Sociocracy

What Is Sociocracy?
Sociocracy is a system of governance designed to:

• Ensure everyone’s voice is heard
• Enable decisions to be made effectively
• Create distributed power, not concentrated power
• Be scalable, adaptable, and transparent

It is not anti-structure — it’s pro-intelligent structure. It can be described as a circular democracy or consent-based governance.

Core Principles of Sociocracy

1. Consent-Based Decision-Making
Not consensus. Not majority rule. Consent means: “I can live with this, and it’s safe enough to try.”

• Each decision is made when no one has a reasoned and paramount objection
• This avoids blocking over-perfectionism but still protects against unsafe decisions

2. Circle Structure
Instead of a pyramid, sociocracy uses circles—semi-autonomous, role-defined groups. Each circle:

• Has its own domain of responsibility (e.g., food systems, education, infrastructure, social life)
• Makes its own decisions using consent
• Has a leader and a delegate, both chosen by consent, who connect to other circles (double-linking)
• Circles are nested: small circles make local decisions, higher circles connect strategy and resources

3. Roles Chosen by Consent
Roles (like facilitator, secretary, operations lead) are assigned transparently and collaboratively

• Circle members nominate and consent to role-holders
• Roles have clear terms, responsibilities, and review processes
• This builds accountability without hierarchy

4. Feedback Loops
Everything is governed by iterative cycles:

• Plan → Do → Check → Adjust
• Roles, policies, and projects are reviewed regularly
• Learning is built into the system—it’s inherently adaptive

How Sociocracy Would Work in OST
Basic Example: Circle Layout for OST

Circle Name	Domain
Living & Cohousing	Housing, cleanliness, communal rhythm, noise agreements
Food & Farming	Food production, sourcing, kitchen operations
Infrastructure & Tech	Energy, transport, automation systems
Education & Culture	Learning, events, child care, OST philosophy
Outreach & Partnerships	Website, wiki, funders, public communication
Wellbeing & Conflict	Psychological safety, mediation, community health
General Circle (GC)	Strategy, budget, cross-circle coordination

Each circle:

• Meets regularly (weekly or biweekly)
• Has facilitator, secretary, operations lead, and a delegate to the GC
• Makes decisions within its domain without needing central approval
• Sends updates to the General Circle (like a shared brain)

Decision-Making in Action (Example)
Proposal: “Install a shared sauna dome”

• The idea originates in the Living & Cohousing Circle
• The circle discusses and adapts the idea, ensuring no paramount objections
• They might consult Infrastructure and Wellbeing for feasibility and alignment
• Once consent is reached, the circle proceeds — or brings it to the General Circle if larger budget is required

Benefits for OST

Need	Sociocracy’s Answer
Shared responsibility	Decentralized circles with clear domains
Psychological safety	Objection-based consent protects needs
Resilience	Built-in feedback and course correction
Non-charismatic leadership	Roles are structured, not personality-based
Adaptability to scale	More circles can be added as OST grows

Tone and Culture

• Everyone is trained in facilitation, listening, objection-raising
• Meetings are focused, respectful, and time-limited
• Power is circulated, not hoarded
• Participation is invited, not demanded—you can engage at your level

Sociocracy ≠ Bureaucracy
It is not:

• Endless talking
• Rule by consensus
• Flat to the point of chaos

It is:

• Structured participation
• Clear mandates + local decision power
• A way to build trustable and livable governance