CopyFarLeft Licensing

COMMONS LABOUR
DECLARATION (CLD-1.0)

Our formal declaration of the principles that guide our licensing efforts and our commitment to collective production.

Concept Note Commons Labour License Declaration
Declaration Sections
  1. 1. Purpose of Declaration
  2. 2. Scope of Coverage
  3. 3. License and Conditions
  4. 4. Commons Steward
  5. 5. Legal Standing & Jurisdiction
  6. 6. Affirmation

1. Purpose of Declaration

I, , make this declaration freely and voluntarily, affirming that all creative, technical, intellectual, artistic, or organizational labour I contribute without expectation of wage or profit is governed by the Commons Labour License (CLL-1.0).

This declaration ensures that all my voluntary work shall remain part of the commons—freely usable for cooperation, learning, and public good—and protected from exploitative use without reciprocity.

2. Scope of Coverage

This declaration applies to:

  • All works, datasets, writings, code, designs, media, or other contributions produced by me voluntarily or as part of a cooperative, mutual-aid, or commons-aligned initiative.
  • All such works created before, on, or after the date of this declaration, unless specifically excluded in writing.
  • All derivative or related works evolving from these contributions, wherever and however distributed.

This declaration shall remain valid for the entirety of my life and, upon my death, its terms shall continue to protect my contributions in perpetuity within the commons.

3. License and Conditions

All works covered by this declaration are governed by the Commons Labour License (CLL-1.0), whose key principles are:

  • Peer Production: Anyone may use, study, share, or adapt the work for cooperative, educational, non-profit, or civic purposes.
  • Reciprocity: Any person or entity deriving profit or proprietary benefit from the work must provide reciprocity (not less than 5% of gross benefit, or equivalent value) to the contributing collective or its steward.
  • Anti-Exploitation: No entity operating on capitalist, rent-seeking, or wage-exploiting models may use the work without explicit Commons Steward consent.
  • Ethical Use: The work shall not be used for surveillance, militarization, environmental harm, or human-rights violations.
  • Attribution: Proper credit shall be given to me and, where applicable, to the collective body of contributors.

4. Commons Steward (Optional)

I designate the following as my Commons Steward for the purposes of mediation, reciprocity, and collective governance. If no steward is specified, stewardship of my voluntary works shall rest with a recognized Commons Trust or equivalent cooperative body acting in the public interest.

5. Legal Standing & Jurisdiction

This declaration is made in good faith under the principles of Commons Law, Cooperative Justice, and the Solidarity Economy, as recognized by moral and contractual law.

Disputes or interpretations arising under this declaration shall follow the dispute-resolution framework described in the Commons Labour License (CLL-1.0), including Commons Mediation and, if necessary, arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 or an equivalent local statute.

6. Affirmation

By signing this declaration, I affirm that:

  • My voluntary labour is part of the commons.
  • I gift its use to humanity under the principles of reciprocity, fairness, and solidarity.
  • No commercial or exploitative entity may appropriate its value without giving back to the commons.

This declaration shall serve as a permanent and binding record of intent for all current and future voluntary work.