Designing a Constitution for a More Sustainable City of the Future

Future City: Ground Level

Objective: Plan and create a constitution that will be the fundamental plan for the governing bodies and the citizens in order to live and thrive within a more sustainable city.

Although your city is located within control one of the governments of earth, it has been decided by your leading government that this future city will operate similar to the ancient city-states (meaning that you will create your own constitution, system of laws, and determine the responsibilities of the city to citizens and the citizens responsibilities to their city). Your first step is to draft a constitution. This will require background research and a step-step process in order to create a complete working constitution.

Procedure:

Your research will require looking at other constitutions, including the United States Constitution, to see what was addressed by the framers in order to assure the success of their government. Don’t panic! The steps will be written out and there will be separate due dates for each step in the process of creating your constitution.

Example constitutions include: The United States, China, and Russia. There are more if you look hard.

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FORMAT: Your Future city Constitution will be written in the format of a constitution. Each section is clearly labeled.

Example:

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QUESTIONS TO ASSESS IF AN ACTION / STRUCTURE / POLICY IS SUSTAINABLE:

1. Society:

• How are people’s lives affected?
• How are cultures affected?
• Do some people benefit at the expense of others?

2. Environment:

• How are plants and animals affected?
• How are air, water, and soil affected?
• What is the long-term impact on the environment?

3. Economy:

• How are local, national, and international economies affected?
• Are meaningful job opportunities provided?
• Is there a long-term economic gain for people and communities?

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It is time to get started!

Preamble

(Due Feb. 7)

The preamble should explain the ideals that your society is based on and tell what kind of government you have chosen.

What is the guiding philosophy of your form of government?

A) What is the responsibility of the government?

B) What are the responsibilities of the people? (Not their rights, those will be discussed later.)

Governing Body

Article 1: Organization of Government

(Due Feb. 14)

A) Classifying your government: Federal or Unitary (Look up the difference before you choose.)

B) How many branches of government will you have and what are their roles?

• Must have a minimum of two branches.

Article 2: Authority/Power

(Due Feb. 14)

A) What is the scope of authority for the government?

• What areas of laws can be passed and enforced by your national government?
• What areas of laws can be passed and enforced by your city state’s government?

B) What are the powers for each branch of government?

• Who makes the laws? Who approves the laws? Who interprets the laws?
• How does a bill become a law?
• Can any branch be dissolved by another? How?
• Who controls the money supply?
• How do they enforce their powers?

Article 3: Positions in Government

(Due. Feb. 21)

A) What are the different positions in each branch of government?

• What are their responsibilities?
• How does each position get elected, appointed, or inherited?
• Is there any way to remove or recall people from office?
• What happens if officials are unable to perform their duties? (What are the circumstances? Who makes the decision?)

Article 4: Qualifications and terms of Public Office

(Due Feb. 28)

A) Who can serve in public office?

• Age, education, years a citizen, natural born citizen?
• Length of service – years and terms in public office as per each job in government.
• Do you set a maximum number of years or terms for the different offices?
• Do any officials get paid for the job?

Justice System

Article 5: Structure and Oganization of Courts.

(Due Feb. 28)

A) Will you have a court system or some other idea of your making?

• Who will have jurisdiction over what types of cases?
• Will civil and criminal cases be handled differently?
• How do judges get and keep their job as a judge?

B) Who will be the people who operate in the court??

• Lawyers, Judges, Jury, Tribunal?

C) Who has the burden of proof in court?

• Innocent until proven guilty? Guilty until proven innocent? Perhaps something else?

Rights and Freedoms

Article 6: Rights and Freedoms of Citizens

(Due March 6)

A) What, if any, rights and freedoms are guaranteed to the citizens of your city-state?

• (Voting, taxes, speech, justice, religion, slavery, firearms, etc?)
• How is citizenship determined in your city? Can citizenship be revoked? Will there be citizens with different rights?
• What is the criteria for the right to vote? What is the age for voting? Is there a literacy test or some other qualification for voting? Is voting mandatory or voluntary?
• What property rights do people have? Can people own homes, businesses, land, etc.?

Article 7: Defending Rights

(Due March 6)

A) How do you defend the freedoms and rights of the citizens of your city-state, your nation?

Tax System

Article 8: Tax Systems or Government Funding

(Due March 6)

A) What type of tax systems will you have?

• You need a tax system to support your city's economy, social programs, military, etc.
• Which type of taxes will you collect: sales tax, income tax, property tax, school tax, health care tax, support old people tax, food tax, gas tax, sin tax, death tax?

B) Who pays which tax and how much will it be?

C) Who collects the tax?

Police/Military

Article 9: Police/Military Force

(Due March 12)

A) Will you have a standing military (will it be a professional or volunteer militia or both) or will it be a police force?

B) Mandatory military service or voluntary or only at certain times.

• If mandatory, for how many years and from what age?
• Will you have the draft in case of statewide emergency?
• Who has overall command of the military? (The people, government, and/or the military leaders)

C) How will your government declare war?

Article 10: Money

(Due March 12)

A) What type of monetary system will you use? (Paper, precious metals, barter, credit cards, credits?)

• Do you have any local currencies or national form of currency ?
• Who is in charge of it?

Article 11: Amendments

(Due March 12)

A) Can this constitution ever be changed by later generations?

• If so how?