Uusemention

Uusemention is a theoretical framework and practical approach for cooperative decision-making in online and offline communities. It seeks to align participating individuals or groups around shared projects by pooling resources and coordinating governance through participatory processes.

The term is a neologism combining "use" and "union" with the suffix "-tion" to signify a structured process.

In practice, uusemention platforms collect contributions—time, money, code, or content—from members. Projects are proposed, discussed, and prioritized through consensus or voting mechanisms. Influence is typically calibrated by reputation, contribution history, or token-based metrics, with rules encoded in community charters or smart contracts.

Applications include open-source software collectives, community-owned online services, and municipal pilots that test participatory budgeting or cooperative governance.

Critics warn about governance complexity, potential for power concentration, and the risk of inequitable participation. Proponents stress transparency, modular design, and fallback safeguards to prevent stalling.

Several digital cooperatives and local governments have piloted uusemention-inspired decision processes, though adoption remains limited and heterogeneous. See also participatory budgeting, cooperative governance, and online communities.