The rule of form

The rule of form refers to the principle that governance must adhere to specific formalities to be valid, compliant, and recognized. Within the Axone protocol, governance follows particular formalism which is described by an ontology.

One essential formality is that Axone governance is recorded directly on the blockchain, ensuring transparent access for all. Apart from security, this formality guarantees predictability and determinism, ensuring that processes and regulations are unambiguous for all participating parties.

In a somewhat canonical way, the Axone governances are structured as follows.

Preamble

The preamble sets the stage for the rest of the rules. It introduces and briefly explains the underlying philosophy and objectives of the governance framework. It might also define key terms to ensure a common understanding among acting entities. The warm-up is crucial for establishing context and purpose and is meant to guide the interpretation and application of the rules.

This is typically the case with zone rules, which materialize the extent of zones by defining the specific regulations enforced within them. These rules embody the respective Zone's essence, intent, reach, and ultimate objective.

Content

The content specifies the rules for the governance framework. They elaborate on the structures, processes, and standards protocol entities must comply with. Regarding Zones and Consents, the content is systematically arranged into a hierarchical text structure comprising sections, sub-sections, articles, and paragraphs.

Section

Sections group related subsections together, serving as an intermediate level of organization.

Subsection

Subsections group related articles together, serving as an intermediate level of organization.

Article

Articles represent the smallest unit of a governance text that carries a significant, enforceable rule or principle.

Paragraph

Paragraphs express sub-rules or sub-principles within an article, providing further granularity and detail.