exercised directly by the people, and by their representatives in the World Parliament, as provided for herein.
Article 75.
A bill may be proposed by a Member of the World Parliament, or by a petition submitted to the President of the Elections Commission signed by three percent of citizens eligible to vote over a period of eighteen months, or by approval of the bill in identical terms by the legislative authorities of two-thirds of the local governments over a period of eighteen months.
Article 76.
A proposed bill shall become law and take effect according to its terms upon approval by a majority of the World Parliament, or upon approval by a majority of voters in a referendum. Proposed bills shall be referred to the people for a referendum at the request of a majority of the World Parliament, or upon the submission of a petition to the President of the Elections Commission signed by five percent of citizens eligible to vote, collected over a term of eighteen months, and explicitly stating the terms of the legislation. A proposed bill shall lapse, and thereafter no longer be eligible for passage, two years after its proposal.
Article 77.
1. The World Parliament shall have the authority to determine the rules of its own proceedings.
2. No Member of the World Parliament shall be tried for any statement or debate made before the World Parliament in session, or for any vote cast.
Article 78.
The World Parliament shall convene at least once per session, and at least once per year, at such dates and times as it shall set by law.
Article 79.
An absolute majority of the World Parliament shall constitute a quorum to do business. All decisions of the World Parliament shall be by majority vote, unless otherwise stipulated by this Constitution.
Article 80.
The World Parliament shall have the authority to expel one of its Members by a two-thirds vote. Any Cabinet member so expelled forfeits his or her position in the Cabinet as well as his or her membership in the World Parliament.
Article 81.
The World Parliament shall have the authority to impeach members of the Cabinet, the Elections Commission, the Supreme World Court, and other judicial and executive officers of the Earth Federation by an absolute majority vote. Impeachments shall be tried before the Supreme World Court. Punishment for impeachment shall not exceed removal from office.
Article 82.
1. The term 'majority vote' as used herein shall refer to a majority of those present and voting.
2. The term 'absolute majority vote' as used herein shall refer to a majority of those present and voting, including an actual majority of those eligible to vote on the issue.
Chapter VII - Legislative Authority
Article 83.
The legal authority of the Earth Federation shall include:
1. The authority to levy and collect taxes on personal and business incomes, on capital acquisitions, and on luxuries, provided that such taxes be sufficiently progressive so as to protect the economic rights and welfare of the poor and working class;
2. The authority to borrow money on the credit of the Earth Federation;
3. The authority to spend money on programs benefiting the general welfare, and promoting equality and human rights;
4. The authority to coin and establish a worldwide standard of currency, and to regulate the exchange rate of former national currencies to the Earth Federation currency, and to engage in fiscal and monetary policies to aid the world economy, and to promote social ownership;
5. The authority to provide for compensation for members of the Earth Federation government, provided that no change in compensation of Members of the World Parliament or for the Elections Commission shall take effect until the next election thereof, and that no change in compensation of officers of the Earth Federation judiciary take effect until one year after passage of such legislation;
6. The authority to limit, regulate, and prohibit economic monopolies, in general and in particular, and the authority to establish governmental monopolies when and to the extent necessary to provide for the economic welfare of the people;
7. The authority to establish uniform law regulating inheritances;
8. The authority to establish uniform codes on bankruptcies;
9. The authority to punish the counterfeiting of the currency of the Earth Federation;
10. The authority to establish and maintain a worldwide postal system, and to promote worldwide communications networks;
11. The authority to promote the advance of the arts and sciences;
12. The authority to define and punish crimes against humanity, and to establish a code of criminal law in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution;
13. The authority to establish a bar code, and to determine qualifications for the practice of law under the Earth Federation;
14. The authority to license and regulate practice of certain professions as may be necessary for the protection and welfare of the people, and to regulate the privileges under the law of those who hold doctorates in law, medicine, or philosophy;
15. The authority to provide for and maintain a university system;
16. The authority to provide for and maintain a police force, provided that such force not enlist more than one percent of the population of the Earth Federation, and that it not be funded by more than three percent of the annual budget of the Earth Federation, and that such force not be armed with excessive weaponry;
17. The authority to provide for equally-funded Public Prosecution and Public Defense offices;
18. The authority to establish courts inferior to the Supreme World Court;
19. The authority to purchase and govern property for government functions;
20. The authority to hire personnel for the administration of government functions;
21. The authority to regulate the ownership of property to the extent necessary and proper to ensure the rights of the poor;
22. The authority to recognize and establish local governments, with such powers as may be allocated to them by law in accordance with the terms of this Constitution;
23. The authority to establish a banking system;
24. The authority to maintain and regulate the safety of nuclear power plants;
25. The authority to conduct a regular and periodic census, at least once every ten years, to provide information on the world population and its characteristics;
26. The authority to carry out all duties assigned to the Earth Federation by this Constitution;
27. The authority to expand and enforce the fundamental rights to life and liberty as may prove necessary over time; and
28. The authority to make such laws as may be necessary to carry into force the above provisions of this article.
Chapter VIII - The Cabinet
Article 84.
The executive authority of the Earth Federation, as provided for by this Constitution, and with such powers as may be delegated by law, shall be vested in the Cabinet.
Article 85.
The Cabinet shall be composed of the following officers, listed in order of rank:
1. Prime Minister
2. Deputy Prime Minister
3. Minister of State
4. Minister of World Security, Disarmament, and War Prevention
5. Minister of Justice and Police
6. Minister of Finance, Federation Revenue, and the Treasury
7. Minister of Parklands, Oceans, Water Supplies, Environmental Protection, and Ecology
8. Minister of Equality and Human Rights
9. Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition
10. Minister of Commerce and Trade
11. Minister of Labor
12. Minister of Education
13. Minister of Medicine and Health Care
14. Minister of Housing
15. Minister of Social Welfare and Pensions
16. Minister of Infrastructure, Transportation, and Travel
17. Minister of Industry and Economic Development
18. Minister of Energy
19. Minister of Government Employee's Services and Federation Property Management
20. Minister of Science
21. Minister of Arts
22. Minister of Cultural Affairs, History, and Human Heritage
23. Minister of Communications and Postal Services
24. Minister of Atmospheric Management, Space Exploration, and Extraterrestrial Affairs
25. Minister of World Population, City Planning, and Human Habitats and Settlements
Article 86.
Elections for the Prime Minister and subsequent appointment of the other Cabinet officers shall be conducted by the World Parliament after each new election of World Parliament Members. Only Members of the World Parliament shall be eligible to serve in the Cabinet. Members of the Cabinet shall retain their status as Members of the World Parliament, and all powers and privileges appertaining thereto.
Article 87.
The Prime Minister shall preside over the World Parliament, shall establish order therein, shall represent the government of the Earth Federation before the people, and shall serve as the chief executive officer of the Earth Federation. In the event of the vacancy or inability of the Prime Minister, his or her powers and duties shall be discharged by the Deputy Prime Minister, and in the event of his or her absence, by the highest-ranking member of the Cabinet. The other ministers of the Cabinet shall have executive power based upon their portfolios, to the extent devolved upon them by the Prime Minister, and to the extent determined by law.
Article 88.
1. The Cabinet shall collectively be responsible for the implementation of the law of the Earth Federation as defined in this Constitution and in the laws, as provided for by the World Parliament.
2. The Cabinet shall collectively be responsible for proposing and recommending legislation for enactment by the World Parliament, and individual Cabinet members shall be so responsible within the scope of their own portfolios.
3. The Cabinet shall collectively have the power to convene by a majority vote the World Parliament in special sessions when necessary.
4. The Cabinet shall collectively be responsible for supervising the departments, bureaus, offices, institutes and executive agencies of the Earth Federations, and individual Cabinet members shall be so responsible with respect to their own portfolios.
5. The Cabinet members shall individually be responsible for the nomination, selection and removal of the heads of various organs, branches, departments, bureaus, offices, commissions, institutes, agencies and other parts of the government of the Earth Federation, in the agencies corresponding to their own portfolios, in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and as specified by law enacted by the World Parliament.
6. The Minister of Finance, Federation Revenue, and the Treasury, with the advice of the Minister of Commerce and Trade and the Minister of Industry and Economic Development, and with the advice and consent of the Prime Minister, shall be responsible for preparing and submitting annually to the World Parliament a comprehensive budget for the operations of the government of the Earth Federation, and for preparing and submitting regularly budget projections over periods of several years.
7. The Cabinet shall collectively be responsible for defining and proposing priorities for Federation legislation and budgetary allocations.
8. The Cabinet shall collectively 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.
9. The Cabinet, or any member thereof, shall have power to request from a competent tribunal opinions as to the legality or constitutionality of proposals.
10. The Prime Minister shall have no authority to dismiss members of the Cabinet without the consent of the World Parliament, unless upon passage of a vote of no confidence.
Article 89.
Additional executive offices accountable to the Cabinet shall be created by law as may from time to time be necessary.
Chapter IX - Elections Commission
Article 90.
The Elections Commission shall be composed of thirty-five Commissioners. Twenty Commissioners shall be elected by the people for a term of twelve years each, with five elected every three years. Fifteen Commissioners shall be appointed by the Prime Minister for terms of twelve years, and shall take office upon confirmation by the World Parliament. Commissioners may be recalled by the people by the same procedure as may be Members of the World Parliament, as provided for by Article 62. After each election, the Elections commission shall elect one of its members to serve as President of the Elections Commission. No person shall be eligible to serve for more than one term, or fraction thereof, on the Elections Commission.
Article 91.
The Elections Commission shall have full authority to organize elections as provided for by this Constitution, and to adjudicate the fairness thereof. Elections for members of the Elections Commission shall be adjudicated by the sitting members of the Commission. The World Parliament shall have the authority to make such regulations concerning the functioning of the Elections Commission as may be necessary.
Chapter X - Supreme World Court
Article 92.
Supreme judiciary authority is vested in the Supreme World Court. The Supreme World Court shall be composed of twenty-one members, appointed by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister shall further appoint one of the Justices of the Supreme World Court to serve as Chief Justice. Appointees of the Prime Minister shall take office upon confirmation by the World Parliament.
Article 93.
The Supreme World Court shall have ultimate appellate jurisdiction in all cases, controversies, 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 Constitution, and the body of law developed under its terms. The Supreme World Court shall have primary jurisdiction in cases of impeachment, and in disputes between two or more local governments, or between the Earth Federation government and one or more local governments.
Article 94.
The Supreme World Court shall be the final and ultimate arbiter under the people of Constitutional law, and shall be responsible for enforcing constitutional guarantees of equality and human rights.
Article 95.
The Supreme World Court shall have authority to grant pardons and reprieves for crimes committed.
Article 96.
1. Qualifications for Judges of the Earth Federation judiciary shall include at least ten years of legal or juristic experience and evident competence in Earth Federation law and the humanities.
2. The salaries, expenses, remunerations and prerogatives of the United Nations 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 his or her term of office. All members of the Supreme World Court shall receive the same salaries, except that additional compensation may be given to the Chief Justice.
3. Justices and judges of the Earth Federation shall serve for life.
Chapter XI - Local Governments
Article 96.
Local governments shall exist only as provided for under this Constitution.
Article 97.
Those nation-states existent upon the ratification of this Constitution, and bound by its provisions, shall be reorganized into local governments under the Earth Federation, as provided for by the World Parliament.
Article 98.
Local governments shall be organized according to the terms of charters passed by the World Parliament and approved by local residents in a referendum, which process shall be substantively completed for the original territory of the Earth Federation within seven years of the date on which this Constitution takes force. People and territory of nation-states which later become bound by the provisions of this Constitution shall be organized into local governments as provided for by the World Parliament.
Article 99.
1. Local governments shall have the power to govern over all functions of local nature or concern not otherwise provided for under this Constitution, although their powers may be further limited under the terms of their charters.
2. Local governments shall be bound by this Constitution, and shall not have power to supersede the powers, duties, and functions of the Earth Federation.
3. Local governments shall enjoy equality with each other as may be applicable under the law of the Earth Federation.
4. No local government may enter into league or covenant with any other local government without the consent of the World Parliament.
5. Full faith and credit shall be given in each local government to the public acts, records and regulations of every other local government, and the World Parliament may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and regulations shall be proved, and the effect thereof.
6. Local government laws shall be subject to veto by a two-thirds vote of the World Parliament.
7. In the event of conflict, Earth Federation law supersedes local government law.
Article 100.
1. Changes in the charters of local governments shall be determined by the local governments, but the World Parliament shall have power by a majority vote to veto such changes, and to propose such changes which shall take effect upon approval by either the local government or by the people thereof. In cases of extreme necessity, the World Parliament alone may make such changes, by a two-thirds vote thereof.
2. No local government may gain or lose territory, or be created out of two or more local governments, or be divided into multiple local governments, or be created within the boundaries of an existing local government, without the consent of all of the local governments concerned, as well as the World Parliament, unless in case of absolute necessity for the welfare of humanity, as declared by a two-thirds vote of the World Parliament.
3. The World Parliament shall ensure the delineation of the boundaries of the local governments so that no local government presides over an unduly large or small territory or population. The World Parliament shall ensure that all people and all areas are under the jurisdiction of a local government. The World Parliament shall make due progress upon the enactment of this Constitution toward the incorporation of local governments as quickly as may be reasonably possible and suitable. The World Parliament shall ensure that in no case shall the number of local governments fall below one thousand.
4. The World Parliament shall, in its adjudication of the boundaries of local governments, account for traditional political, social, and geographical distinctions. No change in the boundaries or structure of any local government shall be made capriciously, nor without compelling interest as interpreted by the World Parliament.
Article 101.
The local governments shall enjoy no autonomy beyond that provided for under this Constitution, but shall exist to further the principles of the Earth Federation. No local government shall have authority to act upon presumptions of nationalism, or to reject the government of the Earth Federation, or to amass weaponry, or to attempt to secede from the Earth Federation.
Article 102.
The Earth Federation shall guarantee that the local governments are all democratic in nature, and that they all act with respect for the fundamental principles enshrined in this Constitution, and that they respect and promote the fundamental human rights and the equality of all people.
Article 103.
In accordance with the principles of federalism, the Earth Federation shall devolve upon the local governments the discharge of all powers and duties which may best be handled on a local level. All powers not explicitly granted to the World Parliament or the Earth Federation as a whole, or to the other agencies of the world government shall be discharged in the name of the Earth Federation by the local governments, unless the World Parliament deems that worldwide centralized policy under the direct control of the central government of the Earth Federation is necessary for the welfare of humanity or for the promotion of the principles and provisions of this Constitution.Chapter XII - Constitutional Amendments
Article 104.
Articles in addition to, and in amendment of, this Constitution of the Earth Federation shall be enacted as may from time to time be necessary, as provided for herein.
Article 105.
Constitutional amendments shall be proposed either by a two-thirds vote of the World Parliament, or by a constitutional convention.
Article 106.
Constitutional conventions shall be composed of delegates elected by the people for the occasion, and shall be organized as may be provided for by law. A constitutional convention shall be convened to consider an amendment if two-thirds of the local governments call for a constitutional convention to consider the same proposed amendment within a period of seven years.
Article 107.
Proposed constitutional amendments shall be considered approved upon their ratification by the people in a referendum, which shall be held within thirty days of the proposal of such amendments.
Article 108.
Upon ratification, proposed constitutional amendments shall be presented before the Supreme World Court, which shall rule upon their validity within thirty days of their ratification. Such amendments shall then take force and become part of this Constitution, unless found by two-thirds of the membership of the Supreme World Court to constitute an unconscionable affront to the fundamental principles enshrined within this Constitution.
Article 109.
The Supreme World Court shall allow no constitutional amendment to take force which denigrates the equality or the fundamental human rights of the people, or which threatens the fundamental liberties inherent in the system of government ordained by this Constitution. No amendment to this Constitution shall further render any provision thereof unamendable. Except by following the amendment procedures specified herein, no part of this Constitution may be set aside, suspended, or subverted, neither for emergencies nor caprice nor convenience.
Chapter XIII - General Provisions
Article 110.
The Gregorian calendar shall be the official calendar of the Earth Federation, and all dates referred to in this Constitution shall be based upon the Gregorian calendar.
Article 111.
The metric system shall be the standard system of weights and measures of the Earth Federation.
Article 112.
The flag of the Earth Federation shall be that of a rainbow, with horizontal stripes of equal size, of red at top, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple at bottom, with a gold five-pointed star placed in the center of the field.
Article 113.
The anthem of the Earth Federation shall be "We shall overcome."
Article 114.
The motto of the Earth Federation shall be "Peace, Equality, and Liberty."
Article 115.
The English, Spanish, French, German, Swahili, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Arabic, Hindi, Hebrew, Greek, Esperanto, Korean, and Italian versions of this Constitution shall be equally valid and binding as law. There shall be no official language of the Earth Federation, although the organs of Earth Federation government may for purposes of clarity of debate and discussion establish languages in which to do business.
Article 116.
The borders of the jurisdiction of the Earth Federation are undefined by this Constitution, but shall generally include all of the lands and waters of the Earth, the airspace above these, the Earth's moon, and the space of the Earth's solar system, as far as the orbit of Pluto. The exact borders may remain undefined into the future, or may be further delineated by Earth Federation law.
Article 117.
1. There shall be no capital city or district over which the Earth Federation government shall preside. The organs of the Earth Federation government shall convene at locations of their own decision, subject to regulation by the World Parliament.
2. All property of the United Nations shall become property of the Earth Federation upon the date on which this Constitution takes force. Property of national governments and their subsidiary governmental entities shall be adjudicated and administered by the Earth Federation as provided for by law after this Constitution takes force.
Article 118.
1. The Earth Federation shall maintain exterior relations with those nations of Earth which, after this Constitution takes force, continue to remain autonomous and outside of the authority of the Earth Federation. Exterior relations shall be under the administration of the Cabinet, subject at all times to specific instructions and approval by the World Parliament. The Earth Federation shall have no authority to extradite its citizens to jurisdictions outside of the Earth Federation.
2. All treaties and agreements with nations remaining outside the Federation of Earth shall be negotiated by the Prime Minister and must be ratified by a majority vote of the World Parliament. No treaty shall supersede the provisions of this Constitution, or undermine the rights and privileges of citizens of the Earth Federation.
3. The Earth Federation shall have the power to defend itself from external threats as may prove necessary, including maintaining limited armaments for such purpose, to the extent that fundamental rights and human welfare are not undermined.
4. The Earth Federation shall establish and maintain peaceful relations with other planets and celestial bodies if and when it may become possible to establish communications with the possible inhabitants thereof.
5. All explorations into outer space, both within and beyond the solar system in which Planet Earth is located, shall be under the direction of the Earth Federation, and shall be as provided for by the World Parliament.
Chapter XIV - Constitutional Supremacy
Article 119.
This Constitution, and the rights and principles for which it stands, shall be the supreme law over all humanity.
Article 120.
Only this Constitution, the laws made under its power, treaties negotiated under the terms of article 123, and the common law as provided for herein, shall carry the force of law. No national law, or other law enacted before this Constitution takes force, shall hold force of law after this Constitution takes force. The common law shall hold force only to the extent that it is in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution, and with the laws of the Earth Federation.
Chapter XV - Ratification and Implementation
Article 121.
1. This Constitution shall take force one year after its ratification as provided for herein. This Constitution shall be ratified upon its approval by two-thirds of the world's population who have attained the age of sixteen years, in writing, referendum, or by other valid means.
2. The ratification of this treaty by national governments and by the United Nations, according to their respective constitutional processes, and their compliance in allowing referenda, is encouraged, but shall not be necessary to secure the ratification of this Constitution under the terms provided for herein. As incentive to encourage the nation-states to ratify this Constitution, those nation-states which do so shall enter into negotiations with the government of the Earth Federation regarding their reorganization into local governments, which shall be done in such manner as is agreed to by the two parties if at all possible and proper.
Article 122.
Immediately upon ratification of this Constitution, the people shall elect in such manner as may be possible ten members of an Implementing Commission, who shall ensure over the year before which this Constitution shall take force that it may be implemented and carry force of law according to its terms.
Article 123.
1. After this Constitution takes force, the Earth Federation judiciary shall, in such manner as shall be provided for by the World Parliament, conduct an expedited review of the cases of all persons currently serving sentence for crimes under national law, and shall provide for trials and sentences for them in accordance with Earth Federation law, provided that no such sentence shall exceed the original sentence in severity.
2. After this Constitution takes force, the Earth Federation shall negotiate with existing national governments so as to provide for their replacement with local governments. The Earth Federation shall respond in such manner as may be necessary and appropriate to those national governments which reject participation in the Earth Federation, or which threaten the Earth Federation or its citizens at the
Article 124.
Seven years after this Constitution takes effect, it shall be submitted again to the people in a referendum on final ratification. This Constitution shall then be ratified for perpetuity upon receiving approval by two-thirds of the world's population eligible to vote under the terms of this Constitution. If this Constitution is not permanently ratified as provided for under this article, a Constitutional Convention shall be called by the World Parliament, which shall propose amendments to this Constitution.
Article 125.
Done in the World Constitutional Convention, this Constitution represents the most solemn and diligent attempt of those present to establish a system of social organization which will eliminate war, promote human equality and understanding, and guarantee the fundamental human rights. Therefore let this Constitution be submitted before the people that they may decide upon its ratification. If ratified, may this Constitution represent a great and momentous stride forward in the advancement of human rights worldwide.