Lisandumism

Lisandumism is a speculative political and ethical theory concerned with the moral force of promises in coordinating human cooperation. The term lisandumism is derived from lisandum, a neologism intended to evoke acts of promising and the binding quality of commitments within social life. The central claim of lisandumism is that legitimate political authority arises from voluntary, explicit promises among free agents, and that the continued legitimacy of laws and institutions depends on ongoing promissory accountability.

Core tenets include: promissory basis for obligation; consent and reputational trust as essential social infrastructure; non-coercive coordination where possible; mechanisms for promissory auditing, such as transparent records of commitments and open renegotiations; and a norm of durable commitments balanced with permissible exit from agreements.

The theory articulates a method for assessing public policy by promissory scrutiny: whether a policy was promises-based, whether promises are kept, and whether states or institutions reveal accountability to participants. It allows hybrid arrangements that combine voluntary associations with minimal enforcement for inequitable breaches.

Historical development: lisandumism emerged in contemporary political philosophy as a critique or alternative to traditional social contract theories, popularized in academic papers and online discourse in the early 21st century. It has no formal global school, but it influences debates on contractual ethics and digital governance, particularly in discussions of participatory platforms and mechanisms for holding actors to account.

Criticisms: key criticisms question definitional clarity, the feasibility of universal promissory obedience, and potential exclusion of non-participants; concerns about enforcement, transition from promises to obligations, and possible neglect of distributive justice.

See also: social contract theory; contractarianism; promissory ethics; deliberative democracy; participatory governance.