Robinsonian Co-operative Corporation (RCC)

might be referred to elsewhere as Robinson Cooperate Corporation; also see RCC-Kilosa, RCC-Oceanbase, and COMPOST

This document is a draft of the definition of a Robisonian Co-operative Corporation (RCC). Its origins were seeded by the works of Kim Stanley Robinson: "Red Mars", "Green Mars", and "Blue Mars". This page is the end product of discussions from 2002/2003 on the Mars Society Civilization and Culture list, the CopCor Yahoo group, and the conference which took place between Ueli Scheuermeier and Cory Horner in November 2003.

Version 1, 2003-11-24.

1.0 Definition - What defines an RCC?

• a. An RCC defines itself with a gainful activity that has the objective to produce value for its members through internal exchange of services or products, and sale to the outside. The objective is detailed, including all goals and purposes.
• b. An RCC involves itself in one or more of the following: development, production, distribution, construction, education, organization.
• c. RCC's distribute wealth based on labour and membership.
• d. An RCC decides on a set of doctrines, which are principles/beliefs which an RCC will take into consideration in all operations. All groups that interact with the RCC will need to abide by its Doctrines in order to be partners with that RCC.
• e. Each RCC is a unique and dynamic entity which defines its own rules of operation. Restrictions and membership levels are decided on a case-by-case basis.

1.1 Doctrines

• a. Copyleft - knowledge belongs to humanity.
• b. Litigation avoidance - frequent interaction with the courts is wasteful.

1.2 Policies

• a. Doctrines are not enforceable. The sanctions against non-compliance would simply be avoidance of commercial interaction. Both groups and individuals may black-listed for a violation.
• b. RCCs are self-governed. Members may choose a leader to run operations.
• c. Activities are transparent. Everyone has access to information regarding each transaction or trade.

2.0 Membership in an RCC

Membership is stacked:

a) Individuals are members of one or several primary RCCs. Primary RCCs only have individuals as members. For psychological and societal reasons primary RCCs may split once they reach 120 members.

b) Primary RCCs can combine together to form secondary RCCs. Secondary RCCs do not have any individuals as members. An RCC should never have a mixed membership of RCC and individuals. It's either individual in primary or RCC in secondary. Again, a primary RCC can be in one or several secondary RCCs - or in none at all.

c) Secondary RCCs can also combine into meta-RCCs that take care of providing services to all.

Members are always active in the business of the RCC. There is no absentee membership. Either you take part in the activities for achieving the goals of the RCC, or you're not a voting member.

RCCs can be entirely virtual, without physical presence. Space will be awash in tele-social operations, since physical presence will often be a bugger to achieve.

Secondary RCCs might also evolve out of various service-RCCs (sRCC) into a type of government: A large enough community decides that they all need the skills of these servicing RCCs and thereby decide to buy those services on behalf of the community ("res publica" the things that everybody has a stake in = "republic"). The community would then incorporate the gRCC as a meta-RCC of the sRCCs. This would lead to a subsidiaric brand of government as opposed to an authoritarian-representative brand.

2.1 Joining the RCC

Acceptance of the objectives, definition and doctrines of the RCC is a requirement.

Once some of the existing members of the RCC have traded some of their skills with what you have to offer, you're in. Possible grace period before a new member is fully accepted.

2.2 Quitting the RCC

Two options are available:

• a) Keep your hours, and receive a decreasing percentage of RCC profits over time.
• b) Trade/sell your hours with an individual or RCC in exchange for ownership or money.

3.0 Member Benefits

Profits are used however the membership of the RCC decides.

If profits are to be split among members, it is done based on the distribution of validated hours.

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Stuff to classify/incorporate at a later time

Validating hours

• hours are traded on a 1:1 basis
• all participating membership (those with recently traded hours) may veto any hour validation
• individuals who trade hours should review each others work to insure that it has value
• unvalidated hours have no value

Invested capital

• groups and individuals can invest currency or other resources in an RCC in exchange for a fixed number of validated hours
• investors do not remain active in the RCC for very long because they do not exchange hours on a regular basis
• the % of ownership an investor has will steadily decrease as members of the RCC continue to work. This results in receiving a decreasing % of the profits

Transferring ownership

• validated hours can be traded like shares in a company
• obtaining validated hours does not entitle the obtainee to control of the RCC -- only members who actively trade (generate) hours have an influence.

Related Pages:
Kim Stanley Robinson, Red Mars