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Divarchy: Collection of governments led by competing parties

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TelfordUS posted on Thu, Aug 13 2009 12:38 PM

Hypothetical Situation:

A country has 2 or 3 political parties, about equal in control. In a divarchy, they are all given governmental powers, including separate militaries, police, fire depts, banks, economies etc within said country. An inter-party council manages inter-party issues (i.e: infrastructure, invading nations). A citizen may choose which party they'd like to be under, thus making the parties compete in efficiency for the most members.


What are the Pro's and Con's for such a organization of rule?

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sirmonty replied on Thu, Aug 13 2009 12:41 PM

Isn't that essentially what you have now when it comes to the relation between nations and states?

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But all parties under that present system are governed under one court and one legislation. In a "divarchy," the parties would have their own way of making and maintaining their laws.

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sirmonty replied on Thu, Aug 13 2009 12:53 PM

Sovereign nations currently have that too, though.  How are the relations between sovereign nations any different in function than the relations between the actors of your proposed divarchy?

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What are you saying is that there would be 3 states for one territory?

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Because in, say, the United States, people of any party can hold a position in government. But in branches of a divarchy, multiple governments are separated by party, so you can only join the government of the party you're under.

For example, you're a democrat in a multi-party state. Under a divarchy, you may only join the Democrat government, which have an all-dem congress and a dem president etc. You would call the Democratic Police to report a burglary, you'd call the Democratic Fire Department to put out a fire, you'd join the Democratic army etc. You wouldn't recieve service from the Republican Police or anything.

This differs from most democracies, where all parties are united under one rule.

 

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can i secede? 

Where there is no property there is no justice; a proposition as certain as any demonstration in Euclid

Fools! not to see that what they madly desire would be a calamity to them as no hands but their own could bring

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Of course you can secede, that's the point of a divarchy. The people can join and leave a party and its government as they please. This will keep said parties on their toes, competing with each other for the most followers.

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What if I don't want to be a part of any party?  What if I agree with the way party A deals with justice, and I agree with party B with how they deal with healthcare insurance?  What then?  Am I only limited to joining a single party or do I have the economic freedom to choose services from differing entities?

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great. i'll get my anarchy then.

Where there is no property there is no justice; a proposition as certain as any demonstration in Euclid

Fools! not to see that what they madly desire would be a calamity to them as no hands but their own could bring

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To Sirmonty:

Say you're enrolled in the Democratic Healthcare system and there are no Democrat hospitals around. You present your forms to a Republican hospital, they take care of you as the Democrats would, and the dems pay the repubs back for their services. This goes for all government branches of service; they are exchangable so you are secure in any part of the country.

 

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Seems like a fancy name for anarchy :)

If I hear not allowed much oftener; said Sam, I'm going to get angry.

J.R.R.Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

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Natalie:

Seems like a fancy name for anarchy :)

Haha not exactly. You can choose anarchy and refuse to pay any taxes, and if you're tired of that you can hop on the party you like. Am I wrong?

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Pablo replied on Thu, Aug 13 2009 2:08 PM

It seems like it would be similar to the system I propose. Voluntary Governments, or competing governments. I even have a website, which I haven't updated in a while, if you'd like to check it out. VoluntaryGov.com

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Sounds like panarchy to me.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panarchy

Periodically the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots.

Thomas Jefferson

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