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?Participants submitted and voted on statements in Polis; researchers kept statements with cross-group agreement and converted them into training principles.Each listed body sets its own well-being objectives and steps; the Welsh Ministers publish national indicators and a future trends report after each election.A statutory authority (UIDAI) under the central government sets rules; ministries decide where Aadhaar is required; Parliament legislated in 2016 and 2019.Digital identity
How are conflicts resolved?Polis maps disagreement into opinion groups; statements lacking consensus across groups were excluded rather than adjudicated.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.Grievance channels at UIDAI and service agencies; constitutional challenges in the Supreme Court, which ruled in 2017 and 2018.
How are public goods funded?A published public constitution, methodology and evaluation results reusable by other developers and researchers.Covers the Welsh Ministers, local authorities, health boards, national park authorities and other listed bodies; public services boards plan locally.A universal, low-cost proof of identity used for welfare transfers, financial inclusion and public services.
How is AI used?Constitutional AI: the model applies the written principles to critique its own outputs and generate training feedback.No documented AI role.No AI in decision-making as such; automated biometric matching and deduplication decide authentication, and face authentication was added in 2018.
What are the main risks?Organiser discretion in translation, unrepresentative or small samples, no ongoing accountability and voluntary uptake by the developer.Soft 'follow or explain' enforcement; procedural compliance; difficulty measuring long-term and preventative benefits.Exclusion through authentication failures, data leaks, surveillance and profiling, weak independent oversight and function creep.CLM-0544

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