Jimmy Wales wrote:
Michael Snow wrote:
Currently, Wikimedia (the umbrella for the Wikipedia and other projects) is organized based on consensus, if you ignore the largely unused dictatorial powers. Consensus is not the same thing as democracy.
Well, to be perfectly clear, the foundation itself is not organized based on consensus. It's organized based on me spending tons of money for several years to make this all happen, and my effort to carefully set this up as a public charity, and dictating how that's to be done by selecting board members and a process for member representation.
The projects of the foundation *are* based on consensus, of course, and I see no reason for us to contemplate any change to that.
--Jimbo
Correction accepted, and the clarity is appreciated. I would still suggest that consensus is a goal worth striving for in the foundation itself. Dictation certainly helps to get things started sometimes. But because of the way humans are, I doubt any dictator can succeed here unless the dictation is ultimately accepted by a consensus. So I appreciate your efforts to take other opinions into account and provide mechanisms for a consensus to develop.
I do agree with Uli that ideally someday "no single person with superpowers is needed". Unless perhaps you plan to live forever.
--Michael Snow
Michael Snow wrote:
I would still suggest that consensus is a goal worth striving for in the foundation itself. Dictation certainly helps to get things started sometimes. But because of the way humans are, I doubt any dictator can succeed here unless the dictation is ultimately accepted by a consensus. So I appreciate your efforts to take other opinions into account and provide mechanisms for a consensus to develop.
Yes, I absolutely agree with all of that.
I do agree with Uli that ideally someday "no single person with superpowers is needed". Unless perhaps you plan to live forever.
That's right. Over a period of time, I expect the Wikimedia Foundation to be a large and famous organization similar to the National Geographic Society, the Red Cross, or the Salvation Army, with a wide variety of interests, a large number of employees, an even larger number of volunteers, etc.
And the transition from where we are today to that point in the future is going to take many years, and I want to take steps now to ensure that the growth is well-managed and respectful of our ideals.
--Jimbo
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