If you have any specific examples, that’s just the kind of thing I’m after. Stuff that makes me go, “whoa, I didn’t know that was even a thing!”
Comment on Why can humans seemingly only imagine like 3 different forms of government in different flavors?
TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
You could also look back. History has many examples of people governing themselves in various ways that differ from the systems used at the moment. Even within the spectrum contemporary democracy, there are several options to choose from. People could just look up what kinds of democracies are used in other countries and how they differ from the one used (or not used) in your home country.
I think we need a new radical philosopher who comes up with a new way of government, and starts promoting it actively. Actually, long ago, I heard one small political party doing just that. They wanted to switch to the kind of direct democracy used in Switzerland, which sounded nice. If people heard about someone proposing an alternative, they might at least consider it.
The way I see it, people aren’t really exposed to different ideas of this kind. They see the problems, but not the answers. People aren’t really proposing new solutions that much, now are they?
ivanafterall@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Ideally, you would find a “philosopher king”, but that’s unlikely to happen. The next best option would be liquid democracy or some sort of direct democracy. If that’s not an option, you could switch to preferential voting that leads to a coalition parliament fairly often. Proportional representation works too. Basically anything other than FPTP.
naught101@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Have a read of Wengrow and Graeber’s The Dawn Of Everything. It’s a re-examination of the political implications of archeology, and it’s pretty inspiring. Definitely dispelled me of any notion that capitalism or communism or totalitarianism were the only plausible systems.
vvilld@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
If Wengrow and Graeber were required reading every civics/government/social studies curriculum for high school age students, the world would be a much better place.
naught101@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Yes. Perhaps fairly chaotic for a decade or two, but then much better 😅
ivanafterall@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
That sounds spot-on, thank you!
MrEff@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Think of a more direct democracy. I will oversimplify enough to annoy those from Switzerland:
Differing levels of law require differing thresholds. Country votes on a law, the majority above the required threshold vote it in. It becomes a national law. That is easy. What about when it fails? Then look to the state level. Did it pass the threshold for your state? Yes? Then it is a state law. Failed state level? Let’s look at your county/city/local level. Passed threshold? Local law.
Again, over simplified, but general idea.
absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz 3 weeks ago
I believe it is called Liquid democracy