UGBA39E Governance Design Project UC Berkeley Fall 2016

1. Guide to Futuristic
Governance
Martha Fiehn, Kojin Glick, Jess Yao, Heesoo Jang

3. Vexology
divided into four equal portions differentiated by color.
colors represent each of the territories
bright yellow for Southern California
the seafoam green of Northern California
the fields of lush green in Middle California
and the seaside blue of the Bay Area.
Natural arrow pointed towards right, progress
Aesthetic balance between bear and sun both visual and ideological
sun represents the indefinite destination of societal progression
bear represents the land’s legacy, and the obligation to both celebrate and critique the
environmental and human past.

4. Foundational Framework
Political Subject: Human being with self-interest (tabula
rasa, biological need to reproduce and protect progeny)
Territory: California, broken up into four different states:
southern California, central California, the Bay Area,
northern California forestland
Cosmology: social and environmental agency, belief in
science and technology, equal opportunity rewarded
upon meritocratic reciprocation of effort
Metrics for success: GDP per capita, gini coefficient,
HDI, longevity of government, voter turnout/participation

5. Values
● Freedom of Expression
○ Speech, Religion, Press,
Movement
● Human rights
○ As outlined in Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
○ Including valuing art,
preserving culture
● Diversity
● Accessible Information Flow
● Transparency
● National Defense
● Openness to positive change

6. Cosmology
Humans have social and environmental
agency
● Minimizing environmental impact for
sustainability
● Uniting against climate change
Belief in Science and Technology
● Economic engine
● Mechanisms of cultural
progressivism, upward mobility and
governance
Economic Justice
● Equal opportunity, not equal outcome
● Compensation according to
contribution (Meritocracy)
● Minimum poverty level to below no
one should fall

7. Law & Policy
Mixed economy
No private monopolies
Regulation based on futurist ideals (i.e. dealing with planned obsolescence, nefarious
corporate intent, etc.)
Progressive taxes
Environmentally-focused taxes, for example on carbon emissions
Single-payer Healthcare System
Universal access
Public funding through graduated payroll taxes

8. Technology
Open source focus
Net neutrality
Commons
Cybersecurity: replacing the military
Internet laws modeled after EU
Information not treated as
commodities
Accessible to all
Academic journals free to public
Minimal censorship
Promotion of the Republic’s values
without propaganda

9. Image sources
California regions: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/FacIT/images/Regions.gif
Cosmos: http://cosmologyscience.com/cosblog/wp-content/uploads/andromeda.jpg
Law and Policy: http://atlantia.sca.org/images/heraldry/offices/clerk_of_law--1000.png
Technology:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51c71bd4e4b01f34284e6112/t/56359bc0e4b0ef5e7b3fc3cc/1446353
856077/o-BUSINESS-TECHNOLOGY-facebook.jpg