Polity Atlas

How each model solves the same problems

Instead of “democracy versus anarchism”, compare the concrete ways collective problems get solved.

Question✕✕✕
How are decisions made?Neighbourhood assemblies gather ideas, volunteer budget delegates develop proposals with City agencies, and residents aged 11+ vote; winners enter the City budget.A 28-member General Council (half elected by parish, half by national list) elects the head of government; the co-princes sanction laws with countersignature.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?Agency feasibility review and delegate committees settle eligibility; council members keep the decision to opt in and set the sum.A four-member Constitutional Tribunal appointed by the co-princes and the General Council; ordinary courts.Balanced briefing materials, trained neutral moderators and competing experts structured disagreement.
How are public goods funded?Council members' discretionary capital funds pay for school, park, street-safety and library projects of at least $50,000.Participatory budgetingHealth, education and infrastructure funded by indirect, corporate and personal taxes; parishes run local services.Privately funded; produced published results, media coverage and a peer-reviewed study.
How is AI used?No AI role.No specific role for AI.No AI role.
What are the main risks?Dependence on individual council members; capital-only scope; slow delivery by City agencies; small share of the budget.Clash between the episcopal co-prince and legislation such as abortion; exclusion of non-citizens; dependence on France, Spain and the EU.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.