Groups

Groups are the basic building block of the structure. To ensure that good communication and decision making - organized around genuine human ties - is possible, the size of a group has a lower and higher limit, somewhere around Dunbar’s number, e.g. 30 and 90. If the size of the group exceeds the maximum, it splits into two groups. The cut algorithm can be along preferences toward the new name and goal of the group or a minimum cut algorithm along the preferences of members towards each other as stated, or a combination of thereof. If membership shrinks below the minimum, then the group ceases to exist in the formal structure.

One individual can participate in multiple groups, so different interests can be pursued. E.g. someone is a local citizen of a municipality, interested in preserving the environment, collects postal stamps, and likes to fly airplanes, so she is member of four groups, each formed around one of those interests. There is a limit of how many groups one can participate in, in order to limit the extent of an individual’s abilities to disrupt the structure.

An individual can, at any time, choose to discontinue membership of a group, or apply for membership for one.

By default the group membership is automatically accepted, but there are groups which accept only eligible members. Examples of eligibility requirements: groups concerned with the issues of a local municipality might allow only local citizens, the flight club might accept only members who have paid the membership fee used to operate their airplanes. If the eligibility of someone ceases to exist, she will automatically discontinue to be the member of the group.

Also, there is a “default” group, which holds people who have not yet joined any groups and those who were in only one group and that group ceased to exist. This is a point where activities aiming to help out people having problems with using the system can be concentrated.