Provisional Constitution of the Network State of Expatria

Though we cannot choose the family we are born into, we have the power to choose our friends. We do not choose to be born into poverty, into wealth, or any number of circumstances outside of our control. We are all victims of a cruel game of chance, blessed or cursed regardless of our character or talent. Though we may love the country we are born in, we did not choose it, nor it's culture, nor its history. We could not decide the starting line of our life, but we have the power to choose how we live it. The Network State of Expatria offers you choice; the choice of where to live, the choice of what to work on, the choice of who to associate with. In a world of specialization, centralization & conformity, we stand for a global nation of people who refuse to be defined by the circumstances of their birth or the whims of society.

Article I. On the Legal Status of the Network State of Expatria within the Physical World

Henceforth referred to as 'the State' or 'Expatria', the Network State of Expatria operates as a bi-modal socio-political entity that is an abstraction on top of the nation state, and not a replacement for it. The State's primary mode of operation is as a C-Corporation, incorporated in Delaware as 'Expatria, Inc' and subject to the legal jurisdiction & precendent of the Chancery Court. The State's secondary mode of operation is through a constitutional political organization where 'citizens', as defined in Article II, are able to engage in democratic decision-making regarding the services provided by the State. As an abstraction on top of the nation-state, Expatria is obligated to follow all legislation and regulation promulgated by its host nation, The United States of America, including the restriction of commercial relations in sovereign territories that are under any relevant sanctions regimes. In foreign countries where it operates official enterprises or corporations, henceforth referred to as 'Nodes', that Node is required to comply with relevant legislation and regulations issued by the Node's host country. The State, and its Nodes, are not required to comply with legislation and regulations from States where it does not officially operate, though good-faith efforts to comply with binding resolutions issued by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and verdicts handed down by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in regards to relevant financial & corporate operations, such as Anti Money-Laundering (AML) processes, that are meant to strengthen international law.

Article II. On Citizenship

'Citizenship' in the State is driven by a character-based application process that is initiated by payment for a 'Provisional Citizenship'. Probationary citizenship is a temporary status that confers some, but not all, State benefits, including products and services. The 'Founder' of the State is able to grant citizenship immediately, and conditionally, to anyone they see fit who consents to receive it. The Founder is able to administratively dissolve any citizen's citizenship, immediately, provided they issue a public notice within 48 hours explaining their decision. The Founder of a Node is entitled to similar administrative privileges over citizens of their Node, who are not citizens proper of Expatria. Citizens are subject to taxation by the State, as a condition of their Citizenship, referred to as 'subscription fees' or 'membership fees' within the context of relevant case law. Citizenship may be suspended by the Founder, the Court of Anduril, or the citizen themself, thus temporarily renouncing any privileges or associations that come with citizenship.

Article II, Section I. The Priviliges & Responsibilities of Citizenship

By holding full citizenship, the holder is entitled to the full-range of services provided by the Secretary of State, the Department of Communications & the Treasury Department. Additionally, any purchases they make for products & services generated by the Department of Education & other Ministries are eligible for 'tax credits', a percentage of each (25%) can be used towards their tax obligations for the current year. Holders of Citizenship are able to vote in 'plebiscites', which are directly democratic ballot initiatives subject to supermajority approval. Holders of Citizenship are able to elect 'Senators' to the 'Senate'.

Participation in the Civil Service is compulsory for all citizens, and the types of responsibilities and positions shall be determined by legislation from the Senate or internal policies issued by the relevant administrative organ. However, compulsory service must never be onerous; additionally, beyond the following mandatory responsibilities, additional service cannot be foisted upon a citizen without consent. The minimal service requirements shall be limited to officially joining a Department as a 'Standing Member' through registration with the Expatrian Civil Service & submitting a bi-annual letter that includes written feedback on the processes said citizen believes can be improved, with the first such missive coming within 3 weeks of their naturalization to full citizenship. In addition, citizens are responsible for staying in good-financial standing with the Treasury Department, and must respond to any communication issued through email from an official representative of the Treasury within 21 days.

Article II, Section II. The Priviliges, Responsibilities & Conditions of Probationary Citizenship

Outside of immediate citizenship granted by the Founder, the process for obtaining full citizenship in the Network State of Expatria is meant to filter for talented, hard-working & righteous people who wish to contribute to global society in a meaningful way. As such, the process has a duration of six months, during which the following events are to be scheduled as part of the process. During the probationary period, a provisional citizen will have limited access to the Expatria Instant Messenger (EIM), where they will be able to communicate with citizens and probationary citizens in a limited capacity.

Expectations for online & corporeal conduct for citizens and probationary citizens are the same. They are expected to be men and women of honor, guarding their word & focusing on providing value. Anything resembling trolling, gaslighting & generally 'unserious' behavior is prohibited on internal networks, and is strongly discouraged outside of them. Online notoriety for negative cyber-activity, such as bullying, engaging in overtly chaotic political activity, or being associated with criminal activity such as fraud, the systematic spread of political disinformation or crypto-currency rug-pulling. Even the consistent inability to maintain your personal and professional obligations will be detrimental during the probationary period, but could result in the suspension or administrative dissolution of full citizenship.

Article II, Section II, Subsection I - Submitting an Application

The initial point of contact is to submit an application that discusses who you are, where you come from, what you are passionate about, and to share interesting projects that you have worked on & are most proud of creating or accomplishing. With the application, you will pay the 'Probationary Citizenship' fee, which will give you immediate access to certain services offered by the Department of State & Treasury Department. Any purchases made for products or services from the Department of Education can be applied to your tax obligations, pending the successful conclusion of your citizenship application.

Article II, Section II, Subsection II - Panel Review

Your application, along with relevant online information, will be reviewed by a panel of citizens after which an initial decision will be rendered, either ending the application process or continuing onto a panel interview. No justification, reasoning or feedback is required at any stage of the process.

Article II, Section II, Subsection III - Panel Interview

After the Panel Review, an interview will be scheduled with you and a panel of citizens to discuss your application & understand your motivations for citizenship.

Article II, Section II, Subsection IV - Review, Early Decision or Feedback Loop

After a review by the Panel, your citizenship will either be unanimously approved through an 'Early Decision', or enter into a 'Feedback Loop' where the Panel may express certain actionable conditions they would like to see before your naturalization. For example, they may ask to see proof of further competency in a specific subject matter, in, say, software development, if you are a recent college graduate with no professional experience. Such worries over a candidates qualifications in the talent department are usually assuaged through a thorough application.

Article III. The Senate

The Senate shall consist of appointed or elected representatives to serve as legislators empowered to propose, vote on & promulgate legislation. The Founder shall allot a monthly budget based on revenues generated, which the Senate will have the authority to allocate to a department(s) or special initiative(s) for the purpose of supporting the ongoing development of the State. While in Alpha and Beta constitutional phases of the State, such interaction will be limited. After the Third Constitutional Convention, the Senate shall be empowered to creatively source funds, such as requesting for debt to be taken out to finance its legislation, and other measures to more dynamically allow the State to achieve its goals as set out in legislation.

Senators are elected for one year terms, with default term limits. Senators may be impeached, with the approval of the Founder and a 40% vote of the membership at least one month into their term. Within the Alpha Consitution, Senators may be appointed directly by the Founder.

The laws of the Senate shall be passed by a supermajority vote of 60%, and can be repealed by a subsequent 50% majority vote. There is a one-month cool-down period, where motions for the repeal of legislation cannot be introduced.

Article IV. Direct Democracy

Citizens may circulate a petition amongst other citizens where, if they obtain the signatures of at least 100 citizens in favor, a plebiscite will be organized for direct democratic action on the legislation in general. This legislation is subject to philosphical & practical veto, at least in the first two Consitutional lifecycle stages.

Article V. Directorate of Arbitration

The Network State of Expatria operates within the jurisdiction of the Chancery Court, meaning that its entire body of legal precedent is the foundation for it's relationship to the legal system in the United States. In general, dispute resolution through the legal process is the domain of the nation state, and the laws of the host nation & the land where the citizen physically reside will obviously take precedence. However, Expatrian citizens engaged in a dispute with each other can request a binding arbitration supervised by the Directorate of Arbitration. The decision will be recorded, anonymized and added to public record as a quasi-legal precedent for future disputants to cite within arbitration.

Article VI. The Founder

The Founder is a transient political organ that has three distinct stages in its Constitutional lifecycle, first wielding absolute political power before devolving responsibilities and power to Department heads, before ultimately devolving into a nine member Executive Council, known as the Privy Council, with the Founder referred to as the 'Retired Founder' from thenceforth. The Founder has the ability to propose legislation, and demand a vote on it, to be held within the month; if the vote is not held, the legislation is automatically promulgated. The Founder, and Retired Founder, has the privilige of issuing a philosophical veto to a piece of legislation passed by the Senate, wherein they do not kill the legislation but instead impose a mandatory cool-off period of one week following an open session of the Senate. At this session, a quorum of the Senate must be present and are required to hear the Founder's formal objections, before waiting a week before they can pass another vote to override the philosophical veto.

In the Alpha Consitution, the Founder has the right to make unilateral amendments to the Constitution. The Founder has varying responsibilities and privileges during the Alpha, Beta and Final phases of the Constitutional Lifecycle.

Article VI. Section I - Stage 1

At a time when the State has a population of 1 to 100, or 1000, the Founder wields unilateral political power in their ability to promulgate, approve or veto legislation. The Founder has the power to appoint, and dismiss, any citizen to any Department or Ministerial position. The Founder has final policy-making authority across the entire Civil Service, and can unilaterally modify the Constitution prior to the first Convention. While the state's population is between 100 and 1000, they can call for a constitutional convention, with the convention automatically triggering at the time of 1000 citizens. The first convention must be held within 6 months, and must be held in a physical location where delegates to the convention can meet. Votes to approve amendments, as well as the final document, must be cast in-person, unless direct exemption is granted by the Founder in regards to unavoidable circumstance beyond the power of the delegate.

During the first Convention, the Founder has the privilege of line-item or wholesale veto of the proposed document, sending the document back to the delegates. The structure of the Founder cannot be modified or changed during the First Convention.

Article VI Section II - Stage 2

At the time of all core positions within the Civil Service having been filled & the State counts at least five thousand citizens in its census, the threshold for the second Constitutional Convention has been reached. During the second Convention, the Founder has the privilige of wholesale veto of the proposed document, sending the document back to the delegates. The structure of the Founder cannot be modified or changed during the First Convention, save for the provision that it shall be transformed into a nine-member Executive Council initially staffed by the heads of each Department and Ministry, with the original Founder earning the status of 'Retired Founder' who holds the power of philosophical veto. The second Constitutional convention must be written in person, at a conference, with delegates in person while voting shall be done in a hybrid of in-person and digital process.

Article VI Section III - Stage 3

At such a time when the number of citizens counts ten thousand, the third and final mandated Consitutional Convention will be triggered. During this convention, the Founder has the privilege of philosophical line item and wholesale document veto. During this convention, the Constitution must be amended such that the Founder's power is devolved into a nine-member Founder Council, with each member comprised of each Department or Ministry Head. The Council will require a supermajority of six votes to conduct it's business, and a near-unanimous vote of 8 to remove one of their members. Additionally, the former Founder will be designated as the 'Retired Founder', retaining their rights to propose legislation (though not require a vote) & issue a philosophical veto. The 'Retired Founder' can, until such time as they choose to abdicate permanently and irrevocably from their position, choose to act as a bonus vote for replacing one of the Department Heads, to reach the threshold of 8 members for removal in the case of a single dissent.

Article VII. The Civil Service

The Civil Service shall be comprised of 3 Departments & Six Ministries, the Departments under the shared leadership of the Founder and the Senate, with the Ministries appointed either by the Founder, Senate or through a plebiscite. Department Secretaries must be elected or formerly elected Senators. Each Ministry will have the opportunity to draft its own organizational structure, delegating responsibility as it sees fit, in line with legislation promulgated through plebiscite or through the Senate.

The Three Departments include the Department of State, Treasury Department & Department of Education.

The Six Ministries include Cyber Defense, Communication, Internal Affairs, Infrastructure, Culture, and Economic Development.

Article VIII. Section 1 - Taxation

All citizens are subject to 'membership' or 'subscription' fees, referred to as taxation or taxes. Taxes may be paid quarterly or annually, and tax credits may be provided in exchange for services rendered to the State, or by purchasing copies of products that the Department of Education and other government organs develop. Tax credits are registered at 25% of the purchase price of the product, or service rendered, as documented or agreed upon by the Treasury Department.

Article VIII. Section 2 - Official Use of Currency for Tax Obligations

Being hosted in the United States, the official currency of the Network State of Expatria are United States Dollars. Taxes are to be paid on the Expatrian Treasury portal; in cases of an applicant who does not have reasonable access to a bank account which is able to provide debit or credit payment cards for the payment of taxes, an alternative payment using Bitcoin may be approved under the discretion of the Founder. This allowance is only in force during the Alpha Stage of the Constitutional Process.

Article VIII. Section 3 - The Process of Adopting Additional Forms of Currency for Accepted Payments Between Members of the State, and Between Members and the State

The only way for additional methods of payment for the transfer of goods and services between citizens, or between the State and its citizens, is through constitutional amendment during a Constitutional Convention, or through the introduction of an entirely new Constitution.

Article VIII. Section 3, Subsection 1 - The Process of Calling a Consitutional Convention

Outside of the growth-driven triggers for the Alpha, Beta and Final Constitutional Conventions, a convention may be called in a post-Final Constitution through a special national plebiscite in which 80% of citizens must vote to approve such a motion. Those who do not cast a vote will alternatively be counted as for, and against, the motion.