Purpose: This paper aims to encourage "discourse concerning a 'sustainable societal system'", proposing S.E.E.D. (=Secure-base Earth Equilibrium Development). S.E.E.D. outlines a possible transition to a viable future civilisation, a realistic eco-social turnaround, a "taming" (i.e. a cultivation) of the market with regard to the changed context ("nature", ecosystem). Thus, it can become a key point for "sustainable global citizenship"; and all "educational efforts" in this direction are demanded. Design/methodology/approach: The design/methodology/approach is along the main components of the model of "Synoptics", i.e. systemic social analyses using so-called "objective hermeneutic methodology". This outline is the short version of the complete text of an ESD memorandum on S.E.E.D. (Vienna, 2012), which comprises approx. 200 pages; thus it has had to be very condensed. Findings: For moving towards a sustainable global societal system, a "transitional phase" is needed. One possible transition model is S.E.E.D. Further deliberation about our future social architecture as well as some immediate and critical steps are urgently needed and are to be encouraged; this text merely aims to be an incentive. Research limitations/implications: Hermeneutics can only deepen the understanding of social systems. It recognizes the "difference in relation to "science""--based on the "reproducibility of situations" (replication) and therefore the possibility of a methodology by "replicable experiments", which are not (yet) possible in the social realm. Practical implications: This article aims to deepen the "understanding of the "whole"" of a social structure--as a system--and it outlines an alternative social architecture (S.E.E.D.) for the next (transitional) historic phase. The crucial factors for a "context-appropriate change" are "education" (which has to become both more and more multicultural and have a global perspective at its core) and the "media" (where all its instruments--new and old--are very important). Social implications: This social architecture (S.E.E.D.) aims towards intensifying the political discourse for a "democratic political transition". It can be first envisaged for European states, respectively, within the EU (and finally worldwide). This outline might be useful for "pedagogic purposes" as well. If climate knows no boundaries, then why should modern teaching endeavours be limited to national boundaries? Originality/value: This paper's originality/value lies in promoting the discourses with regard to concrete proposals for a sustainable "social "architecture" with some utopian component parts still remaining today. (Contains 2 tables and 24 notes.)