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What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:38 pm
by naxus
Is there a type of government where the people are happy, the economy is good, almost everyone likes the leaders, and it can actually last without revolutions, killing of the leaders, or coups?

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:40 pm
by spurgistan
Benevolent dictatorship's about it.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:05 pm
by jay_a2j
None that man has ever created.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:23 pm
by bedub1
first you have to define what works. i think the government works if they stay out of my life and just provide basic things like roads and defense etc. Some people think the government works when it takes all their money and gives them lots of services like healthcare etc....

It's all about there being too much to do and too little money.....

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:28 pm
by strike wolf
There may not be a perfect government. And if there is I don't think it's likely that we'll find it in our or even our children's (present and future children) lifetime. everyone is unique and everyone wants something different from their government. There is just no satisfying everyone.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:33 pm
by bluetrajan
on paper communism is supposed to be the perfect form. but on paper it doesnt account for human greed and error which is why it wont last even in the few remaining countries its in. so other than that in theory i dont think there is one. the one we have now may be the best ever created believe it or not

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:34 pm
by jonesthecurl
Michael Foot once said "It doesn't matter what sort of government you think you have, you always have an oligarchy."

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:12 am
by naxus
I dont mean perfect just one that works.

What do you want your goverment to do?

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:13 am
by bluetrajan
well defense is one thing. and itd be nice to have schools and roads and that stuff. but i dont know that gov. should do much else.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:22 am
by Hologram
The perfect government can't exist because the citizenry all have differing ideas. And if they don't then life is boring, but that's another issue entirely.

Really, the closest you can get to the perfect government is by outlying the basic principles, as, as stated before, everyone has a different idea on how to apply those principles, being basically to (according to John Locke) govern by the consent of the people, and to govern by the consent of the people, the government must look out for the general welfare of the people.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:26 am
by Hologram
naxus wrote:I dont mean perfect just one that works.

What do you want your goverment to do?
Well, you outlined a perfect government.

If you want one that works, just look around at the many long standing governments today, like the U.S. and it's democratic republic, or Great Britain and it's constitutional monarchy, or France's and Germany's republic, or China's socialist autocracy. The government that works depends on the culture and ideals of the people being governed.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:30 am
by V.I.
philosopher kings. heavy emphasis on education.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:02 am
by naxus
Hologram wrote:
naxus wrote:I dont mean perfect just one that works.

What do you want your goverment to do?
Well, you outlined a perfect government.

If you want one that works, just look around at the many long standing governments today, like the U.S. and it's democratic republic, or Great Britain and it's constitutional monarchy, or France's and Germany's republic, or China's socialist autocracy. The government that works depends on the culture and ideals of the people being governed.


The U.S. government sucks as we have major debt, no good canidates for president and the economy is slowly failing.With britians monarchy everyone kills everyone else to be King/queen.The french gov might work but thier weak Military wise and the only reason they havn't been conquered(Again) is cause everyone wants there wine.Germany?Just wow.And china is communist which is going to fail soon anyway.

What about a type of government that doesn't have leaders?

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:07 am
by btownmeggy
bluetrajan wrote:on paper communism is supposed to be the perfect form. but on paper it doesnt account for human greed and error which is why it wont last even in the few remaining countries its in. so other than that in theory i dont think there is one. the one we have now may be the best ever created believe it or not


All of the Marxisms account for human greed... their remedies for it have been less than optimally successful.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:13 am
by muy_thaiguy
What about a type of government that doesn't have leaders?
At best, that would only work for say, a town. In a city, or anything bigger, all hell would break lose.

The best government? A world wide military Dictatorship run by yours truly.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:18 am
by spurgistan
muy_thaiguy wrote:
What about a type of government that doesn't have leaders?
At best, that would only work for say, a town. In a city, or anything bigger, all hell would break lose.

The best government? A world wide military Dictatorship run by yours truly.


Man, you're the first guy ever to get that idea.

paging 007...007...

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:08 pm
by InkL0sed
naxus wrote:
Hologram wrote:
naxus wrote:I dont mean perfect just one that works.

What do you want your goverment to do?
Well, you outlined a perfect government.

If you want one that works, just look around at the many long standing governments today, like the U.S. and it's democratic republic, or Great Britain and it's constitutional monarchy, or France's and Germany's republic, or China's socialist autocracy. The government that works depends on the culture and ideals of the people being governed.


The U.S. government sucks as we have major debt, no good canidates for president and the economy is slowly failing.With britians monarchy everyone kills everyone else to be King/queen.The french gov might work but thier weak Military wise and the only reason they havn't been conquered(Again) is cause everyone wants there wine.Germany?Just wow.And china is communist which is going to fail soon anyway.

What about a type of government that doesn't have leaders?


Every government has problems, but I do think ours is one of the best around. We've had no major revolutions or rebellions, the only major internal political crisis being the Civil War, and we've done pretty well for ourselves in the meantime. What other democracy can claim that? France has had plenty of Revolutions during our existence, and the European nations in general have been on the decline. And if you count out European nations, I think we're pretty much the oldest government around.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:11 pm
by naxus
muy_thaiguy wrote:
What about a type of government that doesn't have leaders?
At best, that would only work for say, a town. In a city, or anything bigger, all hell would break lose.

The best government? A world wide military Dictatorship run by yours truly.


No because even if you were nice someone would revolt.But many species of insects are run quite well without leadership with something called a hive mind.Its like communism in the sense that everythings for the great good but without leaders

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:10 pm
by muy_thaiguy
naxus wrote:
muy_thaiguy wrote:
What about a type of government that doesn't have leaders?
At best, that would only work for say, a town. In a city, or anything bigger, all hell would break lose.

The best government? A world wide military Dictatorship run by yours truly.


No because even if you were nice someone would revolt.But many species of insects are run quite well without leadership with something called a hive mind.Its like communism in the sense that everythings for the great good but without leaders

Why do you think it would be a military dictatorship? If someone tries a revolt, the are squashed and the survivors are put to work as slaves.

Oh, and it will be a Capitalist Economy, none of the crappy stuff.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:15 pm
by Gregrios
Only when the thorns are weeded out from amongst the blossems will we ever get to know what a perfect leadership is like. ;)

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:01 pm
by suggs
naxus wrote:Is there a type of government where the people are happy, the economy is good, almost everyone likes the leaders, and it can actually last without revolutions, killing of the leaders, or coups?


the happy and liking the leaders bit is tricky.
But, over the last three hundred years, western liberal democracy has done a pretty damn fine job of the economy, revolutions, assassinations and coups.

This message is sent form the fourth richest country in the world, to be recieved mostly by readers inhabiting the richest.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:16 pm
by tzor
The founding fathers of the United States had a lot of interesting ideas about government. There was one area where they came to pretty much agreement. You cannot design a government based on an ideal model of people. Power corrupts and the only way to keep it in check is to keep it in balance. Thus the form of government is not as important as the structures that are used by the government. Separation of powers especially in a three part system allows no one power to get long term control over the other two. For the founding fathers who also saw a necessity for vertical (state/federal) as well as horizontal (legislative/judicial/executive) divisions the idea of multiple interests being forced to work together for the common good becomes a cornerstone of a type of government that can produce the best results over the long term.

Mind you a government that produces the best results over the long term doesn’t mean it can provide a happy people, a good economy or appreciation for the leaders.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:31 pm
by naxus
tzor wrote:Mind you a government that produces the best results over the long term doesn’t mean it can provide a happy people, a good economy or appreciation for the leaders.


America has had that government for 200+ years now and our economy is in shambles, everyones split about how it should be run, and the 3 different branches take so long to do anything that by the time they do pass a bill/law the problem is non-existent anymore.

I was thinking maybe take the best of democracy, communism, dictorships, socialism's and all the other gov's out there and make like a Super goverment

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:56 pm
by Simon Viavant
That vision is pretty much impossible for any nation whos population exceeds 30. For a nation of millions of people, there's no such thing as a perfect government everyone likes. I say, government gives healthcare, defence, education, and services such as roads. On the subject, I think people who make $200 million should have $190 million taken away in taxes. What would no government be? Obviously, no President or PM or dictator or whatever. No Congress or Parliament. Then on more basic terms. No city council and mayor. Get even more basic. Imagine growing without your parents. On the smallest level, parents are the government. Imagine spending your life alone. Cause if you have 3 people, then you're already under either dictatorship or democracy.

Re: What type of Government actually works?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:32 pm
by Hologram
naxus wrote:
tzor wrote:Mind you a government that produces the best results over the long term doesn’t mean it can provide a happy people, a good economy or appreciation for the leaders.


America has had that government for 200+ years now and our economy is in shambles, everyones split about how it should be run, and the 3 different branches take so long to do anything that by the time they do pass a bill/law the problem is non-existent anymore.

I was thinking maybe take the best of democracy, communism, dictorships, socialism's and all the other gov's out there and make like a Super goverment

Hmmm, funnily enough, you stated every present problem today. Yet, for some reason, I remember some strange days in my AP U.S. History class where we talked about things like the Great Depression, the first Constitution (Articles of Confederation) and the resulting rebellions because of it's inadequacies and many many many social and political upheavals (not revolts, just upheavals) and yet somehow, the country is still going strong and has been for about 200 years.

Every nation has it's ups and downs and the alarmists love to make people think that the present is the worst and that the past is better. Watch, in the next decade or so, the economy will pull through and the political spectrum will be somewhat depolarized.

It's short-minded individuals like you who know nothing of history and political science that raise the alarm every single time some little thing goes wrong in the country and spreads the rumor that we're all doomed and a civil war is about to break out and/or some foreign nation is going to invade and take us over.

/edit: As for your proposed "Super government", the fact that each one of those governments governs on completely different political rules and ideals that it would be impossible to combine them, let alone make an effective government out of it. Honestly, how could you possibly have a democratic dictatorship? Are we going to elect a king for life and then when we disagree with something he does we're powerless to stop him because, after all, he's a dictator, and his word is gospel. Honestly, your mere proposition of doing something like that shows how much of an ignoramus you are.