NationStates Jolt Archive

I've posted a few times here, all in good fun, but there's a subject I'd like to bring up to fulfill my own curiosity. I'm interested in the politics of other peoples' countries, and considering NS is a very multi-national community, I'm asking you guys, albeit without grand expectations. :p

First, some preface: I'm not incredibly world-wise, politically speaking, aside from watching those guys argue at the table in England on C-SPAN. It's stressful enough following American politics what with the one-side-must-hate-the-other stuff that goes on, so I just worry about what concerns me most, locally and nationally, and occasionally take a brief glimpse (a la C-SPAN) at what goes on in other countries. I'm well enough versed in the history of politics in various countries spanning from WWII through the Cold War, but current happenings escape me.

Thus, I'm asking you guys as nicely as I know how to inform a curious individual as to what it's like in your country. Be it Canada, Mexico, Japan, Norway, Korea, Australia, The United Faulkan French Polymicronesian Islands, Inc. or whatever. :p

What I'm not looking for:

-Policy: Your country may be progressive in gay marriage, education and healthcare and that's great, but that's not really what I'm interested in.
-People: The good ones or the bad ones.
-Certain Opinions: (Insert Highest Authority Here) may be better than George Bush, but I don't need you telling me there are leaders out there better than Bush. :p

What I am looking for:

-The Process: How, as you understand it, laws get made. How debates occur. How public or private government matters are.
-Certain Opinions: Mostly whether or not you like your country's system of government, whether you think it's great, good, okay, not okay, bad or horrible.
-How Individuals Are Involved: In other words, how much a part of your government's process are you? Do you feel like your vote/voice/etc. counts? Do you even go to elections?

I can't restrain you from saying or not saying anything, so all I can do is ask that you be mostly respectful and informative. Jokes are okay. :p I just don't want this turning in to a "My country's government is better than your country's government" thread, even though in all likelihood, it will.

Thanks for your time, all. :)

its lies... all lies!

It's like the digestive tract: You stick a good idea in one end, and out the other end you get crap.

Politics in my country? Stupid.

What I am looking for:

-The Process: How, as you understand it, laws get made. How debates occur. How public or private government matters are.
-Certain Opinions: Mostly whether or not you like your country's system of government, whether you think it's great, good, okay, not okay, bad or horrible.
-How Individuals Are Involved: In other words, how much a part of your government's process are you? Do you feel like your vote/voice/etc. counts? Do you even go to elections?
Thanks for your time, all. :)


Ok, I live in Canada, I can't vote yet, so take my words with a bag or two of salt.
The Process: Bills and laws are usually written up by cabinet ministers or other important members of the ruling party(we have like, 4 major political parties and no full majority government; our conservatives rule as a minority, just as a plurality). The bills are first debated twice in the lower house(house of commons) then is sent to the upper house(senate) for debate. While in the Senate, the terminology used can be changed, and once passed in the senate, the changed bill is debated once more in the Commons. Once a majority in the Commons have approved the law, the Queen's representative, the Governor General, signs the bill into law. The Prime Minister has no veto power.
Opinions: I like how the debate makes sure a majority approve, but our elected officials are NOT elected by majority, which is problematic. Our elected officials simply need more votes than their competitors, not a majority, to be elected, and therefore even in a majority government, the views of the majority may not be represented.
Public Involvement: Citizens above the age of majority are always allowed to vote in elections, and occasionally special referendums are called on important issues. Beyond voting, citizens are encouraged to write to their elected representatives and even take part in peaceful protests to express their views on government policy.

Hope this helps

-The Process: How, as you understand it, laws get made. How debates occur. How public or private government matters are.

Debates generally involve the words 'No' and 'Never' unless of course their own jobs are on the line or enough money is offered.


-Certain Opinions: Mostly whether or not you like your country's system of government, whether you think it's great, good, okay, not okay, bad or horrible.

The two main politicians of note are a guy who got kicked out of the European Parliament for calling the Pope the Antichrist while the other has links to a terrorist organisation. Needless to say I don't think much of them

T'is a disgrace but hopefully future generations will water down the bits I hate and things will improve

-How Individuals Are Involved: In other words, how much a part of your government's process are you? Do you feel like your vote/voice/etc. counts? Do you even go to elections?


People tend to vote according to 'tribal' politics. I'm completely disillusioned with the whole system and have never voted there (although I have in Scotland).

My country Latvia is democratic nation, which get back its independence from Russia in 1991. We were forced to live under foreign rule for 750 years.

We got multi party democracy. Our president Valdis Zatlersis a doctor and prime minister Aigars Kalvitis a former pig farm worker. Even so these two people are not the main rulers, the tree oligarchs- Andris Skele, Aivars Lembergs and Ainars Slesers are main hidden rulers. Our people are sick of them and wants them jailed. Lembergs recently was arrested, but was sent free.

Because of oligarch rule our country is a brink of economical disaster. Our inflation levels are 11%. Now because our people has starting do make active protests the government is brink of collapse. We don't know what will happen tomorrow, because there is new political events every day. Tomorrow there will be vote against prime minister, but I don't think he fall so easy.

As you see its not so good in Latvia. People are fleeing my land to Ireland ore England. Its breaks my heart and makes me very angry and sad.

... ceased to exist as of 1997. Even China can boast more political diversity than the UK.

-Laws are made when one party gives some stupidly right wing Authoritarian stance and the other party copies but worse

-currently we are whoring ourselves to the free market, only its the kind of free market-ism that makes libertarians cry e.g selling NHS hospital wings to private companies who then rent beds back to the NHS for a much greater cost

we also have more or less state religion with the rich traditions of feudal lords raping peasants left, right and center

- I don't feel currently my vote matters, neo-labour or conservative is the choice which isn't much of one

I'm from the UK :)

For your curiosity, here is a FAQ about the Swedish political system as I see it and as far as I know.

How are laws made?
Any member of the parliament may suggest a law change but the ones in opposition usually don't bother. A committee of experts is assigned to investigate the suggestion. Comments on the committee's report are gathered both from government institutions and non-governmental organizations. The relevant ministry writes a proposal based on the report and comments received. The parliament votes to decide whether or not the proposal shall be passed as law.

How are the debates?
The ones in parliament are boring. Both the parliament members' seats and the spectators' seats are mostly empty most of the time and the only time these debates are aired on TV is when public service channels needs to fill up the hours when nobody would be watching even if they put on something interesting instead. The ones in TV studios on election years are a bit more entertaining but only involves the big faces and the big election issues.

How public are government matters?
One of the oldest parts of our constitution, the Principle of Publicity from 1766 states that (almost) all documents created or received by a public institution are public so access to them will be granted to anyone who requests it. It does however provide a number of exceptions when a document can be kept secret. For example to protect the personal integrity of an individual (commonly used to protect medical journals etc), to fight crime (used to keep ongoing police investigations secret), to protect national security or to prevent the extinction of a species.

How involved are people?
Politicians listen to media because voters do so. Some politicians read and have blogs and media sometimes gives attention to blogs too. Petitions and demonstrations are common ways for people to catch media's attention. Elections are the big thing which about 80% participation in the last one illustrates. That pretty much sums up all the involvement. I don't know anyone who has time to personally go to the parliament to watch debates, read law proposals, request and read public documents or write to politicians.

How do I feel about it?
The design of the system is good in theory but shit still happens in reality. The main problem is that in reality ordinary people don't have time to do more then watch the news, whine to their coworkers on a coffee break, go to the occasional demonstration and vote in elections.

I'm Canadian.

The Canadian system concentrates power in effectively one person, the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has the power to appoint judges and the cabinet, eject people from his own government or important committee positions, and select candidates for election. The Prime Minister also controls the timing of future elections.

Technically, laws are passed by a majority vote in a bicameral system, but the upper house almost never votes against anything, and the lower house is generally controlled by the will of the Prime Minister. Similarly, the Governor-General does have the power to refuse to sign laws or obey the Prime Minister when he deems it not in the best interests of the country or monarch, though this hasn't happened in half a century (when Lord Byng refused to call an election).

-The Process: How, as you understand it, laws get made. How debates occur. How public or private government matters are.
Nationally, bills go through committees, and if they're good enough they end up on the floor. Debate occurs, and then the bill is voted on. People usually vote with their party, but it's not as definite as it is in other countries. For example, right now the Democrats have a 51-49 advantage in the Senate, but that really only guarantees their people will get on the committees they like and things like that.
Afterwards, the bill goes to the president, who signs, vetoes, or line-item vetoes it. A line-item veto is technically only for appropriations, and means the president can agree to parts of the bill but not the whole thing, the idea being it will create a more balanced budget. In reality, the president usually just doesn't agree to the parts he doesn't like, one of the reasons this president has vetoed only four times.
-Certain Opinions: Mostly whether or not you like your country's system of government, whether you think it's great, good, okay, not okay, bad or horrible.
Structure-wise, I think it's great. Democracy works, and we have a healthy mix of evolved tradition and rational rules.
In terms of the people actually in the government, well, I have less high an opinion. But one of the good things about the system is how elections can have an enema-like effect on the powers that be.

-How Individuals Are Involved: In other words, how much a part of your government's process are you? Do you feel like your vote/voice/etc. counts? Do you even go to elections?
There is a lower voter turnout than there used to be, but I think that may have something to do with an increasing number of people who are allowed to vote (which is a good thing). If you don't like the party system you're not going to be happy, but there are plenty of ways for citizens to become involved in government, not just elections.

-The Process: How, as you understand it, laws get made. How debates occur. How public or private government matters are.

Vetalians elect their Senate and the Praetor (a cross between President and Prime Minister) through direct elections. The Emperor is a hereditary position and has the power to propose legislation and veto it; the main difference between him and the Praetor is that the Emperor also has the power to issue Imperial Decrees (similar to Executive Orders) and that his veto requires a 4/5 majority to overturn as opposed to 3/5 for the Praetor's.

The Supreme and federal-level courts are appointed by the Praetor while the lower levels are elected. The Proconsular Council, consisting of the heads of the Ministries, is responsible for managing the country on a day-to-day level when the Senate is not in session and is a think-tank of sorts for legislation and policy. It also has the power to vote on a declaration of war, giving it the rare power to overturn the Praetor or Emperor if they do not feel war is a prudent idea.

An important aspect of our system is that declarations of war do not require Senatorial authorization. It is entirely the responsibility of the Praetor, Emperor, and the Proconsular Council.

-Certain Opinions: Mostly whether or not you like your country's system of government, whether you think it's great, good, okay, not okay, bad or horrible.

I like it (since I did design it), but at the same time it has some unsavory aspects. It's very realist, to the point where we will align ourselves with outright evil nations for our own benefit, and is willing to risk war in order to acquire land and riches.

At the same time, it is very honest and meritocratic, which keeps corruption to a minimum.

-How Individuals Are Involved: In other words, how much a part of your government's process are you? Do you feel like your vote/voice/etc. counts? Do you even go to elections?

Since so many positions are directly elected, popular participation is high. Vetalian culture is a voracious consumer of ideas and debates over policy and politics are a passion for many of our citizens. As a result, there is little voter apathy; even more remarkable is the general lack of political parties in the strictest sense of the term.

Our people prefer to decide issues on a case by case basis and so the formation of parties is generally rare; few people feel strongly enough about a single issue to make that the driving force of their voting decisions.

in my country, the us of a, there is no mainstream left.

what you've got is two right wings,
each worse than the other.



two heads to one corporate imperial war party


:headbang::upyours::fluffle:

In Scotland politics are mostly governed by the centre-left, just different centre left parties. As a centrist, this usually leaves me with tough choices at election time.

How to: Change the Danish constitution.

Parliament votes and is in favour. Parliament is dissolved. A new parliament is voted in. The new parliament votes and is in favour. A referendum is held: A minimum of 40% of the population must vote. At least 50% of the votes must be in favour.

Result?

Only three amendments since 1848. There could have been four, but the fourth one failed by having to need a minimum of 45% of the population (at the time) by about 11-12.000 votes.

Politics in the U.S.? Well, I think Kansas should secede from the U.S. since we're so much better than them. The U.S. is only holding us back!

Well, Kansan politics can be summed up in a few words...

AWESOME, except for our senate guys (Brownback and that other crazy fundie).