Polity Atlas

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?Universal suffrage with extra votes for assessed education or intellectual qualification, capped so the privileged cannot outvote the rest.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?Not addressed; Mill's scheme concerns the franchise within representative government.Balanced briefing materials, trained neutral moderators and competing experts structured disagreement.
How are public goods funded?UnknownPrivately 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?Imperfect proxies for competence; entrenching class privilege; resentment among those with a single vote.CLM-0936Self-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.