Reauthorism in 2026: Public Authorship in the Age of AI and Geoeconomic Power

Reauthorism in 2026: Public Authorship in the Age of AI and Geoeconomic Power presents Herbert R. Sim’s proposed political-economic philosophy of continuing public authorship. It argues that essential economic arrangements should sustain independently governed knowledge, resources and practical capacity through which affected publics can reconsider their purposes, rules and structures—including during successful operation and after changes of ownership. The paper develops eight principles and two proposed institutional mechanisms. The Reauthorial Dividend would support independent expertise, accessible information, participation, evaluation and transition preparation; it need not take the form of a cash payment or shareholding fund. The Successor Duty would preserve comparable public revision capacity through institutional transformation while allowing informed reconsideration of the duty itself. A connected hypothetical water-system example explores international partnerships, procurement and AI-assisted service administration. A seven-part qualitative Reauthorism Test examines standing, knowledge, independent resources, authority over purposes, transition capacity, rights protection and successor obligations. The discussion situates the proposal alongside institutional change, economic democracy, wage-earner funds and democratic experimentalism. It addresses investment stability, funding burdens, institutional capture and the possibility that existing safeguards or less costly alternatives may be sufficient. Prepared on 5 November 2026, this repository edition develops the author’s corresponding web article. It uses normative conceptual analysis and selected scholarly literature. The applications are hypothetical; no empirical evaluation, universal contribution rate, validated numerical weights or pass marks are presented. Retrospective analytical dates are distinguished from evidence of actual publication.