What's Your Preferred Form Of Government?

[Winchester]

feudal monarchy

[Winchester]

And anarchy isn't a form of government--it's what you have just before tyranny.

[MichaelF]

There is such a thing as a blended system.

The British Empire (after, say, the middle of the 19th Century, during the High Empire) was a Monarchy (Victoria had quite a bit of authority), but had a significant democratic component (as the Commons had already overtaken the Lords as the primary House).

The great liberator of South America, Simon Bolivar, wanted a Tricameral government with two elected Houses and one House composed of hereditary aristocrats. The theory being that the aristocrats would have a stake in the status quo, and would act as a shock absorber against radicalism.

Also, for all of our braying about American Democracy, we essentially have an elected Emperor. Constantine, Justinian and Augustus could only dream of the authority that the President of the United States has.
He isn't exactly "freely-elected" either, as the two major Parties act as de facto Electors. We just get to pick the ones they choose to offer.

FYI: The American Revolution was never about disestablishing the Monarchy. Indeed, the Continental Congressmen were staunchly pro-George (III), until he actively spoke against the Revolution (modern scholars say that he was given false information by His Government).
While the myth that George Washington was "almost" offered a Throne is not true, we could have very easily ended up with a Monarchy (it only became out of the question towards the end of the RW, when the Continental Congress started feeling comfortable with their authority).

My choice is a limited Monarchy:
The Monarch (Archon? Proconsul?) controls the Military and some Executive Departments (Justice, Defense, State, Va, that deal with security and external affairs), just as the current POTUS does. He's the Head of State, Commander in Chief, [i]fons honoris[/i].
Elected for Life, from a given family-group (initial Monarch would, of course, be selected from whoever the Senate and Council agreed on). The Council and Senate (together, by supermajority) can vote to dismiss the current family-group (dynasty) and elect someone from outside that group, should the current candidates be unacceptable.

However, a Council (appointed by the Senate from any persons that have never been Senators) controls internal affairs, such as Education, HUD, Commerce, etc. IOW, the government that the People deal with. The Swiss Federal Council is the model.

The Senate: Elected from each State, according to demographics (with some adjustment, so that Wyoming actually matters, and it isn't just a California/Texas/NY show). Is the Legislative Branch. A Unicameral Congress.

Supreme Court: Appointed by the Monarch. Serve for Life.

Seems complex, but not in comparison to, say the UK setup, or the Roman Republic.

My $0.02

Edited June 14, 2009 by MichaelF

[tinytherese]

My this thread is old.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Winchester' post='1890369' date='Jun 14 2009, 02:35 PM']feudal monarchy[/quote]

[pat22]

The american form of goverment is a republic, why the heck is it not on the poll? It's the form that history has proven the least problamatic.

[MichaelF]

[quote name='pat22' post='1890526' date='Jun 14 2009, 05:51 PM']The american form of goverment is a republic, why the heck is it not on the poll? It's the form that history has proven the least problamatic.[/quote]

That does not appear to be the case...

[pat22]

[quote name='MichaelF' post='1890533' date='Jun 14 2009, 06:04 PM']That does not appear to be the case...[/quote]
what is genius?

[MichaelF]

[quote name='pat22' post='1890562' date='Jun 14 2009, 06:37 PM']what is genius?[/quote]

Republics, Democratic or otherwise, seem to be just as liable to go down in flames (Weimar, the various "People's Republics"/"Democratic Republics", ALL of the Arab Republics, the Roman Republic, the Athenians before them, etc) as Monarchies, Theocracies and Autocracies.

Indeed, it's worth remark that the United States has made it >230 years without a coup or Barracks President, with the Civil War being the only hiccup. That makes us [u]very[/u] exceptional. The French have been through, what, Four Republics, and on their Fifth (with 2 being rather bloody, and one ending in a mini-civil war)?

The Western European republics (small "r", as some are officially Constitutional Monarchies) have, arguably, been stabilized* by the needs of the Cold War. Who knows if that'll last.

*-indeed, it's arguable that Spain is only the stable nation we know due to Franco oppressing them long enough that the Revolutionary frenzy died out (or he killed all the people who were sufficiently motivated), allowing Juan Carlos to usher in (against Franco's dying wish) a liberal democracy.

Edited June 15, 2009 by MichaelF