Models 030812

There are two models for democratic government, the British parliamentary and the American constitutional.  There wasn’t a true Communist democratic model despite its high ideals, the Soviet’s interpretation could loosely be termed “central planning democracy”, which has lost most of its attraction.

The British elect representative from multiple parties during short campaigns; the party with the most representatives forms a ruling government.  It governs until the next general election in five years (prior to the fixed term legislation in 2011, Parliamentary terms were long or short based on confidence in government.)  If no party wins a majority in the general election then a coalition government is formed, often contributing to short sessions.  Most of the former British colonies adapted its parliamentary system in some form or the other. 

In an early demonstration of proclivity to reinvent the wheel, the American colonies rejected the British model forming a constitutional federation dividing government power.  The division of power was sold to the voters as a system of checks and balances preventing British government abuses that led to the American Revolution. Initially a number of emerging States ‘adapted’ the American model.  In the United States that model evolved into a rigid two party system of corruption, equivocation and constant electioneering.  (After long campaigns national elections are held every two years with local elections in off years.)

America forced a fun house mirror constitution on its 19th century colonial conquests attempting to disguise its imperialism.  Riding its wave of post War II victory and egotistical exceptionalism Americans continue attempts to impose its form of government and way of life across the globe.  In general the American hard sell is resented and opposed.  Americans can never accept rejection and to deceive its own electorate will always find local surrogates to govern as long as there are dollars left on the table.

Constitutional idealism suffers from the same flaw as communism idealism; neither can stand against politicians’ ideology of Power.  Post war marketing of American government ran into an informational backdoor that allowed viewing of its political clay feet via television and the Internet.  The 2012 American political campaigns are mired in very expensive mud, presenting a world frightening vision of increasingly radical American domination.  Candidates advocate religious war, economic war, race war, sex war, resource war, remote war and even war against each other.  Candidates must look strong, drop a bomb on someone, anyone before the election.  They are resorting to tried and true tactics of focus the electorate on an external enemy and it will not notice the poor quality of its candidates.  Democracy customers however are watching the greatest show on earth with trepidation and rejection of American big stick democracy. 

It is probable that they’ll again find local dictatorships preferable to foreign dictates no matter how well dressed in meaningless idealism.