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?Advisory: randomly recruited citizens deliberate in small groups and answer surveys; the ministry and Executive Yuan decide on policy.Sortition / citizens' assemblyA stratified random sample of 523 voters deliberated in moderated groups and plenaries and answered questionnaires before and after; no decisions were taken.Sortition / citizens' assemblyEach listed body sets its own well-being objectives and steps; the Welsh Ministers publish national indicators and a future trends report after each election.
How are conflicts resolved?Facilitated small-group discussion with equal speaking time; disagreements are reported rather than forced to consensus.Balanced briefing materials, trained neutral moderators and competing experts structured disagreement.The Commissioner may review a body and recommend; the body must take reasonable steps to follow or publish reasons (s 22). The Auditor General examines application of the principle.
How are public goods funded?Public reports on informed citizen preferences about AI, available to legislators, companies and other governments.Privately funded; produced published results, media coverage and a peer-reviewed study.Covers the Welsh Ministers, local authorities, health boards, national park authorities and other listed bodies; public services boards plan locally.
How is AI used?AI is the topic; automated moderation manages speaking turns and transcripts; an AI-assisted interactive report summarised 2023 online input.No AI role.No documented AI role.
What are the main risks?No binding mandate, agenda set by the convening ministry, selective uptake of results and dependence on trust in government text messages.CLM-0537Self-selection into attendance; artificial setting; analysis by the method's designers; no institutional uptake.Soft 'follow or explain' enforcement; procedural compliance; difficulty measuring long-term and preventative benefits.

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