What is the best form of government?

[Jackalope Joe D'Antonio]

What is the best form of government? Admittedly no form of government is perfect but which one is the best? No answer to the question is wrong as long as you can defend it, but be forewarned a theocratic state is the worst form ever tried, just saying. 

DFTBA

Joe 

[Madison R]

Any government where the people have a say. Where the ruler is chosen by free elections at the hands of the people. I've never been a fan of Communism, or a government run by Monarchy because the throne is hereditary and any idiot who doesn't know a thing about how to run a country could suddenly be in charge of the well-being of millions. I don't know a lot about government all around the world, but I'm in North America so I'll just focus on that. Canada and the USA have very similar governments, except for one important detail: in Canada, it's not a specific person who is elected, rather, a political party is chosen and then the party itself gets to pick its' leader (much like Britain, I believe? that's what we get for being a commonwealth country, I suppose). In the USA, the voters get to pick their leader specifically. The USA has 2 main political parties (Democrats and Republicans), whereas Canada has 3 to 5 main parties at any given time (Conservatives, Liberals, NDP, Bloc, and Green). I like Canada's idea of having more than just 2 main political parties, because not everything's black and white. There are different shades of grey, if you know what I'm trying to say. Then again, I also like how the USA vote for their leader, instead of just for the political party. Both governments have their ups and downs.

[CD]

Does Canada allow for 'hung parliaments' and coalition-formed governments?  What about the US?  Is Ralph Nadar not allowed to be the president because he's not a democrat or a republican?  Or are there other reasons?

[Kyle Madigan]

Ralph Nader doesn't win because America has a First Past the Post form of election, and people know he has no chance to win in an election with the two main parties garnering pretty much all the votes. So people who would have backed an independent like Ralph Nader instead back whichever political party best matches their values, and the bipartisan system keeps rolling.

[Sarah Alexis]

I'm a neo-tribalist myself :)

[Jackalope Joe D'Antonio]

Can you explain what neo-tribalism is? 

[Kyle Madigan]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=neotribalism+

[JimmyKeepCool]

I don't think there is a best form of government. They all suck equally :P

[Simply Potter]

I believe that a parliamentary system with an independent judiciary would be ideal when combined with a proportional representation electoral system. 

[CD]

Switzerland?

[Josh Braun]

The best government is no government.

[KevinC]

Why not have local communities take care of themselves in a self sustaining manner? That way there is less need for a government.

Instead of living in one place and working 30 miles away you would contribute directly to your own community providing a significant incentive to help govern it. Local economics are more stable and sustainable as well as providing the essential mechanism of responsibility where your actions have an impact in your daily life rather than being absorbed into the diluted global environment.

This is what introduced me to the idea of a Local Economy: http://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org/

[CD]

There's nothing on that page!  LOL!

Browser error. Fixed.