Real Democracy

Real Democracy

Real Democracy Island

Real Democracy Island South of Fiji

Meditation Beach on Real Democracy Island

Real Democracy is a manmade island approximately 160 square acres in area that is located 542 miles off the southern edge of Fiji in the Pacific Ocean. Real Democracy has approximately 2,000 in habitants of various races and religions who volunteered to be the first “oceansteaders” on Real Democracy. The island has housing for approximately 2,500, which include approximately 500 sponsored visitors who live for periods of no more than 12 months on the island as observers and consultants. 

Self Sustaining Society

Real Democracy is completely self-sustaining and self-reliant with its own schools, hospital, police and economic system. The island derives its water and power from harnessing the energy of the ocean as well as extensive solar installations.  In addition, the island has created one of the world’s largest aquaculture and greenhouse based agricultural co-ops in the world growing all of its own food and harvesting local non-endangered fish species.  Able to sustain the food needs for the entire populace of Real Democracy, island residents are also in the habit of exporting surplus food to local islands to supplement their food production. The island emits no pollution either into the air or ocean and uses advanced recycling and reuse strategies to reduce its carbon footprint to zero.

Industry and GDP

The primary economic output of Real Democracy is focused around Internet based businesses, 1,248 of which are headquartered and incorporated on Real Democracy.  The GDP of Real Democracy was estimated to be over $178 billion USD in 2023 when the investment analysis Wawry Weeker concluded a two-year study of the private economy of Real Democracy.  All citizens of Real Democracy share equally in a new form of citizen profit sharing system called “The Gleening” which is funded in equal proportions relative to profit by each Real Democracy businesses.

Conception and Funding

Real Democracy was conceived by the Oceansteading Institute with headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area and was partially founded with investments from wealthy technology titan Randolf Moore.  Real Democracy is an experiment in creating new societies located in international waters where no one country can legally claim ownership of the area.  The man made island is an experiment in creating new political and governmental systems in an era where there is no more “unclaimed” land in the world. 

Realizing they must build an island in order to create a new county, the Oceansteading Institute worked for 10 years to raise sufficient interest and financial resources to create the prototype of a new democratic system.  The Rechtel Corporation, a green Global B-Corporation and its non-profit subsidiaries constructed real Democracy over a 5-year period between 2015 and 2020.  The estimated $800 million USD cost of constructing the island was funded by a small group of wealthy technology leaders who formed a venture capital funded fund calling itself “The Future of Democracy”.

Government and Democracy

Real Democracy has a new form of direct participatory government based on elements of social democracy whereby all members of its populace have an equal vote in all major decisions made in this new country.  Every resident on Real Democracy is able to vote in weekly “Votings” which are done via Internet connected devices such as Smart Watches, Smart Tablets and Smart Phones.  Residents are encouravernged to meet each Friday evening in Real Democracy’s Town Center where there are debates of issues led by volunteers of the community.  At the conclusion of the debates “The Vote” is taken and all members of the island vote.  

Elected Non-political Governance

Real Democracy elects a group of administrators called “The Counsel” who are tasked with administrative management of the non-political and non-governmental aspects of the society.  Each member of The Counsel is elected for a single 6-year term and cannot ever be re-elected to serve on The Counsel again. The vote process allows for 3 months of political debates and no advertising.  Following that debate period a vote is taken and there will be no more politicing for another 6 years.  There are no lobbies or political parties on Real Democracy.

Citizenship and International Recognition

Citizens of Real Democracy were chosen from a lottery of approximately 50,000 people who volunteered to become the island’s first residents.   Each Real Democracy resident was required to become a dual-citizen of both their native country and “Real Democracy” which is recognized as a sovereign nation by international groups such as the United Nations (UN) and the recently formed organization New Democratic Nations of the International Oceans (NDNIO).