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Common Good Bank CONSTITUTION					REASONS

A.	Purpose and Design
	1.	The Corporation shall be designed so as to
		a.	Promote the Common Good, through government of the people by the people (Democracy);		The most effective system known.
		b.	Organize human and material resources efficiently; and		Low waste results in more benefits for everyone and a healthier planet.
		c.	Maintain a sound financial footing, by accumulating, loaning and investing the savings of its Members, competing effectively with other banks and economies.		Necessary for survival and growth.
	2.	The Common Good shall consist of
		a.	The well-being of each individual person, including adequate food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education, fulfilling work, local community and self-determination;		We choose to care about each person.
		b.	A spirit of cooperation and community between all people, with equitable sharing of the world's resources; and		Peace and justice promote well-being better than adversity and inequity do.
		c.	A healthy planet, including clean air, clean water, clean earth and a healthy and diverse population of animals and plants.		A healthy planet is required for individual health. We also choose to treasure the earth's natural beauty and to care about the well-being of the animals and plants. (see The Earth Charter)
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B.	Branches
	1.	The Corporation or any of its Branches may establish one or more directly subsidiary Branches, each of which shall govern itself largely autonomously, subject to the limitations of applicable law, including the Corporation’s Articles of Organization, this Constitution and the Policies of any Branch to which the so-established Branch is subsidiary.			Delegation of administration for greater democracy and efficiency.
	2.	Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each Branch to the Policies, Decisions and Records of every other Branch, except that a Branch may overrule a Decision made by any of its subsidiary Branches and the Corporation’s holding company, the Society to Benefit Everyone, may overrule a Decision made by any Branch.			Promotes a spirit of cooperation and community and avoids duplication of effort.
	3.	Every Branch shall cover a contiguous geographical area, hereinafter referred to as its "territory".			Geographical proximity enables greater efficiency and helps promote a spirit of cooperation and community.
	4.	For the purposes of this Constitution, the Corporation as a whole is the highest Branch, covering all territory.			Makes universal cooperation possible.
	5.	Two Branches shall share territory only if one Branch is subsidiary to the other and its territory is completely contained in the other’s.			Avoids confusion and duplication of effort.
	6.	Reorganization
		a.	Article B2 notwithstanding, a Branch may establish or annex a subsidiary Branch covering a contiguous geographical area adjacent to its own, subject to formal consent and support from the inhabitants of that area. Any existing Branch so annexed is then directly subsidiary to the annexing Branch and no other.		Democracy. Allows a community to escape unproductive discord or oppressive domination.
		b.	Any two or more Branches with neighboring territory, which Branches are directly subsidiary to a same Branch, may unite to form a single subsidiary Branch.		Facilitates regional cooperation.
		c.	A Branch may freely change which part of its territory is covered by which subsidiary Branch and may rescind the autonomy of any of its subsidiary Branches.		Along with B6a, permits unlimited reorganization, for effective administration.
	7.	Responsibilities. A Branch shall:
		a.	Promote the Common Good of the inhabitants of its territory and the Common Good of all people.		Each Branch serves the Corporation’s purposes.
		b.	Maintain a sound financial footing.		Necessary for survival and growth.
		c.	Prevent significant harm to any person or to the planet.		Protects the well-being of individuals and the health of the planet.
		d.	Assess and collect Fees (Article E), Distribute surplus revenue (Article F), and arrange for Voting (Article D3), Arbitration (Article H) and Wealth Management (Article G), as set forth herein.		Each Branch administers the functions of the Corporation.
	8.	Limitations. A Branch and its employees shall not:
		a.	Engage in any activity detrimental to the Common Good, including the promotion, manufacture, purchase, use, sale or financing of any product deleterious to the health of the planet, the health or well-being of any individual person, or peaceful cooperative relations between all people and all Branches;		The Branch must serve, not hinder, the Corporation’s purposes.
		b.	Deceive or withhold information from the Branch’s Members or subsidiary Branches, except that confidential personal information about any individual may be withheld from all others;		Lies and secrecy hinder a spirit of cooperation and community.
		c.	Budget a deficit or habitually spend into deficit;		Solvency is required for financial stability.
		d.	Inflict or promote suffering or death.		Protects the well-being of individuals and promotes a spirit of community.
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C.	Members
	1.	The Members of the Corporation shall be the human depositors and their dependents.			Democracy is governance by people, not organizations.
	2.	The Members of a Branch shall be the Members of the Corporation residing in that Branch’s territory. No person may be simultaneously a Member of two Branches unless one Branch is directly or indirectly subsidiary to the other.			Avoids confusion and duplication of effort.
	3.	Responsibilities. Every Member of a Branch shall be expected to:
		a.	Serve and defend the Common Good.		In a spirit of cooperation and community, each Member works for the Common Good.
		b.	Protect and defend the rights of all Members.		Defending anyone’s rights protects everyone’s.
		c.	Vote, personally or by Proxy, on all votable Questions in the Branch.		Participation by everyone in decisions is essential to democracy.
	4.	Rights. Every Branch shall extend these rights and liberties to all Members and shall not deprive a Member of any of these rights or liberties without probable cause:
		a.	The right to adequate food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education, fulfilling work, local community, and a healthy environment.		Self-determination, included as part of the definition of the Common Good, must take second seat to the good of the community, so it is an ideal but not a right.
		b.	Freedom of speech.		Supports democracy.
		c.	Freedom of religion.		Supports democracy.
		d.	The right to assemble peacefully.		Supports democracy.
		e.	The right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, communications and effects, against physical harm, verbal or written abuse, and unreasonable searches and seizures. Any probable cause for search or seizure shall be supported by affirmation and shall specify the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.		Supports democracy, protects the well-being of each individual.
		f.	In all criminal prosecutions entailing loss of rights, liberties or home, the right to a speedy and public trial, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation and to be confronted with witnesses.		Protects the rights of each individual.
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D.	Decisions
	1.	Proxies.
		a.	Each Member shall choose one ongoing Proxy and one ongoing Alternate proxy from among the willing Members of their most local Branch. The Member may choose additional, subordinate Alternates and separate Proxies for votes in higher Branches or for specific Questions.		Representative democracy with revocable Proxies provides an efficient alternative to voting directly on every issue, without sacrificing democracy.
		b.	The Member may change these assignments at any time.		Keeps representatives representative.
		c.	If a Member fails to Vote, that Member’s vote goes to the Proxy, then to the Alternate(s), then to the Proxy’s Proxy, Alternate(s), and so forth; then to the Alternate’s Proxy, Alternate(s), and so forth; and so on.		Gives first precedence to the most directly trusted proxies.
		d.	The number of Votes that a Member casts (directly) on behalf of other Members (for whom the voting Member is a proxy, directly or indirectly) shall be a formal measure of how "Trusted" the Member is.		Formalizing this calculation and the assignment of responsibilities reduces the need for costly legislative, judicial and financial infrastructures.
	2.	Directors and Trustees.
		a.	The most Trusted willing Members of the Branch shall serve as Trustees, subject to approval by the other Trustees, and shall be charged with overseeing all affairs of the Branch, in service to the Common Good.		Practical administration of democracy.
		b.	The Trustees shall appoint Directors to manage all affairs of the Branch, in service to the Common Good, subject to the requirements of this Constitution, the Corporation's Policies and the Branch's Policies. A Director for a Branch may not be a Trustee for that Branch, but may be a Trustee for any other Branch.		Practical administration of democracy; aligns expertise and power with responsibility.
		c.	The Trustees shall reserve for themselves the right to veto any decision or action of the Directors that the Trustees determine is harmful to the Common Good. The Trustees and Directors shall be jointly responsible for avoiding any veto by the Trustees.		Protects the common good.
		d.	No contracts, including loans, shall be entered into on behalf of the Branch, except as authorized, in general or specific, by its Directors or by a Vote of its Members.		No power without responsibility.
		e.	The Directors of the Corporation shall schedule an Annual Meeting at a suitable time and place.		An opportunity for celebration and promotion.
	3.	Voting.
		a.	All voted Decisions in a Branch shall be by consent of 95% of the Members of that Branch, except that if no Option is consented to by 95% of the Members, the Decision shall be any Option that receives the greatest acceptance and		Democracy, promoting a spirit of cooperation and community. A scant majority cannot abuse the minority.
			i.	for any quantifiable Question, if all possible quantities were offered as Options, the Decision is final;	Provides for large-group democratic budgeting.
			ii.	for any other Question, the Question shall be revisited and revoted within 30 days and the Decision shall stand, pending that revote.	Enforces the consent requirement.
		b.	All voted Decisions in a Branch shall be open to direct participation by:
			i.	all adult Members of that Branch;	Democracy.
			ii.	all adult Members of any Branch, residing within 20 miles of the voting Branch.	Democracy. Close neighbors are affected by decisions.
			iii.	Minors, otherwise eligible under i. or ii., subject to oversight and consent by their Proxy or Alternate.	Democracy. Children are people, too.
		c.	The period for voting on any issue shall last for at least 5 days, during which a Member may change vote.		Supports democracy by allowing time to revoke Proxies, change opinion or participate actively in discussion and voting on an issue that needs attention.
		d.	Voted Policies and changes to this Constitution shall remain general, simple and rare enough that legal experts are unnecessary, so that the Members can know and comprehend the Constitution and Policies in their entirety.		True Democracy is only possible if the people are knowledgeable.
		e.	Every voted Question shall include an Option equivalent to no change.		Supports democracy by preventing a forced choice between bad alternatives.
		f.	Every other Option shall be accompanied by a Reason, explaining how the Option serves the Common Good.		True Democracy is only possible if the people are knowledgeable.
		g.	Any directly subsidiary Branch, corporately, or any 5 Members per hundred may introduce a votable Question and/or Options for a Question, accompanied by Reasons. Any Question and all Options and Reasons so introduced shall be presented unedited for Decision. However, the Directors may add additional Options and Reasons.		Supports democracy.
		h.	Questions requiring a vote include
			i.	changes to Branch Policies, this Constitution, or the Articles of Organization;	Protects democracy.
			ii.	the Branch’s annual budget;	Protects democracy.
			iii.	any question proposed by a Director for a vote.	Protects democracy.
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E.	Fees
	1.	Only financial transactions, and activities that are harmful or costly to the Common Good, shall incur fees.			Lets the profit motive drive productivity, limited only by the Common Good.
	2.	Fees for each harmful or costly activity shall be set so as to cover all the related costs to the Branch and the Common Good, including prorated overhead.			Uses the profit motive to serve the Common Good.
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F.	Disbursements
Each Branch shall maintain a Surplus Fund into which all the net earnings of the Branch shall be deposited. The Branch shall distribute this Fund as follows:
	1.	First, to meet losses, contingencies, adjustments and other obligations of the Branch;			Fiscal stability.
	2.	Next, to hold as liquid assets or replenish the Surplus Funds of other Branches, equitably, as needed to maintain in each Branch’s Surplus Fund a balance that is the greater of (a) the level required overall by law and (b) a percentage (set by Corporate Policy, initially 10%) of the total deposits in the Branch;			Helps prevent fiscal crises.
	3.	Next, one-third of the remainder to a fund for establishing new Branches;			Serving more people.
	4.	Next, two thirds of the (new) remainder to an assistance fund to be offered as direct subsidies for food, healthcare, housing and other vital services to inhabitants of the Branch’s territory who cannot afford to pay for these services;			Caring for everyone.
	5.	Last, the remainder to an assistance fund to be offered as direct subsidies for food, healthcare, housing and other vital services to people outside the Branch’s territory who cannot afford to pay for these services.			Caring for everyone.
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G.	Wealth Management
	1.	Any Member with Sufficiently Large assets or gross annual income shall submit to public oversight in applying the excess toward the Common Good.			Promotes a spirit of cooperation and community, with equitable sharing of the world’s resources.
	2.	Amounts greater than 100 times the median gross income among all the Members of any Branch that the Member is in shall be deemed Sufficiently Large.			A high limit encourages productivity, allows voluntary giving and wide choice, and avoids administrative costs unless benefit to the Common Good is high.
	3.	The hourly compensation of an employee of any Branch shall not exceed twice the median hourly income of the employed inhabitants of that Branch’s territory.			Economic fairness promotes a spirit of cooperation and community.
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H.	Dispute Resolution
	1.	In any dispute between two or more Members of a Branch, the case shall be decided by a willing Arbiter, chosen directly or indirectly by each disputant.			The Arbiter may be agreed upon explicitly or chosen systematically by Proxy.
	2.	In any dispute between one or more Members and one or more Branches, or between two or more Branches, the case shall be decided:
		a.	By the seven most Trusted willing Arbiters, if any disputing Branch is the Corporation itself;		The most trusted individuals arbitrate.
		b.	Otherwise, by the three most Trusted disinterested willing Arbiters who are Members of the most local Branch to which all disputing parties are Members or subsidiary.		The most objective and trusted individuals arbitrate.
	3.	Disputes shall be arbitrated promptly.			Quick resolution, reconciliation and atonement supports a spirit of community and cooperation.
	4.	Arbiters shall settle disputes using principles of kindness, fairness and the Common Good, guided by this Constitution and by the presiding Branch’s Policies.			Putting kindness and fairness first promotes the well-being of the individuals involved and lets Arbiters be chosen for their kindness and fairness rather than for a detailed knowledge of Law.
	5.	Arbiters shall assign the costs of arbitration, including overhead, to one or more of the disputants, or to the presiding Branch with its permission.			Practical way to pay the costs of the dispute, without financial risk to the Branch.
	6.	A Member or a Branch may appeal the decision to the next higher Branch, if any.			Protects against anomalous bad decisions.

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