Inside the Constitution of Real Micro Nations

Did you ever think about making your own country? It sounds like something from a fantasy novel, but hundreds of people around the world have done it. These little self-proclaimed countries are known as micronations, and surprisingly enough, many of them have constitutions — official papers that establish rules for how the country works, your rights and its form of government.

Most nations won’t officially recognize these micronations, but those who found them do take their constitutions seriously. From a platform in the ocean to a farm in Australia, these micro-nations have penned entire lawbooks on everything from citizenship to currency. Let’s delve into micronation constitutions and see what makes them work.

What Sets a Micronation Apart from a Proper Country?

But, before we start entertaining the madness that is constitutions — what are micronations anyway? A micronation is a small organization that, though it might say otherwise and act like it is, isn’t actually recognized by many other world government’s as an independent country.

Normal countries have four things: a permanent population, defined territory, a government and the capacity to enter relations with other states. Micronations often feature some of these but they are lacking the essential ingredient – international recognition.

Most micronations begin as personal projects, political statements or artistic experiments. Some are formed as a protest against their government, others exist because somebody got it into their head that they could give this whole new country thing a shot. Although these are generally unenforceable because of the lack of physical territory involved, micronation founders may adopt specific legal statutes in order to give their projects a lawful standing.

The Elements: What’s in These Constitutions, Anyway?

Like those of established nations, most micronation constitutions consist of a few simple components. Here’s what you’ll usually find inside these papers.

Government Structure and Powers

Any constitution has to provide a way for the country to be governed. Micronations have tried out nearly every form of government under the sun. Some of them are monarchies, with either kings or queens; others are democracies, with elected leaders; and a few have experimented with systems that were completely unique.

For instance, the Principality of Sealand carries out hereditary monarchy. Their very nature makes them the type to transfer power from parent to child. The Republic of Molossia, for its part, is more a traditional republic with an elected president who acts as head of state.

These are the documents that tell us who makes the law, who is responsible for enforcing it and who gets to interpret them. Even in a nation of only a few citizens, these specifics matter to the founding fathers.

Citizenship Requirements and Rights

Who gets to be a citizen? This is one of the fundamental questions any constitution must answer. The constitutions of micronations wrap themselves around some of the most novel ideas regarding citizenship.

A few micronations provide citizenship to anyone who applies online and espouses their values. Still others demand physical presence on their land or evidence of service to the nation. Some have such stringent requirements that citizenship effectively remains out of reach for outsiders.

The privileges subject to which citizens are invested, are of the most opposite kinds. The vast majority of micronation constitutions guarantee basic freedoms such as speech, assembly and religion. Some have gone even further, pledging oddball rights including “the right to be silly” and “freedom from boring bureaucracy.”

Territory and Borders

It’s trickier than it sounds to say a micronation exists somewhere. Some micronations staked claim to real, built-upon land — a house, farm or even a man-made platform. Others are mostly online or hold turf that is contested or unoccupied.

These limits should be articulated in constitutions. The [Principality of] Lovely, established by British humorist Danny Wallace, seized his apartment as a sovereign state. The constitution detailed exactly which rooms were the kingdom’s and which still belonged to the United Kingdom (like the bathroom, he conceded it was shared).

Economic Systems and Currency

Making their own money Many micronations have made up their own denominations of currency, and they use this fictional money among themselves. These sections could be for taxation (usually none or voluntary), currency (frequently as curios rather that medium of exchange) and trade policies.

For decades, a “micronation” in Australia, the Principality of Hutt River, issued its own currency and stamps. Their system of government enumerated the economic rights of individuals and the restricted nature of the state in commercial matters.

Celebrity Micronations And Their Quirky Constitutions

Now let’s examine a few real micronations, and their unique constitutions.

The Principality of Sealand: Kingdom on the High Sea

Sealand is likely the most well known micronation on earth. It rests on an ancient military platform seven miles off the coast of England. Paddy Roy Bates founded Sealand in 1967. Managed to survive countless legal battles, an attempted coup and also a fire.

The Sealand Constitution — Sealand is a Constitutional Monarchy. Strikingly, the document is conventional in many respects of European constitutional monarchies. It declares a basic law dealing with succession, the role of the prince, and Sealand citizen’s rights (you can in fact buy citizenship online).

The unusual location is a quirky part of their constitution. Because Sealand is in international waters, its founding documents are jam-packed with references to maritime law and a kind of legal mind-fuck known as “terra nullius”—land that belongs to no one.

The Republic of Molossia: Desert Dictatorship (With a Smiley Face)

“Molossia” is a territory listed in Nevada and covers an area of approximately 1.3 acres. The president, Kevin Baugh, has been in office ever since 1977 and his constitution is a mix of farce and real theory on politics.

And here’s the thing: Molossia has an official constitution that establishes a government that is essentially a dictatorship, but one run with a light touch of whimsy by President Baugh. The document contains standard articles about the branches of government but also quirky content such as official positions on a variety of world issues and information about national pets.

The constitution states Molossia is at war with what used to be East Germany (ceased to exist in 1990) because the Cold War never ended for them. It also prohibits catfish, walruses and everything from Texas.

Liberland: The Unclaimed Land Experiment

Among the newer of the world’s 70 or so micronations, Liberland was established in 2015 on gnarly terrain between Croatia and Serbia that neither country has claimed. The constitution has an unusual amount of detail that reflects a libertarian ideology.

The Liberland constitution is heavy on personal freedom and light on government. It has explicit protections against overreaching government as well, such institutions are prohibited from levying forced tax and conducting the obligatory military service. The document would allow only voluntary contributions to finance government.

What is quite interesting with regard to the Liberland-intended constitution, however, is that it is an attempt at legitimacy. The corporations meticulously studied international law and strategized that the land would be in unclaimed space. Their constitution quotes legal precedents and international conventions, which makes it feel more like a proper legal document than a hobby project.

Comparison Constitution: The Two Nations vs. the Real World

How does one of these diminutive constitutions compare to those in established countries? Let’s look at some comparisons.

The biggest difference is enforceability. When the United States Constitution tells you that you have freedom of speech, there are courts and laws and centuries of precedent to back that up. If a micronation’s constitution makes the same pledge, it’s less of a provision giving rise to enforceable rights than a statement of values.

But some micronation constitutions can be surprisingly sophisticated. They reflect the fact that their framers had read actual constitutions and had tried to apply those principles in miniaturized form.

The Legal Reality: And These Constitutions Mean What?

Here’s the uncomfortable reality: under international law, these constitutions do not have any legal effect. No matter how well conceived and expressed, a constitution of a micronation doesn’t have legal standing over the law of the country in whose territory it operates.

You can declare your bedroom an independent nation if you’d like, but you still need to obey all the laws of your country. You’re still paying taxes to your government, not your so-called bedroom kingdom. Break the law, your constitution won’t save you in court.

So why bother writing them? For the creators of new nations, these documents fulfill a variety of roles:

Personal Expression

A constitution allows people to articulate their political ideas and ideals. If you believe that governments too often interfere, perhaps you’ll write a constitution that greatly restricts the power of government. If you believe in things like robust social programs, your constitution might ensure the right to housing and health care.

Intellectual Exercise

Creating a constitution from nothing is such a good learning process. It makes you consider questions like: What rights are essential? How should power be distributed? What makes a government legitimate? These are not easy questions and grappling with them can be illuminating.

Community Building

The constitution is also a compact between the (very small) number of citizens. It fosters a sense of community and shared purpose, even if the “community” is only virtual or imagined.

Political Protest

A few are citizens of nations that supposedly can’t be found on any map. By providing options, their constitutions draw attention to problems in the current government. The Principality of Hutt River, for example, was formed in protest against Australian tax policy.

How Micronations Create Their Constitutions

Writing a micronation’s constitution — The process followed in creating a micronational constitution is as diverse as the creation of real ones. Some founders are solo, writing documents over the course of months or years. Others engage their citizens, convene conventions or hold online votes.

Research Phase

Most micronation founders begin by poring over the pages of actual constitutions. They could examine such famous documents as the U.S. Constitution and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, or modern constitutions from small countries. They study what is — and isn’t — effective and where.

Many also explore international law, in search of loopholes or terra nullius, territory that belongs to no one — land that will give their micronations legitimacy. This hardly ever works out as intended, but at least it produces constitutions that gesture towards real law.

Drafting Stage

In actually writing the constitution, founders face an infinite number of decisions. Will the system of government be by mandate or dynasty? What about a bill of rights? What laws will be adopted, and how will they be enforced?

A few micronations have even drafted remarkably liberal constitutions. They could involve environmental protections that surpass anything in a known nation, or ensure digital rights that most countries haven’t even begun to consider.

Ratification and Implementation

Once written up, some micronations have formal ratification processes. They can take votes among themselves (even if there are only five of them) or hold symbolic signing ceremonies.

That’s when reality comes home to roost. Unlike real countries, micronations can’t really enforce their constitutions. They count on voluntary adherence and their members’ common purpose.

The New Millennium: Cyber Micronations and Internet Constitutions

The internet has revolutionized micronations. Numerous contemporary micronational entities live solely in cyberspace, possessing no actual territory. The virtual nations have constitutions as well, tailored for digital existence.

Asgardia: The Space Nation

And then there is Asgardia, perhaps the most ambitious modern micronation and one that claims to be the first space nation. It was started in 2016 and counts over a million registered citizens (though most never paid the citizenship fee).

The Asgardia constitution is hundreds of pages long, and includes things like space laws, to the rights of citizens with interests in more than one planet. It sets up an intricate government model with a parliament, head of state and courts — all online.

The document seeks to combat unique challenges of colonizing space, such as resource use and environmental protection in space, and relations among nations on Earth. Though Asgardia has sent up one satellite, making it technically a presence in space, its grand constitutional vision is largely theoretical.

Gaming Worlds and Virtual Constitutions

Some online games have developed their own constitutions. Not technically micronations, these virtual worlds share similar problems: establishing rules, settling disputes and allocating power among the players.

Players of EVE Online, a massively multiplayer online space game, have established complex political systems that include constitutions. These so-called documents, which regulate alliances of thousands of players and can cover ways the group distributes resources to how military command is structured. They’re just games, yes, but these constitutions demonstrate how seriously people take self-governance — even in virtual environments.

Why These Constitutions Matter (Even If They’re Not “Real”)

You may ask yourself, why are we even caring about constitutions of nations that don’t really exist? Here’s why they’re worth studying:

They Reveal What We Value

Micronation’s constitutions are wish lists of people actually trying to make government better. So when you write a constitution for your make-believe country, you put down what you think is the most important. Reading these documents uncovers what human beings wish society should look like.

They’re Experiments in Governance

Real countries don’t get to try out extremely new systems of government willy-nilly. The stakes are too high. Micronations can experiment with wild ideas in a low-stakes environment. Some of these experiments might even shape future political thought.

They Teach Civic Education

Writing or reading a micronation constitution can inform valuable lessons in governance, law and citizenship. Students who work on micronation projects often know better because they have grappled with the same questions about real-life constitutions. For more information on constitutional principles, you can visit the Constitute Project, which provides access to the world’s constitutions.

They Preserve Idealism

Which makes the existence of micronations and their constitutions purely idealistic. They imagine what government could look like if we started from scratch, free of history and compromise. The idealism itself is good, even when it’s not realistic.

The Future of Micronation Constitutions

And as technology progresses, so are micronations. Several trends are shaping the future of these small constitutional experiments:

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency

The latest micronations are even integrating blockchain into their constitutions. They’re building digital currencies and deploying smart contracts to automatically enforce constitutional clauses. The country of Liberland, for example, is working on its own cryptocurrency and blockchain model of governance.

Seasteading

The seasteading movement seeks to establish permanent communities in international waters. Groups like the Seasteading Institute are even working on detailed constitutions for these floating nations. None have succeeded so far, but their constitutional craft is slick and legally grounded.

Space Colonization

As travel off Earth becomes increasingly feasible, serious minds are developing constitutions for hypothetical space colonies. Though this may read like micronation wish-fulfillment for now, with luck and time they could become legitimate constitutional writings for real colonies on Mars or the Moon.

Lessons from the Margins

Some micronation constitutions also tell us a great deal about government and human nature:

First, people crave self-determination. Even if you are setting up a country that no one will acknowledge, people give some thought to rights and freedoms and responsibilities. This is a testament to how highly we prize the capacity for humans to direct their own acting.

Second, constitutions are living documents. Alterations to the constitutions of micronations abound as proof that these written instruments can be quite adaptable. Actual nations might take a lesson from this flexibility.

Third, size doesn’t determine seriousness. Some have more well-considered constitutions than countries with millions of citizens. This shows us that what good governance is about is principle, not size.

Finally, creativity matters. Micronation constitutions propose new ideas that conventional political philosophy has not considered. Some of these ideas may appear fanciful, but other could inspire actual constitutional reforms one day.

Wrapping Up: Small Nations, Big Ideas

Micronation constitutions may lack legal force, but they are anything but meaningless. It’s a treasure of human invention, political expression and the perennial search for better government. They tell us what we can accomplish when people dare to think freely about how society should function.

From Sealand’s oil platform to the Nevada desert of Molossia, from Liberland’s contested stretch of river to Asgardia’s outer-space hopes, they and their constitutions extend our imaginations about what governance might look like. They remind us that constitutions aren’t merely boring pieces of legal paperwork; they are visions of how humans can coexist.

That micronations are legitimate political experiments or elaborate hobbies, you be the judge, but their constitutions require your attention. They’re written by people who are passionately committed to self-governance, individual rights, political philosophy. While most people never think about their own country’s constitution, micronation founders obsess over every word of theirs.

So the next time you see someone declaring their house an independent nation, maybe don’t dismiss it so quickly. Check out their constitution. What you will find: Surprisingly thoughtful ideas,

refreshingly honest ones and some that are just delightful. And who knows? Perhaps one day, you will draft a constitution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the constitution of a micronation supersede those of an actual country?

No, you could not. Micronational constitution file in real life court? If you create a micronation within the United States, say, you still have to abide by all U.S. federal, state and local laws no matter what your constitution might say. No constitution in the world should shield you from legal responsibility if you break actual laws.

Has there been an occurrence where a micronation became recognized?

Only a handful of micronations have ever received official recognition, and most were highly unusual historical instances. What comes closest to Sealand is Sealand; it has won some legal battles and lives in a sort of gray zone of international law, but again it is not recognized by the United Nations or world’s other big governments. Recognition is a very difficult process to achieve, and under international law it has stringent requirements.

A question—How long does it take to write a micronation constitution?

This varies widely. Simple constitutions are sometimes prepared in a matter of hours or days but for some this process can take months, even years. Serious micronations that wish to be respected by the international community are more on focus with such issues. The larger and/or more institutionalized a Micronation becomes, the greater its capacity for understanding international law, studying foreign constitutions and drafting legal-foundational documents.

Do you want citizens to write a micronation constitution?

No, many micronation founders pen constitutions before they have any citizens except themselves. Having a constitution can in fact serve as a lure to citizens seeking a kind of reassurance that you’ve crafted some rule-bound government with rights. But other stakeholders want future citizens to take part in the drafting.

Are constitutions of micronations copyrighted?

Yes, micronation constitutions are copyright just like any other written content. There is an assumption that the author of the document (usually of course, your boss) has the copyright unless they specifically make it public domain or define how you can use it with a creative commons license. But you can’t copyright the ideas or concepts in a constitution — just the text itself.

Will children make micronations with legitimate constitutions?

Absolutely! Forming a micronation is also an amazing school project for students. Many teachers use micronation-creation exercises to teach civics, government and constitutional law. Children can learn about rights, laws, systems of government and political philosophy by writing constitutions for their imaginary countries. It really brings these ideas to life, away from just reading words on a page.