As Chile Drafts New Constitution, 'Citizen Proposals' Urge Free Software and User Freedom (fsf.org) 32
The nation of Chile "is in the midst of governmental changes," writes the Free Software Foundation, "and with these changes comes the opportunity for the people of Chile to make their voices heard for long-term benefits to their digital rights and freedoms.
"Chilean activists have submitted three constitutional proposals relating to free software and user freedom, but they need signatures in order to have these proposals submitted to the constitutional debate."
FSF community member Felix Freeman writes: Chile is living a historic moment. For the first time, it is drafting a constitution with constituents elected democratically, on a participatory basis, and with the participation of native peoples. 154 people are in charge of drafting the new fundamental charter of the country, and they have arranged a mechanism of popular participation based on the collection of support: 15,000 signatures are required to submit citizen proposals to the constitutional debate directly.
The opportunity to achieve substantive and long-term change for digital rights and freedom of software and other intellectual works is unique in Chile's history, and may not be repeated in our lifetime. This is why four communities historically related to the use and dissemination of free software in Chile got together to draft three of these proposals, which are:
- Access to knowledge
- Technological and digital sovereignty
- Internet privacy
These constitutional proposals explain principles of the nation, the rights of citizens, and the duties of the state concerning them. The inclusion of the constitutional articles will allow and promote the creation of laws that defend our freedoms and rights effectively. They are not the end of the road for intellectual freedoms and digital rights, but only the beginning....
People of any nationality can support us by spreading the word all over the Internet.
[A Spanish-language version is available HERE.]
"Chilean activists have submitted three constitutional proposals relating to free software and user freedom, but they need signatures in order to have these proposals submitted to the constitutional debate."
FSF community member Felix Freeman writes: Chile is living a historic moment. For the first time, it is drafting a constitution with constituents elected democratically, on a participatory basis, and with the participation of native peoples. 154 people are in charge of drafting the new fundamental charter of the country, and they have arranged a mechanism of popular participation based on the collection of support: 15,000 signatures are required to submit citizen proposals to the constitutional debate directly.
The opportunity to achieve substantive and long-term change for digital rights and freedom of software and other intellectual works is unique in Chile's history, and may not be repeated in our lifetime. This is why four communities historically related to the use and dissemination of free software in Chile got together to draft three of these proposals, which are:
- Access to knowledge
- Technological and digital sovereignty
- Internet privacy
These constitutional proposals explain principles of the nation, the rights of citizens, and the duties of the state concerning them. The inclusion of the constitutional articles will allow and promote the creation of laws that defend our freedoms and rights effectively. They are not the end of the road for intellectual freedoms and digital rights, but only the beginning....
People of any nationality can support us by spreading the word all over the Internet.
[A Spanish-language version is available HERE.]
Re: "The Beating of a Liberal" (Score:2, Insightful)
With strings attached (Score:1)
Re:With strings attached (Score:5, Insightful)
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But it typically ends exactly that way.
The thing is, in order to implement full socialism, you essentially have to almost kill free entrepreneurship and nationalize all industries. You do that and a lot of supporters soon realize that this isn't what they dreamt of. Highly skilled people start fleeing the country, so that they can get a better life elsewhere. That becomes another big problem for the economy.
How do you then keep the flock under control? See above.
BTW communism, as a society where money isn't
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Freedom of expression within government-approved guidelines.
So like the United States if Tucker Carlson had his way?
Intellectual freedom consistent with scientific consensus.
Huh? Show us where someone can't have intellectual freedom in the U.S.
Internet privacy with robust government surveillance.
Like Republicans want to have?
Welcome to socialism.
Like the United States [tumblr.com]?
Garbage Utopianism again (Score:2, Insightful)
You can’t codify privacy-as-a-right at the same time as information-wants-to-be-free.
Privacy, as a whole, is the worst thing ever to come out of hard left ideology. I want to know who my neighbor votes for, since it affects my life for decades after the election. I want to know what others are earning in my industry. Forcing privacy-as-a-right means obfuscation at the plebeian level while the lords still know everything (see: “free” social media).
Chile has a problem with what most plebe
Re:Garbage Utopianism again (Score:5, Insightful)
I want to know who my neighbor votes for, since it affects my life for decades after the election.
That's an excellent idea, and I'm sure it will be fully embraced by your neighbor's boss and the local mafia branch; either of them can drop hints that his job/his kneecaps may be at risk if he doesn't vote a certain way. Even better: if your idea is implemented, people will be able to auction their votes and vote for the highest bidder, thus ensuring the most meritorious (that is, the richest) candidate always wins!
I must say, you really hit on a great way to improve our democracy right there!
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I want to know who my neighbor votes for, since it affects my life for decades after the election.
This could be the poster for, "those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them."
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Luckily, they're not talking about "information wants to be free," that's just a straw man you got an erection for.
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As a former EU citizen where privacy has been a human right for most of my life, and where GDPR affords me considerable control over my data, I can tell you that privacy is really great.
As an example, I want my vote to be a secret from people like you.
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Most privacy fanatics are obsessed with the idea that if google can find out that you are looking for a new pair of shoes, and target shoe ads for you. Or find out which electorate you are in so they can sell negative ads for those candidates, and the not the candidates in the next electorate over, this is a serious an invasion of privacy and does you harm. When it does you, Google and the merchants good.
There are something that should be kept private and not posting it on Social Media, using TOR and encr
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First world problem. (Score:3)
Progressive taxation meant the schools, healthcare, was all funded. It meant that land owners had to reach a compromise between profit and generating income to pay taxes so they would not lose the land. Private funded pensions meant that not every middle class house had servants, and that it was too expensive to employ kids, who were now free to go to school.
Developing countries do not have the issues the developed countries have. They need internet on the phones, but they need it subsidized so they can have access to the knowledge we all have. The people living in higher strata areas have to pay more so the others can have phones for a quarter a day. Privacy,e hilé a fundamental right, might be less important than a free education so your kid can be an engineer. I know one family who in one generation, due to the internet, went from basic farming to leading investments in farm products.
This is a classic example of the privileged trying force itâ(TM)s priorities onto others. One big thing the constitution will do is protect the indigenous people from being exploited by the mining companies. This means that the big cars and cheap TVs the privileged depend are going to be more expensive. No wonder the EFF is desperate to distract with calls for internet freedom.
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When the US installed Pinochet in the 1970s, it prevented the growing power of the peasant class that effected change in much of the rest of South America.
And in consequence, today Chile is a stable and prosperous nation. Let's see how long that lasts in the hands of the peasants.
Laws work like programs (Score:2)
In chile, as well as most countries with Spanish/Roman law heritage, the costitution is like your "void main" program loop, and then you have other types of laws, like Organic Laws, Laws, Codes (the Civil code, the Penal Code) etc,
The constitution is the hardest law to change.
One of the big mistakes when an "Asamblea Constituyente" is done (in my country it was in 1999), is to put everything including the Kitchehn Sink, inside the cosntitution, instead of KISSihg the constitution, and putting all the other
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Free software stuff does not belong inside the constitution, it belongs at most in an organic law.
If you don't put issues of copyright and fair use and ownership of knowledge into the Constitution, then it can be changed at any time, and anything you try to do that empowers access will be constantly undercut by lobbyists funding the development of new laws.
Nothing but a distraction (Score:2)
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I would like to re-post my lst post. (Score:3)
The recipe of Latin America Socialism of the 21 century consists on the following.
- A 21st century socialist president gets into power by offering that a new constitution will magically fix the country.
- A referendum is sent for the people to vote for the "constitutionalists" that will create the new constitution. Since the 21st century socialist president still has a lot of popularity, the majority of the votes goes to the new president’s party.
- A constitution is created giving more power to the president with the ability to rule over the legislative power if it is required, but people are distracted with the nice animal rights, climate change and other nice and treading things on it.
- On the meanwhile the president acts like he is still on a presidential campaign for an extra two years offering things (using the country’s money). He says things like the new constitution is the tool to finally fix the country.
- During those two years to get the new constitution, the president and his party, annihilates the political competition. (with the country's resource).
- The new constitution gets voted and approved by the people. It resets all the executive, legislative and judicial powers, and new elections need to be set. Since the president was in a continuous electoral campaign while he was elected (with the money resources of the country), the president’s party easily wins all the election and gets all the majority of seats in the congress. The president is easily elected again (that it does not count like a reelection, it was a constitutional reset) and a single party gets all the power in the country.
- After that, the party continues until all the country money is dry. That is the moment to start blaming the International Monetary Found and the US, and start asking for money to China and Russia.
- Later the constitution is change, like orthographic errors, to allow eternal president reelection.
That was the recipe for Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and I hope they do not apply that in Chile.
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