| Creating the Just Society So what does the just society look like in practice? Good question. The beautiful thing here is that each community can decide what, to them, is truly just. Your first gathering of like-minded Kindred will likely deal with what your Constitution, if you will, will look like. As long as all Kindred have a say in their governance, the form and function should be left to each community. After all, aren't we all tired of being told what to do? Here in Seattle, our Unbound community consists of nearly two dozen Kindred. We gather together every other week to govern ourselves, and then usually have a pretty good party afterward. I�m going to tell you how we�re doing it here, but again, this isn�t a blueprint. It�s a starting point. A Kindred who grew up in Vermont in the 1930s told us about the Town Meeting system, which works very well for us. We take turns being the moderator of the meeting � we decided on alphabetical order, but however you decide is up to you: volunteers, voting, whatever. The moderator then asks what needs to be discussed. We go around the room, each person voicing whatever concerns or ideas they might have. The moderator takes them all down, consolidates similar concerns, and adds his own. He then goes down the list, encouraging debate and holding votes. In Seattle, we require a two-thirds majority to get most things done � it�s a bit slower, but it makes it harder to get self-serving motions passed. When we first assigned spheres of mortal administration or �domains� (the name stuck, unfortunately), the process required unanimous votes. It took some doing to get everyone to agree on everything, but the art of compromise worked well. Removal of a domain requires a two-thirds vote, however, if the Kindred is mismanaging it. Ghouling mortals can only be done in the name of furthering one�s administration, and that still requires a two-thirds vote, along with permission of the would-be ghoul. The Embrace is another unanimous vote � we don�t pass on this curse lightly. The would-be Kindred really has to have something to contribute to the greater good. We deal with crime in a similar vein. It takes two-thirds to convict someone of a crime, and another two-thirds for the punishment, which is up to debate. Final Death of a Kindred requires unanimous consent. Of course, this system creates a lot of interpersonal politics. It�s not ideal, but within this system, the lowliest 15th Generation Kindred who was Embraced three months ago has the same rights and privileges that I do. If I want to get something done, I have to treat him well and enlist his or her support. Machiavellian manipulators are quickly sniffed out, and compromise rules. It�s a good start. You�re not going to please everyone in your society, but you can get a lot more done and make a lot more Kindred happier in a just society than in a Camarilla princedom or blood-drenched Sabbat diocese. A Final Word Back to Establishing an Unbound Cell Return home |