A Declaration of the People of Somerset

Concerning Land, Autonomy, and the Digital Industrial Age

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for a people to consider the manner in which their land is used, their resources consumed, and their freedoms affected by powers beyond their immediate control, a decent respect for the principles of stewardship and self-determination requires that they declare the causes which impel them to take a position.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that land is not merely an asset, but a living inheritance; that human dignity is inseparable from autonomy and privacy; and that life, in all its forms, must take precedence over profit.

We further hold that the systems which now govern the flow of information, data, and digital life have become as consequential as the systems which govern land, water, and energy; and therefore must be subject to equal moral scrutiny and democratic consent.

Of the present condition of things…

The rapid expansion of large-scale data centres and associated digital infrastructure has transformed rural land into a site of industrial extraction, placing increasing strain upon water, energy, and ecological systems.

These developments are often justified in the name of progress and efficiency, yet their costs are borne locally through altered landscapes, increased resource consumption, noise, and the gradual conversion of agricultural and natural land into industrial estates serving external interests.

We further observe that digital systems are increasingly concentrating vast quantities of personal and societal data within infrastructures operated by a small number of large private and transnational entities. Parallel to this, ongoing policy discussions around digital identity systems (1a, 1b), Central Bank Digital Currencies (2), and international sustainability frameworks (3) involving unelected institutions such as the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and various public policy actors including former political leaders, shaping the direction of large-scale digitisation.

These developments are frequently framed in relation to emotional pressing global challenges, including climate resilience, public health, and societal well-being, with digitisation presented as a potential mechanism for addressing them. However, they also raise highly important questions regarding governance, accountability, data sovereignty, and the balance between collective policy goals and individual autonomy within increasingly digital public infrastructure.

We also observe that existing digital infrastructure is not yet sufficiently resilient, safe, or reliable to justify unchecked expansion. Failures, inefficiencies, and vulnerabilities persist within critical systems. It is therefore neither prudent nor just to expand such infrastructure at the expense of fertile land and ecological integrity, before its foundations are first strengthened and made secure.

The favouring of digitisation over analogue for critical systems and infrastructure already enable a lack of responsibility, accountability and scrutiny, with further expansion only sure to exacerbate the issue.

In light of these concerns…

We therefore find that a system which prioritises expansion over resilience, extraction over stewardship, and profit over life is incompatible with the long-term flourishing of our communities.

We find that decisions affecting land use must not be made solely through post hoc consultation after commitments have already been advanced, but must instead arise from prior, informed, and meaningful consent of the people who inhabit and sustain that land.

We find that privacy and personal autonomy are not conveniences to be balanced against commercial interest, but fundamental conditions of a free society, and must not be eroded through the unchecked consolidation of digital infrastructure.

We find that the natural world and agricultural land of Somerset constitute a shared trust between generations, and that to diminish them for irreversible industrial expansion without necessity or restraint is a breach of that trust.

Above all, we find that life must come before profit, and that no system of development which reverses this principle can claim legitimacy in the eyes of a free people.

Therefore, we, the constituents of Somerset…

In the name of stewardship, autonomy, and the preservation of our common inheritance, do solemnly declare:

That Somerset’s land, waters, ecosystems, and communities are held in trust for present and future generations, and shall not be diminished without just cause and informed consent;

That personal autonomy and privacy are fundamental rights which must not be undermined by the unchecked expansion of digital systems or data consolidation;

That life, ecological balance, and community well-being shall take precedence over private profit and commercial extraction;

That digital infrastructure must first demonstrate resilience, reliability, and necessity before further large-scale expansion is permitted upon finite land and resources;

That communities possess the inherent right to be heard, and to consent or withhold consent, before irreversible decisions are made concerning the land they inhabit;

And that technological progress, while not rejected, must be bound by responsibility, transparency, and the limits imposed by nature and human dignity.

In conclusion…

We do, therefore, with a clear sense of responsibility to future generations, declare our position:

That we shall not passively accept the transformation of our land into infrastructure for distant powers without scrutiny, restraint, and consent

That we affirm the primacy of life over profit, of stewardship over extraction, and of autonomy over control

And that we stand committed to the protection of Somerset as a living place in terms of ecology, culture, and humanity, rather than a resource to be consumed.