Manifeston

Manifeston is a term used in fiction and speculative discourse to describe a public declaration or program that outlines a society's aims and the means to realize them. Unlike a conventional manifesto, a Manifeston is frequently imagined as incorporating procedural elements or automated mechanisms for deployment, monitoring, and accountability.

Origins and usage: The concept appears across science fiction, political theory discussions, and media critiques as a tool to explore how political goals are specified and evaluated in a technologically mediated society. In many imaginings, a Manifeston can be authored by a social movement, a transitional government, or a distributed network.

Contents and structure: A Manifeston typically includes a statement of core values, a set of policy programs, and a framework for assessing outcomes. It may specify participatory channels for amendment, implement digital platforms for crowdsourced feedback, and define criteria for success. Common themes include democratic participation, human rights, ecological sustainability, equity, and resilience.

Variants and reception: In literary works and theory, Manifestons serve as testing grounds for ideas about governance, power, and technology. Advocates see them as instruments to align actions with collective aims; critics warn of overreliance on technocratic mechanisms, potential for coercion, and ambiguity in enforcement.

See also: Manifesto, Political theory, Participatory governance, Digital democracy.