The dream of a truly American democracy Rules of the Game – discussing democratic institutions

Can the American democracy be as colorful, as diverse, as productive, and as creative as the American people? Democrats and Republicans dominate the political agenda and are the gatekeepers of democratic reform. Only a change of the electoral system to make the House of Representatives more representative of the American people can change the US political landscape and make it truly American: competitive, diverse, and inclusive. This would be the "Political American Dream".

I compare the US and Swiss democratic institutions, and tell the story of how Switzerland went from a divided society with deep religious and social cleavages to a vibrant working democracy through the introduction of an open list proportional representation electoral law. 

The framers of the US constitution were afraid of strong political factions, hence they built the institutions to divide power and include checks. They could not anticipate, however, that the first-past-the-post electoral system would lead to the two incredibly dominant factions we have in the US today. An electoral reform would make it more balanced and representative, and would heal the wounds in the American society.

Find the show notes at https://rulesofthegame.blog/the-dream-of-a-truly-american-democracy/