Menneiden

Menneiden is a fictional term used in world-building and speculative fiction to describe a form of communal governance and ritualized decision-making. In the imagined practice, a community gathers in a designated space where grievances are presented, proposals are debated through structured storytelling, and outcomes are reached through a binding consensus formalized by a ceremonial act. The term is a neologism with no attested use in real-world ethnography; its phonology and morphology are inspired by European-language traditions but deliberately non-specific to avoid real-world parallels.

Core elements typically associated with menneiden include equal speaking time for participants, a rotating facilitator who guides the process without dominating, and a final ritual such as an oral oath or public acknowledgment that marks the legitimacy of the decision. Deliberation emphasizes narrative evidence and communal memory, rather than sheer majority voting, though some variants may incorporate a quorum or ceremonial form of endorsement.

Although fictional, menneiden is used in pedagogical exercises and role-playing contexts to explore participatory governance, conflict resolution, and ritual authority. It functions as a thought experiment about balancing voice, accountability, and legitimacy in collective choices within a community.