2 ms·

Question: which non-US democracy has the best system? Bicameral vs unicameral, presidential vs prime-ministerial, etc -- what has gotten the best results?

throw0101a 4y ago
One analysis seems to show constitutional monarchies rank pretty high (i.e., the head of state is mostly ceremonial): * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index (2020/1 seem to have been a bad batch of years, as a lot of scores seems to have dropped) See also: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-Dem_Institute https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-Dem_Institute
Taikonerd 4y ago
That's a tricky question... like, if you think Germany (for example) is a really well-run country, is it because of their parliamentary system? Or is it because of German culture, and they would do equally well under a presidential system? I do think it's revealing that when the US helps a country set up a new government (for example, in Iraq), they set them up with a parliamentary system, and not an American-style presidential one. I once asked a politically-minded friend why that was, and he said it was because parliamentary systems are friendlier to small factions in countries with lots of different ethnic groups.
- ZeroGravitas 4y ago
  Germany also had their new government set up by the US (and others): > The authors of the Basic Law sought to ensure that a potential dictator would never again be able to come to power in the country. Although some of the Basic Law is based on the Weimar Republic's constitution, the first article is a protection of the human dignity ("Menschenwürde") and human rights; they are core values protected by the Basic Law. The principles of democracy, republicanism, social responsibility, federalism and rule of law are key components of the Basic Law (Article 20). Articles 1 and 20 are protected by the so-called eternity clause ("Ewigkeitsklausel") Article 79 (3) that prohibits any sort of change or removal of the principles laid down in Articles 1 and 20.

throw0101a 4y ago

One analysis seems to show constitutional monarchies rank pretty high (i.e., the head of state is mostly ceremonial): * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index (2020/1 seem to have been a bad batch of years, as a lot of scores seems to have dropped) See also: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-Dem_Institute https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-Dem_Institute

Taikonerd 4y ago

That's a tricky question... like, if you think Germany (for example) is a really well-run country, is it because of their parliamentary system? Or is it because of German culture, and they would do equally well under a presidential system? I do think it's revealing that when the US helps a country set up a new government (for example, in Iraq), they set them up with a parliamentary system, and not an American-style presidential one. I once asked a politically-minded friend why that was, and he said it was because parliamentary systems are friendlier to small factions in countries with lots of different ethnic groups.

ZeroGravitas 4y ago
Germany also had their new government set up by the US (and others): > The authors of the Basic Law sought to ensure that a potential dictator would never again be able to come to power in the country. Although some of the Basic Law is based on the Weimar Republic's constitution, the first article is a protection of the human dignity ("Menschenwürde") and human rights; they are core values protected by the Basic Law. The principles of democracy, republicanism, social responsibility, federalism and rule of law are key components of the Basic Law (Article 20). Articles 1 and 20 are protected by the so-called eternity clause ("Ewigkeitsklausel") Article 79 (3) that prohibits any sort of change or removal of the principles laid down in Articles 1 and 20.