Chapters
  1. Introduction
  2. I.The Broken Ledger: Who Creates Value, and Who Gets Paid
  3. II.Rule by Value Created: What Axiocracy Is
  4. III.The Grammar Already Exists
  5. IV.The Machines Make It Possible, and Necessary
  6. V.The Challenges
  7. Va.The Gamed Measure
  8. Vb.The Aristocracy of Scores
  9. Vc.The Watched Worker
  10. Vd.Who Sets the Measures?
  11. VI.The Axiocratic Charter
  12. VII.Parting Thoughts
Definition

Axiocracy (Greek axia, worth + kratia, rule) is rule by value created. An institution is axiocratic when it:

  1. Decomposes its work into visible contributions, by people, teams and machines.
  2. Agrees the goals and measures before the work starts, with the people who will be measured.
  3. Credits each contribution by its measured value against those goals, openly and contestably.

Read chapter II →

Precedents
Ostrom's commonsBenefit proportional to contribution; rules set by those they bind.
Value-based health careOutcomes achieved per dollar spent.
Cash on Delivery Aid$200 for each child above baseline.
Rwanda PBFBonuses split by "previously agreed criteria".
Educate Girls160% of its 3-year learning target.
Singapore National BonusMinisters paid on the income of the bottom 20%.
Manifesto

Axiocracy

rule by value created: crediting work by the value it creates, against goals agreed before the work begins

Read the manifesto Sign the declaration

An essay series in seven parts · Jakub Bareš · September 2026

The Charter

Twelve principles

  1. Agree before you work.
  2. The measured hold the pen.
  3. Value credit is not moral worth.
  4. Measure plurally.
  5. Reward every valued dimension, or none.
  6. Credit the increment, net of luck.
  7. Nobody creates alone.
  8. Keep a floor outside the ledger.
  9. Protect the unaccounted.
  10. Treat the code as law.
  11. Revise on a schedule.
  12. Pass the difference test.

Read the charter →

The Challenges

Every "-ocracy" carries the seed of its own corruption. Axiocracy names its four failure modes in its own definition:

The Gamed Measure · The Aristocracy of Scores · The Watched Worker · Who Sets the Measures?

Research Library
129primary documents
15angles
43 pppay–productivity wedge

From Aristotle's kat' axian to Collective Constitutional AI: axiology, desert theory, contribution accounting, the politics of numbers, value alignment, commons, and the strongest critiques.

OstromRawlsMazzucatoPorterSenSandelLessigBeer

About the sources →

Start Tomorrow

An axiocracy of five

Before the kickoff, write one page: what are we trying to achieve, how will we know, and how will credit be shared? Everyone signs it.

At the end, compute the credit by the rule you agreed, publish the calculation, and hear the appeals.

Try the charter