The Autonomist Constitution of Earth

We the People of the United States, conscious that none of us chose to exist, and recognizing that every person’s time and life are finite and sacred, establish this Constitution to secure the autonomy and accountability of all, to defend life, liberty, and honest work, to ensure justice rooted in protection — not control, and to leave to posterity a freer, wiser, and more responsible nation.

Article I — On Individual Autonomy

1. Equal sovereignty of persons. Every person shall be recognized as a sovereign being within the limits of others’ equal sovereignty.
2. Freedom bounded by non-violation. The right to live, speak, work, and believe freely shall not be infringed except where it demonstrably violates another’s life, liberty, or property.
3. Secular grounding of law. The government shall make no law based on religious doctrine or ideology; only on the protection of autonomy and prevention of harm.
4. Privacy as an extension of autonomy. Privacy shall be regarded as the practical extension of autonomy. Surveillance, data collection, or intrusion without direct cause shall be forbidden.

Article II — On Accountability and Justice

1. Purpose of the justice system. The justice system exists solely to protect the autonomy of law-abiding citizens and to hold violators accountable.
2. Clarity and equality of law. Laws shall be concise, knowable, and enforceable with equal consequence for all, regardless of wealth or office.
3. Nature of punishment. Punishment must be swift, proportional, and restorative when possible — decisive when necessary.
4. Repeat violent offenses. Repeat violent offenses against autonomy shall result in forfeiture of certain rights until restitution is complete.
5. Primacy of victims’ rights. Victims’ rights are primary; compassion for offenders must not come at the expense of protection for the innocent.

Article III — On Life and Protection

1. Life as the vessel of autonomy. Life shall be protected as the vessel of autonomy. Every living human being embodies the only known form of self-directed consciousness; its preservation is therefore the first moral duty of a just society.
2. Dual claims in pregnancy. Pregnancy unites two autonomous claims — the mother’s and the developing child’s. Each possesses moral weight; neither may be treated as disposable nor absolute over the other. A mother’s bodily autonomy and safety must be preserved, and the unborn child’s potential autonomy must be honored. The state’s role is not to compel one over the other but to safeguard informed, voluntary, and conscientious decision-making.
3. Abortion as grave and last resort. Abortion shall be regarded as a grave and solemn act, never a convenience. It may be chosen only as a last resort after serious reflection, medical consultation, and a clear understanding of both the moral and physical consequences. Whenever possible, society should provide the support, education, and resources that make welcoming life the most attainable and desirable path.
4. Freedom from coercion. No person shall be coerced — by government, partner, family, institution, or circumstance — into terminating or continuing a pregnancy. True autonomy requires that such decisions be made freely, without manipulation, fear, or deprivation of care.
5. Defense of the vulnerable. The elderly, disabled, and powerless shall be defended from neglect and exploitation. Their autonomy is equal in dignity to all others and must never be diminished for convenience or profit.
6. Due process for life and liberty. No human shall be deprived of life or liberty without due process and clear evidence of deliberate harm. Justice must remain consistent: compassion for the vulnerable, restraint toward power, and accountability for those who intentionally destroy another’s autonomy.

Article IV — On Children and Development

1. Children as future autonomous persons. Children, being not yet capable of full informed autonomy, are entitled to the protection of family and society.
2. Stewardship, not ownership. Parents hold stewardship — not ownership — of their children.
3. Limits on irreversible decisions. No irreversible medical or psychological intervention shall be permitted until the individual is capable of full, reasoned consent, save for clear medical necessity.
4. Purpose of education. Education shall be devoted to developing moral and intellectual autonomy, not ideological conformity.

Article V — On Truth and Expression

1. Absolute freedom of inquiry. The freedom of speech and inquiry shall remain absolute in peace and in crisis.
2. No censorship of ideas. The government shall make no law abridging discussion, opinion, or art, no matter how unpopular or offensive.
3. Liability only for direct harm. Speech may only be punished where it directly and demonstrably incites or facilitates tangible harm — such as fraud, defamation, coercion, or violence.

Article VI — On Government’s Role

1. Legitimate purpose. The government’s sole legitimate purpose is to protect autonomy, enforce accountability, and administer public goods essential to those ends.
2. Taxation. Taxation shall be transparent, minimal, and directed exclusively to defense, justice, infrastructure, and welfare programs that restore autonomy — not dependency.
3. Flow of power. Power shall always flow upward from individuals, never downward from rulers.

Article VII — On Unity and Humanity

1. Shared human condition. The United States affirms that all people — regardless of origin, belief, or station — share the same brief and irreplaceable gift of consciousness.
2. Compassion and discipline. National policy shall reflect both compassion and discipline: mercy for the willing, justice for the wicked.
3. Stewardship of the future. Citizens of this nation are stewards, not masters, of the world they inherit.