What "democracy" means to the left

archives said:
Wrong, Russia is a constitutional republic
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Russia is formally known as the Russian Federation and operates under a semi-presidential system, which is a form of government where a president exists alongside a prime minister and a cabinet, with some powers divided between them.

The Russian Federation has a constitution that was adopted in 1993 after a national referendum. Here are key points regarding its structure:
  • Constitution: Russia has a written constitution which defines the framework of government, the rights of citizens, and the division of powers among different branches of government.
  • Executive: The President of Russia is both the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The President appoints the Prime Minister, who is the head of government, though the State Duma (the lower house of the Federal Assembly) must approve the appointment.
  • Legislature: The Federal Assembly is bicameral, consisting of the State Duma and the Federation Council. The State Duma has more power in legislative matters, while the Federation Council represents the federal subjects of Russia.
  • Judiciary: An independent judiciary exists, with the Constitutional Court having the power to interpret the constitution and review the constitutionality of laws.
  • Federalism: Russia is a federation where power is divided between the federal government and the regional governments of its federal subjects (republics, oblasts, krais, etc.).

Here's a comparison between the political systems of Russia and the United States:


  • Russia (Russian Federation):
    • Type: Semi-presidential republic with elements of federalism.
    • Executive: The President is both head of state and commander-in-chief, with significant executive power. The Prime Minister, appointed by the President and confirmed by the State Duma, heads the government.
    • Legislature: Bicameral Federal Assembly:
      • State Duma (lower house): 450 members elected for 5-year terms.
      • Federation Council (upper house): 170 members, two from each federal subject (region).
    • Judiciary: Includes the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and other specialized courts. The judiciary is supposed to be independent, but there are concerns about government influence.

  • United States (U.S.):
    • Type: Federal representative republic.
    • Executive: The President is both head of state and head of government, with powers checked by Congress and the judiciary.
    • Legislature: Bicameral Congress:
      • House of Representatives (lower house): 435 members serving 2-year terms.
      • Senate (upper house): 100 Senators, two from each state, serving 6-year terms with staggered elections.
    • Judiciary: Headed by the Supreme Court, whose justices are appointed for life, providing a strong check on the other branches.



@Grok
 
Diogenes said:
Russia is formally known as the Russian Federation and operates under a semi-presidential system, which is a form of government where a president exists alongside a prime minister and a cabinet, with some powers divided between them.

The Russian Federation has a constitution that was adopted in 1993 after a national referendum. Here are key points regarding its structure:
  • Constitution: Russia has a written constitution which defines the framework of government, the rights of citizens, and the division of powers among different branches of government.
  • Executive: The President of Russia is both the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The President appoints the Prime Minister, who is the head of government, though the State Duma (the lower house of the Federal Assembly) must approve the appointment.
  • Legislature: The Federal Assembly is bicameral, consisting of the State Duma and the Federation Council. The State Duma has more power in legislative matters, while the Federation Council represents the federal subjects of Russia.
  • Judiciary: An independent judiciary exists, with the Constitutional Court having the power to interpret the constitution and review the constitutionality of laws.
  • Federalism: Russia is a federation where power is divided between the federal government and the regional governments of its federal subjects (republics, oblasts, krais, etc.).

Here's a comparison between the political systems of Russia and the United States:


  • Russia (Russian Federation):
    • Type: Semi-presidential republic with elements of federalism.
    • Executive: The President is both head of state and commander-in-chief, with significant executive power. The Prime Minister, appointed by the President and confirmed by the State Duma, heads the government.
    • Legislature: Bicameral Federal Assembly:
      • State Duma (lower house): 450 members elected for 5-year terms.
      • Federation Council (upper house): 170 members, two from each federal subject (region).
    • Judiciary: Includes the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and other specialized courts. The judiciary is supposed to be independent, but there are concerns about government influence.

  • United States (U.S.):
    • Type: Federal representative republic.
    • Executive: The President is both head of state and head of government, with powers checked by Congress and the judiciary.
    • Legislature: Bicameral Congress:
      • House of Representatives (lower house): 435 members serving 2-year terms.
      • Senate (upper house): 100 Senators, two from each state, serving 6-year terms with staggered elections.
    • Judiciary: Headed by the Supreme Court, whose justices are appointed for life, providing a strong check on the other branches.



@Grok
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As said, on paper, Russia is a constitutional republic, the AI copy and paste doesn’t invalidate this fact
 
"Democracy" for the Left works like this:

The Left wants to do something politically. They say "We should have a democratic vote on this to determine what we should do. That's fair and everybody gets a say."

If the vote is in their favor the Left says, "See! This is democracy in action! We held voted and the majority rules."

If the vote is against what the Left wants, the Left says, "The voters are retards and fools! They don't know what the fuck they're doing! We won't stop until we get our way!" They then go to court, shop judges, find a sympathetic one to their cause that rules against the democratic vote, and the Left says, "SEE! The voters chose something illegal and wrong and the courts stepped in for justice!"

If someone or group not on the Left wants to do something politically and puts it on the ballot, the Left says, "This is fascism! The people doing this are authoritarian dictators and haters! They are going against what is fair, equal, and just! We must stop them by having them all arrested and tossed in prison!"
 
Diogenes said:
No, not every nation on Earth is a constitutional republic. Here's a breakdown:
  • Constitutional Republics: These are countries where the government derives its power from a constitution and the people elect representatives to govern. Examples include the United States, India, and Germany.
  • Other Forms of Government:
    • Monarchies: Some countries are still monarchies where a king, queen, or emperor holds significant power, either absolute or constitutional (e.g., Saudi Arabia for absolute, or the United Kingdom for constitutional).
    • Theocratic States: Countries like Iran where religious leaders have significant governance roles.
    • Dictatorships: Nations where power is held by one person or a small group without constitutional constraints, often seen in countries like North Korea.
    • Parliamentary Democracies: These might not necessarily be republics; for example, the UK is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy.
    • Federal vs. Unitary States: This distinction adds another layer; some countries might be republics but operate under different federal or unitary systems.
    • Socialist/Communist States: Countries like Cuba or China have systems where the state plays a central role in governance and economics, often under a single-party system.
    • Hybrid Systems: Many countries have mixed elements, like being a monarchy with democratic elements or a republic with authoritarian tendencies.
In summary, the governance systems around the world are varied, and while constitutional republics are common, they are far from universal.


@Grok
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A few notes:

The UK and Britain have no constitution. They have a body of laws but no overarching law in something called a "constitution." A constitutional democracy example is say, Bahrain.

N. Korea is a monarchy for all intents. It is run by a ruling family and power is inherited.

Dictatorships have a single ruling leader. That leader is replaced periodically by a small group of persons that surrounds the current dictator. It is not an inherited position.

Junta: A small group acts as a collective dictatorship.

Parliamentary democracies are typically rule by coalition. That is all parties / groups run candidates for office in the government. Each wins seats in proportion to the votes they receive. If there is no single majority party / group in power, several parties / groups get together and share power as the ruling coalition. A big weakness of this system is that extremist minority parties can become the dominant faction in a coalition government and take power swinging the nation radically to an extreme politically. This is how, for example, Hitler and the Nazis gained power in Germany.

Socialism and Communism are primarily economic systems, not political systems.
 
T. A. Gardner said:
A few notes:

The UK and Britain have no constitution. They have a body of laws but no overarching law in something called a "constitution." A constitutional democracy example is say, Bahrain.

N. Korea is a monarchy for all intents. It is run by a ruling family and power is inherited.

Dictatorships have a single ruling leader. That leader is replaced periodically by a small group of persons that surrounds the current dictator. It is not an inherited position.

Junta: A small group acts as a collective dictatorship.

Parliamentary democracies are typically rule by coalition. That is all parties / groups run candidates for office in the government. Each wins seats in proportion to the votes they receive. If there is no single majority party / group in power, several parties / groups get together and share power as the ruling coalition. A big weakness of this system is that extremist minority parties can become the dominant faction in a coalition government and take power swinging the nation radically to an extreme politically. This is how, for example, Hitler and the Nazis gained power in Germany.

Socialism and Communism are primarily economic systems, not political systems.
Click to expand...


Arizona has a constitution.
 
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