How each model solves the same problems
Instead of “democracy versus anarchism”, compare the concrete ways collective problems get solved.
| Question | + Model | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| How are decisions made? | Each cooperative uses one member, one vote; the parent nonprofit, Evergreen Cooperatives, holds voting control and its board includes civic and anchor representatives. | A stratified random sample of 523 voters deliberated in moderated groups and plenaries and answered questionnaires before and after; no decisions were taken.Sortition / citizens' assembly | |
| How are conflicts resolved? | Boards of each cooperative and the parent set policy; Evergreen Business Services provides shared management, HR and finance. | Balanced briefing materials, trained neutral moderators and competing experts structured disagreement. | |
| How are public goods funded? | Anchor-institution contracts and philanthropic capital seed jobs and equity for residents of target neighbourhoods.Cooperative ownership | Privately funded; produced published results, media coverage and a peer-reviewed study. | |
| How is AI used? | No documented AI role. | No AI role. | |
| What are the main risks? | Dependence on a few anchor contracts; early operating losses; capital intensity; worker confusion about profit shares. | Self-selection into attendance; artificial setting; analysis by the method's designers; no institutional uptake. |
This illustrates differences in design; it is not a universal claim about outcomes. Each cell links to mechanisms and the claims behind them.