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?Each subak's assembly (paruman) of member farmers sets planting dates, work and fines under its own rules (awig-awig); water temples coordinate schedules between subaks.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' assemblyUnknown
How are conflicts resolved?Disputes are heard by subak heads and assemblies; conflicts between upstream and downstream subaks are negotiated at shared temples.Balanced briefing materials, trained neutral moderators and competing experts structured disagreement.Unknown
How are public goods funded?Proportional water division, canal maintenance, pest control through synchronised fallowing and shared ritual.Privately funded; produced published results, media coverage and a peer-reviewed study.Unknown
How is AI used?None in governance. Lansing's computer simulations were research tools that informed, but did not run, scheduling.No AI role.Unknown
What are the main risks?Conversion of rice land to housing and tourism, water competition with hotels, falling water tables and state programmes that ignore local coordination.Self-selection into attendance; artificial setting; analysis by the method's designers; no institutional uptake.Unknown

This illustrates differences in design; it is not a universal claim about outcomes. Each cell links to mechanisms and the claims behind them.