Re: CHAT: Democracy

--- "Thomas R. Wier" <artabanos@...> wrote:

> I wrote:
>
> > In comparison, the Roman Senate lasted far beyond the death of any
> > real control over policy.  It survived mostly as a municipal
> council during
> > the late Empire, and IIRC is now, officially, just the Curia of the
> Catholic
> > Church in the Vatican.
>
> I just realized I might be misleading here.  The Roman Senate was
> never
> a popular assembly in any real sense of the word;  it was an
> oligarchic
> body that represented the interests of the landed traditional elite
> and the
> capitalists.  I just wanted to show how institutional bodies, though
> given
> the same name, may change greatly in function over time.
That sounds like the British Parliament, and maybe the Duma during the
reign of Tsar Nikolai II.  An "upper house" for the nobility
representing geographical areas, and a "lower house" for the people
represented proportionally to the population.

Exactly what I have for the democracy of Techia: a Tribal Senate and a
People's Diet.  The former has for its members the Elders which lead
each clan, with cardinal authority by the Chieftans of each tribe.  The
King or Queen is also the President of the Tribal Senate and has the
authority of casting a tie-breaking vote (as well as veto power which
can be overriden by a two-thirds majority).

The head of the People's Diet is an appointed Speaker, who generally
keeps the Representatives and the various parties and coalitions from
chewing each other's heads off.

I'll have to consult the Catholic Encyclopedia about the Curia -- being
Catholic myself, I should know better...

DaW.

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