# A design approach to a constitution - an assemblage of protocols

> Updated: 19jul2021

> Incomplete topic, to be expanded xxx

The Resource Centre <https://www.resourcecentre.org.uk/information/constitutions/> notes:

> It is important to try and get a constitution that actually reflects the way in which you want to do things. There is no point in lumbering yourself with a lot of bureaucracy you don’t want, or writing down loads of things you don’t intend to do, simply because you think they are what people expect.

Our intention is that **the handbook** should do this.

xxx A constitution as **an assemblage of protocols** - because the form of the handbook is essentially an assemblage of protocols

xxx Principles - A limited selection of **core protocols** - at an appropriate level of abstraction and specifically relevant to formal incorporation as a coop - will be abstracted as the basis of a constitution. These will be referred to as the **principles** of meet.coop.

Standard elements or categories of a constitution are outlined in [Conventional outline of a constitution](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/6-constitution/constitution/conventional-outline-of-a-constitution). This trial handbook has the structure below. In principle, we expect that a constitution can have more or less the same structure as the handbook. Alongside each section we identify where each of the standard elements is located.

* [1 Intentions](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/1-principles/intentions) - includes Name of organisation, Aims, Members
* [2 Political economy](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/2-political-economy/political-economy) includes Finances
* [3 Social relations](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/3-social-relations/design-and-operation-principles) - includes Committee and officers
* [4 Assemblies and deliberations](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/4-assemblies-and-deliberations/assemblies-and-deliberations) - includes AGM and other meetings, Rules of procedure, Changes to the constitution
* [5 commons.hour](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/5-commons.hour/commons.hour-programme) - the design project
* [6 Constitution](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/6-constitution/constitution) - includes Rules of procedure, Changes to the constitution, Dissolution
* [7 Code of conduct](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/7-code-of-conduct/code-of-conduct) - includes Rules of procedure
* [8 Terminology](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/8-terminology/terminology)
* [9 Supporting materials](https://meet-coop-1.gitbook.io/handbook-trial/supporting-materials)&#x20;


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