The Free World Charter

Human beings, animals and plants are all inseparable parts of nature. We are IN nature - not outside or above it. All our species are connected to each other and the planet, and rely indirectly on each other for survival.

Humanity's physical impact on the World is now so great that we must exercise wisdom and responsibility. We must now consider the needs of all species and the environment, as well as ourselves, in all decisions.

Life is an amazing phenomenon, and, so far, our planet is the only place we have found it. This makes it a most rare and beautiful thing that should be cherished and respected.

However, life is also food, and all our world's species form a complex food-chain. In order to maintain this food-chain - and thus our biodiversity and survival - we must observe the combined common good of all species when interacting with any one.

Every living person and creature on this planet has an automatic entitlement to share in all the Earth's natural resources, and to use them to live a healthy and fulfilling life without obligation or subordination to any other person or creature.

Humanity, due to population size and complex lifestyle, has a particular duty not to overtax these natural resources, or use more than is reasonably necessary to maintain a happy and wholesome life within the combined common good.

Social, ideological and border divisions between people are man-made barriers which have no physical or natural basis. Such artificial divisions can only be counter-productive to the common welfare and survival of society as a whole.

Our common similarities are, however, both physical and natural. Generally speaking, we all want and need the same things. With universal cooperation and equal access, we can all apply our skills more effectively to achieve these common aims.

Any child that receives a useful and relevant education into the workings of nature, the world and community living, will ultimately provide the best service to that world and that community. Traditional career-driven education is now a measurably destructive force.

Ultimately, education will replace regulation, which is really only a crude system of maintaining order. For example, a child that fully understands why a certain action is not possible is infinitely better equipped for life than a child who only knows the fear of punishment for that action.

Every person should be guaranteed the highest technically possible standard of living without the use of money, trade or debt. There is no longer any logical reason not to do this. Virtually all of human suffering is caused by our outdated system of exchange.

All forms of debt and subordination are not only a hindrance to progress, but are now completely unnecessary. This is due to our command of technology and the ease with which we can produce and manufacture goods for ourselves.

Find out more about an Open Access Economy

Our resources are limited either by absolute quantity or by the time it takes to manage and replace them. In either case, we must use our resources wisely to preserve both their supply and the environment.

In addition, we must minimise our accumulation of rarely used goods, and the amount of non-reusable waste that we produce. These have direct consequences on our environment. The more we conserve our world, the greater our chances of survival into the future.

In a new society without financial inhibitors and constraints, the greatest challenges facing humanity will be technical ones. ie. How do we provide enough food, water, shelter, energy, materials, and ensure a high standard of sustainable living for everybody?

As opposed to traditional politics and speculation, the scientific method is a proven, robust system of solving these technical problems using just the available facts and basic logic. It also has a common reference across all cultures and languages.

People who, for any reason, are unable to look after themselves or contribute back into society, should be afforded every possible amenity, compassion and care from the rest of the community without obligation.

Also, as future contributors to the community, it is vital that we impart as much useful knowledge as we can to our children, in a way that stimulates their creativity, growth and intellect towards future progress.

We must remember that we share our planet not just with other people, animals and plants, but also with the seeds of future people, animals and plants, who will walk and grow here some day.

These beings, who have no voice or influence today, are equally as entitled to life as we are. It is in the interest of all our species to leave the world to our future generations just as we found it, if not better.