Description
Principles for a Self-Directed Society is a thoughtful work of political philosophy by Jesse S. Smith. The book advocates specific long-term policies for government and economic reform in order to advance what sound like very simple goals: Peace, Environmental Restoration, Health and Prosperity, and Basic Rights.
The first edition (the version with the globe icon and yellow lettering on the front cover) was published in 2008. An updated Second Edition of Smith’s Principles was published in 2020 with assorted corrections, clarifications, and updates.
Taking the long view in this text, Smith first presents a brief overview of the origins and prehistory of human society, according to science.
The discussion continues with a consideration of the many challenges which must be overcome in pursuit of the four basic stated goals, and some of the means which may be adapted by a self-aware global society in pursuit of a more perfect union. These means include economic reform, political reform to achieve the economic reform, and broader social reform in the interest of freeing society from its historical tendency to be steered by a small minority.
The book’s discussion of debt is particularly interesting in light of the country’s subsequent financial crisis.
The book then discusses a number of specific political and economic considerations and reforms which are recommended in order to better pursue those goals. After a final brief discussion of the problematic nature of some of the most deeply ingrained fundamentalist aspects of our society, the text concludes with creative visions for a future world, and additional strategies for, as the closing chapter is titled, Consciously Creating Positive Social Change.
The author created a blog to discuss ongoing current events within the framework of the ideas presented in the book. He posted to it off and on for seven or eight years but eventually changed focus to other projects. Reached for comment, Smith asked, “Is that blog even still live? It might have changed to a different .tld or something, but the last time I checked it looked like other than a bunch of bots, the only people that even care whether the site is online or not are a couple of losers who are still mad that I made a critical remark about their government in a blog post a decade or more ago.”
So, yeah, Principles for a Self-Directed Society is not for everybody. The tone is rather strident in places. In fact, when Basementia reached out to him for an exclusive interview in February of 2026, author Jesse S. Smith told us almost confidentially, “Nobody is going to agree with everything I wrote in that book. In fact, not even I agree with everything I wrote in that book! After all, it’s been many years since I wrote it; and I’ve had a lot of opportunities to reflect in the meantime. But these ideas are still interesting to consider; and I think that for a lot of people, they may find that some of these principles feel almost more like core values.”
Smith’s Campaigns for Local Office
Principles for a Self-Directed Society was originally published in 2008. Based in part on the policy background he had developed while elaborating and defending his ideas and beliefs in this Iraq-war-era book of political philosophy, Jesse S. Smith later ran for his local district’s seat in the Oregon State House of Representatives in 2022; and for the local School Board the next year, in 2023. Smith was resoundingly defeated both times and acknowledges that he’s unlikely to try the experiment again anytime soon; but he notes, “Running for office was a worthwhile and eye-opening experience, and I am so very grateful for the opportunity, and thankful for all the people who supported me. We are truly blessed to live in a land where a total nobody like me can participate in the public debate on this level. Thank you all.”
About the Author
Jesse S. Smith is a Nature-loving Pacific Northwesterner; a writer, musician, and multimedia creator.
