Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Formal Consensus vs Sociocracy

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Apr 1, 2007, at 6:32 PM, eileen mccourt wrote:

> I have trouble distinguishing Sociocracy from Consensus.

Consensus is a decision-making method just as majority vote is a 
decision-making method.

Sociocracy is a governance method based on consensus decision-making. 
It structures an organization so consensus can be used in complex 
organizations as well as simple ones in which the whole group makes all 
decisions. It also encourages self-organization and supports 
development. It provides methods for delegating functions and tasks so 
that people can function semi-autonomously and still be in line with 
the consensus. It allows groups to diversify without becoming 
fragmented and losing communications.

Sociocratic theorists have used "consent" instead of "consensus" to 
distinguish it from definitions of consensus that mean "agreement". If 
you want the truth, you don't ask for agreement. That skews the 
information you are likely to get.

In decision-making, sociocracy emphasizes the need for accurate and 
complete information in order to make the best decision possible at the 
time. It asks for objections and then seeks to resolve objections by 
amending the proposal to make it better. A good proposal is one that 
enables everyone to work toward the aim of the group as effectively and 
productively as possible.

Since we aren't creating widgets in cohousing, that "work toward the 
aim of the group" might mean "enables everyone to enjoy their community 
even more."

So sociocracy shouldn't be distinguished from consensus -- it includes 
consensus but it's not just a decision-making method. It offers a 
structure for implementing decisions and steering an organization along 
its chosen path. Until sociocracy, groups using consensus were cobbling 
together governance structures from autocratic, majority vote systems 
and planting consensus on top of it. Sociocracy works better.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Coauthor with John Buck of the forthcoming
We the People: Consenting to a Deeper Democracy
The Essential Guide to Sociocratic Principles and Methods
http://www.sociocracy.info