We need a system of government where the people retain all government power; where they can only willingly cede power to other levels of government including Homeowners Associations, School Boards, City/Town Councils, State Governments, and the Federal Government. There need to be limits established on the Federal Government to allow for the competition of ideas within the nation. State Governments should be limited by their respective constitutions to allow for the competition of ideas and governmental systems within their boundaries. Local Government should be restricted by their charters to allow for individuals to act according to their desires in a rational manner, as determined by the population served by a local government. The restriction of governments from the smallest local government to the Federal Government allows for the competition of ideas and governmental systems, which allows individuals to gravitate to the systems that make economic sense to them.
The limits on Federal power should be the most restrictive, as it sets policy for the entire nation. Expanded Federal power then would naturally crowd out any conflicting governmental system or ideology through sheer scope. Restricted Federal power allows for other ideologies and governmental systems to exist, and allows for the competition of said ideologies and systems. This is why changing the restrictions on Federal powers is supposed to be hard. It prevents the crowding out of the minority.
Limits on State powers should be less restrictive, and subject to easier change. The individuals can vote with their feet easier with states than nations. State Governments are also more accessible than the Federal Government to the individual, and more receptive to their needs. The ability for individuals to gravitate towards policies that fit them best is what drives the competition in ideology and State governmental systems.
Local Governments and smaller government institutions should be restricted less than the states, and should be allowed to change almost freely. Individuals can “vote with their feet” with municipalities, and gravitate to what fits them in an easier manner than with states. Local Governments are also more accessible to individuals, and more receptive to their needs than State and Federal Governments.
Described above is how the American system of governance is supposed to function. The American system was revolutionary and so successful because it was the first successful merger of the competitive market and government. It calmed the tides of faction through competition on the state and local levels. The federal level existed as a source of protection to the states and individuals, the diplomatic representation for the states and individuals, a broker of international trade for the states and individuals, and a provider of intra-state communication and commerce for individuals. The Federal Government exists to serve us in that manner. Everything else was left to the individuals and the states.
Recent events suggests that an ideology(call it corporatism or fascism) is asserting its self on a Federal level which is crowding out competition on the state, local, and individual level. We can’t let that happen, as our nation will lose the unique quality that set us apart, and made us successful. The end result of the Federal take over is the United States loosing its competitive advantage over the world.
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ReplyDeleteNice post, but you are forgetting your history as the union of the states post-revolution under the Articles of Confederation and the Conferedate States of America showed that when a national interest is threatened, disseminated power to the local level is unable to respond to the threat.
ReplyDeleteIn a Utopian world where all nation-states were organized in such a fashion would be great, but the reality of the world, even in this day is killed or be killed.
Why is China growing? Centralized power that brokes no argument about its plans, projects or motives. China wants to do something -- it does it. So far, for the last 30 years, it has shown an ability to keep the power flowing without moving into dictatorship.
Another barrier may be population size -- if you look at the European democracies that work on a model similar to what you espouse, you will find they work well in a small populace of under say, 50 million, with the best examples of democracy in action occuring in nation states of under 10 million.
Last point -- America under the Constitution is a Republic, not a democracy. Many of those institutions you are talking about run in a republican form. Should they be run in a democratic form? I wonder -- you talk in other places about the idiocy in the people around you. there is a reason the framers of the Constitution wanted a Republic guided by an enlighted elite.
Eric, I was essentially arguing for a return to the constitutional system we once had. The limits on federal power I mentioned were the limits contained within the document. I do believe that the republican model is the best way to go, because it stems the tide of fanaticism and faction. The latter reason being why our Senators weren't originally elected by the populace.
ReplyDeleteChina is an interesting case. They have an authoritarian government model that tolerates and respects economic liberty for the most part. Example, Chinese farmers are allowed to keep the excesses of their harvests after they pay their quota to the state. The Farmers are not restricted as to what to do with the excess, they can sell it, consume it themselves, or use it to barter with other farmers. China has authoritative control(production quotas) as well as a degree of economic liberty(the ability to keep the excess of a harvest, and do with it as you please). This gives the farmer the incentive to produce more than his quota. They also use the same technique in pottery factories, and other state ran industries.
Also, the government is generally not hostile to foreign corporations that set up shop in China. The Chinese legislature(a mere formality, the true power resides with the CCP) is set up differently than our own. Each factory or grouping of factories is represented by a seat. The representatives are elected by the workers. This gives the appearance of a representative government. The Chinese government also offers subsidies, special deals, and discounts on services to lure companies to the country. Combined with the massive cheap labor force, it is no wonder they've grown.
Sorry I wasn't more clear. I believe the constitution is the way to go(we got that hashed out during a facebook argument.)
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested to hear your thoughts if you think a Republican model can work with a 300 million population.
ReplyDeleteWe seem to be following the other massive republican model from history in the same arc of decline.
How much have you studied Greek democracy? They had some interesting ideas about leadership -- you lead an army, and it fails (your men lose on the battlefield) don't bother returning home because you will be tried and most likely put-to death. If you are a political leader and your policies fail -- exhile.
I do think that a Republican model can theoretically work with a massive state. It requires that the citizenry is made up of individualists rather than collectivists.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as populations grow, people tend to divide themselves into sub-groups, which sows the seeds of collectivism.
However, the constitutional model that we have been given provides a solution for that. The powers of government on the Federal level are subdivided. The powers of each subdivision each act as a check on one another. If congress or the executive gets out of line, and infringes on another branch of governments power, the offending party can be removed through the court system.
Congress was also subdivided, between the House and the Senate. The House representing populist anger, and the Senate existing to calm it(by representing the interests of states who would rather have a stable entity ruling over them).
Also, the subdivision of governmental power between the Federal and State level also provides a solution to the problem of group think. States act as a check on Federal power, they are able to legally challenge Federal mandates on behalf of their citizenry through the court system(see the Health Care fight).
In fact, some of the changes to the system(such as the election of Senators by the populace) have caused some of the issues with the system we have today. The system as it was ORIGINALLY designed I think would work fine in America.
I've had only a limited exposure to Greek democracy, but the ideas listed above don't sound bad, but could be the source of great abuse by those that win elections after a long reign. Those principals make the peaceful transfer of power from one group to another all the more difficult.
Nice to see your post on the role of the Senator. The way the original founders framed the Constitution it was supposed to be the legislative branches of the STATE governments that held the most power, and they would wield this on the national scale with the Senators being elected by the State legislator.
ReplyDeleteSame with the election of the President -- he was not be elected by the populace, but rather through each state voting, again, the power was vested in the State legislators to appoint the electors who would then vote for President. Not the aspect that electors are tied to democratic voting processes.
So, since there appear to be 2 of us in agreement, isn't that enough to start a political party?
Yes sir, it is enough to start a political party. What shall we call ourselves?
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