Breaks in teaching weaken governance

Teaching and Governance

Category: Tsm’syen Law Page status: Working

Purpose

This page records the relationship between teaching and governance within Tsm’syen law. It establishes teaching as essential to lawful authority and stable governance.

This page is declarative and does not assign offices or leadership roles.

Principle

Breaks in teaching weaken governance.

Meaning

• Governance relies on shared understanding of law.
• Teaching ensures that authority is exercised correctly.
• Without teaching, governance becomes inconsistent or arbitrary.

Teaching

• Teaching includes instruction, correction, and example.
• Teaching occurs through story, participation, and lived practice.
• Elders, Sim’oogit, and house members share responsibility for teaching.

Effects of Breakdown

• Loss of legal clarity.
• Misuse or misunderstanding of authority.
• Increased conflict and loss of trust.
• Governance becomes reactive rather than balanced.

Responsibility

• Maintaining teaching is a collective duty.
• Teaching must be continuous, not occasional.
• Each generation is responsible for preparing the next.

Limits

• Teaching does not replace accountability.
• Instruction without conduct undermines legitimacy.
• Written rules alone cannot sustain governance.

Cross References

• Continuity and Transmission
• The Future Line
• Youth and the Future Line
• Transmission of Law
• Elders as Legal Memory
• Ayaawx
• Adaawx

To Be Developed

• Examples of governance failure due to teaching breakdown
• House-based teaching practices
• Contemporary challenges to transmission
• Source citations