The Meaning of Polite Smart

Society 2030
Introduction
“A smart society successfully harnesses the potential of digital technology and
connected devices and the use of digital networks to improve people’s lives.”
Charles Levy and David Wong in their 20

“A smart society is an empowered society. Most research inevitably focuses

on technology. For some reasons, the human being is excluded. I’m very keen
not on the smart ‘thing’, but the ‘smart me’.” — Professor Irene Ng, University
of Warwick
``P society(Noun) The elite or upper crust of society. Polite society(Noun) That
portion of society that is concerned with (or cares about) etiquette and
proper behavior, with politeness.
Introduction
“What is required is a paradigm shift, not just sensors and technology.”
— Will Hutton, Chair of the Big Innovation Centre

“A smart society is one that generates and uses knowledge to be more

successful.” — Charles Leadbeater, author and opinion leader

“The most important thing in a Smart Society is that people experience

the benefits of what the intensive co-evolution of digital and analogue,
virtual and physical, online and offline will bring them.” The City of
Eindhoven, Netherlands,
Introduction
“A society where digital technology, thoughtfully deployed by
governments, can improve on three broad outcomes: the well-being of
citizens, the strength of the economy, and the effectiveness of
institutions.” Bhaskar Chakravorti and Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi (2017)
New Defined
“A smart society is a set of systems that express a consensually
established set of values. Everything flows from those values. It is one
in which leaders and citizens make data-based decisions which enable
constantly improving outcomes in economic prosperity, social well-
being, environmental sustainability and good governance. A smart
society includes a reward or incentive system that engenders socially
desirable and environmentally regenerative behaviours without
compulsion or punishment.” -EU’s Smart Society Project
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

1. Ethics Bind the Society. Every Smart Society — large or small — is

guided by its own Charter. This is the highest law of the land, never
subject to override by any other law. The Charter is an expression of
ethics intended to bind Citizens into a cohesive society by virtue of
being commonly cherished.
2. Charter is Supreme. All laws, cultural norms, regulations and other
societal practices emanate from the Charter. It can be changed by
supermajority Citizen Initiative.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

3. Charter’s Supremacy is Enforced. Any law passed by the legislature

or any action by the Administration which contradicts the Charter is
promptly declared null and void by the Supreme Court. This is its
highest duty.
4. Freedom to Leave. Those who cannot or will not abide by the
Charter and have not committed serious violations are free to leave,
taking their property without punitive measures. New societies may
be formed accordingly.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

5. Sustainable Population. In order to avoid overtaxing the

infrastructure of a society, population — including both permanent
residents and visitors — is limited to a sustainable number. Beyond
that number, people will be assisted in forming another society,
which may or may not have the same Charter.
6. In addition to common constitutional principles and provisions (such
as those relating to human dignity, justice, peace, sustainability,
freedoms, and universal rights), the Charter makes explicit a set of
values all Citizens are expected to share. Chief amongst these are: 1)
a commitment to service as a way of life and 2) an agreement to
share anonymised data.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)
7. Citizenship as an Office. The society does not own the people; the people own the society.
Preferentially — and there may be other ways to achieve this — the Citizens ARE the government.
Citizen becomes an office rather than a birthright. Non-Citizens are then Residents, with certain
inalienable rights. Any Resident may choose to become a Citizen by passing an objective testing process
similar to that immigrants are expected to pass. Such testing would establish knowledge of the Charter,
the operations of government, major societal institutions, and good character. Citizens would have
responsibilities to participate in government, which Residents would not have.
8. No Parties, Bribery or Gridlock. If Citizen is an optional office, with only Citizens having responsibility for
running the society, then important improvements become possible. Citizens may be selected by
lottery for staggered terms in the legislature, thereby drastically reducing moneyed influence upon
politics and ending political parties and gridlock. Likewise, the judiciary can be selected — at least at
the basic level — from Citizens by lottery. Using a parliamentary approach, the administration can then
be selected by the legislature based on competence. Officials will be held to higher standards of
behavior than others — not lower. They will be expected to recuse themselves from business activities
for the term of service, and well-compensated accordingly. The lost Venetian Republic and modern
Singapore both offer guidance.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

9. The size of government is maintained at significantly lower levels than is the

norm today and operations are as transparent as possible. Citizens vote not
for elected officials, but on outcomes of proposed legislation. Outcomes are
simulated using AI and ML and include short-term (< 5 years), medium term
(5–100 years) and long-term (> 100 years) outcomes.
10. Streamlined, Intelligent Legal System. The legal system is implemented
through use of blockchain-based smart contracts, and is based on the
minimum number of laws required to peacefully prevent or resolve disputes,
protect the society (most especially those without competent adult
capacity), enforce honest contracts, and provide for the general welfare in a
non-coercive manner. All laws are unambiguous, easily accessed, and with
the number of words not exceeding a predetermined threshold.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

11. Preventative/Restorative Justice. Justice is impartial, swift, rational

and primarily preventative and restorative rather than punitive in
intent.
12. Sovereignty. No consensual act between adults or solely involving
one’s own body by a competent adult is criminal, with the caveat
that prior to any irrevocable act or commitment those who care
may call for a competency hearing.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

13. Non-coercion. Acts coercive of others, including fraud, are

prohibited. Voluntary, honest contracts between competent adults
are enforced by the legal system.
14. Necessities for All. The production of necessities is based upon
creating abundant, sustainable and largely automated sources and
systems of the three Pillars of Abundance: matter, energy and
organising intelligence. This is a societal responsibility.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

15. Encouragement Over Coercion. Regulations are replaced, whenever

practicable, by systematised incentives including complementary
currencies, nudges,and related reward systems.
16. Happiness, not Perfection. A culture is fostered in which it is
recognised that happiness does not depend on chasing “the best”
of something but rather in finding what is “good enough” to meet
one’s needs and desires. Excellence is pursued as a matter of
personal choice.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

17. Transparent Security. The society provides for the common defense
in a manner open and transparent to the Citizens.
18. Bimodal Surveillance. Given that universal surveillance will soon be
the defacto reality, a bimodal approach is proposed. Physical and
virtual areas are designated either public or private by explicit
designation. There is no expectation of privacy in public areas, and
any Citizen may examine recordings made in any public area at any
time. This greatly improves safety for vulnerable persons traveling
alone, and minimizes misbehavior by officials such as police. In
private areas, surveillance is prohibited except by express consent of
those present, or by Court order under a particular warrant.
Values of Smart Society
These values are lightly edited excerpts from Jonathan Kolber’s book A Celebration Society
(2015)

19. VR for Unrestricted Activities. Everyone has access to advanced AI-

generated “virtual worlds” (VR). Some of this blends with their
reality, creating augmented environments. Beyond that, all manner
of experiences that are considered too dangerous, immoral,
impractical or even impossible in the real world will be available to
people in VR.
Analysis Factor & Component
Structure/Ecological Human Agency Culture Technology/Facility
(Exogenous) (Endogenous) (Memedogenous) (Technogenous)
Ecological economy Human capital Education Information
Ecological physical Social capital Tradition Communication
Ecological politic Body, Mind, Soul, Heart, Cultural customs Networking
Faith
Ecological glocal Social networking