Introduction
Welcome to the governance documentation-pages of the Tagion network.
These pages will be continuously updated as our network matures.
Governance, to us, simultaneously means the structure and processes of managing a decentralised system - including the procedures through which decisions are made, and rules are established. Governance thus steers an organization, community, or, in this case, our decentralised network, Tagion.
To break up our ideas and make them easier to follow, we have structured the governance of our network into four interdependent areas. The structure and process of each of those will have effects and consequences on all others, directly or indirectly.
In the end, we seek to establish robust, decentralised procedures that allow the network’s evolution to be guided by the collective will of its "community" (the meaning of this and other terms will be specified in the glossary). As a whole this shall guarantee that the network’s trajectory remains aligned with the aspirations and principles laid out in our "Manifesto".
The first comprehensive content published on these pages will be our Manifesto -
it will be submitted for feedback on Discord first. Join us there to contribute before we set it into stone.
This also means that the governance structure and process will not be established up-front, by dictate from the founders, but will be co-developed, tested and refined with our stakeholders. Because when we use the word "decentralised" above, we mean a system in which no entity can impose its will and interest on the rest of the users and participants.
Practically, Tagion and its underlying technology do not meet this criterion yet. So the governance will evolve, step by step, with the different stages of releasing the network - from the stewardship of Decard into full decentralisation.
Phased decentralisation of Tagion
At the time of writing (find a timestamps of latest updates on the bottom of all pages), the Tagion network is distributed across several nodes, but they are all on Decard's servers and operate in what we call "Mode 1" on the technical side - and Pre-Release in terms of governance.
Once the next technical milestone is achieved and nodes that fall out of synchronisation can catch up with the consensus state of the network automatically, a huge step towards decentralisation is achieved. Technically, we call that "Mode 2" (you can find more information on these "modes" in the Tech documentation).
In terms of governance, this is where the four "release phases" of the network will start.
1. Closed Release
As the name indicates, this phase is not open to external parties who might be eager to operate a node themselves. However, already during this phase the code of our nodes is publicly available on github and the Tech documentation allows savvy operators to set it up, test and audit it. In due time, a new version of nodes will allow more interested parties to run nodes that connect to the network as mirrors, but not participate in the consensus.
2. Limited Release
This second phase will see the network being extended to nodes operated by partners and vetted community members. The onboarding process will be "by invitation" only and strictly controlled by Decard to ensure security and quick support shall something not go to plan. In this phase, the governance here developed will be tested and improved in a safe environment. The results will be published here as our "Working Paper", ready for tests and verification "in the wild", which will happen in phase 3.
3. Curated Release
With this third phase, the network will already feel as decentralised as commonly understood. We imagine an onboarding process that does not require the input or permission by any entity. The governance system established in the Working Paper will ensure security and coherence of the network. However, for safety and unforeseen events, Decard together with an evolving community council will retain special privileges and can intervene if deemed necessary for the sustainability of the network and the adherence to the principles set out in the manifesto.
4. Singularity
This last stage is not so much a phase as a point in time: it occurs when all privileges in the network are relinquished and only the rules of the then firmly established governance system are followed. From here on, the network is truly decentralised in the sense set out in the manifesto.
Glossary
These documentation pages also contain a glossary where we will record individual concepts, ideas and proposals, and highlight our evaluation of them - even if they are not included in the governance of the four areas at the moment.
Stay tuned!
We will communicate any major updates and publications on these pages through our Discord channels. Please feel invited to join and contribute here.