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?A junta of the four service commanders held constituent and legislative power and decided by unanimity; Pinochet held executive power. Economic policy was delegated to a team of Chicago-trained economists.A statutory authority (UIDAI) under the central government sets rules; ministries decide where Aadhaar is required; Parliament legislated in 2016 and 2019.Digital identityA 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?Military courts and a state of siege; secret police detention; courts rarely granted habeas corpus. A 1978 amnesty decree shielded abuses.Grievance channels at UIDAI and service agencies; constitutional challenges in the Supreme Court, which ruled in 2017 and 2018.Balanced briefing materials, trained neutral moderators and competing experts structured disagreement.
How are public goods funded?Privatised pensions, vouchers and municipal schools, targeted social programmes; copper remained state-owned through Codelco.A universal, low-cost proof of identity used for welfare transfers, financial inclusion and public services.Privately funded; produced published results, media coverage and a peer-reviewed study.
How is AI used?None.No AI in decision-making as such; automated biometric matching and deduplication decide authentication, and face authentication was added in 2018.No AI role.
What are the main risks?Systematic human rights violations, financial fragility under a fixed exchange rate, very high inequality, and constitutional enclaves outlasting the regime.CLM-1181Exclusion through authentication failures, data leaks, surveillance and profiling, weak independent oversight and function creep.CLM-0544Self-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.