Re: POLI: Random democracy

The Low Golden Willow (phoenix@ugcs.caltech.edu)
Sat, 15 Feb 1997 18:51:24 -0800 (PST)


Having a random legislature isn't restricted to a small gov't; that was
just a preable justifying extropian interest in legislatures. I'd be
happy to try a random Congress, or at least a random California
legislature. (The latter is probably far more feasible, with popular
initiatives.)

Having said this I've just read most of the essays at Friedman's site,
and the Coase essay gave me a new view of externalities.

} eleiminated. But still to ensure a corrupt free political system, maybe
} supervisors could be randomly assigned to check the representatives,
} swicthing between them on a regular basis.

Perhaps. Congress already has an internal Ethics committee. I figured
severe media attention would be a good check. It could be argued we're
not good now in that regard, but such a switch would probably attract a
lot of attention.

} Why not fund the political system on a capitalist basis ?. That is;
} offering them a percentage of the benefits to society they bring, instead
} of having the taxpayer pay their year income. The 'state' as a whole could

Might lead to complications, though.

} I'm all for it, as there's one other thing you forgot in your criticism of
} democracy not being a correct representation of society: Know any
} congressmen of 18 or 21 years old ?

Minimum age of 25.

Merry part,
-xx- Damien R. Sullivan X-) <*> http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~phoenix