Democratic Rules of Order: Easy-to-Use Rules for Meetings of Any Size

Democratic Rules of Order is a complete, concise, parliamentary guide, made to be adopted as the official rules of order for meetings of any size. It is not an abridgement of other books though it includes much common practice. Its rules are written in plain language, free of complex protocol and jargon, to enable people to participate in meetings equally and efficiently. Since the rules do not contain complicated procedures, which reduce the rights of members less familiar with them, they produce a significantly higher standard of democracy. Meetings deliver better decisions with greater ease. The rules were determined by the natural laws of democracy: the right of each member to participate equally and fully and the right of the majority of members to make the decisions, rule by the ruled. The book includes answers to questions, a sample meeting, a summary of the rules, a flow chart of decision-making and an index.

Fred and Peg Francis have done an amazing job. Their book is absolutely indispensable for anyone who conducts meetings or participates in democratic discussion at any level from the parliamentary right down to school boards, environmental protection groups, churches, even book clubs or social gatherings. What the Francis' have admirably succeeded in doing is cutting through the forbidding complexities of running a meeting and reducing them to a simple set of common-sense rules which anyone can follow. With this handy guide, the frustrations which accompany many meetings can be sharply reduced and democratic participation improved. Anyone who has conducted or participated in meetings and struggled with the daunting complexities of Roberts or other rule books will be thrilled at how this little book--you can read it in an hour--will smooth out the rough edges of meetings and greatly improve the harmony and satisfaction of attendees. Over the years I have presided or attended hundreds of meetings at the governmental, business, church and social levels and have often been frustrated by the difficulties of properly chairing such meetings so that all can be heard, everyone can understand the process, and the will of the majority can be formulated and prevail. Much of the difficulty arises from the fact that few have the time or inclination to study the old-style rule books, and are therefore easily intimidated, even tyrannized sometimes, by the very few who know "Roberts" Equally distressing are meetings where the Chair is ill-informed or makes dubious rulings or is swamped by Points or Order or confusion over what are acceptable motions and amendments, when to call for a vote, and so on. By clarifying these points, the Francis' book makes an important contribution to democracy. It can be readily adopted by any group, club, church or corporation and will be of lasting benefit. Speaking personally, I have sat through years of parliamentary debate and appreciate the value, and necessity, or achieving consensus in a democratic proceeding by having rules and following them. Up until now, the rules have been exceedingly complex, often confusing, and finally unsatisfactory at many levels. From here on in, those groups who adopt Democratic Rules of Order will find significant improvement in both the tenor of their meetings and the validity of the results. (Signed) Douglas Leiterman (former parliamentary correspondent) --Douglas Leiterman

--Douglas Leiterman (former parliamentary correspondent)

This book is an example of how less is more. After struggling with Robert's Rules of Order (700+ pages) and various synopsizes, I was over joyed to find this common sense guide to conducting meetings. In less than 34 pages it outlines and defines all the basic rules and procedures to getting things done. While book is perfect for those completely unfamiliar with parliamentary procedure, it helps even the more experienced by simplifying and eliminating the more esoteric rules. The second half of the small book is filled with examples and frequently asked questions to help those getting started. The book clearly represents a labor of love by a couple with decades of practical experience and a desire to help others be more productive in a democratic organization. --Joel Cannon, IQTVRA Director

--Joel Cannon, IQTVRA Director