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Legacy Review Juries

Systematically pruning what no longer serves

The Problem They Solve

Modern governments are drowning in accumulated rules, regulations, and legacy institutions that no longer serve their original purpose. Legacy Review Juries exist to fight regulatory bloat and institutional sclerosis through deliberate, periodic subtraction.

How Legacy Review Juries Work

1. Systematic Review Mandate

Dedicated sortition juries are periodically convened with the specific task of reviewing existing regulations, agencies, and policies. Their default stance is via negativa: remove or simplify unless a strong case can be made for retention.

2. Chesterton’s Fence Test

Before removing any rule, the jury must understand why it was originally created. Only then can they judge whether it is still needed. This prevents reckless destruction while still allowing necessary pruning.

3. The “One In, Two Out” Rule

Any new regulation proposed must be accompanied by the removal or simplification of at least two existing rules of equivalent burden. This creates constant downward pressure on regulatory complexity.

4. Public Participation

Citizens can submit candidates for review via the National Platform. High-volume suggestions are prioritised. All review outcomes and reasoning are published transparently.

Connection to Core Principles

“We improve by removing what does not work.”
This is Via Negativa in action — the quiet, disciplined art of subtraction that allows healthy growth.

Safeguards

  • Juries are randomly selected and serve limited terms to prevent regulatory capture.
  • Reviews must be evidence-based and publicly justified.
  • Major changes require ratification by the relevant Regional Commons Assembly.
  • Essential protections (e.g. core safety standards) are explicitly excluded from routine pruning.

Why This Matters

Legacy Review Juries embody the antifragile spirit of NCG: they turn the natural tendency of bureaucracies to grow and complicate into a deliberate process of refinement and simplification. They ensure the rulebook serves the people, rather than the other way around.