Bill Matheson at Worldchanging has an interesting approach explaining how the shift from a focus on individuality to a focus on relationality, affects governance models.

Here is his graph on the co-created society, followed by his explanation.

There is much more in the full article, which discusses ‘green sovereignity’ inspired by a book on the Green State.

Bill Matheson:

“On the left hand side of the “U diagram” above are some layers from the past of the idea of sovereignty. These are presented in a linear historical sequence from nature-based or pagan, to Christian, to Monarchy, to Democracy, to the modern ideal of personal autonomy. Down the center of the model is a progression in the idea of sovereignty, which shifts in scale from universal to individual. It also shifts from being “out there” to “in here”, from unknowable, to God”s will, to the King”s word, to State law, to My decision.

Moving across to the right hand side of the U diagram, the model “flips” from linear history-telling to a more generative space. On this side of the model the five levels move back up the scale from small to large. As we do this we are attempting to describe in the simplest terms what bright green governance might involve at each stage. At the individual level it starts by “getting to we.” At the local level we can co-create new cultural forms; at the regional level there is cooperation on larger scale projects; and at the global level there is collaboration for the common good.

Across the bottom of the model the shift is described using a number of polarities. I have also tried to interrupt the linear nature of models like this by suggesting that a move away from “the future” and suggest instead the idea of “presence” might best describe the long now that underpins thinking in terms of integrity and legacy, rather than progress through time and space.

Finally this model describes a journey: from undifferentiated participation in nature, to highly differentiated individualism, to returning to a holistic consciousness. Based on Ken Wilbur”s pre-rational, rational, trans-rational distinction, I have added pre-relational, related, trans-relational to this. The story I am trying to tell here is a cultural journey from society and family of origin (no choice), to isolated individual (no choice), to autonomous individual (chosen), to empowered community, to co-created society.”