The Political Principles of Peer-to-Peer Advocacy

This page is for very short succinct "platform"-like sound-bytes of axioms for p2p advocacy. Longer explanations can and should be taken up on individual pages for each item listed here.

Much more detail can be found here http://p2pfoundation.net/Category:Policy

Politics

Transparency/awareness over secrecy

A commitment to transparency accepts that p2p oversight is here to stay.

We are all participants in transparency and awareness in p2p mediums.

"Parties", not "Party"

From singular entities to plurality. Remember, you are a party of one.

The most important political entity in Peer-to-Peer Advocacy is you, the person. Your value is exponentially greater than any party or organization of any type, in Peer-to-peer systems. To that end, looking for ways to participate directly with other people per problem or issue, is more effective more of the time than first requiring affiliation with party or group.

No advocate of peer-to-peer politics wants all communications or activity routed through them. Bottlenecks are weaknesses.

Right to Communicate

People have a right to talk to other people. Hannah Arendt famously pointed out in her book "The Origins of Totalinarianism" that despotism begins with preventing lateral communication.

Right to Share

People have a right, and arguably, a responsibility to share things with others.

Voluntary co-governance when needed.

Voluntary co-governance works better outside of the "halls of government". You are better off representing yourself, and working with your peers on problems that affect you, than deferring them all to one or two people who represent you and all of your peers.

Economics

The General Welfare

Economics is not about making money or economic growth. It's about providing for human needs in a sustainable way. Peer-to-peer creation and distribution is the best way to achieve maximum needs satisfaction with a minimum of effort and a minimum environmental impact, because flexible complex systems are the best way to get what is needed to where it is needed.

Resource sharing and commons co-governance over resource hoarding and self-interest

Sharing re-usable tools not only cuts costs in our increasingly unstable global economy, but it's also just plain fair.

Transparency/awareness over secrecy

A commitment to transparency accepts that p2p oversight is here to stay.

Copyright/Copyleft

Copyright issues are an attempt to balance social needs with individual needs. The increased need for copyleft is part of the p2p vision.

Society

Communication Infrastructure

The new world requires global always-on communication infrastructure that is co-owned and co-operated by everyone and protected from those who would enclose it for narrow self-interest.

Reality of the new human environment

You can no longer ask that question "what makes you think I want to work with you?". The reality of the environment is that you are now somehow connected with everyone, and it is not a question of "if", but rather "how and when" you will find your activities connected with others.