Technical Taxonomy of Political Techniques

Version 1.0

1. Purpose and Scope

This document presents a designated and disclosed technical taxonomy of political techniques that operate on publicly observable political signals, as established in Political Telemetry (Version 0.0). Its purpose is to classify formally specifiable mechanisms that can exist within political systems where inputs, transformations, and effects are legible through open signals rather than institutional authority.

The scope of this taxonomy is limited to techniques that admit system-level description independent of privileged position, sovereign power, or formal control over political infrastructure. Techniques that depend on exclusive legal authority, geographic redistricting power, or institutional prerogative—rather than signal-level interaction—are outside the scope of this version.

This version is strictly classificatory. It does not document discoveries, assert priority over historical practices, or describe strategic deployment. No claims are made regarding real-world usage, effectiveness, or political intent. Techniques are described solely as formal mechanisms that can be specified, bounded, and reasoned about within open political systems.

2. Methodology of Classification

Techniques are classified according to intrinsic technical characteristics, not political ideology, normative value, or institutional context.

Each technique class is defined by four invariant dimensions:

1. Structural inputs — what information, signals, or actions enter the system

2. Transformation logic — how inputs are processed or constrained

3. Output effects — what types of political signals or outcomes can result

4. Boundary conditions — what the technique explicitly does not encompass

This approach mirrors classification systems used in patent law, systems engineering, and communications theory. Techniques are grouped by what they are capable of doing, not by how they are justified or deployed.

3. High-Level Technique Classes

Section 3 defines a limited set of top-level technique schemas. Each subsection specifies a discrete class of political mechanism based on capability, not implementation.

3.1 Measurement & Attribution Techniques

This class encompasses techniques whose primary function is to observe, measure, and attribute political signals.

All techniques in this class share the following properties:

• They translate formally observable political activity into measurable data

• They enable attribution of signals to actors, cohorts, or channels

• They do not, by themselves, alter political outcomes

The defining feature of this class is visibility without control.

3.2 Outcome-Conditioned Communication Techniques

This class encompasses techniques in which political communications are handled or distributed based on outcome-level properties rather than solely on access, parity, or content.

All techniques in this class share the following properties:

• Communications are evaluated relative to potential or realized outcomes

• Logic operates above individual message content

• Effects arise from structured handling rather than persuasion alone

The defining feature of this class is outcome-sensitive treatment of communications.

3.3 Constraint & Resolution Techniques

This class encompasses techniques that introduce formal constraints or resolution logic into political processes.

All techniques in this class share the following properties:

• They operate through predefined, rule-bound conditions

• They resolve conflicts, overlaps, or simultaneous inputs

• They may redirect, suppress, neutralize, or otherwise condition effects

The defining feature of this class is rule-bound resolution rather than discretionary judgment.

3.4 Coordinated Interaction Techniques

This class encompasses techniques in which system-level behavior emerges from structured interaction among multiple actors, signals, or channels.

All techniques in this class share the following properties:

• They involve multi-party or multi-input interaction

• They rely on explicit coordination rules

• Their effects are not reducible to individual actions

Coordination here is technical, not organizational.

3.5 Disclosure & Designation Techniques

This class encompasses techniques that formalize disclosure itself as a political mechanism.

All techniques in this class share the following properties:

• They explicitly designate technique classes or boundaries

• They stabilize interpretation through formal disclosure

• They operate by publication rather than execution

The defining feature of this class is the formalization of meaning as a system effect.

4. Example Technique Classes

Section 4 provides illustrative mappings between the schemas defined in Section 3 and specific, formally describable technique classes. The purpose is to demonstrate classification, not to enumerate implementations.

4.1 Patenting as a Meta-Technique of Political Systems

(Illustrative of Section 3.5)

Within this taxonomy, patenting may be classified as a meta-technique when used to formally designate, disclose, and bound political mechanisms, while also substantiating authority.

All techniques in this category share the following properties:

• They establish publicly attributable ownership of a technique class within defined legal parameters

• They produce stable, time-stamped technical disclosure

• They fix boundaries around what a technique is and is not, independent of deployment

Patenting operates at the level of technique definition, not execution. As a tool within the Political Telemetry framework, it does not act directly on political signals or outcomes, but instead shapes the interpretive and structural environment in which techniques can be identified, discussed, licensed, or constrained.

4.2 Outcome-Level Resolution Systems

(Illustrative of Section 3.3)

Outcome-level resolution systems are techniques in which political communications or signals are processed according to predefined resolution logic that operates relative to outcomes, rather than solely at the level of message access, parity, or content.

A technique belongs to this class if, and only if:

• Political signals are processed through rule-bound resolution logic

• That logic references outcome-level properties rather than isolated message attributes

• System effects arise from structured handling rather than discretionary judgment

• The technique remains describable independent of any particular political actor or goal

Techniques are excluded from this class if they rely solely on message-level persuasion, informal discretion, unstructured aggregation, or post-hoc interpretation.

4.3 Measurement & Attribution Techniques

(Illustrative of Section 3.1)

Measurement & attribution techniques concern the observation, linkage, and attribution of political signals to outcome states without directly altering those outcomes.

All techniques in this class share the following properties:

• They translate formally observable political activity into measurable data

• They enable attribution of signals to actors, cohorts, or channels

• They may reference outcomes for correlation or verification

• They do not impose resolution, constraint, or redirection logic

These techniques operate upstream of outcome-level resolution systems. Their function is to establish legibility and traceability, not control.

5. Boundary Conditions and Exclusions

This taxonomy does not advocate or evaluate techniques, describe operational workflows, assign intent or motive, document real-world usage, or propose political projects or institutions.

Techniques are described as formal possibilities, not prescriptions.

6. Extensibility

This taxonomy is intentionally extensible. New technique classes may be designated and disclosed in future revisions as additional formally describable mechanisms are identified.

Future versions may explore hypothetical implementations, document empirical projects, or provide historical retrospectives. Such expansions are outside the scope of Version 1.0.

7. Summary

Version 1.0 establishes a technical taxonomy of political techniques: a neutral, structured classification of what can exist within political systems as a matter of formal mechanism. By separating classification from implementation and evidence, this document provides a stable reference point for subsequent analysis without collapsing description into strategy.