Symbiotic Democracy - B2B communities by industry

Here’s how Symbiotic Democracy (or Ecosyn) could work as both a society and economic system if you structure it around B2B communities by industry — essentially replacing traditional corporate/government structures with self-governing, value-creating networks.

1. Society as a Network of Industry Communities

  • Each industry — manufacturing, agriculture, health, education, creative arts, tech, etc. — has its own B2B community.

  • Each community is made up of producers, suppliers, service providers, customers, and even regulators within that industry.

  • Members are both competitors and collaborators — united by shared protocols for cooperation, transparency, and value distribution.

  • Cross-industry councils coordinate when industries overlap (e.g., healthcare + food production on nutrition policy).

2. How the Economic Model Works

Instead of corporations extracting profit or the state redistributing it, value flows through Contribution-Based Market Systems:

A. Contribution Ledger

  • Every member’s contributions (goods, services, ideas, capital, mentorship) are tracked in a transparent ledger.

  • Contributions can be:

    • Tangible: materials, products, services.

    • Intangible: IP, research, training others, community governance.

  • The ledger underpins payment, influence, and resource access.

B. Community Treasury

  • Funded by:

    • Membership fees (scaled to size/revenue)

    • % of transactions within the community marketplace

    • Sponsorships and brand partnerships (approved by members)

    • Licensing the community’s collective insights or IP

  • Treasury funds:

    • R&D projects

    • Skills training

    • Shared infrastructure (factories, labs, marketing channels)

    • Community dividends

C. Tokenized Incentives

  • Each community issues tokens representing value and governance rights.

  • Tokens earned = proportional to contribution.

  • Tokens can be redeemed for:

    • Products/services from members

    • Access to premium resources

    • Revenue share from community projects

    • Voting weight in governance

3. How Business Gets Done

  • Internal Marketplace: Members buy/sell to each other using community currency or fiat.

  • Shared Procurement: Communities pool demand to get better supplier rates.

  • Open IP Pools: Members can contribute patents or designs to a shared library — access is earned through contribution or licensing.

  • Collaborative Projects: Members form ad-hoc project teams — the ledger automatically tracks input and allocates returns.

4. Governance Within Each Industry Community

  • Sector Circles (subgroups within the industry) decide on technical standards, ethics, and best practices.

  • Elected Stewards rotate, ensuring no permanent elite.

  • Conflict Mediation Panels handle disputes using restorative processes.

  • Regenerative Metrics are tracked: environmental impact, member wellbeing, innovation output — not just profit.

5. Cross-Industry Cooperation

  • Industries meet in Cross-Community Councils to align on:

    • Resource sharing

    • Interoperable data standards

    • Joint societal projects (e.g., renewable energy grids, education reform)

  • Shared knowledge bases ensure innovations spread across industries, not locked in silos.

6. Why This Beats Capitalism & Communism Economically

  • Capitalism flaw: prioritizes profit over resilience; encourages monopolies.

  • Communism flaw: centralizes decision-making; discourages innovation.

  • Ecosyn solution:

    • Incentives aligned with contribution and mutual benefit.

    • Decentralized, but connected — like mycelium in a forest.

    • Innovation is rewarded, but IP can be shared for collective growth.

7. Example: How It Works in Practice

Imagine a Renewable Energy Community:

  1. Members: solar panel makers, battery suppliers, engineers, installers, maintenance crews, researchers, training providers.

  2. Community Treasury funds R&D into a new battery tech.

  3. The design is stored in the shared IP pool — accessible to members who contribute enough to unlock it.

  4. A big infrastructure client applies to the community for a project. Members form a consortium to deliver it.

  5. Revenue flows back, and distribution is automatically calculated by the ledger based on contributions.

8. Societal Impact

When all industries run this way:

  • Economic power is distributed among contributors, not concentrated in shareholders or state officials.

  • Communities become self-sustaining micro-economies linked by shared governance protocols.

  • Cross-industry networks handle societal needs — health, education, housing — as collaborative projects, not as state vs. market debates.

  • Individuals can belong to multiple communities (reflecting multiple skills/passions), diversifying income and influence.

SD - Design, Symbiotic DemocracyFrancesca Tabor